Peter Ouma Oringo är medgrundare för Den Barmhärtige Samaritens förening och direktör/huvudansvarig för the Good Samaritan Children’s Home. Han är född och uppvuxen i Migori, pastor och har betytt otroligt mycket för arbetet i Kenya. Utan honom hade föreningen och den utveckling som hemmet och arbetet har haft aldrig varit möjligt. Han är, tillsammans med Anette, definitionen av den barmhärtige samariten som ger av sin tid, sin kraft och sitt hjärta för sina medmänniskor och för att skapa förändring och framtidshopp.

Hör Peter berätta om hur arbetet startade, de år som gått och vilka visioner om framtiden som han och styrelsen i Kenya har för verksamheten.

Läs intervjun med honom längre ned (på engelska) / Read the interview with Peter below (in English).

INTERVIEW WITH PETER OUMA ORINGO

How did you and Anette get to know each other?

In 1998 August Anette and her family came to Kenya as Missionaries and lived in Migori, by that time I peter I was temporarily working as a gardener in the missionary compound, and I was also a Pastor, When she started her missionary work in Kenya she and her family accepted me to continue and be the gardener and take care of Dogs, of which I accepted wholeheartedly. Now it is 26 years since we came to know each other .

How did the Good Samaritan Children’s Home and the idea of it all start?

During the time mama Anette and her family were in Migori and I was also a pastor in one of the churches I planted, we came to realize that all of us had burdens and a passion for orphans , needy, vulnerable and abandoned in the society. Because I was an orphan who had lived in the street during my youth after the death of my father.

One day during Anette’s stay in Kenya, she went to Tanzania In Nzega where her children were studying and God spoke to her about helping needy and orphans in Africa. When they came back I had also received a revelation of the same. Anette called and we shared the idea together and at the end we held our hands which were empty and prayed.

From then, she could visit my church and other places and help many orphans and needy in the villages by buying school uniforms, books and other domestic needs. Mama Anette also extended a hand of support to the people living with disabilities, with deformation, and many more buying cratches, shoes, taking some for operation for repair of nose and mouth, etc.

This led us to form an Hospital Ministry where twice a week we could go to the nearby hospitals and prya with the sick. After six months mama anette and the family went back to Sweden. I remained behind as the chairman and overseer of the program that we have registered to help the poor in society and praying for the sick. I continued with the Hospital Ministry, praying for the sick and also helping the poor with little resources.

The challenges we could overcome during our hospital ministry were the small babies abandoned, and those whose mothers had died during and after delivery complications. I and the team took them to our home but could not fit them together with our families. One night I got a revelation to built an orphanage and shared it with Mama Anette. She said Peter you know we don’t have funds, we cannot manage.

I went for fasting and praying on the mountain, God spoke to me when He gave me the picture of small babies in the childrens home, for one week, I came and shared it with Mama Anette, because we didn’t have money, she said peter we still don’t have sponsors, but that night The Lord spoke to me and the next day when I called Anette and told her, she listen and said lets pray, and we prayed through phone. In a few months we got money bought a piece of land, and we started making bricks by ourselves, in a small scale the Good Samaritan now has reached this far, that is how it became to exist.

What were the biggest challenges when starting? What have been the biggest challenges throughout these years? How did you overcome these challenges?

The biggest challenges we faced when we started were: financial support, we didn’t have from begging , and this made almost all group members who were there left because they could do a volunteary work, I remained doing a voluntary work for almost 8 years; Means of transport; and accommodation space.

Throughout the years we have been having more challenges. The need is so great but the incomes cannot meet them all, especially since the poverty index is so high that we need much resourses, but I want to thank our dear Mama Anette and the team for standing with us to come this far. Some of the cahllenges we have handled through being honest and faithful to the resources in our hand. We have also put God first in everything we are doing, and worked as a team, creating a conducive working environment.

What have been the biggest blessings throughout the years of working as a director of the children’s home?

The biggest blessing throughout the years has been to witness that all abandoned and vulnerable children that we have accommodated here have achieved their dreams.

Since this is a home for homeless children, many orphans and abandoned have been connected with new families through adoption.

What change does the home make for the children living at the Good Samaritan and for their future?

The children’s home has made significant changes and great improvements in the lives of orphans accommodated here:

• they came in hopeless but they go out hopeful,
• they came in parentless but go out under parental care,
• many orphans have achieved their dreams through education. Those who have graduated from different universities and colleges many have gone through technical colleges gaining technical skills,
• many children have access to eduction and are in high schools and primary schools.

How many children have you helped throughout the years?

The Good Samaritan Children’s home has supported and helped over 600 orphans.

How can people support the work you are doing?

We are still appealing to friends to continue joining us to help many orphans, abandoned and vulnerable in society. The orphan rate and abandonment in the Republic of Kenya is very high and vulnerability index is very high due to lack of income and unemployment. The need is so great that it is beyond our current income, therefore we extend our invitations for partners to join, work and support us. Donations in any form are accepted and welcome.