Currently I’ve been feeling a sense of clearer direction and anticipation of what is ahead and can see how God has been shaping me over the past months in preparation of His new service He has for us. And Chuck pretty much explains that here in an excerpt from his March 2011 newsletter… why rewrite when I can just take his stuff 🙂
Seasons are ending and others are beginning….change! We are beginning to turn a corner serving in Kenya. God is bringing focus to what we are supposed to do. This is going to involve change. A couple of seasons in our life are ending and a big new one is beginning. As you remember, there was a very successful fundraiser to purchase land to farm and build a children’s home on. As I write, we now have purchased the land, received approval for the sale (things here are different than in the US relative to land sales) and now the last issue is to physically change the title. The land is 3.25 acres. We will farm on two acres and build a children’s home and church on the other acre….I believe this is our focus which God wants us to pursue. These activities will take place under our “sister” organization in Kenya called “Caring for Kenya’s Kids” (C4KK). You can find more information on the Saved By God’s Grace website. There is much to tell you about what has transpired and will be happening as we go forward so I will attempt to give you a little detail now and more as time progresses.
True Vince Christian Church (TVCC) and Caring for Kenya’s Kids (C4KK)…We found to legally do the work we have been called to do on the ground in Kenya we needed to have an organization approved by the Kenyan government…we formed two and they are approved. One is True Vine Christian Church and the other Caring for Kenya’s Kids. The church will be physically built on the upper floor of the children’s home. We will be worshiping and presenting the love of Christ as a community and with the watoto (children) who will call the children’s home their home. The process will start with putting in a well and a borehole (wells are shallow and hand-dug while a borehole is deep and machine dug). The well will be a community well in which all neighbors will be welcome to draw water (scarce commodity in the area of the home). The borehole will supply the children’s home and the farm with water. The next step will be electricity. Once title is obtained we can request Kenya Power to bring in the electricity…it is close since electrical poles run along the edge of the property. Finally we will begin the physical construction of the home. Yes, we will be looking for your assistance as we begin to construct the home and church…I will keep you informed as time goes by.
What about Nice View, Mercy and Eldama Ravine. These children have not been forgotten or left behind. Under the umbrella of C4KK we will be working with Nice View Academy as we have in the past. It is simply now under one umbrella (Saved By God’s Grace will be contributing to C4KK and C4KK will be responsible for the distribution of funds to the various projects in Kenya). We look forward to having the children from the home being educated at Nice View and at another school called Koma Hills Primary School.
We have been, and continue to, support the children at Mercy. It is a sad situation which I can’t go too far into, but rest assured there is a plan for those children and God’s mighty arm will bring it to fruition and C4KK will play a major part…He is their protector and provider…we are His weapon He will use on their behalf. I believe….well, like I said, I can’t go too far into that situation.
Eldama Ravine goes on well. Currently we are allowing the home to use Saved By God’s Grace to collect donations from the US and we simply transfer them to the children’s home. The Executive Director, Magie Kigen, is now finished with nursing school in the US and is working for a hospital in the Phoenix, AZ area. She will be taking over all aspects of dealing with supporters of Eldama Ravine. As mentioned, currently we will be accepting donations and forwarding them to the home (for security purposes and to allow US donors to continue to get a tax donation). Magie will be handling all questions about what is happening with the home in Eldama and will ultimately take over accepting donations once she puts the processes in order.
As we move into a new season I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your continued support, as I said recently on Facebook “what a blessing to have such wonderful friends back in the States…you guys rock!”