Burning Bush Inc. is a nonprofit devoted to helping others devise ways to help themselves. We believe that able individuals who feel called to help meet the global needs of today should readily answer that call. Accordingly, we chose our name from the story in Exodus 3:4 in which God calls to Moses from the burning bush and Moses answers, “Here am I.” As Oswald Chambers wrote in My Utmost for His Highest, “Readiness for God means that we are ready to do the tiniest little thing or the great big thing, it makes no difference…The burning bush is a symbol of everything that surrounds the ready soul, it is ablaze with the presence of God.”
Burning Bush began its humanitarian efforts in 2002 as a strategic partner with Susan Kaburu, a Kenyan RN/midwife, who was seeking to establish and advance the Samaria Maternity Center in her home community of Ndathi, located in a remote area of central Kenya. When the Center became self-supporting in 2009, we shifted our focus to assisting other nurses throughout central Kenya who own and operate private clinics in their communities.
Through this work, we have become convinced that the key to improving global health is empowering nurses and community health workers who are on the front lines of treating people with health needs in developing countries. These individuals have varying levels of education—sometimes just two years of high school—and often only the most basic training, but are compelled by necessity to engage in the advanced practice of nursing, diagnosing illnesses and prescribing and dispensing medicine. Frequently delivering care in spite of limited supplies and equipment, they are self-reliant, capable, professional, and eager for additional training to increase their competence.
Efforts are currently underway in central Kenya to develop the nursing profession through standardized practice, research, and graduate education. Our organization is actively engaged in supporting these efforts. We hope our investments in training and equipping health care professionals will lead to the development of a model program that can be implemented in any setting, austere or urban, to showcase the critical role of nurses in advancing global health initiatives.
Burning Bush is also promoting sustainable community development in central Kenya through micro lending to a variety of groups. To date, some of these groups are supporting members’ efforts to start micro businesses and others are helping deserving students continue their education by providing short-term loans for secondary-school tuition. The central Kenyans are very patient with slow progress, believing that they can be more accountable to themselves and to others if they plan and work at their own speed. We encourage them to decide what is needed and how we can help.
We invite you to explore this website and learn more about what our friends in central Kenya are accomplishing. We are inspired by their energy, inventiveness, compassion, and faith. If you would like to join us in helping Ndathi and other communities in central Kenya, please make a tax-deductible contribution through our PayPal account.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.” – Margaret Mead
