Making Bible stories memorable for children in Kenya

‘Most of the children in the home ask questions about their situation,’ Anne said, a leader in Open the Book Kenya. 

‘You notice a child seated alone in deep thought, or they’ll ask why they take the ARV drugs and when they will ever stop. Older ones who know their situation sometimes want to harm themselves. How do we encourage such children? We use the power of Bible stories to point them to Jesus, the God who sees them.’

A Christian outreach for children with HIV/AIDS

Joy Children’s Village was started 12 years ago by Nazareth Hospital, a Christian outreach just outside Nairobi. It cares for about 60 children with HIV/AIDS, providing a family-based environment for girls and boys who might be ill or orphaned or abandoned by their parents.

Despite significant improvement, Kenya continues to experience an HIV epidemic. More than a hundred thousand Kenyan children have the virus, which can be transmitted mother to child when a woman who is HIV positive becomes pregnant. 

The youth wing of the Kenya’s Bible mission team has embraced Open the Book as a dynamic way to sow the seeds of spiritual change, inspiring a Bible-reading culture among young people.

The Open the Book programme

‘Open the Book is so special to me,’ said Anne. ‘It stands out as a child-friendly approach to Bible outreach.’

The children at Joy Village were introduced to stories of Tabitha being raised from death (from Acts 9) and of Jesus healing a man of blindness. And because Open the Book combines narration with dramatization, the children were invited to join in performances of these stories.

Anne said, ‘Open the Book makes it easy for children to remember Bible stories. This is the most unique and attractive children’s programme we have, and it’s something I missed when I was a child.’

You can sponsor Open the Book in Kenya and elsewhere, bringing this powerful experience of Bible stories to more children. Find out how.