More news from Kipkaren

~by Emily Rop
Children's Home Admin Assistant

This week, our children were ending the youth camp and they are ready to resume for their studies. Some of our children aged 12 years and above had a wonderful encounter during the camp time, they had an opportunity to interact with other youth from different places hence they felt part of the community. They stayed for five days in the camp. When you'd run into them while they were at camp (which is hosted at the training center next to our children's home) they were very excited!

Some committed their lives to Christ, nine of them were baptized and truly their lives are transformed.

One of them named Linus Kipkoech testified and said that he will never miss another camp because the teachings about how to overcome temptations and forgiveness enabled him to forgive his uncles who took their property and some of the cash their parents had left when they died, and they were taken to an aunt's place where they could not go to school nor wear good clothes yet the uncles were using their money to educate their children. Since his parents died, Linus' heart has been wounded, especially when he remembered his uncles. After the camp he no longer holds any bitterness in his heart rather than to pray for them and he said let the will of God be done.

Healthwise, the children are doing well. Juli and Michelle, our nurse practitioners, did general examinations on all the children and she was amazed on how our the children are doing growing strong and healthy. We thank God for his care and protection. This month of August we didn’t have many cases of malaria.

Our maize is now ready for harvesting. The children roast it in the evenings as they share their live experiences and past stories with their parents . Our children did commendable work of transplanting trees about two thousand and we still have another four thousand which we intend to transplant as we are looking for market for the remaining so that we can sell and get some income.

Our director whom the kids call Babu and Koko (grandfather and grandmother) came back from their leave. The children put a ribbon on the gate then the directors had to cut it as they entered the compound. The children sang and hugged them as they shed tears of joy! You could see the children felt a sense of belonging and the orphaned spirit is not seen any more.

The kids are back to school and their spirits are very high promising to work hard as they continue to trust upon the lord to remind them whatever they have learned.