My Friends,

Missionary...always right with God, always "Holy", never frustrated, never wondering, got it all together...NOT.  This past month has had some thought-provoking and frustrating moments along with the amazing and marvelous...I will explain.  Around the first of the month I was at C4KK where I was working (nothing unusual since I am there 6 days a week 12 hours a day working).  I was standing in the road adjacent to the property and an overwhelming need to repent came over me...I had to renew my relationship with our Lord right now.  I immediately bowed my head in the middle of the road and asked the Lord to forgive me for my failings and sinful nature and to renew His Holy Spirit in me to accomplish what He wanted me to accomplish in this life...basically renew and strengthen my relationship with Him.  An overwhelming feeling best described as "sadness turned to joy" came over me and I started to cry and thank the Lord for bringing me back to Him fully.  Before this occurred I had no idea I had moved away from Jesus, but apparently He did.  I felt renewed, rejuvenated and was ready to tackle what was to come...in the Name of Jesus.  About a week later we ran totally out of funds (two months in a row this has happened).  We stopped all work on the children's shelter and simply continued to move "cotton soil" for the foundation of the next building which is going to be a zero-grazing cow shed (you only need man-power for this and my friends and I continued)...this lasted for three days until friends sent funds.  Not really an issue since I know the Lord provides for what He wants done and it is always in His timing (we MUST wait on Him and for those He moves to help).  Then, a few days ago, the Lord challenged me at night with a question which tied together what I had been feeling this month.  He asked me, "why are you doing what you are doing?".  I had actually asked myself this question this month as there were many frustrations.  The first thought that came to me was "I do love the kids we are helping", but I immediately told Him (through my tears) if it was not for my loving You above all things I would not be helping the kids in Kenya...I exist for You.  In the morning I told Tammy about what had happened, how I was feeling, and I simply was not sure of what it all meant; why the question and why now...the answer was soon to become clear to me.  She text me later in the day and told me a woman had pledged to match all contributions up to $10,000 to enable us to finish the children's shelter...It brought me to tears again.  Immediately it was clear the Lord wanted to make sure my relationship with Him was "solid" and what I was doing was based upon loving Him and nothing else before He brought providence...It has been a reminder I can do nothing except what I can do through Him.

This is simply another affirmation in my life that life this side of Heaven is all about God and we are here to move closer to Him daily as we prepare to meet Him in the eternal...nothing matters if it is not done for His glory first and foremost.  To have a person assist us finish the shelter means nothing if it is not being done because we love Him...make sure your motivation for what you do in life is because you love Him above all things. 

The MATCH...God's providence to finish the C4KK Shelter.   As you may have been able to tell from above I was shocked to hear a donor was matching funds up to $10,000 now through the end of October.  If the total is matched we will literally be able to finish all of what is needed for the shelter...the building, the well, the electricity, the shamba (farm) and the animal enclosure.  If you are a regular donor I would ask that you prayerfully consider a donation toward this match.  If you are an occasional donor now would be a great time to make a donation since it will be doubled.  If you have never donated to Saved By God's Grace, but have felt God calling you to do so, please embrace His calling at this time since, again, it will be blessed by being doubled by our donor match.  You can click HERE and go to the secure donation page of the website and click "Children's Shelter (C4KK) and Farm Project" in the drop-down allocation box and your donation will be gratefully accepted and DOUBLED!  Thanks for your consideration of this timely donation.

Right now we have over 24 children waiting to come into the shelter.  These children have been abused for many years by an orphanage owner who has used them to make money.  We have assisted these kids as much as we could since 2008, but knew God was preparing something special for them...little did I know it was Him using us to become Mom and Dad to them all and take care of them by His grace (the story of how we came to know these kids is simply amazing and I will ask Tammy to blog it soon).

If you do have any questions on any of this please click on our names to email Tammy or Chuck and we will get back to you immediately.

That is it for this newsletter.  I pray the next newsletter will tell you the shelter is open and the kids are being taken care of (Mungu akipenda - Lord willing).  I hope to give you a "video tour" of the place (Need your help Tammy) so you can see what your faithful contributions have accomplished.  I would also (again and again), invite you to come to Kenya and meet the kids and see for yourself what the grace of God has called us all to partner together to accomplish.  It truly is living out the Gospel in action...the call to help the poor, orphaned and widowed...showing them the love of Jesus.  What a joy it would be to host you on the ground and I assure you it would be a blessing (for both you and the kids) to meet the little ones you are assisting.  Karibu sana Kenya (Welcome very much to Kenya!).

May your love for Jesus be the reason for all that you do.

Mungu akubariki (God bless you).

Chuck

Missionary to Kenya