Lois Letters #2

GREETINGS TO ALL,

FOR THOSE OF YOU FRIENDS WHO HAVE VISITED IN KENYA, WE HAVE ANOTHER VERY SAD NEWS. MAGGIE, OUR BELOVED KITCHEN WORKER FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS, HAS LOST HER HUSBAND. WEDNESDAY NIGHT IT POURED ALL NIGHT AND EVEN THE JUCTION OF OUR STREET WAS LIKE A RIVER. WAMBUA DID NOT RETURN HOME WED. NIGHT, BUT SHE CAME TO WORK THURS. MORNING THINKING HE WOULD APPEAR THAT DAY. BUT WHEN HE DID NOT APPEAR THE SECOND DAY, SHE CAME CRYING AND SAYING SHE HAD TO LOOK FOR HIM. THEY BEGAN LOOKING FOR HIM AND HE WAS FOUND THIS MORNING IN THE RIVER NEAR THE POLICE STATION. WAMBUA HAD BEEN SAVED AT BETHEL EVANGELICAL CHURCH SO JUST ANOTHER REASON WHY WE ARE SO HAPPY GOD CALLED US TO KENYA.

PLEASE PRAY FOR MAGGIE AND HER 2 CHILDREN, TITUS IN 8TH GRADE, AND LITTLE LOIS WHO IS ONLY THREE. SHE HAS ALREADY BEEN ASKING, “Mom, where is our dad?”

I, LOIS, MADE A HUGE MISTAKE BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT HOYT WAS TO GO OFF SOME OF HIS OLD MEDICINE WHEN HE STARTED A SECOND NEW ONE. AFTER HIS RAPID DECLINE AND A VISIT BACK TO THE DR. WE LEARNED THAT TAKING HIM OFF THE OTHER MEDICINE COULD HAVE CAUSED HIM TO GO INTO SHOCK, ETC, SO PRAISE GOD WE DID NOT HAVE ANOTHER TRADEGY. NOW HE IS BACK ON ALL MEDS AS HE WAS SUPPOSE TO BE AND AGAIN MAKING SOME PROGRESS, GOD IS SO GOOD.

WE ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS (WITH DIANE) ON APPLICATIONS FOR THE FOSTER PROGRAM, BUT ARE IN SERIOUS NEED OF MORE FOSTER HOMES. I BELIEVE THEY ARE THERE, BUT WE JUST NEED TO GET THE WORD OUT. WE ARE VISITING A LOT OF HOMES. IT CONTINUES TO POUR, SO YESTERDAY, DIANE, TO HER DELIGHT, AND THE GUYS WENT OUT ON MOTOR BIKES TO MAKE HOME VISITS. SHE ENJOYED THE RIDE REGARDLESS OF A SHORT DRENCHING, BUT I WAS GLAD THAT I HAD STAYED AT HOME.

GRAVINOS ARE OUT ON BREAK FROM COLLEGE TEACHING. BUT DON’T KNOW IF WE CAN REALLY CALL IT A BREAK. THEY HAVE BEEN HELPING IN THE KITCHEN AND ARE BOTH SCHEDULED FOR BIBLE STUDIES, ESL CLASSES, AND TUTORING AND WORK WITH THE GRACE HOME KIDS. THREE GCH KIDS WILL BE BAPTISED ON EASTER SUNDAY. THEY ARE REALLY GROWING IN THE LORD. ONE OF THE MOTHERS WAS SICK ONE NIGHT LAST WEEK SO MESEMBI PRAYED EARNESTLY THAT NIGHT THAT GOD WOULD HEAL HER. IN THE MORNING WHEN SHE WAS WELL HE TOLD HIS MOM HOW HE WAS GOING TO SCHOOL TO TESTIFY HOW THE LORD HAD HEALED HER. A FEW WEEKS AGO WE WERE VISITING ANOTHER CHURCH AND LITTLE VICTOR STOOD IN FRONT AND SAID VERY LOUDLY, “MY NAME IS VISTOR AND I LOVE JESUS”. PEOPLE WERE TOUCHED TO HEAR A SMALL BOY GIVE SUCH A TESTIMONY INFRONT OF THE CHURCH.

KENYA IS VERY GREEN AND LUSH WITH ALL THE RAIN. WE DO GET A FEW HOURS OF WARN SUNSHINE EVERYDAY TO DRY THE LAUNDRY.

WEDNESDAY MORNING PASTOR CHRIS LAID IN BED NOT WANTING TO GET UP AND GO DO CHAPEL AT THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL. HE ALMOST CALLED THE PRINCIPAL TO SAY THAT HE COULD NOT MAKE IT, BUT THE LORD REMINDED HIM THAT HE HAD CALLED HIM TO PREACH SO HE SHOULD GET UP AND FUFILL HIS CALLING. HE GOT UP AND WENT TO PREACH TO THE KIDS, AND 2 HIGH SCHOOL BOYS WERE SAVED. PLEASE PRAY THEY WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AS PASTOR CHRIS CONTINUES TO MENTOR THEM. JUST A FEW YEARS AGO PASTOR CHRIS WAS A DRUNKARD. THANKS TO YOUR PRAYERS AN GIVING HE WAS SAVED, WENT THROUGH OUR BIBLE COLLEGE AND IS NOW LEADING OTHERS TO THE LORD.

KEEP PRAYING, KEEP GIVING, KEEP SERVING, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. WE WILL REAP IF WE FAINT NOT.

LOVE,
HOLO

Sewing Center - "Garments of Praise"

Garments of Praise Tailoring institute

Mama Kanini trying up the new machines

Garments of Praise Tailoring Institute students working on the New Singer Machines. The school is the latest addition to the College and admission for more is in progress

Garments of Praise students with their instructor Veronica Mutinda

Veronica - Our Instructor

Students

Students

These are a few pictures of our new Sewing Institute and this is a part of the new UAEM (United African Evangelical Ministries) Garments of Praise. We are so thankful first to the Lord and also for the vision of Ilowee Own and others who have worked hard to make this part of our ministry a reality.

Meet Some More of our Pastors and Churches

Deacon Nyamweya and family - Kisii

Pastor Joseph Nzuki and family - Trinity Evangelical Church, Kisii

Trinity Evangelical Church - Kisii

Pastor Mose Onchiri and family - St. Osbornes Evangelical Church, Kisii

St. Osbornes Evangelical Church - Kisii

Pastor Boniface and family - Field Director and Pastor of Nyabitunwa Evangelical Church

Nyabitunwa Evangelical Church - Kisii

Pastor Timothy Muye and his wife - London Evangelical Church, Kisii

London Evangelical Church - Kisii

Some of our Churches and Pastors

Pastor Titus Simiyu and his wife Violet and daughter hope - Field Director for the Bungoma Fellowship and Pastor of Chebosi Evangelical Church

Pastor Joseph Kwatemba and his wife Violet - Tembelela Evangelical Church, Bungoma

Moses and Bilhah Wimalwa - Tembelela Evangelical Church, Bungoma

Tembelela Evangelical Church - Bungoma

Mechimeru Evangelical Church - Bungoma

Pastor Chisanthus and his wife Catherine - Mabanga Evangelical Church, Bungoma

Mabanga Evangelical Church - Bungoma

Mabanga Evangelical Church - Bungoma

Pastor Victor Khaemba and his wife Celestine - Makotelo Evangelical Church, Bungoma

Pastor Martin Juma and wife Katherine - Makotelo Evangelical Church, Bungoma

Makotelo Evangelical Church - Bungoma

Pastor Haron and Peninah Wamutete - Mechimeru Evangelical Church, Bungoma

Pastor Gelus and Family - Mechimeru Evangelical Church, Bungoma

Pastor Emanuel and his wife - Kasosi Evangelical Church, Bungoma

Pastor David Wamalwa, his wife Jemimah and Family - Kasosi Evangelical Church Bungoma

Kasosi Evangelical Church

Pastor Benson Barasa and his wife Gladys - Chebosi Evangelical Church, Bugoma

Chebosi Evangelical Church

A Day in the Life of a Kenyan Student

Hi Everyone-

Yesterday I was waiting for the rest of my afternoon ESL class and began a conversation with Jane, one of the Grace Children's Home parents. There are five boys of Primary School age living with her and Daniel, so I figured she knew about the educational system in Kenya. She told me what the boys needed to enter school the first time, and their daily schedules. I thought I would send along this information to their US counterparts.

Jane has boys in Standard (grades) 2, 4, 6, and 7. By the way, Primary School goes through Standard 8, then the students go on to high school for Forms 1, 2, 3, and 4. At the end of Standard 8 and Form 4, they take national exams in each of their subjects. Their ranking on these exams determine their next school and type of study.

Anyway, back to Jane and Daniels' boys. When they were taken to their new school after joining Grace Home, they not only needed their past report cards, but each also had to bring a desk (really!) and a bag of cement for a school building project, plus other fees like PTF fees etc. They had to have full uniforms from shoes to socks, shirt, short pants and pullover sweaters. (Girls wear uniform dresses and pullovers, shoes and socks.) Every school has its own color scheme. If they come to school missing any one part, they are chased home until they get the right outfit. By the way, all primary school children, BOTH boys and girls can have hair no longer than 1/2 inch (basically shaved off), but In high school they can grow out their hair again in most schools.

Now for the daily schedules: The boys wake at 4:30 am so that they can bathe (only one bathroom in the house; no shower, just a pan of water to dump over the head. They eat breakfast of chai (tea with milk and sugar) and bread with jam and margarine. They also have prayers before school, then they walk about twenty- five minutes to school and must be there by 6:30, when it is just getting light..

During the morning there is a twenty minute break. If parents pay extra, the children can receive porridge during that break. That is expensive and the Grace kids get breakfast so they no longer get porridge. Lunch is at pm for about a half hour. Parents provide the ingredients and the school cooks the food- githeri- every day. Each student must bring four kilograms (x 2.2 for the pound equivalent) of green maize (white corn) and 2 kilograms of beans per month plus cooking oil and water to cook it in, plus pay a fee for cooking. They have to carry about two liters of water each day which is for cooking, drinking and cleaning the classrooms. Occasionally they also are directed to bring a big piece of wood for the fire to cook the food. So much for Little Caesar's or Chik-fil-A! No snacks are allowed. There is a huge mango tree in the schoolyard, but the students are strictly forbidden even to touch a mango even if it falls from the tree. Those fruits are for the head teacher.

School for Standard 1-6 goes from 6:30-4 pm. If there are games after school, they leave at 5 or 5:30. For Standard 7, they go from 6:30-8 or 8:30 pm every day and a half day on Saturday. The evening classes (with no food until they get home) are considered tutorials or preps. Of course, that is extra money, but is strongly encouraged. For the one who stays until 8, Daniel has to walk up to the school to walk him home. Dark is dark here (it gets dark by 7 pm) and unsavory characters can easily hide in the darkness. So Daniel takes his flashlight (torch to walk Chris home.

So, Americans, are you ready to join your Kenyan counterparts in school? I forgot to mention that the bathrooms in the school are holes in the ground in stalls outside in what Americans would call a string of outhouses, but without seats.. And I also would mention that there might be electricity in school (ask Mackenzie and Keri about that), but it goes off often and erratically. Last night it poured here again most of the night with thunder and lightning, and the stima has yet to return (it is 8 pm now), and we are operating on generator power for now. Classes have about 40-50 kids per class with one teacher per class.

I hope this has been interesting reading for you. The Kenyan kids work very hard in school. See that you readers do likewise and feel appreciative of whatever school you are in .Bye for now-

Blessings - Sue Gravino

In Memory of Ziggy

I am very sad to report that one of our Kenya brothers, David Musyoki (Ziggy) was recently killed in Nairobi. Please pray for our Kenya family as their hearts are heavy. David was involved in the ministry of Kenya Evangelical Mission and United African Evangelical Ministries.

Keep on Truckin for the Lord!

MANY ARE STILL GETTING SAVED.

THIS YEAR HAS REALLY BEEN A STRUGGLE, BUT THE PEOPLE GETTING SAVED ARE REALLY WORTH IT. AS YOU KNOW, ROTARY BOUGHT US A NEW 9 TON TRUCK LAST YEAR. WELL THE GUYS NOW CALL IT A MOVING CHURCH. UP AND DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEREVER THEY STOP THEY JUST START WITNESSING TO PEOPLE AND MANY HAVE BEEN SAVED.

TWO WEEKS AGO THERE WAS A TEACHERS MEETING IN NAIROBI AND ONE OF OUR PASTORS WAS INVITED TO PREACH. AFTER THE MESSAGE 2 TEACHERS RECEIVED THE LORD AS THEIR PERSONAL SAVIOR.

OUR PASTORS FROM KISII WERE HERE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, AND ONE PASTOR TOLD THIS STORY. HE HAD GONE TO A SHOP TO BUY SOMETHING AND MET A MAN 79 YEARS OLD SITTING IN FRONT OF THE SHOP. HE ASKED HIM WHERE HE WENT TO CHURCH AND HE THOUGHT A MINUTE AND SAID THAT HE HAD GONE TO CHURCH ONCE WHEN HE WAS 12 YEARS OLD. HE HAD NEVER BEEN BACK. OUR PASTOR TOLD HIM ABOUT JESUS AND HOW TO BE SAVED AND INVITED HIM TO CHURCH. THAT SUNDAY HE CAME TO CHURCH, GOT SAVED, AND SINCE MARCH HE HAS NEVER MISSED A SUNDAY.

HOYT CONTINUES TO MAKE SLOW PROGRESS. THIS WEEK HE WALKED FROM THE BEDROOM TO HIS ROCKING CHAIR IN OUR HOME OFFICE, HE HAS ALSO WALKED FROM THE BEDROOM TO THE LIVING ROOM ALL ON HIS OWN. WHEN HE FIRST CAME OUT OF SURGERY HIS LEFT LEG WAS MOSTLY PARALYZED SO THIS IS BIG PROGRESS.

WE THANKS GOD THAT THE MONEY TO BUY A PLOT FOR THE TALA CHURCH HAS BEEN PROMISED. WE ARE SO EXCITED. PLEASE PRAY WITH US FOR THE FOLLOWING URGENT NEEDS.

1. 
   
   MORE MONTHLY SUPPORT. WE ARE AT ABOUT 75% AND REALLY STRUGGLING. DEC. AND JAN ARE REALLY LOW MONTHS AND HARD TO PAY BILLS.


2. 
   
   FOUR PASTORS HAVE CHILDREN READY TO GO TO HIGH SCHOOL AND NEED SPONSORS AT $100. A MONTH. SOME OF OUR PASTORS ONLY GET A SALARY OF $40 A MONTH AND THESE LOVELY KIDS WILL NOT GO TO SCHOOL WITH OUT SPONSORS.


3. 
   
   HOYT DESPERATELY NEEDS A CAR. WE SOLD OUR OLD BEATER AND USED THE MONEY TO REPAIR THE VAN SO THAT WE CAN AT LEAST GET AROUND, WE HOPE. BUT, ONE VEHICLES FOR ALL OUR MINISTRIES IS REALLY A PROBLEM.

PRAISING GOD FOR ALL OF YOU,

HOYT , LOIS, AND KENYA TEAM