Where it started

When Spread Truth launched our ministry in Nairobi, Kenya, in May 2019, we had no idea where the Lord would lead us. As the Spread Truth Africa team shared the gospel through sports and school outreaches, they became aware of a particular cultural tradition among many rural tribes that dates back hundreds of years: female genital mutilation, or FGM.

Deeply entrenched in culture as a rite of passage, over 144 million young girls—some as young as five and six years old—have forcibly undergone this illegal practice all over Africa. Often a precursor to child marriage, FGM signals the end of a girl’s education. If she survives it, it also carries a heavy physical burden with a lifetime of health risks, pregnancy complications, anemia, and more.

Investing in Kenyan Pastors

If you’re familiar with FGM, this is heartbreaking. If you’re new to the idea of FGM, it’s overwhelming. But you might ask, “How does this connect with Spread Truth’s Ministry?”

I’m so glad you asked!

We know that meeting physical needs is often the most poignant way in which we can demonstrate God’s grace lavished on us through His Son. Jesus healed the sick, showed compassion on the hungry, and called the weak, guilty, and least honorable to come to Him. Every person we ever meet will have physical needs. But spiritually, their needs will be much greater.

The girls that Spread Truth Africa has met who have been through FGM are suffering, confused, and longing. Our goal at Spread Truth is to meet people where they are and give them hope. The truth about God and His intention for these girls’ lives gives them hope for today and eternity!

So, how is Spread Truth demonstrating the love of God through meeting physical needs?  Through God’s leading, we have developed a curriculum titled What is a Little Girl Worth? that helps girls think rightly about FGM, their bodies, and God’s ultimate design for their lives. This curriculum has already reached hundreds of girls with the gospel. Incredibly, it has been approved by the Kenyan government to reach many more through the public school system. 

We are confident that God will use this curriculum to teach many girls–and by extension, their families and communities–His ultimate plan for their bodies and souls.