Be(e) Keepers Maasai Project

April rains are bringing May flowers. What a blessing it is to live in such a lovely, fertile, and lush corner of God’s world!

In Kenya, though, the drought persists, now entering a third year. The crops have failed, and now most of the Maasai’s livestock, which is a primary store of wealth, has died. Yet our friends remain hopeful and faithful. We are calling on our church to share a bit of our bounty with our Maasai partners again. This year, they’ve asked us to help with two projects.

The first is a new solar array and an electric pump to ensure a reliable source of water from one of their wells. We helped them with a similar project on another well two years ago. That project was a great success; it replaced a creaky diesel engine that consumed expensive fuel and was subject to frequent breakdowns. As a result, they’ve had a reliable source of drinking water despite the lack of rainfall. The new system will cost $18,200.

The second proposed project may surprise you. They’ve requested $8,400 to begin a beekeeping operation. Bees, apparently, are drought-hardy. The local acacia trees are deep-rooted and tall enough that the giraffes can’t completely defoliate them, and they’re an ideal pollination target for bees. The honey produced will be organic (as they have no pesticides), and the Maasai believe they can find a ready market in nearby towns and cities. We hope to fulfill their request for $26,600. It is a small amount in relative terms for us, but for our friends, it is a lifeline. And, in that spirit, we will offer the Maasai the option to redirect as much as $8,400 to direct food aid if the drought continues and they have not been able to secure funding for sustenance from other sources.

We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. Please consider a gift and designate Maasai Donation as the designation.