Jambo Grace Family,
It has been some time since updating our blog and for that I apologize. The last 3 months have been a difficult season for us, our Kenyan family, and this ministry. With the economic situation, giving is down yet need continues to rise. We will continue our ministry works with our communities in Kenya no matter where these times lead us and have total trust and faith in God's plans and works. The Lord never starts something He will not finish...
Forced to cancel our last two scheduled short-term mission trips due to health failings both in our U.S. team and our Kenyan team, we still felt God calling us to get the job done, with or without us there to celebrate it. Upon this revelation, we sent funds to our Kenyan Director, Domnic Owigo, covering the cost of the Widow Home we promised to build in Lake Victoria for the Umoja Project community there and Luo Tribe. Currently the home is under construction after the entire community joined together to build it! Praise Jesus that these people's hearts were burden laiden to build for a widow in their community. If this home was not built this month, the Umoja Widow's old hut would surely have been destroyed by the coming season of rains, leaving her homeless. We have hired a photographer in Kenya to document the build project and send us the photographs to share with our U.S. ministry family and friends.
Your donations BUILT THIS HOME! As soon as it is complete, we will be sure to get the photos up for all to see!
In addition to this Build Project, we sent funds to donate to Beulah Orphan Intiative towards Secondary School fees for one of their Orphans in need of higher education. Secondary Education is not free and starts about at 7th/8th grade in comparison to U.S. school grade schedules. We will hopefully receive a documentation of the Child receiving the School Funding and maybe a photo of them at school too. When we do, we will also share that with you all.
And once again, your donations EDUCATED ONE CHILD! EXCITING!!
Lastly, we are in the middle of working toward joining forces with a local U.S. church and working under their umbrella, sharing resources, and serving in God's work together. We are an orphan-organization who needs Adopted! With the economy and fact that we are Christian Organization without a Church Sponsor complicates the giving trust. Seems most Christians do not want to donate money to a Christian Ministry unless a Church is involved. And most non-Christians do not want to support our Christian work in the secular areas. This creates quite a catch22 for us. We recognize God calling us to do what it takes to keep up the work. And if that means we join with a Church, than we shall do just that... with a smile. :) In addition to these complications, my health is another huge factor as I am chronically ill and have season to season wellness. We do not think it is right for GFM to be slowed when I take ill or have surgery, so with the help of a Church, this will lift the "running a nonprofit fulltime" from my shoulders and free me up for what God gifted me to do.... Missions. GFM will not be slowed and I will be able to focus on health again and keeping well to enable me to be in Kenya more often. I will not abandon GFM nor walk away as this is a lifetime commitment; just changing how it is led up, organized, and by whom. These coming changes will all be good that lead to better!
Carl and I will be in Kenya by early next year for another mission trip, hopefully along with a big "new" team! We will focus on the Church Build for Umoja Community in Lake Victoria, Kenya - as that is what they are requesting as their greatest need. We must raise about $10,000 for this Build. Along with this huge project, we will also focus on basic needs such as clothing, food, water, and training/education, and building loving and trusting relationships with our community in Kenya.
Another change recently found our Kenyan Directors, Domnic and Milly Owigo, moving back to Umoja (Lake Victoria, Karungu area, Luo Tribe). Domnic's family, including his brother and mama and papa, live in the Umoja/L.V. area, so this is a homecoming. How happy Domnic must be to return to his own land and family! We celebrate with you Ndugu Dom and Dada Milly!!! We thank God for you both each and every day.
More to come on our changes as they are confirmed and photos of our build currently going on in Kenya will also be posted as soon as they arrive. Until then, God Bless and live well!
In Christ,
Bobbi Jo
