Area resident climbs Africa’s tallest peak for orphanage

By Sylvie Belmondbelmond@theacorn.com

Although his age might imply that he’s on his way down, Warren Ferguson, 69, is working his way up to climb the tallest freestanding mountain in the world to raise funds to revitalize an African village.

Ferguson, a Moorpark resident, will celebrate his 70th birthday a bit early this year at the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, along with two neighbors, Steve Molden and Roy Smith, both 48.

But the climbers aren’t doing the climb for personal reasons. They’re trying to raise money for the Baraka Foundation, a private nonprofit organization co-founded by Moorpark Presbyterian Church and Westminster Presbyterian Church in Westlake Village, to help support a small village and a children’s home in Makobe, Kenya.

Baraka means blessing in Swahili.

The climbers hope to raise about $20,000. They are paying for their own voyage so that all the funds go to help the kids, Ferguson said.

To reach the 19,341-foot summit in Tanzania, the men will have to negotiate five climate zones ranging from tropical rain forest to artic cold. The seven-day climb will culminate in a moonlight ascent to the summit, with a possible wind chill factor of minus 40 degrees and an oxygen level about half that at sea level.

“There is no way to know how challenging this climb will be until we are actually there climbing,” said Steve Molden, who feels he and his teammates are all physically prepared and ready to go. “What we need to do now is keep our minds on the end result, providing muchneeded funding for the Baraka Foundation Orphanage.”

The trio will join Moses Pulei, an experienced climber, who is already in Africa. Pulei is the interim coordinator for adult Christian Education and local missions expert at Westminster Presbyterian Church. He is the one who introduced the needs of the small village to the two local churches.

Pastor Dave Wilkenson of Moorpark Presbyterian and Dale Ridenour, former assistant pastor at Westminster, decided the Kilimanjaro Climb was indeed a worthy cause. They sought support from their congregations, which started to donate funds to sustain the children’s home and village.

The two churches sent representatives to visit Makobe in 2001.

“They came back with tears in their eyes, realizing the incredible need,” said Fergusson, not

ing the stories were im

printed on his mind and

that’s why he is taking

action.

With a high death

rate and many aban

doned children, Ma

kobe had become a dy

ing community.

By completing their

climb, the men hope to

show the children in

Makobe that there are people in the world willing to help them.

“We’re taking these kids (who have) absolutely nothing and no prospects and putting them in an environment in which they are protected, fed, and have a home that they can come back to,” Fergusson said.

The African continent has become riddled with the HIV virus, rampant corruption and political instability.

Aside from helping the children, the churches raised $60,000 to buy a well-drilling rig in 2004, which helped the village revive. Now the townspeople have bathrooms and sewer systems.

Bakraka continues to work to provide other means to improve the standard of living in Makobe.

The local churches also send members to monitor the progress of their donations and they have been satisfied with the results, said Ferguson. “That’s what this hike is all about.”

The climbers are accepting donations. Checks payable to the Baraka Foundation can be sent to Debbie Lee, 4367 Countrymeadow, Moorpark CA 93021.