By Jack Parsley | Reporter
Baylor Spiritual Life held its fourth annual Change the World in a Day event on Monday Morning in Chapel. Change the World in a Day is an event where Baylor Chapel raises money for a specific charitable cause. The money raised this year was donated to Daniel and Zippy Sindiyo’s ministry in Kenya.
The Sindiyos’ came to Monday’s chapel service to tell the students about their ministry, which protects young girls in Kenya who would have to go through a process called Female Genital Mutilation, or FGM, and get married at a very young age. The Sindiyos’ ministry offers these girls a chance to attend a boarding school near Nairobi and better their lives through education.
With the Sindiyos was Viola Kamarua, one of the first students sponsored by their charity. Kamarua shared the story of how she became the first woman in her village to graduate from high school and the impact her education has had on her life.
“My life has really changed because, right now, my siblings are looking up to me. Little girls in my village are looking up to me, and I can lead by example,” Kamarua said. “Education has really made a difference for me.”
The Sindiyos helped place 72 girls in the boarding school in Nairobi, and are continuing to improve the lives of young Kenyan women. Other girls will soon become high school graduates like Viola.
“What you have just seen in this video, in our presentation so far and through Viola, is a testament to how God has blessed this initiative.” Daniel Sindiyo said.
Dr. Randall Bradley, director of the Baylor Men’s Choir, helped to facilitate the service. He also told the students about the connection the Baylor Men’s Choir has to the Sindiyos and their ministry. The Baylor Men’s Choir has taken mission trips to Kenya and will be going back to Kenya in May.
The service incorporated videos and Kenyan music to help give students a better feel for the Kenyan culture. With some help from Baylor Men’s Choir, Zippy taught the students in the service a worship song in Swahili, “Hakuna Mungu Kama Wewe.”
Associate chaplain and Director of Worship Ryan Richards let the students know what their donations would be going towards.
“The things you heard about today are important concerns that we can be a part of as Chapel. They want to make sure that every person in that village has shoes because so many young people in that village run around without shoes,” Richards said. “If we step up today, we can make sure that all of those young people have shoes on their feet.”
In addition to the offering that was taken up in Chapel and in the Bobo Spiritual Life Center on Monday, students will have the opportunity to donate again during Chapel on Wednesday.
