Kelly Bean, a West Linn mom of three, first learned of Pastor Steven Turikunkiko and his wife, Providence, at a conference for Christian leaders in Uganda in 2007. The Turikunkikos, who live in the neighboring country of Rwanda in central Africa, had been taking orphans into their home, as well as helping other orphans rent huts near one another to form a community of sorts.
(Photo:Cornelia Seigneur)“I had heard Pastor Steven and his wife had written over 400 letters to find assistance from others, and no one responded,” said Bean.
She decided to help by sending monthly support. In 2010, she and another woman, Lori Martin, formed a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit called African Road to “work for transformation and sustainability for communities in Africa, partnering in ways that helps people improve their own lives.”
“My job is to find more people to come alongside Steven in this partnership to help orphans,” said Bean.
In 2011, African Road received an anonymous donation which it used to purchase land in November. This month, the nonprofit is having a well bored there. “It brings fresh, clean free water to the orphans and to the entire community as well,” Bean said.
African Road has also helped fund medical insurance for the children and aided them in starting a small goat enterprise.
“What I get to do is tell their story. I told Pastor Steven, ‘People want to hear what you have done, and they will want to come alongside you to help,’ ” said Bean. “It’s incredible and amazing what God has done in such a small time — it’s neat to see what they are doing for themselves.”
For more information: www.africanroad.org
(Also published in Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012 Print edition of The Oregonian – Oregonian story link online)
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