Getting down to business

Thank you to Lifepoint Church for bringing a team of volunteers to help!!

We needed every single one of the volunteers 

to love on these kiddos so their mamas

could be free to listen and learn. 

Here you see the therapy mamas- mothers to the children who have special needs- receiving the training on small businesses. This is being hosted by Emanuel Baptist Church. Pastor Mike, Ednah, and Laurian all helped lead the training. At the very end of the second and final day of training, a mama stood up and said, "Thank you for sharing with us how to have a good relationship with God and also how to help our families through learning about small businesses. You have loved us well." 

Praise God that His love was shared and that these mamas now have knowledge which may help their families. 

Let's pray for them...that they will accept God's Son Jesus as Savior- and that they will be able to use the knowledge about small businesses in a way that benefits their families. 

And look at all these happy kids and volunteers!! 

What a blessing to love on these beautiful children 

while their mamas were learning.

Thank you, Lifepoint Church, 

for loving on these families and for loving on us 

while you were here, too!!

A Beautiful Family

 We really loved being able to visit this family while the volunteers were here. 

We talked about how Jesus is the Good Shepherd 

and gave them a Swahili copy of John and Romans. 

Please pray they will accept His offer to be their Good Shepherd! 

Continuing Education

The volunteers did an amazing job presenting on neurodivergence 

at our boys' international school while they were here!! 

Thank you for giving of your talents and knowledge!

The team said they really loved the atmosphere 

of the school and their motto: belong, explore, and shine.

 

Kisima Outreach

Mark and Pastor Mike worked really hard 

inviting the community to Kisima for an outreach event. 

Look what God did! He brought so many people 

from the neighborhood where Kisima is located 

to an open house at Kisima. 

Pray with us that God will bring the people to Kisima 

who need to find freedom from heroin through Jesus Christ.

The volunteer team was able to be present for the event

 and pray over Kisima and the the community. 

 

Training trainers

A fellow worker came to lead a training recently...a training to train others....this is a small business training that teaches others how to train people in principles of how to start a small business. We pray this will impact many different groups of people...this can be taught to the men who go through Detox and Rehab at Kisima as they are looking for new job skills. It can also be taught to the parents of the children who have special needs as a possible way for them to be able to support their families financially. 

 

There is a team of volunteers coming March 15-22 to lead Vacation Bible School for the children of the families with special needs (that we normally have in our Friday therapy group) while the parents are in the small business training. The training is being hosted by Emanuel Baptist Church, and taught by Mike and Ednah, the pastor and his wife. We pray the families being trained will make a connection with Pastor Mike and Ednah. We pray they will see they are loved by empowering them with information that can help them support their families. May they see the love of Jesus in a very tangible way! 

New and Improved

 

Kisima Detox and Rehabilitation has a new building! We are praising God for the doors He opened to make this possible. For the first time in its history Kisima has a building with electricity! Outreach has begun and so has a new Bible study on Tuesday nights. Please pray for God to use this facility and new location to grow His Kingdom. 

In this picture you see a wonderful volunteer who came to spend a few days with us, too. Thanks for visiting, Zach, and for the encouragement and prayers and love you brought with you! 

Matthew is 14!

Matthew turned 14 on February 2nd. 

We decided to throw him a surprise birthday party...

truly it was a surprise because 

even his friends didn't know

 until we showed up with cake. Ha!! 

We love you, Matthew, and 

thank God for you. :)

Then we had a family celebration, too. 

He requested chicken and dumplings so that is what we had. :)

South Africa

~~Welcome 2025~~

We attended a meeting recently in Johannesburg....

it was a time of refueling for everyone spiritually and

you can see we got some other kinds of yummy fuel, too!!  

Micah is holding Krispy Kreme donuts. 

Madylanne and Matthew spent the week at youth camp 

and look at their treat...McDonald's! 

We are so grateful to the IMB and those who give sacrificially 

in order for us to be refilled.

Thank you also to the church from Arizona that 

came and led the times of preaching, worship, 

and Vacation Bible School for the kids. 

Thank You Lord for Your goodness!

 

Nativity

What a blessing from God 

to be involved in the Nativity performance 

which was a collaborative effort 

of a local restaurant, 

the boys' school, 

and a local church.

 We thank God for the amazing opportunity 

to share the good news of Jesus with our community!!

the end of 2024

 

December was filled with lots and lots of things, mostly wonderful....

Happy 50th birthday, Mark!

We love you!

Mike is shaking the hand of a client who successfully

 completed detox and rehab at Kisima, praise God!!

It was Matthew's turn for stitches. 

Some of our favorite friends came to visit...We love you, Gunter family!!

Sunday School at Rehoboth

International Food Festival at the boys' school...

and Madylanne helps with face painting.

Micah plays with Pendo in the sand.

Ednah has a birthday...happy birthday Ednah!! 

(this was actually the end of November)