Who are we and what do we stand for?
Light to Shine Foundation
Light to Shine Foundation was officially registered in Kenya as an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) in December 2020. Light to Shine’s vision is to transform communities through home based care. Check out our projects to find out how we do this.
Light to Shine was founded by Elijah and Willianne Olweny. They saw the great distress that exists among people due to the consequences of HIV-AIDS and other chronic diseases. Both Elijah and Willianne have an education that fits well with this: Elijha has studied ‘Community Health – HIV-AIDS management’ and Willianne is a nurse. Both have a serving heart and compassion for people who are weakened and often stigmatized. Stigma is still a very big problem in Kenya driving families and communities apart.
Calling
Elijah and Willianne are called to serve their neighbor in need from the idea that every Christian has the mission to serve Christ like He has served us by coming to this world. By standing up and caring for the weak and less fortunate, they hope to shine the Light of Christ in communities, reunite families and bring the sick back to good health.
Team
Light to Sine Foundation has established a team of three Kenyan workers.
It is a blessing to serve together with them and because of them we will be able to grow and expand in the future.
Personal
Elijah and Willianne got married in 2015 and they moved to Kisumu, western Kenya. Kisumu is located around Lake Victoria. Many families here live by fish trade and they provide in their own harvest through agriculture. The latter is often very difficult due to the changing climate.
Willianne and Elijah were blessed with two children, Ephraim and Liora. Elijah likes to be busy and likes to be found on their piece of land where they grow maize, among other things. Elijah has an eye and a caring heart for the people around him. He is also often asked to preach, something he also enjoys doing.
Willianne is busy with the children, loves baking and cooking and is ready to help people where necessary. Willianne has a very strong sense of justice, which is a nice characteristic in development aid, although it can also clash a bit with Kenyan culture sometimes. In addition, Willianne has a heart for families and occasionally gives workshops on sexual upbringing in a biblical light. An interesting topic that is still very taboo here.
Elijah and Willianne’s house is always open to acquaintances and strangers. They see this as their commission in response to Hebrews 13:2 ‘Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.’
At the moment they rent a house within a fenced area with several other houses. However, in the future they hope to build their own house in a local community/neighbourhood in order to be able to carry out their calling and to be able to be a light to their neighbours. In this case, their place could be used to reach out to the community through a children’s Bible club (together with a nutritious meal) and parental gatherings on marriage, finances, sexuality, and so on.
‘May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake us. May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors. And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day’s need, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other.’ 1 Kings 8: 57-60
‘In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.’ Matthew 5: 16