The Role of the Church Of God - Kenya In Alleviating Poverty in EMUHAYA District Of Western Kenya

Abstract

Churches and faith-based organizations have made concerted attempts towards answering both spiritual and physical cries of the poor in Africa, and Kenya in particular. This has partly been attributed to the fact that religion is got lived in a vacuum and that spiritufl progress and worldly development are necessarily interrelated. However, documents of earlier studies have focused on the economic systems while underestimating the power and influence of religion in the eradication of poverty; thus, relegating religion to a matter of spiritual significance. It is evident that economic systems alone to date have been inadequate and the growth of poverty has not been reversed. Nevertheless, the role of religion particularly the Church of God in Kenya (CoGK) in poverty eradication has not been adequately studied by researchers yet human spirit and determination are cornerstone for poverty alleviation and wealth creation. Over 65% of the people living in Emuhaya District live below the poverty line and are food poor. The overriding objective of this study was to assess the role of the CoG-K in alleviating poverty in Emuhaya District of Western Kenya. Specifically, the study analyzed the contribution of CoG-K's teachings to people's participation in poverty alleviation, assessed the achievements of the CoGK projects meant to alleviate poverty, and evaluated the social-economic challenges facing the CoG-K in alleviating poverty in Emuhaya District. This study was a cross-sectional research that sought to give an examining and descriptive scrutiny of the CoG-K's activities in Emuhaya District of Western Kenya. The concepts of liberation theology and reconstruction provided the analytical framework for the study. It posited that a socia-political process represents a radical engagement for Christianity with the world, with the intent to represent human freedom and God's gratuitous activity in the questions aQd issues of the day. This study sampled a total of312 respondents (1 Bishop, 1 General Secretary, 1 General Assembly Trustee, 1 General Assembly Treasurer, 16 Directors, 282 Pastors, and 10 Elders) through purposive sampling method. Oral interviews, questionnaire methods and focus group discussion were used to collect data from the respondents. Observation method was used to validate the information obtained through oral interviews and questionnaires. Secondary data was sourced from published and unpublished literature. Data was analyzed using the theological method of induction (TMI). The findings of the study showed that the teachings of the CoG-K formed the basis by which social problems were viewed and addressed. This was revealed in the people's participations in religious, social and economic activities in Emuhaya District. Consequently, the research established that the CoG-K's teachings is a major force influencing efforts that promote religious values as an avenue for enhancing development at grassroots level where the majority of the poor live. Therefore, the contributions of the CoG-K's teachings to people's ideas about alleviation of poverty are closely connected to fundamental economic activities in Emuhaya District. The study further established that whereas the church's motive was need based evangelism, it also initiated development projects in various areas such as health care, education and training, empowerment of women, youth and children, social welfare programs that provide for shelter and housing. The church has done all these in order to improve the living standards of the people in Emuhaya District. Regardless of the CoG-K efforts towards development, some of its programs and ceremonial functions like ordination, baptism, marriage and weddings tend to retard these efforts of alleviating poverty. Thus, they delay change in behavioural and institutional transformation capable of sustaining economic growth. H;wever, it is recommended that if Emuhaya District is to develop, it has to place the CoG-K's teachings and theology of the option for the poor at the top of the agenda and to consider it as is so often the case, as adjunct to core of the work, that is development.