IcFEM Gap Volunteers

IcFEM Mission (Interchristian Fellowships’ Evangelical Mission) is a Kenyan founded indigenous Interchristian organisation which is aiming at accelerating community transformation by smoothly integrating Evangelism with Community Development and Relief and Welfare activities. Initially IcFEM was a vision of one or two people, having been started as Rural Evangelistic Ministries (REM) founded by Solomon and Ruth Nabie and a few other members.

In 1989 REM was working with nearly 200 interdenominational fellowships’ in Western Kenya with widespread coverage of 40 by 80 kilometres. In the course of ministry it emerged that rapid spread of the gospel was being hindered by physical challenges facing members of the community. Lack of sufficient food, inaccessibility to affordable and quality health care and the prohibitive cost of education were some of the factors blamed for little progress made in the faith of Christians in rural areas.

As a result of the very real needs, REM felt it necessary to go beyond its original objectives of just preaching the Gospel. Two components namely, Welfare and Community Development and Mercy Ministries were incorporated in the package with the aim of offering the community a balanced service. Spiritual programmes continued to form the core of all activities. In time Christians not only began to gain strength in their belief but also started identifying potential solutions to their physical needs.

With much broader objectives, REM had to transform itself to something more embracing. In 1993 IcFEM was born. IcFEM core areas of concern are Evangelism, Community Development and Relief and Welfare.  IcFEM’s motto of Holy Living and Hard Work has been derived from the Bible (1 Thessalonians 4:7 & 2 Thessalonians 3:10). IcFEM’s Mission is to be a Mission of God with People and Development. Being a rural grassroots organisation, IcFEM is actively partnering with the community in helping to bring about an integral transformation, with a positive socio-economic and spiritual impact through its wholistic approach to human development. IcFEM is lawfully constituted and registered under the Societies Act of the Laws of Kenya. As a Missionary Society, it has members from which a Board is elected every three years. A management team of 10 people, answerable to the Board, is charged with the day to day administrative responsibilities.

IcFEM has grown rapidly in a relatively short time from a few activities in 1989, to well over 40 programmes and projects. Equally the staff has also increased from 3 to over 100, in 2006. IcFEM’s Headquarters are in Kimilili, Bungoma North District, Western Province, Kenya. IcFEM has opened field offices in the UK, Nairobi and with links in Switzerland, Spain, Holland, France and the USA.

The IcFEM Mission believes in collective responsibilities as a major strategy of fighting poverty. Our approach brings on board key stage holders who include Government agencies on the ground, Churches, the political wing, NGO’s (Non– Government Organisations), CBO’s (Community Based Organisations) and individuals to contribute against poverty. The greater success of IcFEM Projects is through IcFEM and Government relationships. We work with a range of officials, including Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs along side other Government Agencies. We work together in planning, mobilisation, design of projects, monitoring and supervision. The common grass root officials are Assistant Chiefs, Chiefs, District Officers (DO) and District Commissioners (DC). We also work with departmental heads who include Agriculture, Health, Education and Social Services.

Based on this foundation, the Mission is now seeking to replicate its model of spiritual, social and economic development widely across the region.  To do this, Village IcFEM Fellowships are being created.  Each comprises 25 or more people, led by a committee, with a member each responsible for one of IcFEM’s ministries, referred to as “ Line Ministries”.  The Village IcFEM Fellowships are grouped together into “Transformation Units” – 40 Fellowships in a Transformation Unit – for the purpose of mutual accountability, and facilitating training, the training of trainers, equipping and encouraging by the Mission staff.

Presently, some 475 Village Fellowships have been formed; and these are being trained and equipped, for their own development and further outreach, by the Mission staff in 12 Line Ministries.

We believe that all this Gospel-centred community development work over the last 15 years has contributed enormously to the freedom, in the Kimilili area of western Kenya, from the political violence which affected the country following the elections at the end of 2007.

 

God has enabled IcFEM to achieve amazing things with very few resources.  The struggle is intense, both spiritual and physical.  The Mission is truly a faith mission, and all the staff are highly committed to the work of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The senior staff do not receive salaries; they work as missionaries in their own country, and at the end of each month receive an allowance providing there are sufficient funds to pay them. IcFEM does NOT believe in hand-outs, and the staff do NOT seek personal gain from the financial support given to the Mission. 

Please visit our blog to kepp up to date with the Missions work. www.icfem-mission.blogspot.com

           

The first video clip is of the Cyber Centre, the back of Khalayi Nursery School, the Communications Office and the Head of Education Office.

The second video clip is a 360 degree panaramic view of the main office block. (Accounts, Deputy Director, Personal Assistant to the Director, Director, Libarary, Book Shop and the Hall.)       

The third video clip is a 360 degree panaramic view of the Dreamland layout (Staff Room, Male Students Dormitory, DEC Classrooms, Dining Room, Kitchen, the top of DMCC and then the Playing Fields)