Dear Friends,
After over six years of volunteering fulltime as our project manager in Kenya, Immaculate visited us in the US, and her trip was a huge blessing. Her adorable daughter, 4-year-old Diana, came with her and kept us all thoroughly entertained with her infectious laughter and fun-filled spirit.
Our first ministry event was on September 21 to the Dorcas Daughters at West End Assembly of God. Desiring to follow in the footsteps of Dorcas, a woman in the Bible who was always doing good and helping the poor, Dorcas’ Daughters began in June 2016. Immaculate and I shared about the work of the ministry since its inception, also in 2016. As we observed the work of these dedicated sewers, we saw how our mission of sharing the Word and love of God closely aligns with theirs. We were especially blessed to learn that the group will be providing hundreds of pairs of shorts for boys in Kenya. While we have given thousands of Dress-a-Girl sundresses to girls, this will be the first time we can give the boys a new piece of clothing that was created just for them.
From September 27 – October 1, we had three ministry events. The first was on that Wednesday night at Berea Baptist Church where Immaculate and I spoke about the work of the ministry. Immaculate’s heart for the children of Kenya and her deep passion for them to grow closer to the Lord was evident as she told about how the Lord is working through His Word and the love we extend in His name.
On Saturday, we hosted a BBQ attended by many friends of the ministry. Around 30 people enjoyed good food and great fellowship, but the highlight was a time of testimony where Immaculate and Miriam Jones shared of the Lord’s work in and through them. Miriam is a young woman whose family has donated numerous items for Kenya over the years, including many of their original art pieces. After graduating from high school, Miriam decided to pursue global missions by attending Frontier Missions School program with MAPS Global. After completing six months of training, she spent three months overseas ministering to unreached people in a Middle Eastern nation. She is now preparing for her second missionary trip. Until a week ago, this trip was to Lebanon. However, with the hostility and war on its border, she is being rerouted to Jordan, where the risk is significantly lower.
perhaps provide support for her trip, please reach out to her at miriam.jones@mapsglobal.org
Our final ministry outreach was on Sunday, October 1, at Mt. Vernon Baptist Church. We hosted a Mother & Daughter “Dress a Doll” event. Anita Zimmerman spoke on how serving Jesus, even through small acts of kindness and service, will have eternal benefits, and Immaculate again shared about how the Lord is changing lives by His grace through our work in Kenya. The Lord used the Mt. Vernon girls to bless Kenyan girls by using their fashion skills to dress and accessorize around 100 dolls and stuffed animals. They also colored cards and wrote sweet messages to the girls who would receive these gifts. It was a fun-filled event with a deep spiritual message for the girls about the importance of serving others.
In between these events, Immaculate participated in the behind-the-scenes work of the ministry. One day she made three donation pick-ups with me, including a stop at Cedarfield Senior Living Community. There we met Meredith Eckel and Becky Simmons, who filled my truck with donated items from their Cedar Chest Gift Store. Although she also spent several days packing, Immaculate still had time to see many interesting places in our region. Her experiences included several days at beautiful Lake Gaston, a trip to Jamestown, and a tour of downtown Richmond, including the Governor’s Mansion. She and Diana also enjoyed a Sunday school dinner around a campfire in Powhatan and a weekend in DC visiting the National Zoo, the Museum of Natural History, the Botanical Gardens, and a walking tour of the city.
The month flew by and, way too soon, we kissed Immaculate and Diana goodbye, as they returned to Kenya. While she was away, the work in Kenya continued – more to come on that next month.
As always, we are grateful for each of you who make it possible for us to continue the ministry of Serving in Jesus’ Name by your prayers, financial support, donated items, and help with sorting and packing. Thank you!!!
We send our sincere thanks to each of you who make it possible for us to continue the ministry of Serving in Jesus’ Name by your prayers, financial support, donated items, and help with sorting and packing. We are grateful for the privilege of sharing the love and Word of God with people locally and in various parts of the world. May the Lord richly bless you for your generosity and kindness.
Blessings,
Kathy Carlin, Executive Director
