As we approach the end of the year I want to give a quick update on our ministries in Kenya by introducing you to some of the people involved with our Children’s Center in the slum of Mathare, outside of Nairobi. Our Center is a preschool with a capacity of 70 children. But often when we focus on the children at the school we lose sight of the home and family situations. In truth, this is where we are trying to focus our efforts. Yes, we want to give the children a quality education, teach them about Jesus, and provide them with nutritional meals to sustain them throughout the day, but we desperately desire to build relationships with the families and see transformational life changes through faith in Jesus Christ.
These pictures are of some of the children who attend our school. These homes are within a few steps of our school. The opportunity for direct interaction is vast, but the building of trust takes time. During family visits, conducted in the last few weeks, one mother named Caroline reported “I don’t know what would have happened to our children if not for the school.” The center is taking care of 3 of her children. Caroline has also begun coming to a Bible study and has introduced the Bible study to her husband. “The center has provided me with a sigh of relief as regards taking care of my family. Where as two years ago the family was unkempt and lacked vision, now with the help of the center we have a direction for the family.”
Judith is another mother of seven living in one of the shanty houses. Judith who lives with an alcoholic husband has been left to take care of her seven children all alone. Judith has been with us from the beginning, two of her children are at the center; “The center has been our life and we are always grateful for God who brought pastor to us, we are now sure that Laura will eat even if the older ones roams about.” In her small shanty house, Judith now loves God and prays that one day the center will grow to care for the older kids.
You have provided the funds to allow us to operate the school for the last several years years. I pray that we will be able to continue for many more years to come. I have recently updated our support page to contain more information about our Kenya projects. Please visit this page at:
http://gdwm.org/index.php/support/
Have a Christ Centered Day!
Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries
