December 2024
Dear Friends,
When King David was building the temple and saw the generosity of his people, he said, “Who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given to You.” (1 Chronicles 29:14) As we reflect on the outpouring of support we received in 2023, we are filled with the same sense of awe and gratitude.
The Lord has often provided in glorious, yet unexpected, ways. In 2018, after learning how Days for Girls kits enable impoverished girls to manage their monthly cycle with dignity, I attempted to purchase 200 kits to send to Kenya. After several unsuccessful attempts to complete the $2000 transaction online, I called the DFG’s corporate office. When the woman who received my call learned the destination of the kits, she sent them to us free. Since then, the Days for Girls ministry has donated thousands of kits.
Shown below is Ginni Richards, head of the Northern Virginia Chapter of DFGs, delivering 300 donated kits this December (now selling for $25 per kit).
Crossover Healthcare Ministry in Richmond has donated thousands of surplus medical supplies to us over the years. They have also directed numerous people to us who wanted to donate medical equipment and supplies that Crossover could not use. In December, many of those supplies were delivered to Huruma Children’s Home in Ngong Hills, Kenya. This haven for children (newborn through high school) offers hope to some of Kenya’s most damaged children – those who have experienced hunger, homelessness, abandonment, abuse, and neglect. It was founded by Mama Zipporah in 1989. Its first structure was mud and wattle and housed 7 children. Today it is home to over 150 children. Alice, head nurse, was delighted with the donated supplies for their dispensary. When she spotted the wheelchair, she begged for it since Mama Z’s elderly mother did not have one.
Surgical supplies were given to the Matasia Nursing Home (a 24-bed hospital), which was established in 1989.
In thanking us, Head Nurse Esther shared, “Even with diverse challenges slowing our drive, we have remained steadfast in trusting that God leads our way and that where there is a will, there is a way. It is this faith that has brought MNH this far.”
2024 Highlights in Kenya
- Visited 36 orphanages and schools, making multiple visits to many of them. In these visits, our team shared the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ with nearly 15,000 children. They dedicated our building projects, giving praise and thanksgiving to the Lord, and distributed clothes, shoes, school supplies, toys, games, and much more.
- Handed out around 8,000 Bibles, 1,000 Sunday School books and kits for adults and children, and 5,000 Scripture card packets.
- Built 12 5-stall latrines and 11 water catchment systems in Western Kenya, painting Scripture on the privacy walls and 5-gallon tanks.
- Funded and facilitated training for 42 teachers to lead Child Evangelism Fellowship Bible clubs. The teachers are faithfully conducting 32 weekly Good News Clubs.
- Sent 4 teachers to CEF Leadership Training Institute in Nairobi for 11 weeks of training on evangelizing and disciplining children.
- Sent 25 students to 11 days of Christian Youth in Action training where they learned to lead 5-day Bible Clubs.
Other 2024 Highlights
- Sent around 1000 Spanish Scripture card packets with missionary teams to Guatemala and Ecuador
- Provided 500 Scripture card packets to the children who attended the Mt. Vernon Easter Walk.
- Provided 800 My Faith Bracelet kits to be handed out at the Mt. Vernon and Berea Baptist Churches Fall Festivals
- Conducted a missionary project with the Mt. Vernon Awana boys
- Participated in 3 Missions Saturday events at Mt. Vernon
- Shared about the joy of serving at Hunter Classical Christian School Missions Monday
We are so grateful for the Lord’s love and provision and to all those who make it possible for us to continue the ministry of Serving in Jesus’ Name. Special thanks to:
- Hill’s Storage (Sharon Hill) in Mechanicsville for donating a 20-foot storage unit
- Hydromissions (Caitlin Terry) for co-sponsoring our water and latrine projects
- Mount Vernon and Berea Baptist Churches for
- Donating 1000s of Bible Study books, Sunday School materials, and many other items
- Providing crews to help with projects, transport boxes to the storage units, and pack the container
- Days for Girls (Ginni Richards) for donating hundreds of menstrual kits
- Dress a Girl (Jane Nichols Bishop) for donating more than 5000 new sundresses, menstrual kits, dolls, baby blankets and hats
- Crossover Healthcare Ministry for donating 1000s of medical supplies along with braces and other medical devices
- Uptown Cheapskate for donating a carload of clothes each month
- Louann Rodgers for faithfully maintaining our website for 8 years until handing over the reins to George Farmer this fall. We are grateful for George’s willingness to maintain the website.
- Our Kenyan Project Team (Immaculate Sifuna, Project Manager, and her team) and our US Prayer Team
- The CEF Team who have partnered with us to train teachers and establish Good News Bible Clubs and other CEF programs in Western Kenya (Mary Kithuure, CEF Kenyan Training Director, John Luck, CEF VP of Global Partnership Ministry, and the Kenyan Training Team)
- The “Angel Who Brings The Boxes” and does countless other things to help us (Karen Dawson)
- Countless individuals who support us by their prayers, financial support, donated items, and help with sorting and packing.
Blessings,
Kathy Carlin, Director Serving in Jesus Name
Serving in Jesus’ Name is a tax-exempt 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and donations are tax-deductible. We are an all-volunteer organization with 100% of all public donations going directly to our service projects. Visit us at servinginjesusname.org/
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