Lakeview Baptist Sends Team

July 26, 2016/by bringDesigner

A team of seven from Lakeview Baptist in Monroe, North Carolina spent 15 months meeting monthly to prepare spiritually through bible study and prayer, cultural sensitivity lessons and practical training. (demonstration of how to take a bucket shower   )  Lakeview Baptist and other supporters helped by collecting and sending multiple items that were on a needs list. Money was raised at several events enabling us to buy bibles, meet crusade expenses and provide for other critical needs. We collected so many items, that it was necessary to take 2 extra large suitcases along on the trip, for a total of 26 suitcases! Thank you to EVERYONE that helped us be the hands of Jesus! You played a huge part in making this trip a tangible blessing to the Kibera community. When it all comes down to it, prayer and trusting God was the crucial aspect of this mission trip. Breaking the fallow ground and combating the intense spiritual warfare that comes with huge leaps of faith for individuals, church, the community dynamics we were entering and physical safety. The enemy does not want the gospel to be shared and tried many different angles to disrupt and bring fear, but by God’s grace, we arrived in Nairobi, Kenya! Amazingly, the customs agent gave us favor and waved us through without charging any fees for all the goods we brought. That was really a miracle and needed encouragement after having to pay close to $1000 for the 2 extra bags we brought. (NEVER EVER TAKE MORE THAN YOU SHOULD, I tried for weeks to get those baggage fees waived, to no avail) It was so great to see the smiling faces of Monica, Cindy & her neighbor and Rose! Rose was the official representative from our school and greeted us holding a beautiful bunch of flowers, it really touched my heart to see that she had come to welcome us! 
The team piled into the van with our tower of suitcases tied down on it’s roof and then got to experience the joys of Nairobi traffic. Our driver navigated the tangle of cars, matatus, buses, vendors selling all manner of goods and pedestrians darting through tiny wedges of space between vehicles. Over the years, it amazes me that no pedestrians have been hurt during these trips. The vendor selling sugar cane was hard to resist because we were unable to fill our water bottles at Jomo Kenyatta Airport. The small bag was enough for everyone to sample and whet our thirst until getting to Monica’s home in Jamhuri.

Monica and her team of helpers were very hospitable and prepared delicious, hearty meals while we stayed in Kenya. They extended a kind and generous welcome, often preparing things for us that they would never afford for themselves. They blended fresh fruit juices, cooked sausages & eggs, tons of wonderful fresh vegetables, fruits; along with typical Kenyan fare of chapati, ugali, mandazis, lentils, potatoes, etc. Our first venture out to Kibera was made somewhat difficult due to our arrival during the rainy season. While our summer fits well into school schedules, for making a mission trip, it is actually cool, rainy and overcast during the Kenyan winter, making traversing the muddy paths to the school sort of treacherous.

Over the course of the last 15 months or more, our team was asked to prayerfully consider what gifts they felt like God might want to use on the mission trip. We discussed the length of the trip, most saying they felt like a 10 day trip would be about perfect for their first (most) trip out of the country. Kibera has been on my heart for years and I strongly felt urged to pray that the churches there would come together in unity. After sharing with Monica, we began to believe and pray to God, for this to somehow come together. We also began praying for a crusade and all aspects of the mission trip, for God to aid us in planning. The next team meeting, I shared how we were trusting God to help us with a crusade in Kibera. A rough draft of plans was developed for our trip. Gene wanted to help the children plant a garden, Phil would teach/preach, Jody would mentor and instruct the teachers, Kaden and Emily would paint a mural and play with the children, Jacquelyn wanted to work with the deaf and I would teach hygiene and infection control- with all of these things being entwined with biblical teaching, songs and as much love of Jesus Christ draping over each activity. It was thrilling to see the crusade actually becoming a reality! We had the pastors from 7 churches in Kibera come together and pray and plan for several months before we arrived. By the end of the crusade, there were more than 20 churches from all over Kenya and one from Uganda, that were involved in the crusade! That was God!! For that many churches, from different tribes and denominations, to come together for the purpose of repentance (main theme) and salvation, it was a miracle indeed. Phil had been praying and believing for 2000 salvations and shared it with us a couple weeks before leaving. Bold faith!! We know that hundreds came to salvation throughout the course of the crusade and we are still waiting on the final

numbers, but we trust that God will use the Word that was spoken during the crusade, to continue impacting lives for His glory and we do believe that at least 2000 and possibly MANY more will come to Christ! Not only were many lives impacted and changed, but many were drawn to a closer walk with God. Scores of folks stood out in the pouring rain, on their knees, crying out to God. Our team left early that night, no translators after Phil preached, having always been indoors before nightfall in Kibera. But those folks had church and much was accomplished for the kingdom of God!

Phil and Gene each had opportunities to preach and teach God’s Word. We all had opportunities to sing, read scriptures, pray with people, love on folks, take the children on a field trip to Nairobi Arboretum- it was so much FUN, teach children, plant seeds, plant a garden, build a shelf, paint walls, make a beautiful mural, attend the sick, prevent spread of disease, teach how to lesson plan, organize some areas in the school…the list goes on 

We were able to do most of the items on our list, plus some other unplanned things ( Jacq played basketball with about 20 boys after school one day, that was a highlight!! and God even provided a basketball for us on the way to the playing field- HE is SO GOOD!!)

Meet Miracle Victory Student Leaders

We want to introduce you to some of our school leaders and let you know what they do to make our school great! This is great training ground for them and we are so proud of their service. They were voted on by secret ballot by the our students. Our teacher, Joshua Ochieng, was kind enough to provide information about their duties, thank you!!

President, Emily Achieng

Deputy President, Thomas Obonyo

The president, Emily Achieng, is the overall leader who makes sure that the Ministers perform their duties and also ensures that the needs of the children are being met. For example, the lunch schedule and if the food is well cooked. If  the children have any issues, they report to their president, who will address concerns and bring it to a teacher's attention. This is working well, allowing the children to feel free with one another knowing they can share anything safely.  The work of the deputy is similar to that of the president. Thomas Obonyo will take the responsibility if the president is not available.

Student government leaders, as described from left to right. (they all are wearing their TOM's shoes)

The minister for peace, Jeff Ochieng (3rd from left), works to make sure that whenever there is a conflict between the children, he is able to talk to them and bring understanding among fellow students. This is possible because the teachers have taught him how to handle any misunderstanding between his fellow students. I.C.T (information in computer and technology) was created (as we believe by God's grace we'll one day have computers in the center) and he will be in charge, but at the moment what he does is to pass any information to the children like the debates motion which we normally hold every Friday afternoon. Minister of Education, Emily, is to ensure that teachers are in the class on time and whenever a child lacks learning material, like pens or books, she takes the matter to the teacher. The speaker's (Joan Anyango) function, is to chair the debate and with the help of the teacher, come up with a motion to monitor debates. The minister for health,Rose Aoko, works to make sure that the general cleanliness is observed within the school. Of course, our teachers are the ones ultimately responsible, but this gives a voice and opportunity for growth for these special students.

Employees of Miracle Victory Children's Centre

Environmental Club

Environmental club at work

Three of our teachers recently were given training to introduce environmental clubs in our school and how to select the board. They were also taught basics of  home gardening, rabbit keeping and chicken keeping. They were also shown a method to teach the school pupils how to keep the environment clean. The main objective was to show teachers how to set up an environmental club and how to instruct the children. They also learned how to develop micro projects which can generate food or income to the school. This is something I tried several years ago, but it failed. We rented land and planted crops, hoping that the proceeds would help sustain the school. It was a good plan, but without complete buy-in from the entire school (teachers and students) it was difficult to be successful. God has answered years of prayers, for sustainability, for training of teachers, for provision of the tools to make the school successful. All glory to Jesus for this!!

Celebrating His Goodness (right now!)

June 22, 2015/by bringDesigner

A preacher recently reminded me that we really should not be living our lives waiting for “that” to happen…since when “that” happens, “then I can…” . Having that kind of mindset can lead to just ticking off a list of things and moving on the the next goal without taking time to be grateful for where we are right now. It is easy to be consumed with the goal of completing the school, without reflecting on God’s grace and kindness that has been evident in the in between time.

Let’s reflect on that goodness and take account of all the positive things that have taken place.

The end of September, the school obtained a certificate of registration. This is a stepping stone, that shows just how far the school has progressed! It is recognized by the Kenyan government. This is pretty huge, considering when we started in Kibera slum, there was NO government support. Most of the slum residents did not have access  the basic needs of water and electricity because they were not even acknowledged as a town. We are thankful for governmental recognition and hope that this “favor with man”, will provide aid and assistance when needed.

We have 3 bathrooms! This pictures is about 4 weeks old, so picture them fully assembled, functioning, with toilet paper and not being used as the storage room. For anyone without the experience of a typical third world toilet. These are beautiful, sent from the good Lord above. Our school children, have in the past, navigated the hilly , twisted paths, just to find a local outhouse- dark, dank, smelly and usually charged a small fee to boot! At times they had to cross the railway to get to a toilet, not safe for ANYONE, let alone a small child. Later on, we were able to use poo/pee disposable potties on site…right next to our cook, preparing the rice and beans. (sounds appealing, yes?) So, we are VERY THANKFUL for God’s kindness! Thankful for a leap forward in sanitation and safety!

Classroom with poo/pee stored at the front.

There are many school clubs , recently started, providing fun, exercise and ways to develop personal interests. That is very exciting! Over the years, I’ve talked to Monica about using the talents of their community. We have talked about the possibility of planting a garden to supplement the children’s diet, the possibility of raising chickens for eggs, sewing our own uniforms or having a store to supplement and make the school more self sustaining. The beginnings of these activities is taking shape. There are now multiple clubs in which the children can become involved! There is a garden club, a debate club, environmental club,  a chicken raising club and the always popular soccer/sports club! Below is a short snippet of our children playing during a recent match with another school. They are the ones that are bare chested. I am so glad they decided to play, even without uniforms. They are making use of their talents and developing skill sets for life. Not to mention, they are having a blast!!

There are more things to celebrate. More children are under our care, receiving an education, ready to go into the world and impact their community for God’s glory. More teachers have been hired to teach the additional classroom of children, providing income for another Kenyan family. We thank God for all these things! These blessings mean increased budget needs for the school. Miracle Victory Children’s Centre is also making a plea for donations, to meet the multiplying needs. God is faithful, He is good, He is Our Provider, a Father to the Fatherless, Our Strong Tower… He is Our Everything!

Genesis 22:14New International Version (NIV)

14 So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

Construction Phase 2 Pictures

May 12, 2015/by bringDesigner

Patience is a virtue. Love is patient…that is what my bible says in Corinthians ,anyway. I am way past the praying for patience stage. There was a time, was when my children were tiny and I did not want to snap at them, due to parental exhaustion- I did pray for patience then. But, it seemed as though more opportunities to practice that virtue were availed to me, too many more times and I stopped asking for patience and began praying for rest. Why am I talking about patience?  Because, building in Kenya has been very tedious. Everything moves in slow motion. Things that were bought and paid for more than 2 years ago, are just now being set in place to be used. We have been blessed by some sweet, generous donors and the things they have purchased have not been pictured yet, due to the slow process of everything! Our Kenya contractor, Paul Obia, has gone upcountry on multiple occasions and no construction takes place while he is away. Please be in prayer for the construction process, the workers, Paul- that he will do his work with excellence and not take any more trips. Pray for the school children, as they are meeting in another facility until school completion, the teachers for strength and insight to teach in the middle of chaotic times.

Would some of you consider praying daily for us? We need prayer coverage more now than ever! Cry out to God for us and with us. Thank you for praying.

“And the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?’ (Luke 18:7-8).” 

Here are the most recent photos (this week). They show some of the completed areas. They also show some of the incomplete areas, where tons of work needs to take place before the children can return. Currently, we are checking into safety inspections. The upper level has a long way to go before it will be safe.

Monica, at the entrance to the school.

Some Trust in Chariots...

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Trusting God for the Children

This song was one of my favorites during my youth.Psalm 20:7 I liked it because it was an upbeat, joyous song about our Lord, reminding us that even if others put their trust in the machines of war, our ultimate trust was to be in God. It is well to sing songs, but another matter to put trust in God for something you KNOW YOU CANNOT DO! But, He is my hope, my song, my strong tower, the lifter of my head, my everything in this world. I cannot look to any individual to provide enough money to meet the needs of orphans in a third world country. It is God that touches hearts, it is God that orchestrates connections, it is God that goes ahead and is in fact there in His omniscience, tenderly taking care of them much better than I ever could. So, we are declaring, we trust in you God! I have learned that I can’t trust how I feel anymore. This has been a very confusing, difficult year to walk through filled with exciting highs and devastating lows, but God does not change and I can count on God’s word and His faithfulness and that is enough. I will remember the name of the Lord MY GOD and we can continue saying that He is the One that has provided.

School Needs Text Books

In the last month, so much has happened! We were notified in September that changes had been made to the Kenyan School Syllabus, requiring the immediate purchase of brand new text books in each grade level. As you know, that is very expensive, but someone sent in funds at the perfect time, enabling us to purchase books. Thank you Jesus!!

Teacher Training & Shoes

Monica recently attended teacher training in Nukuru. She will be holding training sessions for the teachers at Miracle Victory Children Centre to pass along her newly acquired knowledge. At another training session, teachers were asked to list some of the major needs at their own schools. Monica decided to list the need for shoes as a high priority. What a blessing, when she later learned that the children would each receive a pair of Tom’s! Tom’s usually requires biannual follow up after a child has been given a pair of shoes. If that turns out to be the case, each child will receive a new pair of shoes every 6 months! How cool is THAT!! I was super excited about this because more than 2 years ago we had sought out Tom’s, filled out applications and attended meetings in Nairobi to investigate being a Tom’s partner. After expending lots of energy, we learned that we would be responsible for distributing 1000+ shoes biannually to children and be responsible for the shipping container and any taxes due. It was overwhelming to even think about the time, energy and expenses we might be faced with in this type of commitment, so we just put those ideas away on a shelf. But God, He had better provision for the children. He made arrangements for Monica to attend training, write down our needs and then later learn that Tom’s shoes would be delivered to our children!! So much better than my plans and the ensuing stress and responsibility. Thank you God for your goodness to the children!

School Demolition Slated

A little over a week ago, we learned from Paul Obia, our Kenyan Contractor, that our current school will be demolished because of it’s location. All shanties that are close to the railway will be demolished to make way for permanent structures. While this is a great step, it means we will not have a place to continue school coursework. We are trusting God and believing that money will come in to pay for the new school to be completed. God is able to do amazing things and we know He wants good for these children. He will touch people to give and there will be more than enough to continue feeding the children, providing teacher’s salaries, medicine and any other need that comes. The teachers have asked for a raise- I believe God will provide that as well!

I got an email from Paul last night, telling me that he was going to keep the men working, with the promise to pay them at the end of the week. normally he pays a daily salary. He is taking a huge leap of faith in doing this. These men and women rely on their salaries to feed their families. It is not like our first world realities. They shop daily for food because most do not own a refrigerator or have running water. Let’s step out in faith together and be a part of seeing these children continue school. With their new text books now in hand, help us make sure that they will not have to disrupt their education because of lack. Let’s complete the new school in time for them to move out of the old school and move in to the BRAND NEW SCHOOL!

Be a part of celebrating God’s provision, faithfulness and goodness!

PLEASE DONATE NOW,Click here!

THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!!

Children Ask For Help

A friend of Monica’s made this video to help the children explain the importance of completing the new school as soon as possible.