Original Message:
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From: Nickole Anderson nickoleanderson@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 2 Jun 2009 05:26:30 -0500
To: victoriousbride@yahoo.com
Subject: 6/2/09 Kenya & pictures
Hello everyone!
So much happening here with *Mattaw Children's Village* and also with *In
Step Foundation*. I'll start first with *Mattaw*, Bud and Kimberly
Huffman's ministry who took in little Lucy who is now gaining weight and
full of smiles all the time. Mattaw finished their second children's home
yesterday, Monday June 1st.. It was a exciting time as the house parents
were finishing up putting bunk beds together and doors being put on. I got
to sand and paint door ways most of the afternoon. I got to eat with the
kids, Githeri, which is maze and beans. It is a common food dish along with
Ugali and Sukuma (which is in American terms...Corn/grits and Collard
greens.) Yes, I actually ate Collard greens, once. haha
The new home houses 4 boys and 5 girls. Bud got 4 of them from the village
and brought them to their new home yesterday. The twins, Mercy and
Jennifer, were so grateful as they arrived, they both came up to me and
hugged me. Their mother died of HIV/AIDS and they were living in the
village in a mud hut with their Grandmother who is very old and sick often.
The other two that were brought from the village were Sophie and her younger
brother Jose. They were originally living in a neighboring village last
year. During the post election violence that occurred the Grandmother came
and got the 2 kids. The mother remained behind in her village and was
killed by the horrible violence. The Grandmother, a widow, still has 3
children of her own to raise. Bud and Kimberly felt compassion to take
Sophie and Jose into their new home and care for them and give them an
education. The Grandmother is very grateful and gets to visit her
grandchildren once a month and on holidays.
As you know Lucy and Eric, both cases of mal-nutrition, were rescued over a
month ago and have been living with Bud and Kimberly's personal home. Now
that the second house is finished Eric is living out at the home with the
rest of the kids. Lucy will eventually live there after she continues to
grow, build muscle and learn to walk. A few other boys that have been
living in the first home will now have their own bed and space in the
second. They are very happy! Just seeing the kids light up when they are
given new clothes, soap, toothbrush and a bed just blesses your heart very
much. I am so glad I am here to see Mattaw finish a project that has taken
them nine months to build and complete. They plan to build a total of 6
homes, now they are building a new school house on the property, it has
already begun in the last 2 weeks. Constant building and growth with
Mattaw.
*In Step Foundation* with Jeff and Carla Picicci have exciting news that
they are about to get running water to their entire children's facility for
the first time. Yes, they have been using bucket showers for 6 years since
they have been in Kenya. They hull all the water from a fresh spring nearby
to the house daily in big tanks. Both,* Mattaw Children's Village* and* In
Step Foundation* have one thing in common, *Maji Tech/Love Mercy* (Ryan),
the drilling rig that dug them a burr hole. Now they have fresh clean water
to give to their children and running water to their children's homes. Jeff
has done most of the plumbing work himself, bless his heart, because if you
don't oversee every project very closely things are not done properly or
safely here in Kenya. I have been able to visit several times in the last
few days as Ryan is helping Jeff complete the work for the indoor plumbing.
I get to love on the little babies as they guys are out fixing piping.
*smiles Also Jeff and Ryan both have a fish farms on their property that
will be a self sustaining food for the children's homes and also making a
profit as they sell the fish to others.
Also a great gal from Nairobi just left yesterday. Her name is Florence and
loves God, she works for one of the main news/media channels in the capital
city. She came to visit Ryan and give her vacation time to the ministry and
make promo videos of MajiTech- Love Mercy ministries. She has been my
friend and company at the Love Mercy house for the last 3 weeks. We went
out to a local resturant Karibu to honor her before she left. I plan to go
to Nairobi a few days before my flight to the States and spend time with Flo
and she is going to take me gift shopping and also the National Park in
Nairobi to actually see wild life. YES!! Lions, Tigers and Zebras oh my! :)
Many of you have asked how you can help me or the ministries I am helping
here in Kenya.
If you feel led to help me personally, I have a month left here in Kenya,
send checks payable to Nickole Anderson to...
Louise Young
c/o Nickole Anderson
3312 106th Terrace
Kansas City, MO 64137
If you want to give to Mattaw Children's Village go to their personal blog
site *www.huffmansinkenya.blogspot.com* and there is a link to their
ministry site to donate and receive a tax deduction for your donation.
If you want to give to In Step Foundation go to their website, *
rehemaministries.com* where you can receive a tax deduction for your
donation.
your donation.
Thank you again for all that have been praying for me and financially
supporting me on my trip here to Kenya. I have been healthy and please
continue to pray for my health, pray for finances to be covered the rest of
my stay here and my return to the States. Pray also that the Lord would
give me clarity on where I am to live when I do return to the States. Pray
the Lord would continue to use me here this last month and that the
relationships I have established would continue to grow and be blessed.
Bless you in Jesus Name,
Nickole
