This is one of those posts that is necessary once in a while to do what God told us to do at the beginning of this ministry….tell people the needs…He would move who He wanted to assist us.
Saved By God’s Grace has several “paths” you can explore, walk down and pray about to see how you can be a part of what is happening in Kenya. Then, depending on where God is leading you, your passion, or both, we have a secure, online donation process for you. Or perhaps you are good at putting together events to raise funds for a specific need/project. We welcome any and all help you can give.
If you are interested or your curiosity is peaked…take a stroll with me down these paths…
Our first path is Child Sponsorship:
Caring For Kenya’s Kids (C4KK), our Kenyan NGO (non-governmental organization, similar to US’s non-profit organization), currently has 9 children remaining who are ready and eager to be sponsored. We have three which are secondary students ($70/month sponsorship) and six who are in primary ($40/month). Your sponsorship helps pay for the child’s food, shelter, clothing and educational fees (you may have heard Kenya has free primary education but it is far from free and you must pay to attend high school). Sponsorship of all the children would be a HUGE blessing for the ministry as the burden to provide the necessities would be covered and funds which come in beyond sponsorship could be used for projects around C4KK Children’s Home (like continuing to improve the facility, keeping the shamba going, getting a computer teacher to come in once or twice a week, giving the kids meat to eat a couple of times a week or a myriad of other such projects). Sponsoring a child is an on-going commitment and you will be receiving letters from your child often (which they love to write) and you can write them back at any time (which they love to receive).
If this seems to be your area of interest please visit our sponsorship gallery by clicking the above link or tell others who may share your passion for children and share a sponsorship to help lessen the expense (a secondary student sponsorship of $70 could be split into two $35 donations).
Our second path is building a mission home through our Stack the Stones fundraiser:
It is becoming more and more apparent Chuck and I are supposed to be with the children at C4KK Children’s Home. Currently we drive approximately 15 miles to and from C4KK on a daily basis (except Sunday) which takes its toll on using precious gas (we literally spend approximately40% of our personal funds we receive on driving to and from the Children’s Home) and limits the time we spend with the kids because they arrive home from school at the approximate time we leave to go home each day. There is much we would enjoy doing, and believe we are called to do, with the children (evening Bible study, help with homework, craft projects and simply being “Mom and Dad” to them all). We are building our permanent home on the property to allow us to be with the kids as long as God calls us to stay…which is looking like a life-time endeavor.
In addition, the second floor will be a mission home which would house groups who would like to come visit the kids at C4KK. They would have a safe, secure place to stay, assist with the project, and it would be convenient working with the kids as it will be only 50 yards from the Children’s Home. It will also serve as a revenue source as the mission groups will pay to stay in the home and local groups will use it as a weekend retreat house….still relying on God, but more self-sufficient instead of continually looking toward donors for everything.
If construction projects are your thing, please visit our website (by clicking the above link) for more details, or perhaps consider holding a fundraising event…we welcome your comments, ideas and help!
Our third path is a sustainable project for C4KK Children’s Home:
This is the ground breaking of a hand dug well, thanks to a generous donor who kick started this project. This well will water a commercial shamba (large garden) which will be planted (when funds are raised) on 1.5 acres of land…this land is part of the 3.25 acres owned by C4KK and currently houses the Children’s Home and a small shamba for the kids. This large shamba will allow the planting, harvest and sale of spinach, cabbage, sukuma (like kale), ho-ho (peppers) and tomatoes (all of which are in demand in this area) year round, even during the dry seasons when many people do not plant because they do not have access to water to keep the plants going.
If self-sustaining projects are your passion please click on the link above and you will be directed to our secure, online donation site. There you can choose “Children’s Home (C4KK) and Farm Project” from the allocation drop down box and write “well” in the comment section to donate to this sustainable project.
Our fourth path is school fees:
As I mentioned earlier education is not free and unfortunately many of the secondary (high) schools have raised their fees this year by as much as double for Term 2 and Term 3. Before the Children’s Home was occupied we were able to use the on-going funds which came in to cover school fees. However, with the rise in school fees and the Home now sustaining 27 children (and all the expenses involved with feeding, clothing, medical care, etc. for them) the “regular” funds are no longer able to cover the fees (of both the children living at C4KK and those outside the Home which Saved By God’s Grace has been assisting since 2008). Chuck’s recent newsletter stated “We anticipate needing around $3,700 by the end of April in addition to the regular funds we receive to run the home.” We are still short approximately $1,000 as of this blog and need your help. If we don’t receive the funds over the next 1 1/2 weeks the children will have to be told we can not assist to keep them in school…what they will do we do not know…I am not looking forward to those conversations.
If education is a hot button for you, perhaps you can help with a one-time donation for this cause. Simply click on the above link (this will take you to our secure, online donation site) and choose “Children’s Home (C4KK) and Farm Project” from the allocation drop down box and write “school fees” in the comment section.
As we approach the end of our second year living here in Kenya (May 5) we have learned to trust in the Lord for His providence. We simply move forward with His strength at the speed He brings provision. Is it easy living day to day, not knowing if the funds will be here to send kids to school or move closer to the kids? Absolutely not, but we (as Christians) were never told life would be easy…but with God’s strength we continue on day by day.
We are so grateful to you for listening to these requests for help. If you are unable to financially help, please consider lifting this ministry up in prayer for God’s will to be done. We would also ask that you tell others about our kids in Kenya and direct them to this blog where you will usually see our daily life with the kids. It isn’t easy asking for help from friends, family and even strangers, but I’m thankful God hears our pleas and will move hearts for His glory and purpose.
So that means I’m writing this post from my phone!
