Glory to Jesus, as He has allowed us all to participate in Beverlyn's joy.

Joseph sent me an email. I pause to reflect on how many people participate in the Lord's work towards this family. God made it all happen. Pastor Ed and Titus began a relationship that led to me and Anita going to Kenya. My husband saw the work of God and wanted to join God in what He was doing there. Walter was with us leading in the beginning. Frank has come along as a brilliant administrator able to handle the complexities of the ministry. Joseph responded to God's prompting to rescue this girl from the streets. Sara chose Beverlyn to bless through sponsorship. Christa came and chose to use donations from SO MANY PEOPLE and bless the whole family. It is not something we have done at any other time and imagine the impact to Beverlyn knowing that she was chosen and now her whole family was blessed by her connections to the program. The Trinity Kenya team assesses Beverlyn, connects with her school, and visits her home. Her school has been blessed to see a needy child come into the school with sponsorship and with a team that cares about her wellbeing. David photographs and sends them by email. The whole team purchases and disperses and measures her height, weight, wellness. The whole team cooks for her and serves the family and provides entertainment and team building activities among the children. Can you see God's glory in this towards one little girl? Can you see how God has wrapped His arms around her? And look at what He is building in her. Read this email from Joseph.....


Am not used to receiving calls from teachers of our sponsored children. It's even more unusual when it comes in over the weekend.

So you can imagine how I reacted when my phone rang and looking at the screen, it was Madam Rosebella of Injira Primary School. Injira is the name of the school that Beverlyn goes too. Rosebella is her caring and motherly class teacher.

I received the phone with apprehension, expecting some 'cold news', of course. Distress calls are what we are used to, especially when our sponsored children are either seriously sick, admitted in hospital or about to be sent home for fees. So you now know why I frowned when I saw the caller ID especially on a Saturday.

"I'm calling to inform you that Beverlyn topped her class in the just ended mid-term exam. She got 847 marks out of 1100. The second was a boy with 795 marks...." Now, at this point, I lost most my composure. "I must be dreaming," I thought aloud. "Madam, you've made my weekend, thank you so much for your input in Beverlyn's life. God bless you..." I found myself repeating those words. "Have a blessed weekend," were her last words and she hang up.

Six months ago this young girl was soaked in the rain, selling sugar canes on Kakamega streets. These young Position One brains were wasting away bargaining sugar-cane prices in the market. Now, here she is, pursuing her dreams. What a joy, what a blessing. From the street to position 1 in a class of 80+ pupils, 65% of them being boys. She beat ALL boys in her class! What??? Yes.

No doubt, you are part and parcel of this achievement. You are the reason for this celebration. You have changed a life. Just imagine the kind of impact you've made in the life of this young girl. Your efforts are not in vain. Thank you for giving love, hope and a future in Beverlyn's life.

Be blessed.

Regards,

Joseph Omuto.      

Give a cup of water to a small child.....

Do you love giving? My donors LOVE giving and look at these children! They love receiving! FUN!

Joseph declares....

I do remember Friday the 18th of May 2012. Stephanie and Christa had just set their feet on Shibuli soil for the first time in 2012.  It was Christa’s first visit to Africa and therefore, Shibuli. 

TGD students and the Cornerstone community were all present to welcome the donor community represented by Stephanie and Christa. It was TGD on one side, Shibuli Cornerstone NFE School on the other side with Stephanie and Christa alighting right in the middle of the unique and vibrant human panorama, singing joyfully and ululating, all for the glory of God Most High for arrival of the visitors.

Yes, that’s still fresh in my mind. The welcome, the vibrancy in Stephanie and Christa to be reunited with their Kenyan family and above all, the joy of expressing their love to the children by being good ambassadors of the donor community.  Now, that last bit is what makes this day special. The joy of expressing their love to the Kenyan community.

The TGD students had sung, Christa had taken her time to shake hands with each and every person in the compound (of course young and old, male and female. I mean, ALL!), the cornerstone choir had presented their wonderful songs of praise and the Cornerstone School children had garlanded the guests.  It was time to go shopping in preparation for next day’s big activity, The Sponsored Children Distribution.

Okay. It’s already midday so let’s get into the car and go buy items for next day’s distribution.  “Wait!” That’s Stephanie. “What is it?” We all ask. As I look outside the car window, I see Humphrey and other pupils rushing to have their lunch as usual. “Look at that shirt! He isn’t the only one though,” adds Stephanie. 

By this time, it has come to our attention that Stephanie is talking about pupils with tattered shirts and true to her words, they are quite a number.  When I talk of tattered, I mean it. At one point you’d imagine that a pupil is putting on a rag or a piece of cloth around his or her body, exposing the entire back or belly. If it wasn’t for the T-shirt underneath, then half of the skin would be exposed. We all get out of the vehicle and both Stephanie and Christa now want to know how many pupils are wearing tattered shirts. Henry takes upon himself to find out who is who in the shabby garb. The rest, as they say, is history.

>>>Fast-forward to Thursday 7th June 2012. The pupils are over the moon.  You can see that for yourselves. They woke up knowing nothing about the new uniforms; shirts, blouses, tunics and pair of shorts.

Two hour earlier:-

Henry has been working in the background to ensure that the tailor is up to the task, doing the right thing and on time. The tailor is done, Henry has collected the uniforms and they are right with us.  As Frank asks Mama Rose (popularly known as Mama Sheila) to have the pupils gathered in the church, nothing crosses their minds that it’s anything to do with the uniforms for over thirty of them.

We all congregate in the church and after a word of prayer from one of the teachers, Henry calls out the names of the beneficiaries.  One look at them and you read all the melancholy in their faces. Poor children! Just imagine them in those ragged shirts, shorts and tunics. What would they be looking like one month from now? Some are ashamed of looking at the camera while others would rather hide behind their friends.  They are conscious of their situation and they think they’ll be on their way home in a couple of minutes. They think we want to send them home for putting on tattered shirts.

Their faces are asking, “Is that their intention? Are we going home because of our torn shirts? After all, that’s the common denominator between all of us standing here.”

I look at Humphrey. He looks scared. I imagine him asking, “What about the camera man? He is busy taking shots of us. The last time I appeared before a camera, I was smartly dressed. Gosh! Please, this is an embarrassment.”

As we ask the ‘torn uniform’ pupils to follow us out of the church, the rest keep wondering what will happen to their colleagues. Little do they know that they won’t go back home in the same frayed uniform they came with in the morning.  Up to this time, the uniforms are in a big black plastic bag outside the church.  As they line up for another photo from David, Henry reaches for the bag, gets out a heap of well-sewn uniform and immediately, the young ones brighten up. It’s joy, celebrations, laughter and screams of bliss. They are over the moon and above all, their lives will never remain the same.

This is the kind of joy you can’t explain in words. They are in new school uniform today because of you.

Thank you Stephanie and Christa.  We didn’t know that what you saw on 18th of May 2012 would culminate into this wonderful experience to these dear ones. You saw, you were touched and you took action. Glory to God Almighty and may He bless you with Abraham’s blessings.

This is just the beginning of celebrations on what the Lord has done through the donor community. Check out more photos on www.facebook.com/tgdkenya or at
m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.458004680894831.118607.285054111523223&type=1&m_sess=soBNvymG-_VtWTP46.

Beverlyn’s home, Grace and Everlyne, Wallace and Lina Valarie, Fredrick and Walter, Fridah, Paul, Cynthia, Asman, Noel and Ben, Yvonne, Benjamin, Emmanuel, Abednego, Gladys, Shaline, Zainabu, Lillian, Brenda, Elizabeth and Lydia all have a story to tell.  Actually, all the TGD sponsored children including the frontrunners, have a big smile on their faces. I’ll be telling you why as the Lord grants us life.

Till then,

Be blessed.

Regards,

Joseph Omuto.

My babies....

You know, the love in my heart just swells when I see this photo. I have fretted over Sharon and Daisy (Photo from left to right: Sharon, Wallace, Valery "Linah"pronounced LEEnuh, and Daisy.) with their sponsors, Cyntreva and Carolyn. Now my own children, Kevin and Sarah, are sponsoring Wallace and Valery. Such a joy. Such a pleasure. These here feel like my FAMILY.

and THEY ALL DO!

I am dealing with these names all the time because I deposit your donations and I know who they represent. I have different children on my mind in the same way we consider those we love. I have hopes and dreams for them, fears and prayers. Then, when I go, I see some children more than others and certainly, the sick child and the sad one move me so much. AND THE HAPPY ONES! (Paul, Gladys, Yvonne) Sharon has been sick and Daisy used to be so timid. We have seen such an obvious benefit to these girl's lives. It can be so graphic and so wonderful--then there are times...when I see that some child is slow in learning...that I worry about their future so much. We are determined to try to develop vocational skills for each child.

Your love for them has meant so much. It delights me to the core! I get letters, prayers, wishes, gifts and just thoughts and questions showing that you are engaged. (Not that you have to be! we love your donations and we love you!)

:-)

Thank you so much. When I went this time, I shook with wonder at all God can do when you just try and things happen because He is working through us all to accomplish His Purposes. It feels so good and it looks amazing. It is a true miracle!

Sarah sponsors Valery and you can see the delight in Valery's face and how she sparkles! What young lady doesn't love a new dress!?! How Jesus loves us!

Such a blessing to see our sponsored children

Christa brought gifts from Megan Wise for Ben. Megan started off as a half sponsor to Ben with Heather Sais until Heather wanted to cover Ben fully. Ben still sees the extra love and prayers from Megan. She sent him some art supplies from the USA through Christa. Megan's gift is tailored to Ben's talents. The Trinity Global Development team and the teachers at Cornerstone School tell us of Ben's artistic ability and Megan wants to nuture that! (Her mom is an artist!) You can see Ben's enthusiasm!! It is such a joy to connect personally soul to soul.

Also pictured, Christa took a moment to get a shot of three of her five children. Here are Paul, Cynthia and Fridah. I love their full face smiles!! It was a good day at church together! And Cynthia perfomed for the whole church with her excellent voice. She did so well! We pray great things for all these children. God has remembered them and shown His love to them. He brings us a long way just to shower them with some of His attention. Now that's love! and it shows....

Thank you to all the families who care for these so far away but near in the Father's Heart.

Medical tests in Kenya

I was able to bring some relatively inexpensive items like urinalysis strips and a blood sugar monitor to test my team and some of the children. Next trip, I really hope to have more scheduled time to go through the tests slowly and give more thorough explanations--but I am thankful to God that we managed to get some of our Trinity Family tested.

Dynamic Duo! In Jesus!

Check "Favorite" videos on my YouTube

Well, I put a video here by Christa and now the post has disappeared! How crazy is that?!? But you can find the video on my YouTube link and instead of watching the featured one that comes up (Although it is amazing, "Take One Minute,") Please click on the "Favorites" and Christa's video will come up. Yay! It was our theme song for this trip.

Jesus in Kenya

Click the link below to see what I am talking about!

Jesus wants to use YOU to wrap HIS arms around the world...  

I bought the new Christy Nockels CD in April and since I've had some trials (Jan, Feb, March, April,) I really felt like Song #2 was my theme song. (Shout out to Megan Wise, birthday girl on April 15 and theme song also is #2.) 
Preparing for Kenya in May, I checked out Christy Nockel's website and read about the writing of these songs. I can't even remember the title, but the words of #8 caused me to reflect and meditate. First off, my husband often prays for people: "God, wrap Your arms around them." and since He loves affection as his love language, of course he would pray something tangible. I feel frustrated sometimes that God is busy loving people and they don't experience it. I want people to know and feel and experience God's love and mostly GOD HIMSELF.  I know our greatest fulfillment is when we are engaged in the purpose of our creation: TO GLORIFY GOD AND BE SATISFIED WITH HIM FOREVER.
We aren't often satisfied. We often do not believe that God is enough. Those who adore Him, however, DO know that there will come a day when we will be satisfied in all the longings of our heart with the true loving presence of JESUS in our midst.
I don't long for some kind of nirvana in "heaven"--I long for JESUS. NOTHING BUT JESUS.
But in this life here? Well, I spend much of it complaining. I spend much of my time asking for MORE. I spend my prayers wanting all the people I know and love protected and prospering and blessed in Jesus.
So this song....I read that she was trying to express that God cared about women who were in sexual slavery against their will and that God cared about the babies tucked under the bed through the day and night. How so many are hurting and alone --and no one sees. No one, BUT GOD. and God sees and CARES and loves and reaches. He sings over us. That is in Zeph somewhere. A favorite scripture of mine since i learned that Hallel meant to jump and spin with delight back in my worship dance days with Anita Nenonen, Janice Horrell and Lisa Lipe and Jana Osborn and Cindy Tyler and more.

Well, I yielded to this "wrapping His arms" idea knowing that God does more than I understand and that He cares and has it under control. He has the whole world coming together to this time when Jesus returns and all is made right. In the meantime, the earth groans and we groan with it, eager for this revelation to become daily reality.

With all that, I head to Kenya and bring my CD for the drive. But the potholes make the CD jump and we take it out. The days unfold and we are so busy and prayerful and rejoicing and organizing and hoping it all gets done as todays agenda bleeds into tomorrows and some things go undone.

Then we get to Beverlyne's house. Christa has 1700 in donations and she gets something for all 35 sponsored families plus the ones that were added after 2010 who didn't get the initial set up all get mattresses, towels, lanterns, sheets, so much! and she wanted to get something for EACH of Beverlyne's siblings--all 7!

We arrive and go in and it is all happiness around. Dark in the mud hut so we take some stuff outside after the children all get their clothes on. The little 2 or 3 year old girl has mistakenly gotten boy clothes. she's not pleased. she even cries when we try to stand her up for the photo on a chair (probably just scared of the attention or the chair wobbled.) Christa is not happy with the clothing error so she remembers that she's gotten this dress for a random child whom she adored. we don't even know where she is and we don't see her again (we will figure it out though) so in the meantime, Christa decides to give this little girl that dress. Well, what do you think happened? This little girl was so pleased! I don't think it is captured in the photos but it was so wonderful. I had to walk away from this scene because I could just SEE God wrapping His arms around the family. It was seriously like a award winning movie moment with the music playing in the background and swelling and the mood rising and the joy so tangible. I began crying rather convulsively. I was in wonderment but trying to keep control of myself.

This was a serious life moment. You only have a few of these in life. A peak. Like God punches through your sensations and your whole body is overwhelmed because it is so happy. Something is happening. Something is coming to fulfillment. You are on the right wavelength and timeline and you know, all the stars really do align because God made them! and it wasn't a movie. It wasn't a soundtrack and it wasn't an imagination. This was my real life and I was really living it. What compares? It's the polar opposite of doing the dishes and cleaning the toilet. The total opposite of mundane. What is your happy place? Mine is under the trees in Western Kenya where a friend has laid down a mattress, put gifts for children upon it, and handed a little dress to a small child as the mother, like a geyser, expresses thankfulness and joy. Your eyes water, your cheeks break from the strain, you can hardly see and you laugh spontaneously. That's my happy place.

This video she made---it sort of expresses that joy.

I can't use words to describe my joy -- but this video. It blows my mind because this is the song that was in my head and now I am in that song. With the moments that make up my real life so it is kind of a reality, nonreality. But it is something real in Jesus and something real in Eternity.

Jesus loves us all. So much. He puts us together. We give to each other. We love each other. We touch each other in a moment in time that holds eternity. OH this is beautiful. It's not just pictures--not just "images" of reality like the movies. It is REAL.