Category Archives: Updates From Kenya

Updates from our trips to Kenya.

Trip planned for January 2013

Our plans are beginning to take shape for our next trip to The Lord’s Servants Home.  At this point, Greg Perkins and I will leave the US on 23 January, spend two weeks at the orphanage in Kitale, Kenya then travel to a town north of Jinja, Uganda to visit a relatively new ministry and orphanage that is serving in that area.  Others may join us at The Lord’s Servants Home. 

The timing of this trip is such to allow us to A) catch the kids on their school break and get to know the 20 new ones that will have joined the home by then, B)  Complete the fresh water well project during the dry season, and C) travel by land to Uganda during the dry season.

Our trip outline in rough terms is as follows….

  1. Projects.
    1. The new well.  Our goal will be to prepare for this, decide what course of action, and complete installation of the well, pump, storage tank, piping, and chlorinator before we leave.
    2. Many small projects associated with the goods on the container.
    3. Implement some mentorship projects.
    4. Review of all projects implemented previously and act as needed. 
  2. Business discussions.
    1. Budget review for 2012, new budget for 2013.
    2. Current and long term issue review.
    3. Lord’s Servants Academy (new nursery school) vision, short term plan, and long term plan.
    4. Farm future plan and use of the land.
    5. Cooperation between The Lord’s Ministries, The Liyavo Bible Church, and The Lord’s Servants Home.
    6. Plan outline for the next visit.  How many, what kind of activities, how long, when?
  3. Visit the Stream of Hope for the African Child ministry and orphanage in Uganda.
    1. Get to know Pastor Isabirye and the ministry goals and needs.
    2. Deliver some medicine, goods, gifts, and relief.

Please keep us in your prayers as we finalize our plans and work towards gathering provisions to complete our purpose to serve and love the people in Africa and honor God with this.

2012 Mission Trip Review

Praise God for a safe and mind boggling trip.  As I review what was done, I get more amazed.  I hope this brief summary and photo gallery gives you a good feeling for what happened.  All the glory is God’s!

Our Goals were to…. 

•Make a spiritual impact on the orphanage, community, and supporting ministries
•See major projects completed
•Implement Home improvement projects
•Make a connection with the kids in a way to benefit them long-term
•Discuss future objectives and set direction
 

 Here is a brief summary of the things that God worked out on our trip….(click on a photo to start a gallery showing)

Statistics….
 
•12 People including 6 newbies
•Over 5 week span on the ground
•3 Churches given messages
•3 Schools visited
•Over 1000 pounds of stuff brought and left.
•6 Major projects finished
•Many small projects and improvements finished.
 
 What we brought with us….. 
 
•Custom Dresses and shorts
•T-shirts
•Soccer jerseys and shorts
•Underwear and socks
•Soccer balls
•Swings and tetherballs
•Washboards and wringer equipment
•8 computers and peripherals
•Digital projection equipment
•Digital audio players for Bible groups
•Digital media with Jesus films and Bible
Translated in Swahili and other dialects
•Custom dolls
•Bracelets
•Bookmarks
•Letters
•Books
•CDs and DVDs for kids
•Puzzles
•Tools and repair parts
•Candy, treats, toys
•Beekeeping equipment
•Sewing supplies and patterns
•Art and craft supplies
•Mural paints
•Clothes, shoes, towels
•Swahili Bibles
 
The people doing the hard work are the Pastors (Moses, George, Protus, and Ken), Caretakers (Rose, Bonn,  Caroline, and Eunice), and Social Worker (Dorothy), plus the church members at Liyavo Bible Church, Sarura Bible Church, and Kwanza Bible Church.  We are very grateful for them and pray for their continued energy and dedication.

New Dorm Building Finished

The ground breaking for this project was in mid-February and in less than 6 months we will have completed the move in.  That’s excellent progress anywhere.  This project also includes rainwater collection, extensive rainwater runoff grading and culverts, electrification, security lighting, new beds and furnishings, a walk-under to the dining hall, and concrete aprons completely around both dorms.  The existing dorm building is also being painted and repaired.  This project has improved the proffesional looks to the orphanage immensly.  It was a real blessing to have the funds, timing, and people to make this possible.  Pastor Moses and his team delivered ahead of schedule and to budget.  All of this for $50,000.  Praise God!

This new building already served as an impromptu hostel for about 100 out-of-town guests to Mama Pauline Mudenyo’s funeral a few weeks ago and will now allow the separate quarters for the boys and girls and additional room for 20 more children.  The boys will occupy this building as well as the resident caretakers, and several guest and sick rooms.  All the moves are planned for this coming week.

 Check out more photos here.

Everybody’s home …

All 12 of us that made the trip to The Lord’s Servants home are back in our own homes.  Six of our group made their first mission trip.  All together we had people on the ground for over 5 weeks, we brought and left over 1000 pounds of supplies, we gave messages over 6 weekends to 3 different churches and encouraged schools and other groups.

Trip review details will follow.  Here are a few quotes from Mike and Tom, both who made their first mission trips…

This was the trip of a lifetime for me. Many folks who I talked to before we left told me that the things which I thought to be important on the day I left would not be the things I thought to be important on the day I returned. They were absolutely right. The people in Kenya have given me some insight on many issues I struggle with here in the US. As a general rule, all the people I met had very little by way of worldly goods, but they were way much more happy than many of us who have much by way of worldly goods and possessions. Eunice kept telling me how blessed she and (Pastor) Ken are, and actually asked me what she could do for me because they had so much. I am still reduced to tears by the love and caring demonstrated by the people I met. They have touched my heart in a manner which I did not think was possible. ….. Mike

Pastor George,
Thank you for the note. I can not tell you how much our trip to Kenya has meant to my family and I. We were very humbled by your service and ministries. We would not have traded our trip for anything.
My wife and daughter are already discussing a return trip in 2014. Many of our friends saw our pictures and heard our stories and they too were very humbled and encouraged by how God is using you in a great way…..We will continue to support, encourage, and pray at our church and through the work of Lord’s Servants Home ministry.  May God Richly Bless You!     Tom

Mama Pauline and God’s Timing

Mama Pauline at Kitale Kenya orphanage

Mama Pauline, the matriarch of the Mudenyo family, founders of The Lord’s Ministries, and benefactor of the land that the Lord’s Servants orphanage sits on, went to be with the Lord last week.  I will not be able to do her justice with a brief blog entry but evidence of the influence her life had on others in a good way is plentiful. 

The orphanage and Liyavo Bible Church are on land donated by her family over 30 years ago.  Several of her sons became Pastors and many family members are active in ministry.  She was buried on her family’s land with her husband George, the founder of The Lord’s Ministries, and her celebration was attended by nearly 1500 people.  Mama was involved with and followed the lives of the orphans and often spoke encouragement to me to continue doing what God leads me with them.  She was loved by the community and will be missed.

Mama fought cancer and other health issues much longer than she was expected to and God called her home in His perfect timing.  I had just left Kenya unfortunately when she passed but Greg and his team was still there.  They had just finished the new dorm building but had not moved the children into it yet.  Most of the projects including water collection, grounds clean-up, electrical improvements, and new beds and furniture were also completed.  Everything looked great.  Approximately 100 people who traveled from out-of-town were able to sleep in the new dorm building (although many on the floor) and many others received hospitality.  All the guests passed through the orphanage and they all saw the work that God has been doing in a complete and impressive way.  This included many important people in local government and ministry as well as much of the community.  What great timing…A few weeks earlier or later and things would not have been perfect like it was for the orphanage to be able to serve Mama in her celebration.

Praise God for His blessings on us in the life of Mama Pauline and the work He gives us for the orphans and community.  I pray that many lives were touched and changed by God’s work in Mama’s life and celebration.  I pray that peace and purpose continue in her family and friends.