Integrity Worldwide, a Christian nonprofit ministry from Selma, has been sending teams to Kenya and Tanzania since 2006 to help poverty-stricken communities in the African nations.

Now, a team of eight people including Alan and Averee Hicks, who founded the ministry, are heading back to Meto, Kenya.

The group is expected to leave July 29 and return Aug. 8.

Other team members include medical doctor Gillian Greer, registered nurse Pat Davis, registered nurse Janet Atchison, Meghan Stewart, Ryan Bergeron and Inge Bergeron.

“We’ll have a general medical clinic. Who ever comes and has a medical need, we try and treat it, and if we aren’t able to treat it, we try and set up a referral for them to get the help that they need,” Hicks said.

Hicks said Integrity’s recent water project in Leboo opened the door for them to be able to have a medical clinic.

“We’re going to go and have clinic there and minister to them just for physical and spiritual needs for the people there in that village,” Hicks said.

Hicks said the clinic is important, but there’s more to it than just the medical treatment offered.

“The medicine is limited in what it can do because the resources are so limited. But the healing prayer is not limited,” she said.

Although the medical clinic is the main reason the team is heading to Meto, Hicks said Integrity is also working to build a medical facility in the village.

“We’re taking medical people to an area where there is no medical care,” Hicks said. “We’re also laying the ground work for the beginning of a three phase medical complex that we hope to break ground on in 2016.”

Hicks said the vision for the complex is to staff it with medical personnel and an ambulance, pharmacy, dental clinics, surgical suit, a staff nurse with OBGYN capabilities and more.

To top off an already exciting trip, Hicks said the team is planning a 5K race while they are there to give the people something exciting and fun to do while also returning a favor.

“In October every year, we have a race here [in Selma], and we run for Kenya. Last year it was for this water project for Leboo, which through the race here, we were able to raise enough funds to complete the project,” Hicks said.

“One of the things we decided to do in Meto when we go, is we’re going to do a 5K, and they are running for Selma. We have almost 300 students signed up to run.”

Although the concept is the same, one community running to help another, the payment for this race a little different than the normal monetary donation.

“They don’t have the ability to pay a registration, so the registration fee is that they will say a prayer for Selma and for the United States,” Hicks said. “We’re real excited.”