Happy Noel with photo of her sponsors

Thanks to the beautiful Howard and Terah! You put a smile on this face (and Vivian and Lillian!)

oh and watch this video if you haven't seen it! and even if you have--watch again!

Click here for a good taste of Kenya:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAeqy1ALSQg&feature=plcp

BRIAN, EMILY, WALLACE in letter from Joseph

BRIAN

BRIAN

EMILY

EMILY

SHARON, VALERY, WALLACE

On Thursday the 26^th, Frank, Henry and I paid the two new sponsored children a visit. Our first stop was at Brian Barasa’s home. We had to wait for about ten minutes to see him. A baby had just been born in the neighbourhood and Brian, being the ‘older’ child around had been requested to go get some flour from a posho mill (maize grinder) in Ebulechia Market.  Luckily for us, he hadn’t gone very far by the time we arrived. One of the children around the home was sent to call him back the moment we arrived.

One wouldn’t have helped to notice that Brian is a real survivor, just at first sight.  His unbuttoned, torn shirt looked perennially dirty and pale, having lost its original colour through constant wearing and wallowing in the dirt with it.  His once cream pair of shorts extending below the knees was in the same state, with patches behind it.  His skin is slowly healing from the sores that had taken a toll on his head especially in the areas around the ears and at the back of the neck.  The grandmother, Ms Getrude Wesonga, said that the sores are the stubborn types, unexpectedly manifesting when you first thought that they have healed for real.

The sight of his feet would move one to tears. At that tender age, he has cracked feet.  Not just cracked, but badly cracked that they looked like scales on the feet of a duck.  This is the kind of life that this young man is used to. 

That’s going to be history, thanks to the sponsor and glory to God.  As he joins the rest of the sponsored children on Saturday, the 4^th of August this month, the story will change.  In less than three months, he’ll be speaking the TGD language; the language of being presentable, healthy and cheerful. We are looking forward to this.  His guardian is anticipating a big change on the boy too, gauging from the expression in her eyes the moment we told her that Brian now has a sponsor and he is supposed to join his new friends on distribution day.  She couldn’t hide her joy, neither could the neighbors.  About ten of them had come to find out what information the three motorbikes had brought in that seemingly “unworthy” looking home. I think right at the back of their mind, the question was, “Can something good come out of this poor widow’s home? Let’s wait and see.”

Thirty minutes later, we are leaving for Nderema Primary School, Malaha, where Emily is a pupil. The school is quite and three or four teachers are seated under a tree near one of the classes.  They are marking an exam.  We are informed that a regional exam has just ended a couple of minutes ago and pupils are quietly seated in their respective classes, implementing whatever is scheduled on their timetable.

We are ushered in the deputy head teacher’s office.  He sent’s for Emily and as she sets her eyes on us, she’s all smiles, surprised at her visitors.  I wish the smile continues but unfortunately for me, it wanes off and it’s now the Emily I saw when we went to take her photos two months ago. I’m sure one day she’ll be a smiling machine.  She reminds me of Shaline’s initial days.  Compared to now, its’s different.  Shaline (and Fredrick too) can now smile endlessly. It’s part of their lives. Emily will follow suit.

We chat with her for a while and after a photo of her and Henry, she goes back to class as we set off for Shianda.  We want to see our three children namely Sharon, Valary and Wallace at Mukambi Primary School.

THE ART OF SHINING

We’ve just entered the tarmac road and as we wait for the road to clear before we take a left-turn and move south-east, we notice Phaice (guardian to Wallace, Valary and Daisy) selling snacks (as usual) across the road. We branch in to say hi. She ushers us to the house and even before we ask how the children are doing in school, she’s already at it. “Wallace has improved tremendously. He was the best in Mathematics in his class in an exam they did last week.” That was Phaice speaking. “The teachers are really happy about it,” she added. We have to find out if this is true so, no wasting of time. We head to school. The head teacher is chatting with some of the teaching staff in front of the administration block. “Welcome gentlemen. We are happy to see you.” That’s the head teacher ushering us in. Now, this is amazingly strange. I have never received this kind of reception from this gentleman and moreover, he is rarely in when we pay the school a visit. 

As we take our sits, he calls the teacher in charge of exams and what follows is just but exciting.  The teacher takes us through the performance record of the four sponsored children and I can assure you that our children have perfected the art of shining in academics. Last month it was Beverlyne. Today, Wallace is trending. I don’t have words to explain what the teachers think about him.  They are however, wondering when exactly did Wallace spring back to life, especially in Sciences.  Three months ago, his performance was wanting.  I think he had given up because he knows his family well enough to pretend to work hard when he knows very well that high school is just but a pipe dream, even if he qualifies. The sponsorship seems to have changed everything, though.  Wallace was back on track and not just that. He was on track moving and overtaking others at an amazing rate that left even his teachers flabbergasted.

According to Wallace, he has no reason to fail his exam. “Someone is thinking about me. I have all the books I asked for, am in uniform and I take breakfast every morning. Why should I fail my sponsor? Tell Kevin thank you so much,” he said, albeit nervous but more confident than am used to seeing him. He made my day.

The teachers are very positive. They count on him to boost the school mean score and secure himself a good place in high school.



May God bless you, all sponsors and donors for making such a positive impact in the lives of these children

Regards,

Joseph Omuto.

 NOTE: I took the photos using my phone thus compromising the quality, especially the last one.  We weren't prepared to take pictures. It was just an after-t

weather

I'm filled with thoughts. I wanted to write about the weather. It was 95 today! Praise the Lord! I didn't have to use my car's seat warmer. I can't believe how cold the summer is here. Even Cape Cod--77 degrees and very little sun. The weather used to seem like a dumb topic, but one you could discuss with strangers. Then I went to Evanston, Ill so long ago and learned that even in horrible weather, you all experience it together. I relented and began to comment to strangers just to be daring. Oh and then I moved to Chicago AGAIN. I was really upbeat on that 2011 move--all about Victory in Jesus! I was armed with my coats/hats/gloves and the comment by Dan McAdams, "There is no bad weather, only bad dressers." (referring to stupidity in clothing for the chilled.) And I think I was okay. I remember, however, during Dec and January, our transition months. I knew New York was coming. What would New York be like???? and the cold in our Barrington, IL yard. The chilling cold. The arctic cold that didn't touch me because I was so insulated in about seven holy layers of clothing, but it existed as a tangible object before me, all around me, entering my lungs through my breath. whoa. and now.....here I am IN JULY. Yes, July. and really, I've been quite chilled most of the time. Today was so wonderful!! With Steve heading into Manhattan, the air conditioners were not set so low. Besides, it took us all these months to figure out where they hid the controls and what they went to or where. Silly, chilly me.
Even as I rejoice in this welcome warmth, I'm planning. Winter is coming. Shoot, I bet it will be here next week! and they tell me that last winter was a freak warm one. Yes, my little body of water out back never even froze, but it will. Ouch. Super ouch. Will Jesus be the fire of love within me keeping me warm? Will my suffering be somehow glorifying to Him? Can He somehow show me how to glorify Him in this? If it means not complaining, I don't think He will get any glory. But hey, He is a miracle God.
I remember a precious friend who was from Mississippi, moved to Arkansas when I did, and then was doing graduate work on a shoe string in Wisconsin. She told me, "Stephanie. Hell is not hot. Hell is cold. It is very, very...cold." and I was horrified. I do think flames sound better! (I do not intend to arrive in Hell since Jesus showed me He already died to buy my ticket out of there! How I love and adore someone so good to a worthless, whiny cold girl!)

I even wrote that and suddenly, I am cold. Which leads me to suspect I must not dwell on this topic anymore! It is making things worse! brrrrrr.

Cape Cod

Driving home from Cape Cod took a miserable 8 hours, but I added three states and learned our Port Jefferson ferry system to Connecticut. Steve says he wants to see Boston and walk the Freedom Trail, but he really likes to stay home. We'll see!
Did my first Northeastern beaches experience. As a good American, I intend to buy some beach chairs, an umbrella and a special beach cart for all the stuff. With an umbrella, I can sit in the SHADE!! The waves came spilling onto the sand, making me happy.
Thanks to Anne and Sheila for letting me come up and stay in their little beach house! We were so close to the beach we just crossed the street. We stayed in South Yarmouth at The Village Green Hotel which did not have air conditioning but it wasn't needed. Especially for me. I wore a jacket as the gray skies and soft winds chilled me easily. Our main day had a nice sun after 12 noon as the temperature approached 80. I was able to be in a swimsuit and a sarong without socks or a blanket.
THE UMBRELLA REALLY MAKES IT FOR ME!
I'm really into the umbrella.
and my friends!
New friend, Anne, from Boston. Anne loves swimming in the sea. She waded out to some rough waves and would leap up as the waved tried to crash over her and then she'd bob out there until the next one formed. She's an extrovert and told me all about the people at the beach whom she had met on her first day there (I came that evening.) We had so much fun! I plan to vist her when (if) we go to the freedom trail and she will visit me when she comes to Long Island with a friend in September. SOMETHING GREAT TO LOOK FORWARD TO!
It was great to see Sheila! I have invited her to join me on my China trip with Jianwen on October 10-20th. An easy travel companion, Sheila says you don't have to ask her a few questions: Does she like that food? (She likes all foods.) Does she want to eat? (She always wants to eat.) and does she want to stop at the bathroom? (yes, thank you.)
We can talk all day about Kenya, world travel, Jesus, God's Word, food, people in general. Sheila is an extrovert, too, so it was good to know I was with two extroverts who always think the more the merrier! (Introverts could have felt imposed upon.)
We talked about laughing. That was funny! and we laughed. That's always fun. It made me wish I was as fun as Brenda Metzner and Debbie Booher. Those women make me LAUGH! I like to imagine myself with Brenda, Debbie, and Christa Horst.
Christa is so fun because she will get up and sing spontaneously--she will sing AND dance! And she is an easy laugher. (is that a word?) So imagine Brenda (she makes me laugh so hard my cheeks burn from muscle fatigue,) being so clever (I don't know how she does it) and Debbie and I--well, i don't even know what we talk about that makes us laugh hysterically because we might also cry from emotional pain during that same visit! (so that's fun because, hey, you get the whole range of emotion in less than 3 hours.) And imagine Christa there. Well, I think if you gave us each a glass of wine (which we never need to get a high octane high! double high! add something extra and you go to the moon!) we might die from laughing. Seems like an amazing way to go, yeah?
So I loved being with Anne and Sheila. I don't know what we were laughing about, but we were playing Mexican Trains (Camilla taught me that one!) and I was so happy to be there that I just got loud and forgot that the windows were open in our tiny cabin, but then it was funny so I yelled out the window. Just a happy yell. Thanks, friends! :-)
We were at South Yarmouth but drove up to a beach closer to the tip (the pilgrims first landed on the tip.) We went to Coast Guard Beach just past Salt Point somethingrather. The waves were big there. Sheila did a beach walk because she is a adventure missionary and she's got to keep burning those calories (since she loves eating!) and she has to stay strong. We went back to the beach close to the hotel later because we could go so quickly without having much with us and the walk from the street to the waves was short. I liked that! I'm not too good walking in the sand! But I tried sprinting on the sand--MUCH BETTER but I really got winded. whew. work.
We watched people parasail (how do you spell that?) and we saw the cutest little seal or seals. He would pop his little head up and watch some surfers. cute cute. We prayed as we talked (Thanks, Anne!) We drove by cute houses.
The Cape Cod style was everywhere, duh. But I have those shingles on the back of my house and they aren't my fave, until now. I really liked seeing the Cape Cod style in so many forms and so often and realized that it was a cultural distinction, which made me really appreciate it more. I see the beauty now.
Lastly, when I drove home, there were bottlenecks everywhere. Traffic was as slow as elderly snails on a death march (against their will!) what could have taken three hours, took six. Then include the ferry to Long Island and the drive from the North Shore to the South Shore--it took eight hours. oooooooh. But I am thankful for it. And although driving through Port Jefferson was familiar, it was also very dark, curvy and lacking good lighting making me remain hypervigilent to the driving conditions as I navigated my way to.......................NICHOLS ROAD!
MY FAVORITE FAMILIAR ROADWAY.
I drive from South Shore to the Northern portion of the island at least three times a week as I go to Whole Foods (45 min drive and I often go to the bank to deposit TGD donations THANK YOU!!) so I love love loved loved loved thankfully loved being on a familiar road. FAMILIARITY WAS NEVER SO BEAUTIFUL IN MY LIFE AS IT IS RIGHT NOW!
ahhhhhh.

you have no idea how much time you save by knowing where you are going.
plus, as you go, you can relax and think of other things.
not me.
but okay.
God knows where I am supposed to be and I love Him.
I'm thankful to have been here six months now and actually have a couple of pathways that are mine.
yay!

and it was SOOOO GOOD to hang out with women and talk. and talk. and talk. and talk. and talk.
ahhhhhh.

Thank you, Jesus!

Thank you, Sheila and Anne!

Thank you, Steve, for letting me go!

I loved it!

The joy of monthly caring THANK YOU!

Zainabu: I could not get her photo to her sponsor, Jody Williams. I couldn't even post it to her facebook! But praise God that Zainabu's life is so much improved. She is having emotional difficulty and physical illness and is alone in this world. Having someone reach out and care for her is such a blessing. Even the personal visits from the team can really let her know God sees her and she is not alone.

I just love Valerie's smile! Thanks to Sarah for supporting this young lady. She is a precious soul and a smart girl and I expect great things from her!

Remembering the extra blessing

I just had to repost. I was asking Christa: "What else did you get the sponsored children?" and she wrote with a list for these pictured children.

Yvonne got a mattress, sheets, blanket, lantern, pens, pencils, paper, erasers, books, toy, water tub, washtub, cups, bowl, toothbrushes, toothpaste, vaseline.

Asman received the same as Yvonne

I was so happy to remember going to these homes! We drove around our part of the countryside passing out delight! I blogged about my peak life moment at Beverlyne's home. (Thank You, Jesus!) and I just wanted to express again the joy and delight of giving.

Thanks to our Kenyan team who works day in and day out with our children and community. They also love the giving and participating with God in the blessing! Thank you to our donors who keep the whole machine going by the Grace of God in their lives and through their abundance of generosity.

I was sending a note to the sponsor to these children: Darla Partridge. She lives in Illinois and is not online so she never sees my usual reports, emails, blogs, facebook posts, webpages (www.TGDonline.com and now www.TGDKenya.com ) or newsletters. I just write her a few lines and add a few photos like the above--and they are just printed out on regular paper (cheapo, I know.)
But thank God she is helping because Asman's guardian, his grandfather, was down with Typhoid. Our team took him to the doctor, got his test results and got him needed medication. Pray with us for Nelson, Asman's grandfather, to recover as he is the only one to care for Asman. We need him! Asman needs him!

You may remember that Grace and Everlyne (Everline?) lost their grandfather right after he witnessed the joy of seeing them accepted into the program. I think he was just holding on for them. Now their aunt has them, but she also has other children AND her son Shadrach has muscular dystrophy. Shaddy is a complete invalid plus the uncle has a huge tumor on his head plus some mental disturbance. The family suffers but the support of these bright girls makes all the difference in the world. God is praised!

So we really pray God protect the lives of the guardians and parents to these children. May they receive provision, health, salvation, deliverance, and joy in every area of life. Life is not money and Jesus even said it is not food or clothes! But we know we all have basic needs and we must have good relationships along with air and water. We pray for the families and homes these children live in that they would be strengthened in the basics and that a firm foundation would go up in their lives so that God could shine through and allow them to become a blessing to those around them, in Jesus name.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!

Rivers Clinic

Please give generously or even miserly(!) so that projects, like the Rivers Community Clinic, can expand. This isolated clinic needs test equipment and always always always-antibiotics! and more than that perhaps, Antimalarials. This community is trying to care for the sick and let us support them in every way we can. We have so much available at our grocery stores! Send money so they can have ibuprofen and tylenol. They need antifungals. You can send a check or use the online paypal (which does have fees.) Every dollar you donate goes to Kenya. There are no fundraisers, no administrative costs, no American salaries taken out of your giving. Every bit goes to Kenya and we cover all the operating costs AND give you a tax receipt! You can even GO WITH US! We welcome you and your future friends of Kenya welcome you. If I can go, anyone can go! We have had several elderly guests--so what is stopping you? If you cannot go, please give. Your charitable dollars go FARTHER in Kenya than any dollar in the USA. People live on $30 a month in Kenya (but not very well, so be generous if you can afford a little less over here.)
What does it gain us to gain the whole world but lose our soul? The next life will have greater rewards, so put your treasure in the hand of God. I thank you deeply! For many of you have given so generously that God has been glorified tremendously and lives have been saved, in the natural and in the eternal. Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Kevin Madahana's story

KEVIN MADAHANA

1.      PERSONAL LIFE STORY

2.      TGD BUILDING

3.      FUTURE PARTICIPATION IN TGD PROJECTS

4.      IMMPROVEMENT ON TGD BUILDING

5.      HOW TGD HAS CHANGED ME

6.      CHALLENGES AND SOLUTION

7.      IMPORTANCE OF THE TRAINING (COMPUTER)

8.      PART TIME ACTIVITIES

PERSONAL LIFE

I was born on 7^th April, 1986 as a second born soul to the late Mr. Kennedy Obiero (God rest his soul in peace) and Mama Margret Musimbi. My elder brother Felix had been born three years earlier. At a tender age of only two months, my parents broke up (as am told by my grand mum.)

Our grandparents had to pick up our daily care and they brought us up. My grandmother was a local nursery teacher and cared for me just as her own son when I was her son’s son. Felix, being two years, spent the day playing with other children in the neighborhood.

Our grandparents struggled to bring me up. They fed me on milk from the local breed of animals in the homestead. I believe that it takes the hand of the Almighty God for the hopeless in society to grow up and survive from the hard times to date. I thank God for helping my grandparents bring me up.

To my readers, God uplifts the humble and I survived to join school. Our grandparents paid for our early schooling fees. In lower primary, father’s brother Abel paid for our fees and we were never sent home.

With God’s guidance I sat for my Kenya primary school exams in 2001 and was ranked the 4^th in a class of 36 pupils and 13^th in the division. I was selected to join a reputable high school in the province. My grandparents and uncle came up together with the other family members and rewarded me a chance of a lifetime to join high school.

I’d love to write more about my personal life but I may get my readers emotions rolling! Bear with me. After high school I was only 17 years old. At the early age of 18 years, I began a specialization in Range Management and Animal Production from the University of Nairobi’s lower Kabete campus. Truly it has taken the hand of God for all this to happen. Thanks to my guardians’ big hearts.

The journey at campus was full of challenges, but God’s grace was at hand. He helped me make it through. At a tender age of 22 years, I graduated from college at Lower Kabete in style. The struggle and the results were dedicated to my grandmother and my father, my educator Abel and all those who made my ends meet. God bless them. Right now, I work as a freelance veterinary doctor in my area and I thank God for his endless mercy and gift of life.

Trinity Global Development Building

The TGD building is located at Shibuli in Kakamega County, Western Province of Kenya. Ever since the construction started up to where it stands, it has taken the hand of God. In first place, I’d love to thank the donors for the support to ensure that the construction is complete and under use for the prosperity of community.

At first, it is the youth employment opportunities that our youth are getting from the activities at the site. My friends work at the construction site and they earn their daily bread from the TGD building. Instead of having to engage in drugs and criminal activities as part time, many of the boys spend their day at the construction site. Once again, thanks to the Trinity Global Development Community.

Secondly, the rooms already under use on the first floor of the TGD building have proved important for the youth of the area. It hosts about one hundred boys and girls (youth) who are undertaking a computer course courtesy of TGD at the same building site. Then the teachers who teach the students are members of the community, hence TGD has helped to create jobs for the guys and they work in the TGD building

To our sponsors, I want to say thank you for your kids hear you are struggling to improve our lives, though you are far away. You came to our rescue and we love your work. May God the Almighty bless you. So my question is, if the TGD building is providing so many chances of jobs and education to many people in the local community when it is still in its initial stages of constructions, what of when the whole work of building construction will be over? May God always bless the TGD community –we love you. There are so many things I’d love to write about your amazing hearts but maybe I cannot. Let me just say THANK you.

FUTURE PARTICIPATION IN TGD PROJECTS

 I want to take this time to make a few proposals of the things I’d love incorporated into the TGD projects which will be housed under the buildings which I hope will be completed. Apart from housing the computer training students, the following can be put into consideration.

1.      COUNSELING CENTER: One of the rooms under the TGD building should be turned into a counseling place for the many couples who may break-up due to family conflicts. This will help to reduce failed marriages and improve young relationships thus helping to diminish the rate of orphans or single parents in the local community. This will also help create jobs for the social counselors and sociologists.

2.      ANIMAL PRODUCTION RESOURCE CENTER: This center will provide our potential farmers with the necessary information for improving their stock and thus improving their lives. Famers go long distances looking for animal production officers and most of them give up. This leads to un-motivation which causes losses for the famer. A resource center could provide advice on dairy, beef, drugs, care and pasture management for the farmers. They will also get the knowledge of dogs and Rabies. Dog bites are rampant in this zone.

3.      SPORTS CENTER: Football (soccer) is considered the world’s leading tourist attraction sport. Most boys and girls struggle hard to learn it even if they lack the talent because it is the only available sport at their disposal. Adding other additional games will teach our children of the potential in the world other than just football. Think of scrabble games which help our children improve their English language. Then there are indoor games like table tennis, chess, lawn tennis and badminton. If our children’s minds are broadened in this perspective, then they can always learn to work hard for a living. This resource center will be important for facilitating this.

4.      VCT CENTER: This will help the youth know their AIDS status and help fight the HIV pandemic currently wrecking havoc throughout the country.

5.      EDUCATIONAL CENTERS: I pray other rooms be dedicated to other types of knowledge and education. There should be more courses offered to the local community through the TGD building since its evident that knowledge is power and everybody would love to learn and get knowledge but the lack of institutions that are affordable kills the dream. God, thank you for the TGD Community.

IMPROVEMENT OF THE TGD BUILDING:

So far so good for the TGD community in helping improve our lives. This building under their umbrella organization has the potential to shine when it is complete. The building stands out as modest in the area and I would love to see it completed and being put into use. It is designed well and actually, the best, as from its outlook. I’d just urge the donors to keep up its funding since it is better and, once it is complete, it will be the best. Thank you to our donors for designing the building for us. God bless you.

HOW TGD HAS IMPROVED MY LIFE

 I first thought that life is so discouraging for me. I used to see my friends go out to town to take their Information Technology course. They were paying such high fees that I could not raise them and pay. There was nobody to raise that kind of amount for me to pay for computer training.

When I heard about the TGD training program, I could not afford to lose that chance of life time! I knew the knowledge  I had was incomplete without the computer knowledge Everything is going the IT way. Ever since I joined the TGD program, I have come to know so many things, especially about the computer world. I have learned to type, store, paste and make changes to tests. I have learned about the function formulas and other good ventures about computers. I am not the same as I was last year. The TGD program has opened my eyes and shown me that there are still more things I need to learn in this life. Personally, the knowledge I‘ve attained from TGD is the only change I have passion for. Also, the friends I have met due to the program! I cannot leave it out. I must say that, too, has changed my life. Keep on the good work.

ODDS

On 8^th may, 2012, my dad passed on at around 12:30PM. The night before, I spent a sleepless night as I saw him writhe in pain. I could not afford to wish for a good health for him but God’s time for him had come. May God rest his soul in peace.

This stands out as the greatest challenge. Since joining the TGD community as a student, I had to halt my studies for about four weeks as I took care of my sick dad until the day he died. Another week was spent on the funeral and burial ceremonies. This was my toughest time and I could not smile or celebrate since I was a loser. In fact, a double loser because I had missed my lessons for a month and I had lost my dad whom I was working to save.

God is usually faithful and thanks to the entire TGD family and classmates who prayed for me and I felt like the burden was no longer on my head .The way I beat this challenge, I rest it upon my colleagues at TGD who prayed hard for me and our family. Thanks to my friends at TGD who stood by me till even after I came back. They showed me all that I had missed while I was away. God bless you all. This stands out as my greatest challenge but God is faithful and always graceful.

IMPORTANCE OF COMPUTER TRAINING

The basic importance of the TGD training program is the knowledge it has provided amongst the youth of our community. I can now go to town and enter a cyber café and start logging into a computer on my own without the support of the attendants. The program at TGD has given me the SLELF CONFIDENCE. I look to the training with gladness. The training has given me a sense of belonging, especially amongst my friends who had already undertaken the training somewhere. Thank you for the opportunity you gave to me.

PART TIME ACTIVITIES

I love sporting. I play football with my local club Mzalendo. I play in the mid-field position. I also love scrabble games, table-tennis and chess because they are enjoyable, though not locally available. When I get a chance to play, I always work hard to perfect my skills. But because football is locally available, I play more of it.

    I also love animals. When am free I always visit the farm unit just to see how the animals are faring on…whether there is any animal that needs treatment or if they are well fed. Most of my part time I actually spent with the animals perfecting my profession.

July in Kenya THANKS TO YOU!

Here I see Derrick teaching Fredrick and Cynthia and Zainabu. Ben is in the background. Thanks to your ongoing support, Derrick rose up as a student and is now an employee and a teacher. His monthly salary helps him provide for his two small children, wife and his mother. Keep up the good work, Derrick!

Erick is on our visitation team. He works closely with the guardians to be sure the children's school fees are up to date and they have all they need for school.

Jack is handing out food (I think!) to Gladys' mother. All the guardians, the team and the children take bread together each month as they gather together for God's blessing.

Henry, Joseph, and Frank take some time with guardians each month to update them and encourage them. They are a fantastic team!

Judith teaches the children computers. We want our young ones exposed to the new technology even though they come from small villages and live in mud huts. Though their school may not have electricity, they are in charge of the future! God is preparing them well.

Oh we love Beverlyne and her mom--what a great time they had when Christa came and brought gifts for every child in the giant family! Blessed Blessed Blessed!

AHG! Shaline is drinking a Coke. Okay, it is a horrendous nutritional choice and we usually provide juice, but the children really do see a Coke as a special joy. Let's hope the team reviewed toothbrushing! But we know Shaline felt a bit peppy that day! :-)

David's story: A community computer student

DAVID SETH MURUNGA

PERSONAL LIFE STORY, EXPERIENCE AND ENCOUNTER

I was born in Nakuru one of the towns in Kenya within the rift valley province in Kenya. Due to lack of capital and basic needs our family shifted and came to our rural home in Kakamega residing in Shibuli within Kakamega County.

Moreover, I was raised in a poor environment whereby my parents couldn’t afford to get money for my siblings and I to go to school. During school holidays, it forced our family to go and work for people in our farms so that our parents could afford to take us to school and get the basic education. I grew up in problems and encounters, getting school uniforms, sometimes when sent home to go and repair toned school uniforms, my parents couldn’t afford to get money so as I could repair my toned school uniforms. My parents worked hard to make siblings and I with the little they had for us to be educated.

Furthermore, it reached a time I became hopeless in learning. My parents did their best to make sure that I learn but their wish ended in vain. I thought my parents had no money because my siblings who are elderly had been educated. Sometimes when sat alone, I could cry a lot of tears of sorrow rolling down my cheeks. I decided to engage in drugs especially when I was in high school. Engaging in bad company made my life to mess even the school results slowing down. I became so drunkard especially when I could visit my dad in Nakuru where he was working to get our daily bread. A group of spoilt boys spoilt my life, I smoked cigarette, bhang and also drank illicit brew. My comrades convinced me and told me that my life could become comfortable if I become an addict because they knew we were very poor.

My life continued, my parents worked very hard to make my life at home, at school and our environment is good. Due to my mess in my life, my mother who by that time was a born again Christian did her time best to change my life but it all ended in vain. I thought all was my end of life. One day when I had gone to visit my dad at Nakuru I attended a crusade in Afraha Stadium, it was during school holidays and I was in form two. I had not done end term exams because of school fees. As the preacher was preaching, it touched my heart whereby by that day, I became saved. I decided to change my life from addiction of drugs. Changing my life and accepting Jesus as my personal savior opened the doors for my life especially education. I started performing very well at school despite the amazing miracles God did for my life and still yet God is working on my life.

Moreover, when sometimes I could go home for school fees, I still had passion and prayed a lot. I completed my high school education in troubles. I didn’t believe myself but God worked with my life. I didn’t know I would reach that level but by grace the doors were opened for my life.

After completing my high school education, I still continued with serving the lord, working with my fellow youth at our church teaching others on the ways of salvation. I also help my parents at home do agriculture because I know for now they don’t have capital to take me to continue with education or search for a job. Due to the introduction of TGD in our village Shibuli, I do appreciate a lot because I know is working and God answered my parents especially enabling the community to be with complete computer knowledge. I also thank our Bishop Titus and mother Stephanie who is our sponsor.

TGD has enabled us to have knowledge in computer. I’ve learned more about computer global knowledge, the spread of internet, Facebook and also introduction to computers in our community. TGD has enabled me know how you can make work easier using computer by saving your work, communicating through the internet. Working calculations using excel programme by saving it to make work advance.

Furthermore, the orphan program done by TGD is becoming a great benefit to the society. Many people who are orphans are getting encouraged by getting food and school support programs. Spiritual encouragement during TGD meetings motivates my courage. My faith in TGD is becoming a reality by the facts the TGD people are doing in our society to educate people get support through support programs like that of orphans.

It is my wish the TGD building be completed. I believe the lives of people are going to be great if they’re going to have introduction of health facilities like dispensaries, libraries, bible school and community based programs on educating people on the dangers of HIV/AIDS, its prevention and handle of such people infected. The community is going to be blessed if many people who don’t have money to attend schools and colleges going to be educated.

TGD being one of the best institutions in our community, I would wish it also have its own bus whereby transport will be easy when people want to go and educate other people from another community around our locality. Introduction of cinemas in conjunction with the cornerstone church using projectors by educating people the importance of salvation, education on the dangers of drug addiction and sexual abuse going to help many people get education if TGD staff  going to do that. My desire is TGD to bring changes.

The problems we students are experiencing is incomplete toilets, lack of roof in our TGD building. If the building is complete it will provide a stable environment for learning of students. The second floor going to be a benefit if the introduction of libraries, bible school and community based hall for learning. The building should have a roof because when it is raining students face difficulties due to leakage of water, uncompleted window panes, cold when it’s raining heavily during lesson attendance especially during evening lessons.

When the TGD building is going to be completed, it will provide a good environment for learning and teaching staff. I am glad to be a student at TGD. I do pray for our sponsors, God to uplift them so that they continue with their good work. Thank you mother Stephanie, may God uplift your work and vision. God bless all our sponsors. TGD go, go TGD.

A caption picture showing David doing what he loves doing most. Rearing fish on his fish pond.
David Seth Murunga A TGD Student.

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