| Looking back over 2019, we at Serving in Jesus’ Name cannot help but say, “Who are we that we should have been able to give as generously as this? For all things come from Your hand, Lord, and we can give only what you first gave us.” (1 Chronicles 29:14[1]). For the luxury of warm homes, plentiful food, pure water, and available transportation is a gift from God (1 Chronicles 29:16), and most of us are giving out of our abundance, not as the widow of Scripture who gave all she had. (Mark 12:41-44) With the awareness of our manifold blessings so keenly before us, we are indeed grateful for the privilege of serving those living in poverty by extending to them the love of God and sharing His living, active Word while providing material things to brighten their days and build them up in Christ. As we celebrated the immeasurably valuable gift of eternal life Jesus gave to us (John 3:16) by giving dormitory makeovers to the children at the Upendo Orphanage in the slums of Nairobi, we received a generous supply of the joy giving brings. (Acts 20:35) While Upendo provides services for 200 children by day, its small facility can sleep only 45 children, with the remaining children going out into the community to sleep with those kind enough to serve as guardians to them. The boys’ and girls’ dormitories had 4 beds between them, potholed cement floors, and nothing but thin mats to give those sleeping on the floor relief against the cold concrete. By God’s grace, we were able to repair the floors and walls, paint the dorms, and provide bunk beds, sheets, and comforters, so all the children would have the dignity and comfort of a bed. Although our budget for blankets was tight, when Immaculate saw the beautiful Egyptian comforters, she begged the merchant to sell them to her at a price within budget. Imagine the joy of the children when they moved into their brightly painted rooms and spent the first night in their cozy beds.   In 2019, Serving in Jesus’ Name had the honor of ministering in Kenya, Appalachia, and in the greater Richmond area, sharing the love of God (Romans 8:38-39) and the Good News of salvation and abundant life through Jesus Christ (John 5:24, John 10:10) in everything we did. As always, we are grateful to all those who support us with prayers, financial contributions, donated articles, and help sorting, packing, and transporting boxes. “May the Lord grant each of you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:16-19) Blessings, |
Other Highlights of this year:
- Built 5 rainwater catchment systems in the Western region of Kenya, giving the orphanages a free source of clean water, especially needed during the dry season. Here is a glimpse of water tanks at Imani Orphanage with the donor’s favorite verse:
- Built four-stall latrines to replace the rusting, sinking, dilapidated units at 3 of the orphanages [below is Don-Bosco before and after the work]:
- Shipped 9,000 significant items to 12 orphanages, 2 rescue centers, and a senior men’s home. Since then, we have collected and packed over 30,000 items to send in a container early next year.
- Added Divine Mercy Home for Children to our network.
- Provided musical instruments and sound equipment to Bewomi Home.
- Hosted our first missionary trip as two nurses, Keylia Grose and Angie Poling, spent 9 days visiting orphanages and other locations with Immaculate, sharing the love of Jesus wherever they went.
- Co-hosted an outreach in Appalachia to share the Word of God and to provide Bibles, food, household items, coats, hats, scarves, gloves, and boots to those in need.
- Provided financial support to individuals and through other ministries for urgent needs.
- Provided Bibles to OneVoice, a ministry to teens, and Bibles and Scripture cards to the local women’s prison.
