Bishop (Head Pastor) Titus with Dr. Otis and Mickey Stanley. Below, Agnes shares information presented to Community Health Workers in our community.

On Monday the students continued with practicals we want them to know well the keyboard and parts of the window. And then we filled the assessment test you requested us to do it was fun. The same Monday Otis and Mickey came to visit us. On Tuesday we had a meeting with Frank as the students watched a video tutorial on the basics of word while Mickey and Otis went to Ebulechia. On Wednesday we continued to have a meeting but this time Frank, Imelda, Judith and I on what we do exactly in the field. We deal with the sponsored children, guardians, staff, students, front runners and the community as a whole. In other words Frank has the whole report as to what is done. On Thursday we attended a seminar which was hosted by Mickey and Otis and it was as follows:

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER

PURPOSE, GOAL AND OBJECTIVE

What is the duty of a community health worker?

Ø  To provide basic health services to the community or Village health worker(VHW)

Ø  Educate and advice the community and individuals or training

Ø  Should know the basic first aid and give people medication i.e. Provide first aid and emergency

Ø  Demonstrating a healthy diet

Ø  Providing guidance and cancelling

Ø  Demonstrating personal hygiene

Ø  Help access of water

How does the Community Health Worker support the community and the individual?

1.       Serves as an observer of community and the individual on matters relating to health and advice to improve it.

2.       Serves as an advocate in seeking health services and projects

3.       Is the primary interface of health system

4.       Provide potential conduct for house hold and community leaders to help them solve their problems like Safe water, Nutrition and Sanitation

GUIDING PRINNCIPALS

1.       Make clean water available to all (protected from contamination and bacteria and should be chlorinated if contaminated

2.       Ensure access to healthy and safe foods i.e. Fruits should be washed before eating and the food should come from inspected places

3.       Provide education for safe disposal of human waste i.e. water should be protected from animals and human waste. Latrines should be protected from insects and vermin to prevent cross contamination of food and water.

4.       Give mothers and babies good nutrition and care i.e. children to receive vaccines

5.       Provide access to healthcare for the sick and old

6.       Encourage healthy behavior to the young i.e. taught on the importance of hygiene and against smoking

7.       Encourage abstinence and loyalty to avoid AIDS. Use of condoms to prevent spread of ads and the only way to abstain is to be faithful

8.       Protect people from disease carrying disease carrying pests i.e. dwellings should be made insect proof like garbage which can serve as harborage  for disease carrying rodents and other pests should be buried

9.       Work for a safe environment free of harmful agents  like minimizing sources for air pollution like engine exhaust will reduce asthma

New Mother, Early Childhood, Late Childhood Adolescent, Adult and Elderly

COHORT 1:

Pregnancy, Delivery and New Born

1.      Importance for all pregnant mothers and their household to have a birth plan and to organize resources for getting skilled assistance like during delivery they should be under the care of midwife, nurse or the doctor.

2.      The couple should plan who will take care of the children the mother has given birth

3.      They should receive confidential counseling Test for HIV. If positive precautions taken to prevent baby form getting infection like when breast feeding no for aids but there is prevention

4.      The pregnant mothers to be given ant malaria to prevent malaria and getting anemic

5.      Blood pressure to be controlled

6.      Pregnant mothers need the best food available to the family like fruits- mangoes, guavas, oranges, vegetable- kale, meat, fish- dry and fresh, eggs, grains and beans, ion giving foods. They are safe to eat

7.       Pregnant mothers are particularly usceptible to malaria which can cause serious problems.

8.       Pregnancy before 18 and after 35 or within 2 years of the precious delivery increases health risk for the mother and her baby and child birth

9.       Family planning is the responsibility of both men and women

10.   Physical of women and children is a serious public health problem and is inacceptable. Abuse during pregnancy is dangerous to the mother and the child.

11.   Every woman has the right to health care especially during pregnancy and child birth. Health care providers should be available

12.   Pregnant mothers and new born should be screened for disabilities and impairment  in order to plan for any in corrective measure to address the problem

13.   All new born babies need to be protected need to be protected from infections that may interfere with their growth and development measure body temperature for baby on mother

Early Childhood 2 weeks to 5 years

1.       Care and affection during the earliest years help the child to thrive. Bottle feeding can lead to illness and death of the baby if the mother cannot breast feed her infant the baby should be breast fed with milk or a substitute from a clean cup

2.       Weigh your baby regularly from birth to the age of 2 years if the child has not gained the weight for 2 weeks then something is wrong

6 weeks to 2 years

1.       The child needs to feed five times a day in addition to ustained breast feeding there after the child can be fed on family foods five times daily without breast feeding

2.       During illness children need to continue to eat and drink regularly. After an illness children need at least one extra meal everyday

3.       Immunization is urgent every child needs a series of immunization during the 1^st year of life. A child who is not immunized is likely to suffer illness and become permanently disabled.

4.       Diarrhea kills children by draining water from the body. Give extra fluids as soon as diarrhea start.

5.       Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water or ash with water after contact with stool and before touching food or feeding children

6.       Child with cough and cold should be kept warm and encouraged to eat and drink as much as possible if the child is breathing rapidly is dangerous

7.       Child with fever should be examined immediately

8.       Families and communities can prevent spread of mosquito by cutting grass, keeping bushes away from homes, draining stagnant water, keeping battery acid and medicines away from reach of children

9.       Young children need more food to develop. It is good to nature their growth. Children learn how to behave and adults set as their role model

10.   All children should be wormed at least twice every year

11.   Parents should talk to their children on the issue and sexual act. Early childhood is unsafe, abortion and STDS are threatening. They should also advice them on drug abuse too.

12.   Everyone who is active should contact VCT (counseling)

13.   . They need sufficient nutrition especially more proteins

25-59 years are at risk of getting AIDS and transmitted diseases

1.       Need check up of Blood pressure, blood sugar, and regular check ups

2.       They are at risk of Tuberculosis and it is curable

Over 60 years. They have the risk of getting blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes. Advice is that they should try to be physically active every day

When to refer to medical facility: (conditions that warrant immediate attention)

Vomiting, Convulsions Not alert, Not responding, Not able to drink or eat, Coughing seriously, Difficulty in breathing, Diarrhea, Fever.

With breathing problem check for:

Chest in-drawing, strange sounds (strider) fast breathing.

With diarrhea look for:

Not alert, not responding uninterested slow return of skin pinch, not able to drink or eat (breast feed), severe dehydration irritable or restlessness, thirsty drinks eagerly.

When you want to know one is suffering from the following you check for: malaria they have stiff neck, hot body, higher temperature, .When one has measles one feels hot, felt hot in past 3 days. With Ear problem, one feels pain, swelling, rubs, pulls ear frequently. With malnutrition, visible wasting or oedema of both feet. Anemia, severe Palma

Baby born and has not visited health center has rigidity, bulging, fontanel, pus draining from the eye

ABCD (basic first aid)

A – Airway

B -Breathing

C- Circulation

D- Dressing the wound

We are eagerly waiting to see you next week and praying for safe journey to Kenya. Be blessed

Agnes

Ramblings during a happy mood--Rejoice!

okay, i just put a photo to make it interesting. Don't we look YOUNG?!

I just changed to the new timeline on facebook --AND IT MADE MY PAGE SO INTERESTING!!! To me, anyway. It has so many family photos, puppy photos, good things I shared, quotes, friends, and so many wonderful Kenyan photos in large size. I am loving it! I could post all day! But by now I have posted on my mom's and Pamaw's, then "liked" several things and changed my profile picture on the new timeline, so anyone who has me on their list might delete me. :-(

I remember hearing someone say they got off of Myspace because someone posted all the time. well, that's the fun of it! and when someone posts all the time, it is like listening to a big talker! I can't imagine getting irritated at people's posting ( I suppose three mean ones in a row would get to me) because that is the whole idea of it. it's like being in a circle with people and some talk more than others.

well, if I am with people I know, I am LOUD. If I am with people I don't know, I am quiet and subdued. (This can be very brief since an hour together might put anyone in the I-know-you catagory.) And then with groups, you have to be careful not to dominate. Find ways to include the ones who aren't talking. But you know, you ask the wallflower a question and they start answering and someone else will just burst out and talk over them. Happens to us all!

I really like including the left out people. Don't you hate it when the left out one is YOU? Every now and then, you can find yourself with some people and something happens that makes you feel stupid. It's a terrible feeling. Or left out. Terrible feeling. Who wants that? No one. But when it happens to you....just maintain composure and try to focus outwardly on loving and esteeming those around you. It doesn't make you less, it makes you MORE! (Now, it is a bit harder to do this if you stuck your foot in your mouth and are now trying to recover. Ouch!)

God is so good to love us through embarrassing or humiliating moments. You know, if you were humiliated, just humble yourself and it can flow right over you! When someone criticizes, just ask yourself, "Is there any truth to what they said?" and if there is....just agree. There is some Christian guy --and this would work better if I could remember who---He would say to his attacker. "Oh, soandso, you are too gentle. For I know worse things about myself." Now what is a bully going to say to that? Ha! Bullies only have fun if they really get you tortured. Or if someone mocks you, you can say, "Excuse me?" as if you didn't quite hear, and most people will back right down. Because it is just a bully type of spirit and you just need to confront that one mildly to maintain your dignity. God is with you!

Now how did I ramble onto THAT?  Well, someone needed that today. I pray you walk in Godly dominion and overcome the victim spirit. If you are in Christ, you are an overcomer! and you do not have to PROVE that to all humanity. You will find yourself in glory forever with Jesus at the end of all this. Wait patiently when suffering. In fact, Jesus says, Count it all joy when you encounter trials of many kinds because this is good for your faith! (Okay, look that one up because i botched the quote there.) Rejoice in the Lord always, again, I say, REJOICE!

and if you are on facebook, go scroll down through my page. I so enjoy that! Thank you Jesus!

AND WE HAVE THREE NEW CHILDREN SPONSORED THIS MONTH! WOWOWOWOWOWOOOOO (that is wow and woo put together.)

Our Nurse Emelda!

God paid for Emelda's education through Anita and now we have Emelda working for us, our community, our children. She has a new sponsor through Mama Anita so she can continue her good work with those who cannot pay. She needs medicine and gloves. All donations are still welcome because there is never an end to the need. We want to reduce the burden on the child bearing women, the elderly and the children. Praise the Lord! He cares for us so gently!

last day in India

well, i should have gone shopping but I didn't want to go shopping. I would have liked to learn more about what it means to a hindu to live day in and day out. Or for a Christian amongst Hindus. What are their worldviews? How do they explain disasters or injury or sickness? What does a Hindu do to appease God and what does good behavior mean? Who sets the standards? How many gods do you need to follow to "get it right?" How do they think we came into being? What do they think of other religions?

now what are the chances of someone speaking to me about such things. Particularly when those whom I am in contact with are Steve's employees. Perhaps they could fear they would encroach upon sacred ground improperly or something, I don't know.

and I wanted to see Steve write on a white board and explain the organization or the architechture (spell?) arcitecture, no. anyway, the skeleton of the programs they are working on. the bones of it. the forms of it. I like to watch him explaining that to people. they never expect someone high up like him to know so much about it, but he's a programmer at heart. (an ambitious one.)

so I think I will have to go back to the hotel and wait it out until we get ready for our flight. George, who is also here, has a take off time of 4am!!! good heavens! it is an hour to the airport. he won't get any sleep tonight. that makes for some hard hard flights. and he doesn't sleep well on flights. We take off at 6am, so we are just behind him, but we may have a tiny snooze first. so I think I should just go back. My hope was to do email and to write to my beautiful donors who are so gracious and loyal and i am so blessed!! I come here and I see the poor people and I think, Oh God you love them so much! and I know He is sending out His love through people one way or another. I want to be a part of that.

well, it won't be so much this time, but I am planning on next time.

I just had a FABULOUS samosa, though. It was onion and corn and so delicious that I am sure to crave it until I return. I've had some great food here. I am blessed. God has put us in a good place.

I pray we all get sleep on flights home! International flights are hard on the flesh. But what a privilege! I'm glad to be born in this era.

Another day in India

Yesterday droned on in the morning but developed into a positively wonderful day. I waited for hours without communication from Steve and had no way to know if anyone was coming to get me or if I was going to spend the whole afternoon in my room. My phone had no service but I dared not leave the hotel room landline. The room became a mandatory sabbath. No way to work or control things. I tried to discipline myself to settle into it patiently. I read the bible, I prayed sporadically, I zoned out, I thought of children in Kenya and the team. I thought of how grateful I am to donors. I asked God to lead me to some work for the poor here. RING RING and the women were here to pick me up at4. I dressed and ran down to the elevators. I am staying in the mostluxurious hotel, but I longed to find and greet children who are needy. We headed to St. Theresa's Tender Loving Care Center. Here Mother Theresa, named after the saint who was Theresa the little flower, supports 29 girls who all came as babies after the Tsunami. Tamina, a CA employee, suggested we get them some snack--she was right! Typical for me, I was showing up empty handed. But I did not have a well thought out plan. We sent the driver for some cookies and chocolate. Mother showed us photos from the over 1000 children she had placed. She was formerly a nurse in cardiology, maternity, and something else. She had been a nun since she was 22. Now she was surely over 70 and had trouble walking. Hunched over and with braces on her knees and a cane. She was precious all in white and chatty with arthritic knarled hands.I loved her although I only understood about 75% of what she said. We met the beautiful young girls. All dressed well and appearing quite well adjusted. What a cohort together they were! They showed us a dance they learned from watching bollywood. ADORABLE. I think they all greeted me as Aunty. Many were vying to catch my eye. You know they know that they want to go home with someone! Two were already destined for Holland and one for Germany. Many children had gone to Washington DC, New York, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. She had multiple books on her desk thatfamilies had created for her showing their child growing upthrough the years and sending letters to her to show her their happiness. It costs nothing really to send these girls to school in Hindi, the national language, but it costs about $25 a month for English classes (school in complete English immersion.) All together, Mother was paying 40,000 Rupees a month or $800 USD for the girls to have English. They had 2 ancient computers, which gives me the idea that surely I can come up with donations for 2 new computers or else buy them myself. I could bring them on my next trip here. Steve is supposeed to come for a whole month. Maybe July. On another note, though, it turns out the C.A.(which stands for computer associates technologies) also has its own India charity which is Hope School. I will look into it when I come back--they are out on holiday until June. It is a school to educate the poor children whose families might not otherwise be able to send them. I could really get on board with that because Steve cannnot ethically promote our work without the potential that someone feels "pressured" to give in order to remain in good favor at their job. ( sad face.)But I can really promote Hope School with the CA employees in Long Island. So that is my plan. I did find a Christian orphanage and will also visit there next time. It is 90 minutes from my hotel and I am not giventhe driver the whole day. so...God will make a way if He chooses. It was good to see the good mother and her beautiful children. They are available for adoption and I suppose their age makes them less likely candidates. I might even get them all dresses. I bet I could find them for $10 here. That would only be $290. (well, there is tax.) Several of them wear glasses---you know that is expensive! Later we had an excellent dinner at a buffet at the Novatel Hotel. I have eaten several Indian dishes that I have enjoyed plus they have versions of Asian food like vegetable fried rice. There is always steamed rice and a great flat bread that has a pancake taste from the grill (unsweet.) I had a great hushpuppy type item with cumin. I had "golden coins" at a chinese restaurant that were spicy and delicious. Breakfast yesterday had greek salad YUM!!!! and some bean sprout thing with lime and cilantro and cabbage was great. So no food suffering plus luxury hotel is an interesting way to experience India. I hate using water here because I know we US tourists like our daily showers which sucks up all the water stealing it from locals and their wells. I get that rich person guilty complex. Then I go to get an hour long massage for $30 and I just PRAISE GOD!!! The people at this hotel are very very gracious and service oriented. It is a real pleasure. The weater is hot but it feels good to me. Yesterday's rains cooled it greatly. It was perfect. Driving through the roads you see hundreds of pedestrians, auto-rickshaws, motorbikes, cars and buses. At any moment, five cars and motorbikes honking at once. A grating symphony of notes. Dust rises up here and there. Fruit stalls interspersed with electronics or clothing stores. Temples here and there to the elephant face god and buildingsnamed Krishna this or that. Beautiful sarees floating everywhere, young beautiful girls and matriarchs past their prime. Outside my window, there is a helicoptor pad for the hotel. It looks like some aztec sacrifical pinnacle laid out and ready for worship to something. I'll have to take a picture. Palm trees among flowering trees and moldy old buildings next to modern ones. So much here is familiar as my beloved Kenya. I feel at home while simultaneously knowing nothing about anything. The culture is hidden to me. People thousands of years old with shared knowlege I could only guess at from cursory readings. I enjoy our differences and drink in the flavor of a people created by God.

India

I'm in Hyderabad India typing on a little mini keyboard.I praise God for technology but this is hard. I hope I can get connected with some orphanages here. Steve will be working here and we may come for a month in the summer. I don't know if God will make a way here, but He called me to China and India when I was 22. I've only been to those countries as a tourist--just like today. Plus, I never want to divert funds from my Kenyan family yet I know God called me so I remain available. Jianwen just moved from Austin to Long Island and we are planning a China trip in August. When I married a grocery store bag boy, I never dreamed we would really travel the world. But here I am! Thank you for the airplane prayers. I was delirious and getting a migraine when we landed in London, but I got a massage of my neck and head. I slept on some chairs for more than an hour. The next flight was fine and I slept a lot. I also read through a great book: Year of Living Biblically. It was great fun. He is an unbeliever but it was good to laugh about how strange some things in the Bible appear. off to breakfast. I'm staying at the Taj Krishna. is that allowed? blessings out to everyone. Remain in Him.

Your Kenyan Family together with Mama Anita!

Anita out front at the TGD building with our children

Bishop Titus loves the children

Christabel cooking

Christabel cutting food--thanks!

Christabel sorting packages for the children

Don chops firewood for the meal

Emelda teaches hygiene to the guardians

Fridah gets her chicken, as all the sponsored children got a chicken from Kevin.

Don and Duncan cook for everyone

Lawrence has the children wash their hands

Lawrence teaching and encouraging the children

Mary gets her chicken

Scroll down for photos! but here is Henry's report of purchases for building...

A list of building expenses for the month of March 2012 drawn from Cornerstone account as shown below.

         ITEMS                                      Kenyan Schillings

Cement 37 bags                                     29,600.00

White lime 5 bags                                    3,250.00

Painting items, brushes, sand paper           1,300.00

Paints                                                      17,000.00

Painter                                                      9,000.00

Sand 21 tons( 3 tractors )                        12,000.00

Water                                                        6,000.00

Transport costs cement                             4,000.00

Plumbing material                                    16,810.00

Labour plumber                                        5,000.00

General Labour                                       22,150.00 

2kg nails                                                      280.00

2 pcs hacksaw blades                                  200.00                          

Total                                                      126,590.00 (In US Dollars $1622)

Zainabu, Brenda, Shaline, Mary and our blessed TGD Kenya Team!

Please pray for Crispinus to make it through this bout of malaria. It is a deadly disease, May God protect his life, in Jesus name, and raise him up in strength.

Erick is handing a ball from TGD to Eubulechia school. Please consider the needs of precious children attending this mud school and the teachers who give their time. Anita is trying to get them some support for their efforts. May God bless the education of our children!

Little Shaline has a beautiful smile. God bless her!

Brenda and Zainabu forget and everyone forgets that Americans like smiles! May they be blessed!

TGD Team visits Mary in her school--praise God for personal attention to each child!

Here is a report from Joseph:

Judy, Agnes and Christabel. David, Eric, Agnes and Judy all joined Emelda on Wednesday to visit her midwifery clients. Jack visited Beverline and Cynthia while Lawrence juggled between being at Center, training the new students at Shibuli and crowning it with visiting Chrispinus at St. Mary’s Mission Hospital in Mumias on Friday.

WEDNESDAY

This was Ebulechia’s day. Eric, Christabel and myself begun with Ebulechia Cornerstone School where we handed over a ball.  For Christabel and Eric, it was their first experience at the school. Christabel had a one-on-one with Shaline and Fredrick’s teachers regarding their academic progress while Eric kept the young ones busy outside with the new ball.  In the beginning of the term, we had paid the school a visit and realized that they didn’t have a single toy for use during the Physical Education lessons or games.  We all understand how important it is to have our sponsored children participate in games and other physical exercises. Our Ebulechia Cornerstone School family seemed to be pursuing a one sided endevour – academics only. They needed a change badly for balance’s sake.  The ball thing brought in the change they craved for.  It was evident from the reaction of the teachers and pupils alike. You would have plainly seen an expression of relief on their faces and joy of playing football was in the air. Thank God for Kevin. The pupils really needed the balls and Ebulechia School was enjoying its share of delight in the same.

Next was Mung’ang’a Primary School where Zainabu and Brenda learn. I introduced the team to the administration before engaging our sponsored children’s class teachers in a discussion on their academic progress. I let Eric and Christabel engage the class teachers in the discussion.  I hope you received their individual reports.  I asked them to write a report on each individual child and send it over before Friday the 31^st March 2012.

Mungabira was the last school we visited on Wednesday. This is Mary Baraza’s school.  She was doing her end of term exam.  The head teacher, however, made sure we had a talk with her before the afternoon exam session begun. We discussed at length about her dwindling academic performance and the administration promised to schedule for us an appointment with the guiding and counseling teacher-in-charge.  She wasn’t in when we visited the school on Wednesday. The class teacher is yet to furnish us with a detailed first-term performance record, which he said was in the guiding and counseling master ‘s office.

By 3:00PM we were back in Shibuli.  The afternoon students were already in class waiting for me and I immediately joined them for the day’s lesson, which ended at 5:35PM.

I observed a number of things during the visitation. Issues like our sponsored children performing poorly in English related subjects. Vernacular is rampant in most of the rural schools and story books are insufficient.  I believe our TGD Library services will go a long way to boost our sponsored children’s performance in English-related subjects.  Lack of toys and other physical education paraphernalia has contributed to a lot of imbalance in our sponsored children’s learning atmosphere. Ebulechia Cornerstone School is a case in point, as earlier highlighted. More foot balls and small ‘throwing’ balls need to be added to both of the Cornerstone Schools.  Maybe Anita can bring a few of them with her (hope she hasn’t packed her luggage yet).

 THURSDAY

I spent the day   at Center and Shibuli exploring the TGD Kenya ‘‘Joomla-based’’ website progress and planning on setting Friday’s ‘Introduction to Computers’ exam respectively.

 FRIDAY

The new class sits for its first exam. Later on at midday, I receive call from a Good Samaritan about Chrispinus hospital admission case. I leave immediately, taking Christabel and Lawrence with me. We find Chrispinus on the hospital bed, receiving intravenous quinine.  This appears to be the third bottle, though he is still weak.  He is vomiting and has no appetite. Taking to him we realize that he had been admitted the previous. The doctor mentions that he is Malaria positive and some sort of fever that causes temperature rise. Realizing he has no appetite we decide to get him Lucozade (an energy drink) to boost the body strength and appetite. There might have been an outbreak of malaria in their school because they we re three of them in the same ward from he same school and yet the school is about 10 KM from the Mumias town. 

Send us your bible study PDFs!! Our Team can use them in the community!

Yesterday (Tuesday) was one busy day for me and David. My plan was to visit the frontrunners, Emmanuel and Benjamin.

In the morning, I and David left Shibuli for Ituti. My aim was we reach Ituti before mid-morning for us to have enough time with Benjamin and Emmanuel who leave school by midday. Our first stop was at Benjamin's school. We had a chance to attend class with him. When we came in during the lesson the subject trending was 'Reading'. With their teacher's assistance, they were able to pronounce a few nouns like chair, book, tree etc written on their blackboard. The teacher would go through the items one by one then call the pupils one by one to repeat the same as the class responded in unison. the lesson was enjoyable that it made me remember 'those days' when I was their age and doing exactly what they were doing. It gave me a nostalgic feeling of my childhood days in pre-primary school. Well, it didn't take long before Benjamin took his turn to lead the class in the nouns 'chorus'. It was lovely to see our boy do what he likes best. Our presence in the room gave him more confidence as he roared "Chair, Book, Tree, Bag, Table, Door," etc as we observed and David took photos.

They later went take their porridge and you couldn't help but notice how our young boy stood out of the rest. He was the only one in school uniform, and he actually looked the healthiest. I believe that is captured in the photos David sent to you. What impressed me was that seemingly, our guardians have embraced the spirit of positive change and they were actually utilizing well the items we gave them, including school uniform and shoes, with minimum supervision. We don't inform them beforehand about the visits yet when we get to school, we find our sponsored children in their right form, well clad, looking healthy and the doing well in class followed by compliments from their teachers. It's obvious that our guardians implement what we tell them and they appreciate the aid given to them.

Next was checking on Emmanuel. Unfortunately for us, there was no one in school, apart from the watchman. We later learned that the whole school had gone for inter-school competitions hosted by another school a few kilometers away. So we missed Emmanuel.

We however made it to Lunza Secondary School where our frontrunners study. We were in the school compound just before lunch time. That was perfect for us. We didn't want to interfere with their classes neither did we want to take less than 30 minutes with them. Lunch time was long enough for us.

We went to the deputy principal's office and I introduced the reason for our being school at that time. The deputy didn't hid her excitement. She was happy that apart from paying school fees, TGD took keen interest on the spiritual well-being of their sponsored children. To her, that was a very unique and encouraging approach. According to her, the school's pastoral program which takes place once a week (Wednesday between 7-8AM) and their Christian Union evening meeting between 4 - 5PM on the same day are not enough to equip the students spiritually. The Bible Study material I had prepared for the frontrunners was, according to the deputy principal, a shot in the arm of the spiritual wing of the school. The Christian Union has no Bible Study material. Literally! So when she saw what I had, your guess is as good as mine. She called for the Christian Union patron and shared with her the reason of our visit and how she thought it would benefit the body of Christ in the school. They requested I include the Christian Union officials in my list, apart from the frontrunners. To them, the frontrunners were a conduit of blessings through TGD. I immediately saw the sense of what they were talking about and I agreed to meet the frontrunners and CU officials together with their patron. I had a 30 minutes chat with them, explained how the Bible Study material is to be used and later handed it over to their patron.

The school's accounts clerk is a born-again Christian and prior to the current patron taking over, he used to double up as the CU patron. During the photo session, he requested to be included and we obliged. The deputy principal too was an interested party, which to me was just another way of showing the hunger and thirst people have for the word of God and the joy they derive in associating with the Gospel.

Now, pray with us because TGD will be invited to minister in a weekend challenge at Lunza Secondary School next term! Those are not my words by the words of the deputy principal and the CU patron. They want to hear more about Jesus and the power of His resurrection and as Paul told Timothy, "Do the work of an evangelist". We could not be evangelist in the context of the five-fold ministry, but because we are urged by Apostle Paul in his epistle to Timothy to do the work of an evangelist, who are we to refuse?

So, what were the Bible Study materials in question?

1. Eight Bible cross-word puzzles. For one to solve them, one is required to get the answers from the Bible. this will prompt one to read the Word of God in the process of seeking the cross-word solutions. I have Bible/Christian codeword and word-search to be printed at a later time. Apart from enlightening the students spiritually, the cross-words, codeword and word-search will sharpen their minds and improve their english, according to the deputy principal.
   
2. Two types of Whole-Bible Reading Plans: One is a 52-week plan where you read 3 chapters per day from Sunday to Saturday. We have a category for each day beginning with Epistles, The Law, History, Psalms, Poetry, Prophecy and Gospels. The other one is a Bible Story Reading Plan, divided in four quarters where the reader reads one chapter per day for 365 days. The bible reading plans are six in number but I managed to print the two.
   
3. Prayer Plan with creative and easy to remember acronyms(eg GRACE for Glorify, Renew, Accept, Care and Empower) for your daily devotion while alone with God. It's a 27 page document but I only managed to print the first two pages and left the 25 for another day when funds are available. For a complete devotion during a prayer retreat, though, one needs the entire document.

We left Lunza at 2:30PM for me to catch up with my afternoon class which begins at 3PM at TGD Shibuli. Frank takes the 11AM-1PM class while I take the 3-5PM class every evening. The morning class is for Don and team (and now Lawrence).

I have attached some of the BS material I gave to the frontrunners (and later adopted by the CU patron, of course.) for your perusal. The authors permit re-distribution so I took that into account.

The Bible reading plans were not just for the Christian Union officials and the frontrunners. The patron, deputy principal and accounts clerk made copies of the same for their personal use.

In case of any Bible Study material or Christian literature you see can benefit the students, please send them as attachments and once funds are available we can print them and have them distributed to student leaders.

Alternatively, Anita can bring some along with her when she'll be coming over next week and you too in May.

April newsletter is on the website now.

Till then,

Be blessed.

Regards,

Joseph O.

Community Training is getting underway!

Ahhh, a dream come true. Finally, the fulfillment of our promises to the community! God gave Steve a vision to give computer lessons to the area schools. Here we are on the verge of seeing those lessons commence.

Our devoted TGD students are now the leaders and teachers in the community, providing the same dedication with which they were trained over the last two years. Now we turn our energies towards a larger and more general class system. Our students are excellent programmers and know basic hardware and software. They are well equipped to pass along their knowledge. It is a time of great joy!

More news as the classes begin. They have at least 55 students. It could feel like a logistical nightmare but the TGD building is getting finished out on the first floor (ALL DONATIONS ARE WELCOME AS WE HOPE TO SEE THE BUILDING GO UP TO SIX FLOORS! The foundation is prepared for the future vision--going nine feet down with very solid steel bars. A good foundation is how to start every good work.)

Christa and I have our flights booked!

Now to get our visas!

Christa and I will be heading to Kenya on May 15-27th. Anita is going on April 5th. Tickets were under $1500. Hallelujah! I will be sending out prayer requests.

I really hope to be going with Steve to India in April, as well. Pray that somehow God will give me divine connections and supernatural appointments.

Trying again to post our children....

Benjamin for Megan Wise and Jeri Lyn Joyner.

Juanita Piland has often contributed for Benjamin's support!

Ben for Heather Sais

Beverline for the Crawford family

Elizabeth for Matt and Brenda Metzner

Everline for Laura Stubbins

Fredrick for Tracy Leon

Grace for Lisa Gulley

Lydia for Chris and Cindy Terhune

Zainabu for Jody Williams

Posting photos

I have photos of other children, too! I emailed them out to sponsors.

Terah Ann Stearns
Christa Horst
Juanita Piland
Amy Hinojosa
Darla Martin
Cyntreva Paige
Mike Godwin
Debbie Booher
Susan Bautista
Greg Duvall
Heather Sais
Carolyn Prince
Eleanor Prince
Shanker Karpe

TGD is still NOT online....but soon.....

We've been New Yorkers for over a week and it is quite a new experience. To top that, we went to an Episcopal service for church today. We attended St. Mark's which is just a couple blocks away. We could have walked but today a wind came up and it was only about 32 degrees. My puppies were terrified all night and I was met with an icy gust of wind when I took them out for potty time--so no walking to church today!

It was a wonderful historic church that was so beautiful. The service was hard to follow although I've attended Anglican in London and several Catholic services across the country. We were recently at St. Martin in the Fields in London and I loved taking communion at Westminster Abbey.  I really love the Book of Common Prayer and I loved the priestly singing segments and even singing call and response type portions.  I only knew a couple of the songs and a few of the prayers. The songs out of the hymnal were sung SO HIGH. Trying to keep up with everything, I did not have as much opportunity to rest into Jesus. But that would come with time. I was so thankful to be amongst believers and to worship and adore Him. I was thankful for Communion. I was thankful. I look forward to the Prize: JESUS! I am thankful now and I have my heart set on worshipping Him face to face--Hallelujah!

Pray with us that Steve can get TGD online! I know a few of you donate through the paypal site and I want this new transition to be as easy as possible.