Progress! You’re
helping!
By Dawn Brown
I was
recently looking at some of the pictures I have from Kenya. I spend so much time looking at them. I organize them for future use. Who are they?
What was happening in the picture, etc?
Then when the need arises, I can find them. For example, what pictures should I use when
I go to visit that church? What pictures
for this newsletter? What would be good
for a Facebook post or for the blog?
I’m
often looking at so many pictures. This
specific day, God really touched me once again, with the actually person in
each picture. I realized, in some ways,
I had lost touch with their hearts.
I
want to tell you about them. I pray that
you let them touch your heart too. I
want you to see them as real people.
People just like you and me, who live their lives one day at a
time. Some days we have joys and some
days we have sorrows. Some days, we just
hang on and ask God to help us through.
These
are the kids you pray for. They’ve
watched their parents die. These are the
women you pray for. They’ve lost their
husbands in a culture that devalues widows.
They’re struggling to care for children they didn’t give birth to. They’ve been through so much hardship. They are real! They feel heartache and pain, just like you
do.
I
wrote the name tags on each one of these little girls. I tried to figure out who lived with
whom. My sister, Bonnie Herrick, took
their pictures so that when we went back home, I would know who they were. We spent the morning playing with them and
got to teach them about the Lord.
When we went to Kenya, we took some toys for the ministry. When we left home, we had no idea we would never see a toy the entire time we were gone, except the toys we brought with us. We visited homes and schools and we walked miles and miles and never saw a toy. The only ones’ we saw, were those we brought.
Before
leaving, we asked our friends and family to give us money so that if we a found
need, we could do our best to meet it.
Some of those donating said they wanted us to give Bibles. Great idea, we thought! We’ll make arrangements to get Bibles in
Nairobi and take them with us to Mbooni.
We
didn’t know it, but these kids, like most kids in Mbooni, don’t have a single
book in their house. Once we were there,
we found out that even the schools didn’t have hardly any books, and the ones
they had, were in terrible condition! To
think a book was such an extravagance and we didn’t just give a book, we gave a
brand new Bible! God’s life changing, lifesaving
Word!
Bonnie
handed this little guy his very own Bible and he hugged it. He just kept hugging it. Sitting all over the grass, you could see
kids carefully holding their Bibles or caressing them or inquisitively looking
through the pages. They were in awe!
We
had no idea what luxuries we brought when we packed the toys and purchased the
Bibles in Kenya.
Several
times, kids would show up at Elizabeth’s house in the middle of the day. Each had been sent home from school and was
told they couldn’t come back because the widowed woman who was caring for them
didn’t have enough money to pay the school fees. They hoped that Elizabeth could help. Because of you, she can help some of them.
We
saw their homes. When we visited, the
little food they had was sitting out in plain sight because there were no
cupboards, counters or refrigerators and there wasn’t much at all to eat. These widowed women were doing the best they
could, but they were choosing between school fees and feeding the orphaned kids
in their care.
The
kids curiously touched our white skin and smooth hair. We got them to smile. We played with them. They laughed and giggled and they wanted to
see the pictures of themselves we were taking.
Most had never seen a camera or their own picture.
When
we were there, the Child Arise borehole wasn’t completed yet, so we went to the
filthy little creek where all the kids would go before and after school to
carry disease infested water back to their houses.
Progress
indeed! Because of you, so many women
and children over the years have their own Bibles. They are drinking as much clean water as they
can carry! They are going to school
consistently. Most exciting of all, they
are learning that Jesus loves them and others, like you, love them too! Many of them are coming to faith in Jesus
Christ and growing spiritually!
I
urge you to continue in your support of this valuable ministry. Consider telling your friends and
family. There are so many orphaned
children and so many widowed women. We
really need you. You truly are making a
difference in lives! They thank God for
you and remember you in their prayers!
We can’t thank you enough!
Update on Elizabeth Mativo’s House Reconstruction
As
you are probably aware, our missionary, Elizabeth Mativo’s house was severely
damaged last fall due to record breaking rainfall over a lengthy period of
time, coupled with what we now know to have been faulty original
construction.
Most
of her house had to be torn down and rebuilt.
We informed you of the need and you’re response was amazing! God’s people are astonishingly generous!
Elizabeth
has been so thankful! She goes on and on
telling me what to say to all of you, but I just can’t write fast enough to get
all that she says. Please believe me
when I say, SHE THANKS YOU!
A lot
of progress has been made, but we still have much more to do and we are out of
funds. If you know of anyone who may
want to help, please tell them of her situation and how she has served the Lord
for so many years. She still needs things
like ceilings, floors, cement, paint indoors/out, rainwater tank reset, piping,
septic, door locks and labor.
 |
| Most recent construction update |
 |
|
Mixing concrete which can only be purchased by the bag.
|
She’s
still living in a temporary structure and is looking forward to getting back
into her house. If the work doesn’t have
to stop, she believes she may be able to move back in by July.
Again,
thank you for your generosity!
PRAYER REQUESTS
* I
am trying to reach a grandma/widow. I
have tried pulling her out and getting her to come to church without
success. She needs Jesus. She sniffs
raw tobacco and is not a good influence to the children. Slowly I know, God
will have His way.
* Praise the Lord! I am overwhelmed by
all the love the entire American brothers and sisters have shown me. I have
been touched by your generosity, love and concern for me. There is a saying; a
friend in need is a friend indeed. From the radio station, to churches and
personal friends I want to thank you for the great act of love you have done
for me. I pray God to bless you all. May you never lack.
* Pray for wisdom and God to provide a new farm hand, and that the former man will repent and turn to back to the Lord after stealing many things.
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100% of your donation goes to Kenya!
Donations can be made to
Child Arise Kenya
Widows & Orphans Ministry
827 5 Ave Dr W, Andalusia IL 61232
309-798-2596
dawn@ChildAriseKenya.com
ChildAriseKenya.com
Child Arise Kenya is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit tax-exempt ministry
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