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.

Kipkaren News

~by Emily Rop
Children's Home Admin Assistant

It is with great joy that we share what the lord has done at Kipkaren children’s home this week. We are doing well. God has been gracious and merciful to us all. We thank God very much for what he continually does in the lives of our children, we have seen children develop in all aspects of life spiritually, academically emotionally and even physically.

This week the school has closed for August holidays, our children this time round improved so much both in position and marks in their respective classes.

Teachers are doing commendable work in training and guiding them to be good future leaders who will lead and show good example to people they will get opportunity to serve in future. You could not imagine how this kids were when they first came. Some were 10 years old and they had not seen a classroom before! They had been looking after other people's cows. One of those kids is Victor Nyukuri, who is now in class two, and Justus Kiplagat who is in class one. Both boys can now express themselves, read and write. It is amazing and we thank everybody who is contributing for their upkeep.

This week we had visitors from Califonia: David and Judy Blackford. They have been a blessing unto our children and entire home. They prayed, counseled and encouraged our foster parents following the post election violence, some of our foster parents came from the community that was most affected. We thank God that now peace is restoring and the evicted families have started to settled.

The Children’s Home directors went for their annual leave and the kids are missing their granny night where they could share stories, riddles and songs together . They will be back on 24th of August and Mr Ezekiel Moiben has been in charge of the home during their absence.

Holiday
The children are enjoying staying with their parents, assisting them by doing daily chores like weeding flower beds. During this time, they have planted one thousand trees and are aiming to plant another three thousand before the school reopens. Parents too have the pleasure in helping them do their evening studies seeing them one by one thus learn their strong and weak points.

Educational Tour
Beside helping their parents at home, the children wish to go out to see wild animals, visit other children’s homes at least to get new ideas. Finances are an issue, though we are trusting God to provide for future trips as to break the monotony of staying in the same place from time to time.

Spiritually
Our children are growing spiritually. This is evidenced from the testimonies and sharing they give. They have very powerful testimonies they have started sharing their past experiences without fear. They also confess that since God has provided a home for them they don’t feel any pain any more in their hearts. They have kept on presenting choirs in the church during presentation time. We are for the idea of recording these songs so that we can sell and get a source of income but so far finances is an issue at the moment we are trusting God for a sponsor to support us in recording and producing these songs.

This week at Kipkaren Children's Home: An accident at the bridge, the blessing of a washing machine, and more

~by Emily Rop
Kipkaren Children's Home Secretary

We opened Kipkaren children’s home in the year 2006. We praise God for his grace, mercy and love since it was started. The home has been running well though with some challenges. For two years now, assistant parents have been washing clothes for 24 children by hand. That means that they stand bent over and doing hard scrubbing every day! We have been praying for a washing machine.

On 15th of July 2008, our prayers were answered. We receiced a commercial washing machine! Our children sung to welcome the machine, they were very happy you could see them jumping around and talking much about the machine, something they had never seen before! They stretched their hands to touch the machine and they slowly escorted the car to the administration block ceremoniously while singing and praising God for the gift.

We really thank God for every person who contributed to purchasing the machine in one way or the other. In a week's time, the assistant parents shall be able to enjoy the device and let their hands to heal out of the scars they acquired during their dedication to wash for the 24 children. They really showed God's care to the fatherless by working tirelessly.

Local Visitors
Last Sunday, 20th July, our children had a wonderful time with students from a high school named Kapsabet Girls who visited us to encourage the children, love and share with them the joy of the Lord. They encouraged the children about education and made friendship with them. They worked around the home and school you could see our children happy, felt loved and finally they blessed them with different gifts: bars of laundry soap, toilet soap and tissues. They visitors also promised to continue praying for us. Our director Busienei appreciated them and he said a true church is the one that looks after the orphans and the widows.

The Bridge Broke!
Normally once a month we visit a nearby church with the children from our home, which is across the Kipkaren River. The bridge was build by one of the ELI teams to assit the community and the children who are going to our school. Without the bridge, the children would have to take a detour of travel 5 miles on foot to reach the school!

Last Sunday, after visiting the nearby church, our children had to cross the bridge to come back to the home. On reaching the bridge, children crossed in groups, the first group crossed with Mr Matekwa who is a foster parent. When they were in the middle of the bridge, one of the bridge cables snapped with a huge sound! They fell down flat on the bridge! Though the bridge didn't collapse into the water, the children's legs were dangling off the edge and everybody was scared. After a minute of confussion and suprise they came back to their senses and supported one onother off the bridge. Glory be unto God that no one fell into the river! It is our prayer that a permanent bridge be build for easy transportations. Many people have lost their lives by crossing this river.

Health
This week we had many children diagonised with malaria though we thank God for the healing they are improving very much. Being rainy season, malaria is very common in this area. Despite of all this challenges the children are busy preparing for their end term exam. Also, one of the girls had to go to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital to get a filling. At the moment, she can smile without any fear of embarrasment or pain. We look forward to the day when our clinic's dental wing can open so the children can receive dental care locally.

We thank God so much for changing the lives of our children spiritually, academically, and even physically.