School Visit

Hello,
We visited several schools today and interacted with students. We learned about their fears and the challenges they have in school.

We visited primary school and the boys only school.

We realize that the students are working really hard and we are hoping that the they will pass in their education.

Please continue to pray for them as they prepare for their final exams coming in the few months.

I love these students. they are such a blessing group.


Enjoy the pictures.

God bless,

Praising God for Education Needs Met - Repost

February 22, 2009

Students are still in need of school fees and other school necessities. We need to hear from you if you are able to assist these students to get another year of education.

Original posted February 8, 2009

This is an update on the post "Getting Back to School", dated January 9, 2009. Please continue to pray that these scholarships would be received soon and that the additional need for supplies, bedding, etc. would be met.

For Beatrice - Already admitted to Secondary Girls School. School fees to be paid by scholarship.

Spent on her expenses kshs 2900 as follows:
- school uniform:- skirts kshs 1000
- sweater,socks and blouse kshs 1050
- utensils and pens kshs.220
- fare and lunch kshs. 400
- other kshs. 230
Other expenses met by friend, relative and well wishers.

For Moureen - Has joined Secondary school and been recommended for scholarship.

Used 300 Kenyan shillings on her expenses.
Other outstanding needs are a mattress,blanket, bed sheets and miscellaneous for total cost kshs3800. she will be a day scholar until we get funds to meet these expenses. Other expenses met by relatives and well wishers.

The other child Chelangat has changed schools and we are waiting for a vacancy.

This child is a total orphan and has no adult to assist so the expenses are high. this may cost kshs 8500. Pray much pray for this child.

Note: The two scholarship orphans are attending school free after making arrangements with the head teachers until we get funds. We rely on scholarships from NGOS and hope this (funding approval) will soon go through.

God bless you.

Kenya Updates

hello friends,

i hope your day is getting better for u..
just wanted to update u on news making headlines here in kenya....
students were able to start going to school today after the teachers called off a two week strike that paralysed education in primary (grade) school and some part of high school. (we praised God for this agreement)

at the same time hunger continues to bite many Kenyans....we are told over ten million people completely lack food which is very sad for us....Pray that farmers are able to plant this year. we thank God for the rain that has come to several parts of Kenya...the challenge now is just getting the money to buy seeds and fertilizer for most families.

Yesterday a Big mall in in the central Business district of Nairobi got fire and almost 46 people are dead....the name of the chain is Nakumatt Downtown. Rescue efforts are ongoing now . Please check the links below for more info.

That is the news from here,
have a great evening
God Bless

p.s
links to the above stories are here
Fire in the store ..
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7859899.stm
http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/521746/-/u1t7lj/-/index.html
http://www.eastandard.net/news/InsidePage.php?id=1144005357&cid=159&
Hunger
http://www.eastandard.net/hunger/InsidePage.php?id=1144005324&cid=562&

Getting Back to School

hello,

with high schools opening soon there is great need for books, textbooks, bags, pens, shoes, shirts, sweaters, rain coats, soap, lotion. etc. these are the top needs as the students begin the new school year in february 2009.

this year five of our orphans qualified for higher level grades and were called to various high schools to go and study.

the form one students are to report to school in February and i hope by then we can be able to send these kids to high school. getting an education will help them so that their lives will be like ours where they are able to go to high school, then college and later find work. so far, in january we have managed to cover the basic school cost of several primary children and now we need to concentrate on these 5 older students who start school soon.

i've listed the cost for all items* for each of the 5 orphans who have moved on to higher grades below. you will see the cost in several currencies, for one student and then for all 5 students.

One Student
- 28,150.00 (Kenyan Shillings)
- $370.39 (US)
- $433.08 (Cdn)
- £234.58 (British Pounds)
- $269.77 (Euros)
- $516.19 (Aussie)
- $538.88 (Singapore)
- $2827.92 (Hong Kong)
- 32,892.40 (Japanese Yen)

Five Students
- 140,750.00 (Kenyan Shillings)
- $1851.95 (US)
- 2165.40 (Cdn)
- 1172.90 (British Pounds)
- $1348.85 (Euros)
- $2580.96 (Aussie)
- $2694.44 (Singapore)
-$14,139.56 (Hong Kong)
- 164,462 (Japanese Yen)

Fee Payment Schedule

The school year is for a total of 9 months with 3 terms (3 months each) per year. Half of a full year's payment is needed up front. The remaining half can be paid in 2 parts if needed.

Minimum due January 2009

1 student- 14,075. 00 (Kenyan shillings)
5 students 70,375.00 (Kenyan shillings)

a payment would then be needed again about 3 months later (march/april 2009). we have opened an account to try and set aside money for these students to help us plan ahead. we really need your help and we gratefully accept what u can do to help these kids.

we can receive funds through money gram or western union (see the information in the right side column). if u want to send funds through international bank to bank transfer, let us know and we can tell you how to do that. i also have a mailing address but that method is very slow and is insecure as cheques can be lost in the mail.

the photos below show the school kids lined up to return to boarding school.



i want to let you know that everything here in kenya has gotten harder since last year. the costs of everything has gone up and education fees have also gone up very recently making it even harder to get an education.

the December 16,2008 issue of The Standard, Online Edition described in graphic terms what happens to children who do not get an education or who have to walk far to go to school.

"The children are often sucked into the informal employment sector where they are exploited by their employers, and exposed to physical and sexual abuse.

Ms Phelomena Elizear, the secretary for Embakasi Constituency Right to Education advocacy group, says distance to learning institutions present a big challenge to the girls. "Parents are reluctant to send their children to school because they are at risk of being waylaid and raped," she says. The problem is compounded by insecurity and poor infrastructure."

click the news link for an article in the Daily Nation news for more information on school costs http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/512242/-/u18940/-/index.html
we want to do what we can to help these kids that God has entrusted to our care..and will send them to boarding school as God enables us through your help. please pray with us and, if you can, send us your support today. May God richly bless you.

Because He lives
Jonah

* books, textbooks, bags, pens, shoes, shirts, sweaters, rain coats, soap, lotion. etc

Village Kids have Fun Time in 2008!

hello friends,

kids are always left out of the Christmas schedules here in Kenya, but this year we had great plans to see that the kids played and enjoyed themselves! for some of them it was their first time to play in the 'so called swimming pool.




i loved watching them! it was lots of fun and i also enjoyed seeing them dance and get to know new friends.



enjoy these pictures as they are a true picture of what many kids around the world do. we are grateful to one of the hotels in the city (where i live) which brought these items and charged a small fee for its use. we are also grateful to God for helping this to happen.



Jonah

Prayer Request

Kids start back to school in January and will need funds for school fees as well as for school books at the higher grade levels. Check the link below for the school books needed by the secondary four class 4 and 5 and pray the needs can be met. To help you calculate the cost of items, one (1) Kenyan Shilling is roughly equal to 60 cents. The exchange rate has fluctuated wildly in the last year and so we expect this rate to fluctuate up and down a few cents over the foreseeable future.

http://www.kenyaliteraturebureau.com/Scripts/prodList.asp?idcategory=36&curPage=2&sortField=sortorder" target=

Kids' Outreach

hello friends,

this past week was my greatest week.
i have been interacting one on one with the kids in the community and trying to teach/reach them about Christ.
most schools could not allow kids to go to school for three days or so as the rest of the kids were sitting for national examinations so when i was visiting in the community and
handing flyers to the kids about Christ, i felt in some way that the kids were learning something.

personally i was converted to Christianity through the same strategy. i feel so touched when i can get to meet kids who are ready to accept Christ at such a young age. please continue to pray for abigael and debra (those in the pics) as they grow in Christ.

because He lives,
Jonah

School Uniforms in Kenya!

[Photo caption: Bro. & Sister shop with 4 orphans]

we want to thank God for providing some uniforms for these kids who so much need these clothes. many of them had been praying and waiting for a time when they can be able to have some new clothes and go to school. i am really happy that with the help of the leaders that we have, these kids were at long last able to have the clothes they so much needed.

there are still alot of needs..here, but as the Lord leads we will be able to get the needs of all these kids met.

just a little background on this ..we had to pick the kids up and travel with them over to a small city where these clothes are sold. the kids were very excited though the weather was a bit cold that day. this picture is of 4 of the kids who went shopping but the list of orphans who received clothing from this donation is longer: caroline c., gladys c., vienna c., victor c., evaline c., kipkoech k., underson k. and ebigael c.

otherwise receive the greetings of this small group, which is a part of the bigger group of orphans that we work with here in Kenya.

have a great day and God Bless

Because He lives
Jonah

Note: Many of these orphans are not related but the letter in their last names represents the time of day they were born. That is how the people are named in Kalenjin country. Like my last name Kipkorir, means I was born in the morning.

School Visits Underway

i have been very busy going to schools and meeting high school students. they just got back to their schools for their last semester. we have 3 semesters here in our schools.

the third; this semester is going to be be filled with lots of work for students. this will determine whether the students will move to the next class or they have to repeat the same class in some cases. this is also the semester where those students who did not take their work seriously decide instantly to be very serious students.

i have started hitherto to visit this schools. i have about 20 schools to visit this semester pray that all goes well. at the same time, we thank our government for allowing us to visit these schools. i have read that in other countries...it is not allowed for for one to visit schools....for religious purposes.

otherwise have a great day
because He Lives,
Pastor Jonah

Ministry and Mission Update

Dear readers,

Some time ago Pastor Jonah posted a list of immediate needs and long-term needs of the Missions of Hope. By God's grace the activities and ministries of the Missions of Hope have gone forward despite limited available resources and God is to be praised for making the way. [King James Version: And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8]

Post-election violence in Kenya, which has been featured in blog posts over the past two months has put a strain on already limited resources. However, Missions of Hope stands on the power of prayer and God Almighty to continue the work for the Kingdom. [King James Version: Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. Zechariah 3:4]

All parts of the body of Christ are needed in this Kingdom effort. Men and women of God in Kenya will labour and do the physical and evangelistic work on the ground. Others around the world are welcome to support them by prayer and finances and other creative ways as the Lord leads, and God will give the increase. [King James Version: So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 1 Corinthians 3:7]

If you feel God speaking to you about any of the needs described below, we ask you to contact Pastor Jonah. Contact information is located in the column on the right side of the blog under "Donate".

[New International Version: But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:13 and I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth. 3 John 1:4-7].

May God bless and keep you.

PJ

King James Version: Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15: 58

Ministry and Missions Needs - Missions of Hope

Total costs for all areas of need have been given and are based on projections made in Fall 2007. Any amount that God lays on your heart is welcome. Small funds from many people can be joined together to deal with the most urgent projects such as crop planting, medicines, basic food stuffs and school uniforms. Perhaps there are others who are able to fund specific projects in whole. We only ask that you ask God to lead you in these areas of giving.

IMMEDIATE NEEDS:

URGENT: Rent & plant 4 hectares of land for corn growth, harvest, storage, sale and use $360./yr for 1 hectare. Total Annual Need: $1440

Update: Corn was harvested in September 2007 and a smaller interim crop of potatoes was then planted. Corn was not sold as originally hoped since the price of corn was low. Instead we used it to assist the caretakers in feeding the orphans. Our storehouse is now empty and it is time once again for corn planting. The funds are for land rental, fertilizer and seeds.

URGENT: Plant interim crops (cabbages, potatoes) after corn harvest. Total Annual Need: $600

Update: A smaller sum than the total need was received and potatoes were planted, harvested and distributed to the orphans and widows. The orphans assisted in harvesting the potatoes. We hope to plant interim crop(s) again in future after the corn has been harvested and prepared for storage.

URGENT: Pastoral support - $100 min. - $200./mo. Total Annual Need: $1200-$2400.

Update: We need 1-2 faithful supporters for the pastor so that he can provide for his extended family and have the support needed to carry on the work of the Kingdom without concern over meeting daily food and other needs.

In North America, congregations generally support the pastors by providing salary and bonuses (sometimes called love offerings or gifts commemorating special events and milestones). In Africa, especially in rural areas, it must be remembered that congregants, though they do give to the churches do not have the resource capacity to meet their own needs, the needs of the pastors, churches and evangelism efforts. Unless you have travelled and lived in the community for awhile, it is also difficult to understand that though some costs in Africa are lower than they are in North America, in times of peace, these costs are still too high for the average African. In times of crisis, food and daily survival costs increase greatly, making it even more important to send international aid.

URGENT: Monthly support $50/ per child to cover cost of school fees and supplies, medicine and clothes. Annual cost $600/ per child. Total Annual Need: $24,000 (40 children @ $600).

Update: At present there are no monthly supporters to cover the costs associated with school fees/uniforms, supplies, medicine and clothing. Caretakers are thus supporting these children out of their own limited resources. This is indeed sacrificial giving in service to the orphans.

Recently, the Kenyan government made changes to enable school children in public schools to attend school without paying tuition fees, but the children still require uniforms, school supplies and daily food before they can attend school and be ready for learning. Depending on enrollment rates, location, etc., some students attend private schools if their caretakers are able to pay the funds. Often they fall into arrears and the children must drop out for a time.

The post-election crisis has meant that some children we are trying to serve have dropped out of school. Some try to work before they have acquired sufficient skills. In other sad cases, some children begin to sell their bodies to make money for food. This entire issue is in very great need of prayer. We do our best to provide counsel and support to the children and caretakers but they require specific kinds of counselling and other assistance, which is more than we can provide. We continue to do what we can as we must not allow the enemy to destroy the lives of these children and their caretakers. There are actually more orphans and families that we work with now than when we compiled this budget. If we can secure even some of this need, it would be a great blessing to the children and families.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10

Clean water - Hand Dug Well and Pump Well (cost varies).

Update: No funds have been received for digging another well. At present, the local villagers who need water use the one well where Pastor Jonah lives. If you can partner with the mission to dig one or more wells, or know of an organization that can provide the funding and know how to do so, please let us know.

Cows - Total Need: $900 for 1 cow. Total One-Time Need: $3600 for 4 Grade cows (for milk production).

Update: No funds have been received for this need. The plan is to purchase a few cows and distribute the milk between multiple families in the village.

Motorcycle - More reliable than a bicycle for travelling the muddy hills and roads of the area. Total One-Time Need: $3500

Update: Ministry transportation needs continue to be met by walking and taking a matatu or bus for longer journeys. When the weather permits the bicycle is used, but this is very difficult due to the hills and mud which often do not fully dry out between rains. We pray for someone to bless Pastor Jonah with a motor bike; the preferred mode of transportation for pastors in the Kericho area because you can travel to places you cannot walk or pedal. In the longer term, it is also much cheaper to run a motor bike than it is to hire cars and taxis or purchase a car.

Pit Latrines - $60 each for 35 houses of orphan caretakers. Total One-Time Need: $2100

Update: We have not yet been able to meet this need. Besides good drinking water and food, pit latrines are needed for basic sanitation and hygiene. The number of orphans and caretakers (total households) has increased considerably since September 2007. We would like to complete pit latrines with a portion of these households, and eventually all of them, as the Lord provides.

URGENT: Vacation Bible School - December 2007 Total Quarterly Need $500. Next VBS - March/April 2008

Update: Funds were not received for the Vacation Bible School (VBS) that was held in December. We have been holding VBS on a quarterly basis for the past several years and this December it almost did not happen. By God's grace, we were able to continue with VBS for the students of the local Rehabilitation School because of the student teachers at Kenyan Highlands Bible College who offered sacrifices of time and resources to teach.

The last fully funded VBS was held in August 2007. We pray for the funds to run a full VBS in March/April 2008 as this event is one of the key evangelistic outreaches to children and young people. These young ones would not otherwise hear the word of God and have an opportunity to see, hear and be loved, by Christian role models in the community.

VBS lasts for one week and funds cover the purchase, development and preparation of teaching materials for approximately 170 children, modest lodgings and meals for the teachers (as they generally do not live in Kericho but come from the surrounding region), a small honorarium for each teacher, replacement of soccer balls for the play time, and a small graduation and closing celebration at the end of the week.

LONG TERM NEEDS:

Grace House Construction (Kericho, Kenya) - $25,000-30,000

Update: None. Grace also needs additional donors to care for the orphans under her care.

Land purchase (Kericho, Kenya) - $20,000 for 1 hectare - $80,000 for 4 hectares.

This is a key missing component of the vision for the ministry to youth in our village. We are praying for the land need to be met soon. This land will be used to construct a Rescue Centre for wayward boys. We would appreciate your prayers and support. Once we have the land we will need funds for the structure to be built.

School Construction (Kericho, Kenya) - $25,000-30,000

Update: None. For the present time, children attend government and private schools.

As you can see, there are many plans underway. We believe in God for seed and the harvest. Thank you for your part in praying and sharing these needs.

Democracy Under Fire

This week schools re-opened in Kenya for younger children but many schools have yet to open due to lack of teachers and students caused by continuing tensions in the country. Also, some schools are being used to house the displaced.

The following Reuters video shows the new violence that happened today as the first of three days of peaceful Opposition protests went ahead in defiance against rallies.
http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=74547&videoChannel=1

In this environment it is challenging to have business as usual and to care for the orphans and widows here. Since my first post on this blog, the numbers of children in our care has grown from just under 40 children to just over 200 children in and around Kericho village. Please continue to pray for our ability to help the helpless and also for opportunity to do what we can to assist the displaced. If you can support us financially in this work, I would be happy to hear from you. May God bless.

Because He lives,
Pastor Jonah

James 1:27 (New International Version)

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.