Lauren Scharstein- October 2020 Update

Kenya

The Rev. Lauren Scharstein is Deputy Director for Mission with the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA). Lauren began this call in Kenya in 2017 when the PCEA leadership invited her to serve as a lecturer in theology and biblical studies at the Presbyterian University of East Africa. During the same period, she was invited to come alongside the PCEA Mission Department in ministries of compassion, empowerment, and evangelism.

In early 2019, the PCEA leadership asked Lauren to accept a new position as the Deputy Director of Mission for the denomination, and she officially began this role in June 2019. The PCEA Mission Department has responsibility for PCEA mission schools and rescue centers, sustainable water projects, evangelism, church-planting, and global partnerships. Lauren has been particularly involved in ministry with vulnerable women and girls, providing training, administrative leadership, and program development for schools and rescue centers. She recently shared this update on her work with Mother Esther School:

Laughter, Cookies, and Hair-braiding
It has been seven months since many of our students were sent home to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Communities across East Africa are reporting higher rates of child marriage and teenage pregnancy. Girls who were sent home from school are less likely to return than boys the same age. At Mother Esther, we have been heartbroken to confirm that one of our students was married in August to a man in Tanzania and to hear that two of our sixth-grade students are pregnant. It's all too much, and it will be months before we understand the full impact the prolonged closure of schools has had on the girls who come to Mother Esther School for safety, opportunity, and education.

Yet even in the midst of the pandemic, there has been joy to share. The students who remained at school have learned how to harvest tomatoes from the farm, they have eaten lots of cookies and chapatis on Saturdays, and one of our teachers has taught them how to braid each other's hair. She has even contributed part of her salary to buy the necessary hair-braiding supplies. Each weekend you can find the older girls sitting behind the younger girls weaving pink, purple, or blue streaks into their braids. Mother Esther School has continued to be a place where our students feel safe enough to learn, grow, and laugh together.

We also have good news to announce: we can officially reopen for all of our students!! All of the Mother Esther students are coming back to school this week, and we can't wait to see them! Our teachers are ready, we have new handwashing stations in place (thanks to our borehole), and outside visitors will be strictly limited. Classes will begin on Monday, October 26th. It is a small, but important step in healing all that has been broken during this season.