2 new orphans sponsored!

I am so thankful that we have Everline and Elizabeth sponsored! Praise God! and we have support for some of our already sponsored children who need half donors. TWENTY FOUR CHILDREN SPONSORED! That's just a miracle and it is a blessing. I cannot imagine the impact this will have on these orphaned children who felt alone in the world. At the bottom of their social world, they were chosen and loved. It makes the heart soar! The beauty in the world eclipses the pain because some people are not discouraged to the point of apathy. God renews hope in this life. All Glory to Jesus that He does not leave us in despair.

Please donate to Frank and Cynthia Adungosi in their loss

Please give a financial gift to our beloved friends in the Lord who had two days with their son before he passed away and was buried on the third.
http://www.tgdonline.com/

Please donate online through paypal on the Trinity Global Development site and send me and email at sarivers@sbcglobal.net to clarify the amount for Frank and Cynthia.

Please pray for their strength and blessing and their health as Cynthia recovers from birth and cares for her energetic toddler son in her grief. Please pray that Frank can lead his family in Jesus as they go through this difficult loss.

Ephraim Favour Adungosi Feb 24-Feb26 2011

This beautiful young man was born to Cynthia and Frank Adungosi and he was loved in his short life. Who is to say what impact such a short life can have? and yet God was pleased to bring him into the world. We grieve that he could not stay longer and learn of his family with his natural earthly mind. His mother mourns with empty arms, the father cannot make the pain go away. Their good living, their good health, their quick action, their nourishing food, could not keep him here. I am so grieved and sad! I have loved this baby before I met him. I have prayed for him in the womb. I have delighted with his parents over his soon coming. I have prayed blessings for his health, safety and long life in Jesus. Now the unbelievable has happened. and I cannot even go to their side. They will have to bury their newborn son and with what money? They will pay the hospital bill for the birth and emergency visit--with what funds? Life is Kenya is harsh and relentless. The people struggle under so great a burden. Here this moment was one of celebration....and now we say goodbye to the beautiful little soul I never got to connect with personally. All their hopes and dreams for him have to rest in Jesus and their only comfort is his better life. But we wanted him here. They wanted him to grow with his brother Ethan. They wanted him to get an education, learn and live for Jesus, take a wife, have a child of his own, bless others with his generosity and wisdom and compassion.
It has that shock of the impossible. I know babies die all over the world. but this is not some baby, this is little Ephraim. These are my friends. This is my family. I grieve and cry out to the Lord to comfort them. To comfort His people. To hear their cry and have mercy on them. To send them some relief. My God is an awesome God and He will encourage them. He will stand with them forever. He is their glory and the lifter of their head. He is their redeemer and He has forgiven their sins and brought them into eternal life. They will share their joy with Ephraim on another day. But today we mourn with them as they do the hard work of burial preparations. Remember Frank and Cynthia. Remember them in their time of need.

Jane -- We give glory to God for what He has done for this young girl!

God has given Jane the ability to excel in school, but her parents are no more. Her guardians have sacrificed to send her to school and they were willing to suffer to give her this reward she has earned, but they did not have enough. It is about $1000 to send Jane to Butere Girls School, a nationally ranked girls school--a great achievement, a great privilege. But Jane would not have been going except for those who have loved a girl who can do nothing for them. For the joy of giving to the poor and helpless, donors in the USA have heard the heart of God and sponsored Jane through the year. Her sponsorship is $50 a month, or $600 a year. As a girl starting high school, her costs would take up at least half of that money. But to go to the private school would cost significantly more. Her school of choice, an excellent school, costs about $1000 a year for education and boarding. But God didn't leave Jane, he sent another to give her what she needed to make her dreams come true! Let's remember Jane and pray she makes the most of this opportunity she's been given. It's a hard road for a woman in Kenya, but God is with her and we are behind her all the way. God bless those who have given generously for this girl.

Ahhhh, Fred is upright! Oh please help this little guy!

SEE FREDS PROFILE BELOW

Fred needs a sponsor. Is God calling you to partner with us for this little man?

Little Fred is sideways....

Poor little Frank didn't upload properly, but I want to show you one of our new children needing support.

I had to do some tricks to get this photo to stand upright. I am having technical difficulties, but please, open your heart to little Fred!

Fredrick Maina lost his mother in 2005 and his father followed suit in 2006. Both parents died of AIDS

related complications. Elizabeth Nanzala, who is Fredrick’s aunt, took custody of the young boy. Fredrick’s

dad was Elizabeth’s brother. His paternal grandmum, though alive, is blind and can’t take care of Fredrick.

Elizabeth takes care of about five grandchildren excluding her own children. She sells basic foodstuff and a

few snacks for a living, while Mr. Donald (her better half) is jobless.

Jane-Oh the goodness of God!

I was in church today and we were singing something to Jesus. I saw a vision in my minds eye. I was in Kenya but a man came up to me, so grateful. He was Asian, which is not accurate for Kenya, but that's how it looked. He came with smiling eyes and joy and energy and holding both my hands in a handshake and shaking up and down and sort of bowing so happily straight into my face. I knew in that moment that he had such inexpressible gratitude, the kind that makes you want to do anything for another person because they have saved your life. I threw back my head in a wide loud laugh and let go to raise both my hands to heaven rejoicing in the Father. I twirled like a child, laughing with my hands up to the Father for the joy He had brought to this family! and it was as if sparkles of love and joy were all around as this man and i basked in the joy and happiness of the Lord. So expansive! So beautiful! So energizing! So real!  Tears were steaming down my face and I stood there in the dark with the worship music loudly playing and the people all standing around me and I just gloried in the Lord. Just gloried in Him! His goodness! His mercy! His beauty! (then I started thinking...oh my goodness, is my mascara running? Do I have a tissue? Do I have germs on my hands from handshaking or can I rub my eyes? ha ha--just thought I'd give you the full picture.)
I composed myself feeling a bit detached but sort of washed clean and peaceful. The message was on the Kingdom of God. How God wants us to display the Kingdom of God. Jesus has come and He said, Repent and Believe! and now He calls us to go out and show what it means to let the Lord rule in your life and show how it affects the way you treat others and the way you act in the world. I knew God had told me, The Kingdom of God has come! and I knew it has come to these orphans! Thanks to the donors who are giving to these children, they taste and see that the Lord is good. The actions that accompany the donors profession of faith show these children that God is moving on hearts of others far away to accomplish something for them that might not have been possible. Jane may have perished in the day school. Her intellect and drive pushed down with discouragement and despair and lack--but yesterday she couldn't believe what blessing had come her way--she was walking as in a dream. She had not eaten for two days from worry and desire--hoping, praying, "Will someone hear and help?" and someone said yes (six people actually responded quickly.)  HER ENTIRE LIFE CHANGES RIGHT THERE. It is like a miracle. Truly. and God is glorified. One who has been left alone has been cared for with love and ABUNDANCE. Hallelujah!

Note from Joseph: JANE'S SITUATION

Your decision to have her profile in a newsletter is God-send, very timely and a very noble act. This girl, amidst the marginalization of a girl-child in Kenya, went against the wind and performed very well, especially being in a rural school and an orphan for that matter. She qualified for a school that was just the other day got shortlisted for promotion of status from being a provincial school to a national school.
Getting a chance in Butere Girls High school is a pipe dream to many in Western Province, yet our little sister legitimately qualified for an intake. It is the school she chose as she sat for her end of year exam three months ago. I want to assure you that without God's intervention through you, this young girl was going to lose this chance to I dont know who. The guardian (God bless Pastor Kombo and his wife Damaris) was looking at the prospects of taking Jane to a local day school and it wasn't adding up. When we talked in the office, he almost broke in tears (a man, and a Pastor for that matter, almost shedding tears) when he narrated how his own son was at home because of fees and now here was Jane facing an imminent lose of place in a coveted provincial high school, just because of lack of fees?
The last statements he made were that he'll buy the necessary items Jane needed in school and leave the rest to God. Today morning he called, telling us that he has bought a good number of items, spoken to the school administration about his case and given upto next Wednesday to take Jane to school, at least with first term's fee. Then here you are writing to request for her photos to post in a newsletter you want to send to your friends. I call that God in action. Jane's story has taught me (and the entire team) a lot. I have a lot to write about what I have learned while addressing this particular case.

TOP STUDENT JANE WILL ATTEND PRESTIGIOUS SCHOOL!

It is a wonderful story. Jane, on the far right (then Lillian, Abednego, and Vivian,) took the Kenyan National Exam and scored so high she was offered a place in a prestigious school. Her guardian could not afford to pay and even his own son was sent home from school for non-payment of school fees. But he is a pastor and a kind man and knew that Jane's sponsorship would pay for her to go to school--if only he could come up with the costly start-up fees. He did what he could and purchased some items and asked the school to delay. He prayed and cried. He knew the TGD team was checking with me and I was considering the sponsors situation (already sponsoring four children!) but he just couldn't make the whole amount. Jane was posted for the Feb Newsletter and immediately we had five responses--one hopeful gift and four full offers. AMAZING! Praise the Lord, Jane will be going to school. It is a wonderful day in her household. Realize that for that home it means they will no longer get the food and supplies that Jane received because all the money will go directly to her education. It shows that they weren't trying to make anything for themselves, but only hoped this young girl would have a real chance in a harsh world. Thank you so much to my many donors who responded. We have a winner donor who gets the joy of fully assisting Jane in her school entry and amazing sponsors backing her up through the year.

The joys of learning...

Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.

Randy Stonehill - Hymn (Music Video)

My hearts cry is shown here in this video. To my beloved family in Kenya. I know you are hurting! I love you! I am with you! Nothing is to be feared with Jesus--endure this world for His Glory! We shall be with Him forever and ever.

Last Days Ministries : Training Your Children For Christ

This brochure was a major tool in raising my children. Parents: What really matters?

What are you training your children to value?

All I can do is post this but even if you read it, the work is in the day to day loving of your children and pointing them to the Lord.

Last Days Ministries : Training Your Children For Christ

Going around paying school fees

Cynthia with the HeadTeacher and her teacher, Little Benjamin of Ituti gets a ride to school with Frank!

Is anything more beautiful?

I think of this song we danced to many years ago....

How Beautiful

and the words were How beautiful is the Body of Christ.

We danced in our white worship Israeli folk dresses which had very full skirts nearly ankle length.

They made beautiful circles flowing around us when we twirled and worshipped our Lord Jesus.

All of the sisters in white, smiling, twirling, a twinkle in our eye, just holding back a laugh of celebration.

It was the Year of Jubilee!

and the pictures here are the expression of that joy. How BEAUTIFUL is the Body of Christ!

Here we are with our youngest brothers and sisters in the Lord. We are only separated by time and space, but we are one in Spirit. More hands and feet (TGD Team) of the Lord provide a tangible expression of the Father's Love to these helpless young children who have done nothing to determine their circumstances. Is it their fault they were born there and is it our merit that we were born here? And yet it has made all the difference. They live in poverty and everywhere around them they can see hopelessness and despair. Everywhere around them they hear of the dying and the sick. And now, someone has come to tell them----"There is someone who is helping you today!" And now, someone has come bearing gifts. And now, they look around and wonder, "How can this be?" and let them praise their God in heaven who has chosen them in His mercy.

I pray the work continue to expand that others feel the joy and the hope that is possible with so little from us but so profound for them. They will never forget this joy. 

Where does Frida go to school?

I see this and I think, "Where does Frida go to school? What kind of school is this?" At least there is wood, I suppose. There are schools in her area. Maybe she needs to go to a better school?

And Benjamin.....same thing. Is he in a mud hut school? Such a sweet cute little boy.

Whoa! Where are you??

United States 31

Netherlands 14
Russia 10
Kenya 8
Germany 7
Sweden 2
Ukraine 2
China 1
Colombia 1
France 1

Here is the page views from my Stats page---how fun is this? Someone in Russia is checking my webpage and someone in Columbia! I bet it is Shelby in China, or maybe someone Jinling or Julie knows? and who is in the Netherlands? I know who is in Germany--and I love you guys! Congrats on the beautiful girl! and France? Who is in France? Welcome all! Thank you for perusing here. All donations are completely appreciated---or as Steve's late father would say, "We're accepting Christmas presents even now." ha ha!

Paul and many others rejoicing today!

PHOTO ALBUM WITH NEW DELIVERIES!!!
http://picasaweb.google.com/stephanietexasrivers/January2011Delivery#

Cut and paste the webpage address above to see many more photos of our precious children!

Wow! a Cow!

Thanks to David and Cyntreva, Sharon's sponsors, who donated a COW!! PRAISE GOD!

Letter from Joseph O. who works for TGD Kenya

This email from Joseph really made me happy. They are doing such an amazing job. Together, we are all doing a great job! We could not do so much for those children without the TGD Team. God is honored.

Stephanie,
The Lord is doing a new thing in Kenya through you and your family. I have had a passion for the children ever since I was a teen, and I now see why. The kind of synchrony the Lord has put between you and the TGD team is creating the whole difference. I was sponsored through my entire high school education by someone never had a chance to meet, through a program known as Save the Children Fund. You might have had about it because it's a global organization, but I just knew it just as that - Save the Children. My sponsor was a Mr. A.O. Finland or something like that. Am telling you all these because all of a sudden I've found myself not only working with orphans in their homes but also at school, like it was today. Seeing these children, as orphans as they are, having an assurance of good life and education, reminds me of my days in school (am not an orphan though for both of my parents are alive).
Facial expressions and lifestyle in general in has changed in the life of these orphans. Smiles, laughter and ululations and celebrations mark every entry in an orphan's home by the TGD crew. You'll see for yourselves when you come over.
That's why each passing day sees me serve with renewed passion in my programming (and now the orphan program) endeavor.
As you change the world, we flank you.
God bless you and your family as you change the world through this noble course.
Regards,
Joseph O.