Bringing Health and Healing to Northern Kenya Through Murray’s Ride to Thrive

Earlier this year, I (Murray) found myself in a hospital room, recovering from cancer surgery. I was overwhelmed by the excellent medical care I received—timely, compassionate, and professional at every turn. I felt deeply grateful. And yet, as I lay in that hospital bed, my thoughts kept returning to a different place… and a different reality. 

Just weeks before my surgery, I had traveled with Daniel Lepojarvi (ERDO) to Northern Kenya. Together, we visited the Namoruputh Health Centre—an essential lifeline in one of the most isolated regions of Africa. Built through the faithful work of longtime global worker Deborah Sirjoosingh and the generous support of Canadians, this Health Centre stands as a symbol of hope, rooted in Christ’s compassion and sustained by the local community. 

But despite the powerful work happening there, one critical piece is still missing: the ability to perform minor surgeries.

A Theatre Room Waiting to Be Equipped 

Deborah had the foresight to include a surgical theatre room when the Health Centre was built—but it remains unequipped. As a result, over the past five years alone, more than 700 patients in need of urgent surgical care have been referred elsewhere. 

These referrals are not easy. They often involve long journeys over rough terrain, with limited transportation options. Many patients—especially women in labour or children with life-threatening injuries—simply can’t make the trip.  

As I spent long days in a well-equipped hospital room in Ottawa, I couldn’t stop thinking about what patients in Turkana go through for the kind of care I was receiving freely. That reflection led to a clear and urgent vision for this year’s Ride to Thrive.

Murray’s Ride to Thrive 2025: A Mission of Compassion 

In honour of the excellent service from my doctor, nurses, and other healthcare practitioners at the Queensway Carleton Hospital, this year Murray’s Ride to Thrive will focus on the medical needs of some of the most vulnerable and marginalized people of Africa.  

This summer, Murray’s Ride to Thrive, in partnership with ERDO, is raising $120,000 to equip the theatre in the Namoruputh Health Centre. The goal is to provide everything needed to perform life-saving surgeries right on site. From operating tables and surgical lights to anesthesia machines, monitoring equipment, childbirth and trauma kits, oxygen tanks, sterilization tools, scrubs, and newborn care items, this equipment will make it possible for staff to treat critical cases immediately and effectively. 

No more referrals. No more dangerous journeys. No more delays that cost lives. 

Two Rides. One Purpose. 

To support this mission, two Ride to Thrive events will be held this year: a 100-kilometre cycling event in Ottawa on August 23, and another in Milton on September 6. These rides are an opportunity to raise awareness and mobilize support for a community that desperately needs our help. 

Together, we can bring Healing. 

Every contribution to this cause will directly support the medical needs of the people of Turkana. A gift of $150 can help provide vital tools to serve multiple patients. A donation of $300 can fund a full surgical kit for maternal care. A gift of $1,000 can purchase equipment like a baby warmer or patient monitor. And a donation of $5,000 can fund major equipment such as an anesthetic machine or generator.  

Together, we can bring health and healing to this land—so that the people of Northern Kenya can enjoy peace, security, and life-saving medical care close to home. 

To learn more about how you can participate or give, please visit our website or contact Cindy at (905) 542-7400 x 3390. 

Let’s ride so others can thrive.