Kenya (MNN) — Ever since God confirmed His covenant with Abraham through circumcision in Genesis 17, male circumcision has been a rite of passage among many cultures for males.
However, national director of Kids Alive in Kenya, Linda Mugo, and her team are trying to stop another rite of passage: the practice of female circumcision.
This practice can be damaging to young girls and cause female genital mutilation.
"In some cultures, they take the practice too far, and this is when it becomes female genital mutilation," Mugo said. She explained that the females are circumcised to force them to remain pure. They are also denied sexual pleasure, which forces them to remain faithful to their husbands.
"These girls have been forced into female circumcision simply because it's a way of life where they come from," Mugo said.
Since 2000, Kids Alive has rescued these girls in Kenya before they are circumcised and placed them in residential homes.
Once at the residential homes, the children hear the Gospel. Kids Alive hopes this will change the children's view of God. Children at the homes also receive education and are taught the consequences of female circumcision and female genital mutilation.
If the girls are not protected, Mugo said, "[Circumcision] being a way of life for both men and women in this society, the people would target girls who have not gone through the practice and likely to force them into female circumcision or female genital mutilation."
With the education they receive from Kids Alive, the girls are then able to tell others about the dangers.
Since sex is a taboo subject in Kenyan culture, when Kids Alive discusses sex, they teach the children the biblical meaning of sex and why God created it. The girls can then begin to understand their identity in God.
Pray that these children will grasp their identity in God, and in doing so, they will know God's unconditional love. Pray also that they will be able to overcome the trauma they have experienced and the culture they were born into.
You can partner with Kids Alive in Kenya by funding the education of children and the treatment of AIDS-infected children, as well as sponsor a child or become involved with the residential homes in Kenya. To learn more about Kids Alive, click here.
Kids Alive is also giving away a mission trip for two to the Dominican Republic. You can sign up by clicking here.
