April 2017 | Linus & Liz Kirimi

2015_FTH_Web231.jpg

Friends, we have exciting news.
Linus and Liz Kirimi will be spending April in the United States! 

They will be coming for a church planting conference, for Linus to graduate with his Master's Degree, and to visit us here in Texas!

They will be with us from April 12 until April 19. We are overjoyed to have them with us on Easter. What a joy to celebrate such a day with them!
They will be with us at both of our Easter services at Christ Community Church of Magnolia on Easter Sunday. You'll have the chance to talk with them before, after, and between services at 9am and 11am.

It's our joy and privilege to have them with us. We would love to have you join us on Easter Sunday and to be able to talk with Linus and Liz. 

We hope to see you then!

March 2017 | Glory, Serving, and the Sea

GLORY, SERVING, and the SEA
Glory is something we don't think about very much. When we do, our thoughts usually tend to drift into ideals of patriotism and love of country, probably due to the fact that we are American. But we don't usually think of glory in terms of how the world functions under the sovereign hand of a loving God. When the writers in scripture talk about glory, they have only one thing in mind; honor and praise to a holy God. That's it, short and simple.
I recently listened to a wonderful sermon that reminded me of how the world functions and why it does so. It helped me re-align my perspective towards the thing that God calls us all to: serving. We were made to serve, it's how we were designed, and we all orient our lives to serve something. It might be our children, our spouse, our job, our desires or our wants. Whatever it is, the thing we're serving is ultimate in our lives and we tend to bend and sway as we need to in order to accommodate whatever it is we are serving. Yet, when the idea of serving God crosses our minds, we reject it. The one who we should exalt in joy over serving, we usually reject. This is because serving God means putting ourselves in uncomfortable situations. He may ask us to do things we don't think we have capacity for, or challenge our comfort, or take away one of the other things we are serving. We don't like this, so we reject serving Him and continue in our slavery under some other master who is far less loving and gracious.
In the sermon I mentioned above, we're reminded of an easily overlooked scripture; Habakkuk 2:14. It reads:
"For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."
It reminded me that it doesn't really matter what we want to serve, God will make it such that the entire world knows of His glory, it's just that simple. We can orient our lives around serving other things, things that make us comfortable, things that make us safe, things that bring us temporary happiness, but one day all of the earth, including us, will be made fully aware of the glory of the Lord.  There will not be one crevice of creation that isn't exalting Him as God. Just as the rushing sea leaves no area untouched by its waters, neither will God leave any person or thing unaffected by His glory.
Is that a moment we look forward to? I hope so. If we're thinking about His glory and our service, it should be. If we are serving Him, it will be. This should bring us great peace, for in that moment the one who brings us ultimate joy will reveal himself in all splendor, and we will be filled with the knowledge of it.

Josephine is a bright and helpful student at Christlike Academy. On our last visit, she was one of the brightest points of joy for us as we led Bible stories and prayer at the school. Josephine lives with her single mother and her brother, Victor. Because of your generous partnerships, they are able to attend Christlike Academy and also receive extra food at home to help sustain their family.
Would you join us in praying for Josephine and her family? Especially that God open her heart to Him? Currently, Pastor Linus is continually talking to her about Jesus and our hope is that she comes to know His rescuing love for her.
 

We are so excited for our friends and partners Neil and Sarah Sandoz as they answer Christ's call on their lives to serve Him in Kenya with a missionary organization called SIM. Neil has been a great help to Feed.Teach.Hope. by providing us with photos and videos of our work in Eastern Africa. Neil travelled with us to Kenya and God used that trip to confirm for Neil the place God was calling them to. Neil's storytelling abilities will be put to good use as he and Sarah will be working with East African missionaries and refugees. Neil will be sharing the news of God's work there and Sarah will be counseling women who have endured trauma due to situations in their home country.
Please join us in praying for them as they recently arrived in Kenya and are adapting to their new home.
Just as you support us, we hope that you'll consider supporting friends of ours who also have a heart for Eastern Africa. You can sign up to support Neil and Sarah here.

February 2017 | Trusting Jesus in Want and Plenty

Meet Esther. Esther is a member of Living Proof Church and we've visited her each time we've been in the Misiri slums of East Africa. We have always left blessed by her joy, friendliness, and hospitality. By our normal standards, Esther doesn't have much to be happy about. She's sick, she lives in a makeshift shack, she's caring for multiple grandchildren and she has no income and hardly any means for obtaining food and water. But Esther also has Jesus and He is clearly the reason for her joy. Esther could be frozen with fear, anxiety, depression - but she isn't. She instead welcomes us into her home, offers us tea, and asks us to pray with her. When trusting Jesus seems like the last thing to do - she makes it the first thing to do.
Right now, no matter your political affiliation, current issues in our country can elicit fear and anxiety. But God calls us out of that. He lifts our head and says, "Trust me".
Trusting God can be scary. It doesn't always mean things will get better, but it does mean that whatever comes, we have hope. God will keep His promises. He will make His name known and He will stand by us through it all.
When trusting Jesus seems like the last thing to do - you should make it the first thing to do.

Brenda found her way to Christlike Academy on January 16, 2017.  Her story is much like many of the other children at Christlike. Her father died when she was 8 and left behind Brenda's mother and two younger siblings. Eventually, her mother was jailed for prostitution, leaving Brenda and her siblings alone. Someone rescued her younger siblings but left Brenda behind. She was found in the bush, having not eaten for three days. Brenda is in need of clothing, food, and shelter. Our pastor is working to secure these things for her in Misiri.
The children who attend Christlike are always in need, but sometimes those who have a very great need, like Brenda, are brought to our door. Currently we have seven children attending Christlike who are in immediate need just as Brenda is. We are asking for a one-time gift of $350 to help these immediate needs.

The new classrooms that YOU helped us build are being put to good use!

On February 7, 2017, the total count of children at Christlike Academy was 265. The new classrooms we were able to add because of your generous year-end donations are now where the Pre-Primary 2 class (32 children), Grade 4 Class (20 children), and Grade 5 Class (25 children), are meeting daily. 

Thank you partners.
This could not have happened without you.

January 2017 | A New Year Ahead

As the light has now faded on 2016, we look forward to 2017 with anticipation, excitement, and hope. Because of your generosity and support, we were able to accomplish so much in 2016. Your love for the spread of the gospel in East Africa made it possible for Feed.Teach.Hope. to engage in real and true change in the lives of so many people. Through the team we fund and work with in Kenya, who travel through East Africa training pastors and planting churches, Christ's name was made known.

A NEW BUILDING FOR GRADES 7 & 8

A NEW BUILDING FOR GRADES 7 & 8

You made this possible.

At Christlike Kenya at the community we work with in the Misiri Slums, 185 children are being fed, cared for, given an education and the hope of the gospel.
Now we are able to care for older children as well.
Because of your support and partnerships, construction has begun on an additional building for two new classrooms for grades 7 and 8. Until this time, Christlike Academy has only been registered to care for children through grade 6.

Men and women are learning who Jesus is for the first time ever and are surrendering their lives to Him.
People who were far off are being brought near.
God is working through your gifts to make things possible in East Africa.
Rejoice friends, it's His joy and our privilege to have a part in this great work.

God bless you.

January 2017 | A Look Back at 2016

The year behind us was certainly an eventful one. 2016 came with it’s share of ups and downs, but we can rejoice knowing God was with us through all of it and will continue to be leading us in 2017. Thank you so much for standing by us and supporting our work in East Africa.

In 2016 we saw God work through Feed.Teach.Hope. in East Africa in these ways:

  • Christlike Academy (CA) grew from 80 to 185 children through grade 6.
  • CA began providing better quality food for the children at lunch time (more fresh vegetables)
  • CA hired a new male teacher who began a 'scouts' program where children learn discipline, teamwork, honor, and national heritage.
  • CA provides 3 uniforms now for all children; Standard, Athletic, Scout
  • CA retained lead teacher Eunice (this was very important because of her dedication and leadership)
  • CA has three children who consistently score in the top of the region academically
  • CA constructed new bathrooms, covering for the children to sit under during lunch, and built a new fence and gate.
  • CA obtained two additional parcels of land for future expansion. Currently they are to be used as children's playground for physical education. Fences have been erected around them.
  • CA began construction on new buildings in January to expand to grades 7 and 8
  • Feed.Teach.Hope. (FTH) has continued to support the feeding program in Endarasha where approx. 25 children come for food and education.
  • Pastor Linus is assessing 4 men who are interested in planting a church in Endarasha.
  • Pastor Linus continues to train pastors in Northeastern Kenya, pushing Christianity into Islamic areas. He made three mission trips there and worked with over 100 pastors/planters/leaders this year to teach them to disciple their members.
  • Pastor Linus has continued to see his community in the Misiri slums come to faith. Most recently he baptized 10 new believers.
  • Pastor Linus held five refresher workshops for Pastors
  • Pastor Linus helped to start two new churches among unreached people groups
  • Feed.Teach.Hope. began communications with a group of men and women in the slums who are crafting hand made items. FTH is exploring possibilities to sell these items.
  • Feed.Teach.Hope. has established partnerships in the U.S. with three churches and one corporate sponsor.

All of your support goes to real people, with real lives, who are facing enormous difficulty. One example is that of Beth and Joy Wanjiru, sisters who have been at Christlike Academy for quite some time. Beth was the little girl who spurred us to action upon our first visit. Each time we return we spend time with her and her family. In the past, she and her siblings have been moved around between their Grandmother and Aunt and have been in difficult living conditions. This year Beth and Joy lost three members of their family within three months. One of those three was a very young brother, Brian, who likely died due to starvation. They also lost their Grandmother. As they endured these difficult times, your support allowed Beth and Joy to continue attending Christlike to receive care, food, clothing, and most importantly, support and love from their teachers and Pastor Linus and his family who walked with them through each tragedy they experienced this year.

We cannot thank you enough for your prayers and your support. You have truly made a difference in so many lives. Please know that we consider you as partners, working right along side us, in this mission to make Christ’s name known.

As we step into 2017, we have several things we would like to see happen this year:

  • Begin a three to five year plan and fundraising initiative to purchase land and erect another school for secondary (9-12) education and vocational training.
  • Increase salaries for teachers at Christlike Academy to bring them up to the Kenyan government standard.
  • Plant a church in Endarasha.
  • Begin new connections with two other pastors that Linus has trained near Misiri; Boaz and Daniel.
  • Execute a trip in August of 2017, bringing partners and others interested to host VBS for students and minister to families in Misiri.
  • Bring on two more corporate sponsors.

In scripture, we see how God has a habit of continually leading His people in ways they didn’t expect and to places they hadn’t planned on going. We are always open to this, especially working in a country like Africa. Having unplanned things happen is part of the plan!
While the goals above are what we believe Feed.Teach.Hope. should focus on for 2017, we are always open to what God would have us do in East Africa.

Would you please pray for us that if there are other things God desires for us to do there, we have open hearts and open eyes to accept change and move towards them as we seek His will over ours?

Thank you so much for your prayers, your support, and your love for Feed.Teach.Hope. and the Gospel in East Africa.
We would love for you to continue to partner with us as we plant churches, serve communities, and declare the gospel.

You can donate, sign up for our newsletters, check out our videos, and more, at www.feedteachhope.org.

God Bless You