Local ministry raises nearly $300,000 toward Kenyan relief

Posted on December 10, 2016

Bloomington-based GOYA Ministries has worked to alleviate conditions in Nairobi slums since 2006. (Photo Facebook/GOYA Ministries)

By Greg Halbleib

NORMAL – An annual banquet has raised $286,000 to expand a local ministry’s efforts to help destitute people in Kenya.

GOYA Ministries reported the funds were raised during last week’s “GOYA: Give Hope” banquet attended by about 250 people. An anonymous donor matched the amount given by attendees to reach that total. GOYA founder Chad Parker said the funds will expand his ministry’s work.

“Part of our push for this year’s banquet was to raise funds to build a bigger orphanage,” Parker said, “and also to build and plant a church in a slum called South B where we already have 350 children connected to the ministry.”

Parker began the ministry 10 years ago when seeing first-hand how many people were affected by the conditions in parts of Nairobi.

“It’s like a 2 a.m. informercial,” Parker said. “You have children without clothes, children without food, children without parents. No church, no school, nothing.”

More information can be found at goyaministries.org.

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