Hujambo Everyone,

 

I hope you have been able to follow Tammy’s blog.  It is not as colorful as we hoped it would be due to the internet issues we have had, but she tells me that she is trying to give information on what is going on here.

 

First, it is amazing!  I have not seen the type of poverty that I am seeing here.  I have not seen the types of “villages” that I have seen here.  I have not seen the type of culture that I have seen here (we are being guarded each night by Kolonzo, a man with a machete and bow and arrows).  I have not seen a more loving people who look toward God for everything than here.

 

Their daily existence is based upon God and His providence.  We pray when we have tea, we pray when we eat, we pray when we travel, we pray when we return, we pray before we leave the “main home” to go to “our home”…I love the continued relationship with the Lord that is being maintained in Kenya…God exists everywhere at all times and Tammy and I are seeing that first hand.

 

We have, with His grace, accomplished much so far in His service in Tala.  We have brought happiness and hope to the children through clothes, candy, Bibles, toothbrushes and paste, soap and LOVE!  They love simply touching our skin to see if it is real.  They do this and act like we can’t feel it (we have seen no other white people since we have arrived and most of the children are amazed at our skin color).  We will be getting them more clothes and shoes this upcoming week as well as working with the head teacher at the school to get the required Kenyan text books for the classrooms (currently 30 children study with 4 books for each class).  The work on the building is proceeding at “African Time”.  If there are workers, material and time work goes on.  If any of these items are missing, it stops for now…it starts when they are available.  We are supposed to put on the first floor slab tomorrow…right now it is raining like I have never seen rain, but Gideon (the Director of the orphanage) tells me it will stop tomorrow in time to work.  We put crushed stone down in the dormitory area today because we have seen it turn to a muddy river with mosquitoes.  The stone will help the water to sink into it and no more mud.  This could have been done a long time ago, but funds for such things were not available and so it simply was never thought of.  When I mentioned it to Gideon he said it would help with many things including malaria, but eating was more important…now it has happened by God’s grace.  We are going to work on a wash area (shower system) for the girl orphans so that the boys and girls will have separate places to wash…they now share a three by three area which most Americans would not even go into much less wash up.  Remember, this has been made possible by you.  God has called us to go, but He has used you to provide for everything that is happening.

 

I could go on for a long time, but I am afraid that this will not even post and send from our site.  One thing I need to mention is a need that is important to the orphanage and it is a big cost.  The bus the school has is literally falling apart (we went to a “fund raiser” for a pastor in the mountains and I had to hold the front door shut all the way and when we arrived we found a tie which kept it shut for the return trip).  We have a bus for around $20,000 that we can purchase.  I have been told that we have a donor who will match up to $10,000 to bring the purchase price of the bus in reach if we can raise the other $10,000.  I would ask that you prayerfully consider a donation to this worthy cause.  The only other transportation is a 20-year-old Toyota that was brought to Kenya from the US when Gideon came back to Kenya after getting His education in the US…it is also falling apart.  We had to use it two days ago to take a child to the doctors after he was hit by a piece of metal and cut his tendon in his heel (that is another story for another time)…I did not think it was going to make it.

 

Again, anything the Lord puts on your heart will be appreciated and matched by this generous donor.  Simply go to the website and use the donation button or send a donation to our ministry address.

 

My friends, Tammy and I have been called by God to present hope to the poorest of the poor through His gospel message.  We are now in the midst of the first of many trips to Kenya to assist God’s children as He calls us.  This is only possible through your support from the States.  I am seeing miracles happening over here simply due to our presence.  Again, you have made that possible.  Please continue this support.

 

I close by simply thanking God for this call.  He has given us a passion to help the children of Tala and His mighty hand has brought us here by using His people to accomplish His purpose.  Thank you Father for using this ministry to accomplish your will.

 

In service and thanksgiving to the One who holds everything in His hands,

 

Chuck McDonald

Executive Director