Abstract:
The problem of orphans in Kenya is blooming significantly. The challenge of
how to care for them is increasingly critical to achieving a healthy society.
Understanding the role of church leaders in the challenging care for orphans is
necessary. To be able to understand how best the church functions in addressing the
orphan problem, the principal objective of this study was to understand why church
leaders of the FMCK have not been able to offer significant help in caring for orphans
in the church.
Using a descriptive approach, this study employed a closed-ended
questionnaire as an instrument of data collection. Fifty church leaders were sampled.
They included local congregation and denominational leaders of the Free Methodist
Church of Kenya.
Results of the study revealed that leaders perceived themselves to have a
magnificent task of using their position of influence to offer care ministries to orphans
in the church. Financial constraints and ignorance on the care of orphans were ruled
out as excuses for not establishing a ministry to orphans. These leaders also indicated
that the church has a social obligation to care for orphans.
As a result the following recommendations emerged: 1) leaders should use
their leadership positions to build a ministry for orphans. 2) Leaders should prioritize
an orphan care ministry alongside other church ministries so as to raise up a healthy
generation. Last but not least, church leaders are to be in the frontline to offer
leadership guidance in the fight against HIV/AIDS which was noted as the highest
cause in increase of orphans.
