| Dear Friends, Our team in the US has been busy preparing our shipment bound for Kenyan orphans and schoolchildren. Due to the continuing worldwide shipping disruptions, we were unable to secure space on a ship in October, but we now have a reservation to ship in early November. Our current plan is to pack on 10/29, and we are grateful that our super packers, Kyle Soderberg and Bob and Kim Shultz, are available that day, along with 18 other volunteers from local churches. In Kenya, we gave our last two boxes of Bibles to the pastor of the Bahati Africa Inland Church in Western Kenya. Since the proverbial “well has finally run dry,” Immaculate had nothing left from the 2021 container to distribute in September. Therefore, she and her team are excitedly awaiting the new container, which is expected to arrive in early December. We finished painting Scriptures on several of our summer latrine and water projects and began planning with the facilities selected for the remaining 2022 projects. |
We have had a flurry of activity in September finishing projects, picking up donations, and receiving deliveries. Linda Cash, Dale Mise, Caroline Kibue, and Anita Zimmerman filled almost 140 frames with beautiful Scriptures. We trust the Lord will use His living Word to touch the hearts of those who read it on the walls of their homes and schools (Isaiah 55:11).
Things went a bit awry when we received our shipment of 10,000 Bibles. The plan was for the truck to drop off seven shrink-wrapped pallets of Bibles at our storage facility. Then the next day, a small team of men from Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Glen Allen would move the 250 boxes of Bibles into one of our units. As the drivers, Greg and David, attempted to lower the first pallet off the truck, it became lodged half on and half off the tailgate since it was slightly bent. Greg was unable to pull it back, and David was unable to hold it, so David had to jump aside and let it crash to the ground. Fortunately, David was not hurt and only one box was slightly crushed. Without a single groan, David and Greg calmly went to Plan B. What a blessing it was to chat with these dear men as they manually unloaded the 8000 pounds of Bibles and stacked them neatly in the unit. Not one Bible was damaged!
Bicycles are a treasure in Kenya, with adult bikes being used for transportation and delivery services. Many thanks to Elisbet Hernandez and her husband Alfredo Najera for donating their family’s bikes, complete with new tires. We are grateful to John and Karen Dawson, who brought bike boxes and removed handlebars, tires, and whatever else needed to come off to get the bikes into the boxes. To help ensure the recipients could get the most value from the bikes, they also purchased spare parts, tools, and pumps to send with the bikes.
As always, we are grateful that our work goes on, and we send our thanks to each of you who pray for our ministry, donate items, provide financial support, and give time to help with our work. We are grateful for all those who enable us to continue sowing seeds of life in 2022 (1 Corinthians 3:6).
Blessings,
Kathy Carlin, Executive Director
