Sharing Our 8th Well with the Community

The Give Amore total well count now stands at eight after our most recent well was completed, commissioned and handed over to the community for their continued benefit and its care.

In a wonderful ceremony, only found on African soil, graced by Christa and Heather, the completed well was a child born into the arms of a longing community and judging from the songs, dance, hearty laughter from the women and children, and feasting, the well is a child they will protect close.

The well is not only the deepest sunk in Give Amore’s history, but also the one of them all that was frequently marred with sudden collapse and other threats due to the heavy rains that fell throughout the project.

The well is situated at Elvis’ home, a serene location closer to the village’s main road thus making it accessible and welcoming from a distance. According to the village elder, the well is projected to serve over 100 families, and many more visitors around it, throughout its lifetime.

On the other hand, our 9th well is fully funded and should take course soon! Stay tuned for updates on it! The average well costs around $2500. Please join us in bringing water to more communities. It’s truly a life-giving cause. www.giveamore.org

Made with Amore Graduates with Hope

The premier Made with Amore graduation came to pass successfully with the five graduating students reaping off Give Amore’s promise by taking home, each, a hemming kit, and a full set sewing machine.

The ceremony also entailed a challenge, where the excited graduating ladies took on a tote bag making contest which saw the winner receive $10 in cash rewards (here where the average worker makes $40 per month, this is an exciting sum of money to win).

Before the graduation ceremony, the graduates and their peers received an inspiring educative session with Christa, from whom they got pointers and heads-up on running successful viable businesses, in their case, tailoring start-up businesses.

 Also in the same week, the team handmade 100+ tote bags from your favorite African fabric patterns which are now on sale. To get a hold of your favorite pattern, follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook as you make your purchases on www.giveamore.org.    

Update from Trip to Kenya!

“I will live to carry Your compassion, to love
a world that’s broken, to be Your hands and feet...”

Friends and Family and even strangers that I don't know who donated money, supplies and supported us with prayers on our trip to Kenya-THANK YOU! Thank you doesn't seem to adequately express my emotions after coming back and processing this incredible journey God put Heather and I on. So, I'll try not to be too lengthy for fear of no one reading this, but I also want to express just a glimpse into the joy, the hope, the hurt, the healing and the transformation that we had first hand exposure to. 

First off, all the prayers for our families, our/their safety and our travel mercies were answered. Thank you! We were overall very healthy, slept decently, had energy and our families at home were okay without us. Thankful we all survived. :)

Secondly, I wanted to give you an account for how we spent your money you all generously donated to us! Heather and I decided to put our money together and I tell you that God multiplied it. Here's SOME of what we used your donations for:

• 5 New Sewing Machines & Tables
• Supplies for Cornerstone Orphanage (utensils, plates, bowls, cups, cooking pans, sheets, blankets, mosquito nets and more!)
• Table and Chairs for the orphanage
• Surgery for Faith (what we were told it would cost is not what it will cost as it's way more invasive than we thought, but we have received additional funds towards the balance and pray the rest will be covered through general donations)
• Fixed the well on Cornerstone campus. Y'all, this was the best money spent as so many were without access to water and selfishly, I benefitted as I could use a more traditional toilet when needed. Praise God! :)
• We will be repairing/preventing further damage to the roof of our Give Amore building. The building we use is in very bad shape. To fix it would cost thousands. We spent hundreds to patch it and to try to prevent further damage. This is still a huge need that we pray God will provide soon!
• Diapers and Milk for Shaddy and Neville. Shaddy is the young boy who has severe cerebral palsy and his mom, Christian, raises him, her two daughters and her two nieces. Neville is her great nephew who is being raised by his grandma after his mom died during childbirth. This is the baby I held last year just days after he was born and his mom passed away. 
• A wheelchair for Shaddy!
• School supplies for 36 8th graders at Ebulechia school as they need them to take their tests to see if they can continue on into high school. 
• Soccer Balls for Cornerstone children and Give Amore children
• A large screen projector so we can continue teaching free computer classes to the community. The screen we used was stolen due to the roof access (hence why we need a new roof). We have since purchased more locks and more lighting. 
• Fungal medicine for the children in our program. We want to always have it on site as the children often have this fungus on their heads. If treated, it is minimal expense. If untreated, it can be very dangerous.
• We paid for 2 nurses to come teach the community and our children the Heimlich and CPR as well as talk to the adolescent girls about sexual education.
• Offering to Ebulechia church and school for their needs (flooring, desks)
• We gave some funds to our amazing co-op that some of the moms/guardians of the children in our program started. They are planting crops, raising chickens and selling eggs, etc. They pool their money so it goes further and they support each other. Incredible!
• 5 Stools for our sewing program
• Another sewing table and supplies needed for our sewing program
• 2 year college certification for Frida Abuti, a recent graduate from our program who wants to get her business administration certification.
• High school tuition for Lena, Christian's daughter who is at risk of being sent home from high school for unpaid school fees though she's close to graduating. 
• Catering school for Alice, a recent graduate from our program. 
• And there were so many others we were able to bless with smaller amounts/gifts.

As you can see, we were busy! But God was so good to us and we had So. Much. Fun! It really is better to give than to receive. Because when we give, we end up receiving things that money can't buy-HOPE, JOY, INCREASED FAITH, and lots and lots of LOVE!

I couldn't have asked for a better travel companion than Heather. I've been blessed with amazing travel buddies-Stephanie Rivers, Melissa Sanchez and now Heather Duncan. Seriously, so much fun and such bonding happens on trips like this. A lot of TMI (too much information) is shared about bodily functions, sleep habits, thirst, hunger and more. Heather and I made up our own acronyms-IFJ (Inconvenienced For Jesus) which is entirely different than SFJ (Suffering For Jesus). We did not do any SFJ, but perhaps we were IFJ a few times. :)

On a serious note, we felt God's presence so profoundly there. I've always said that I love going to Kenya because I feel like I'm the best version of myself. Or at least a better version of myself. You learn to wait on Kenyan time (very different than American time) so you learn to just be. Not to rush. It's not about being productive but rather being present and in the moments when we were present and pushed aside our to-do list is when we saw God move. It made me realize how often I'm too busy doing my to-do list that I forget to see what it is that God would have me do. I also pray more there. When the problems around us are real problems (no water, no health care, no food, no school, abandoned children, abandoned wives, etc.) you are completely humbled and dependent on God and not how we can fix it. So, I just go to prayer. It's my only and most powerful tool. 

We also felt the enemy trying to attack us. Big time. But we put on our Armor of God and prayed and looked up and surrendered our plans, our ideas and our emotions to God. He guarded us and honestly, my discernment was in high gear. My senses were on high alert and I was in tune to the Holy Spirit's promptings...to go, to stop, to retreat. 

I wish I could update you all on so many things, but this is long enough. I'm working on a slide show of pictures from our trip to try to summarize 2 weeks of amazingness into a 3 minute tribute. I pray I can do it!

Lastly, this truly was a village effort. Heather and I had the support of our families and friends. We had so many people donate items-Laptops (2), iPhones (3), Androids (4), fabric, sewing kits, bandaids, Neosporin, watches, flashlights, stickers, pencils, paper, craft supplies, SHOES THAT GROW and so much more! I've never had so much luggage before! To everyone that contributed in some way-THANK YOU!

Asante Sana Rafiki. Mungu aku bariki we we. (Thank you very much friends. May God bless you greatly).

Christa Horst

“And I will give with the life that I’ve been given, to go beyond religion, to see this world changed by the power of Your name. -Lincoln Brewster”

Christa's Corner

“
You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9:11”

Dear Partner,

In just a few days I depart for my 4th trip to Kenya! We have a jam packed trip planned with so many great activities and opportunities to bless others. I’ll tell you all about them during and upon my return, but I wanted to take a moment and reflect on God’s goodness with you all.

Earlier this year, it didn’t seem possible that a trip was in store for me. Every year, I have dozens of people interested in joining me but when it comes time to book the trip and commit, it doesn’t seem to work out (no condemnation for those sweet friends who do have a desire to go though!). When it seemed I wasn’t going to be able to go, God put on my heart “September". Meanwhile, one night while hubby was out of town, I take the boys to a food trailer nearby for dinner and have a nice conversation with an acquaintance (Heather Duncan) through my youngest son’s previous preschool class. A few days later I post my “last call” to see if anyone is interested in joining me in Kenya sometime this year! And wouldn’t you know it, that God had put it on Heather’s heart (after our conversation and becoming FB friends) that she was to join me in Kenya! And when she told her hubby, he told her she should check when my next trip was. And THE NEXT DAY I posted my call for anyone interested in joining me and she answered!!!! That is seriously amazing and you can’t explain that sort of thing except through God!

Then when I check with Bishop Titus about when is a good time for us to go this year (he helps coordinate our travel plans and guide us, etc.), he tells me “September”! 

Then, when we start planning our trip, God gives me the amount of $3500 to raise for needs in Kenya. That’s a lot of money. And every time I have to do this, I cringe because I hate asking again and again from my friends and family. Over 50 different people contributed to make me slightly surpass my goal at $3530!!!

Now, I’m not going to sugarcoat things. Life is extra hectic and crazy for me right now. Satan always seems to like to stir up things for me before I leave, but I know it’s because he knows God is going to use us big time to be the hands and feet of Jesus. I ask that you pray for our families, our safety, our health, our extensive travel, divine appointments and that we will shine bright for the kingdom as ambassadors for Christ to all we meet.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us in prayer, encouragement, financial contributions, donations of items and those who are helping our families while we are gone. It really takes us all using our gifts, treasures, times and talents to work together and be the body of Christ in this dark world. 

Please take a moment to see some ways we are making a difference across the globe. Enjoy our brief newsletter.

“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 2 Corinthians 9:12”

Christa and Heather Head to Kenya

2017 Kenya trip with Melissa Sanchez and Christa Horst handing out goodies at our big supply distribution event for the children of Give Amore. 

In her latest update, on the upcoming trip to Kenya, Give Amore’s vision bearer and C.E.O, Christa can’t wait to arrive in Kenya for the fourth time.

Alongside Heather, they will land on Kenyan soil on 9/20, less than two weeks off, and take to their itinerary schedule head-on for the next seven days from their arrival date.

Their itinerary is thronged with an array of business, fun, teambuilding and prayer activities inclusive of:

·       Blessing and commissioning of our 8th well for use by the community.

·       Getting down to shopping for African fabrics for Made with Amore tote bags in the open air market.

·       Distribution party and reunion networking with our sponsored children and their guardians.

·       Capacity building talk with Heather.

·       Attend a church service at Ebulechia village cornerstone Church.

·       Inspect previous projects supported by Give Amore in Ebulechia Village.

·       Safari trip at Maasai Mara game reserve in Nairobi

·       And much, much more!

To keep tabs with the trip and its daily unfolds, like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/amoreministries and follow us on Instagram @giveamore for on the go updates and don’t fail to catch our October Newsletter for the whole story. 

Success of our 8th Clean Water Well!

Despite all the challenges, setbacks and stall reported in the previous weeks, Give Amore’s 8th well is headed to its successful completion phase.

The process, that saw the stalling of a well and the starting of another in a different spot in the same location, was marred with multiple collapse scares. Fortunately enough, the walls held steady for the entire digging and building process and finally due to be commissioned is a secure, firm well ready to for its huge task of flowing its clean safe water down the consumption canals of the eagerly waiting thirsty villagers nay community.

The well will be commissioned and blessed in a wonderful celebration slated for 9/25 and which will be graced by Christa and Heather.

The diggers reported sufficient water found and the sixty feet deep well is remarkably placed to stand drought without drying up or even scaring to.

Bishop Titus Inspiring Success

Bishop Titus Khamala has ascended to the helm of the highest constituency office as the Member of Parliament for the next five years, a similar office to that of America’s congressmen.

He was democratically elected on 8/8 and won with the majority vote to be the first elected clergy into public office in the constituency’s history.

Prior from a poor,  humble background, Bishop Khamala conceived and exuded greater will to help alleviate the people in his constituency from the fangs of poverty, political injustices, and immoral influence, a role he so embraced even before joining politics. 

Give Amore nonprofit resides under the Cornerstone umbrella and thus, this success story means a lot to us and motivating to our children that “their dreams are valid no matter where they are from.”

We wish him the best of sagaciousness as he leads this great constituency into Godly reverence and developments that directly improves the lives of the people. 

Christa's Corner

“So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. I Corinthians 3:7”

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90:17”

As I prepare for my upcoming trip in a little over a month, these verses have jumped up off the pages of my bible during my morning reading. I’m certain God wants to remind me that it is all HIM and not me. I need this reminder often as I sometimes feel the weight of caring for all the children in our program and our sewing students and our computer class students and our well workers and my Kenyan team and the communities we serve through our wells… It’s a lot for ME to try to carry. But God doesn’t want me to carry the weight of all of this. He is in control and as long as I’m willing, He is able.  He has brought so many generous supporters and prayer partners the past 2.5 years and I pray for continued favor and for Him to continue establishing the work of our hands. It is through God that all things grow, so I will trust that God will stir in others the desire to join us and continue to support us as we bring hope and joy and love to our brothers and sisters across the globe.

Please read on for a brief glimpse into a few of the ways God is using us to transform lives in Kenya. 

Kenya Trip Coming Soon!

Heather Duncan and her husband Jesse, son Brody and daughter Scarlett. 

Like the sand in the hour glass, Christa and Heather’s visit to Kenya is closing in and many hearts and smiles are all set to welcome them and warm their stay.

They are expected to land in Kenya, after two days of traveling, on 9/20 and begin their work and fun stay for 12 days before departing for home.

Their schedule focuses on:

·       Meeting with our sponsored children and their guardians

·       Home and school visits

·       Distributing “Shoes that Grow”

·       Working with sewing and computer classes

·       Heather to work with both Give Amore and Cornerstone school children on crafts with a gospel message

·       And much more that the Holy Spirit will direct them to do while having the great African experience only Kenya can provide.

Also, follow us on our social media handles on Facebook and Instagram for on the go updates and keep up with our monthly Newsletter releases for the whole story. 

Progress On Our Newest Well!

Work on our newest well is underway and the standing update is that it has reached 40 feet deep.

The work however, was halted for a few days due to a collapse scare after lumps of soil started falling from one side of the well walls due to heavy rains that fell in area.

A way forward has been suggested and is being implemented thus, the walls will have to be bricked first to hold them firm before further deepening is done to avert any possible dangers.

The wells are dug by hand and the workers descend with every foot dug until they reach the water table.

Give amore is currently working on its 8th well with four of the eight done this year alone.

Our quest is to help provide clean safe water for drinking and domestic use in the communities within and off our jurisdiction as an enduring solution to the numerous water problems in Western Kenya.

How Free Computer Training Changed Oscar’s Life

The first students of the free TGD Computer Class. Oscar is located in back center. 

Somewhere in Emusanda Village in Kakamega, Kenya, lies a humble abode that bred the now aircraft engine technician in the Kenyan air force, a coveted position in the Kenya Defense Forces (K.D.F).

Before rising the ranks, Oscar Amanya joined the free computer training program as a student after failing to enroll incollege due to lack of funds and scholarships despite scoring wonderful grades in his high school finals.

The ‘broken’ Oscar worked so hard to later be hired by then Trinity Global Development (TGD) organization as a volunteer computer trainer, a leeway that led him to advance his skills in computer programming and database management then offered in the organization.

His breakthrough materialized after four years at TGD when he beat 300 young village men to be the one selected to the air force in a hotly contested army recruitment process.

Oscar emerged the preferred recruit after he produced his computer certificate and demonstrated his computer skills in a test, thus had an extra advantage over his peers.

He is currently serving in Nairobi Airbase and still admits that his computer skills, earned by grace, is instrumental in his daily operations and tasks and that without them he would have been somehow professionally paralyzed or even not in the army at all.    

Christa's Corner

“Love is the most effective form of evangelism. ”

Dearest Partners,

Thank you for taking a few minute to read just a snapshot of what we have going on at Give Amore! There’s a lot going on in our community in Kenya and our newsletter is how we can keep you informed with at least some of it.

Among the highlights this month is the completion of our 7th well! And our 8th well will get started in the next week or so!

The lowlight has been a recent break in to our Give Amore offices. The thieves stole our large computer screen we use to teach our students in the computer training program. The cost to replace it is $600 and unfortunately, we don’t have any funds designated for this. We, however, did purchase new locks and lighting to try to prevent further break-ins. We are thankful that the thieves didn’t take any of the new computers!

So, we have an immediate need for funds to replace this large screen so we can continue to effectively teach adult students computer training. So far, over 1500 students have completed our program in the past 5 years and hundreds have gone on to secure great jobs because of this free community class. Would you please consider making a one-time donation of any amount toward this need?

Our needs are great but our God is greater so we will continue to trust Him to stir in the hearts of others to support us. He hasn’t let us down yet.

Thank you all for your support through prayer and giving.

God bless,

Christa

“A new command I give you; Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:34-35
”

More Clean Water!

With the 7th borehole complete and flowing with clean safe water for general consumption, Give Amore is up to its next task of digging yet another well, the 8th in her accomplishments of wells.

The blessing this time will be situated in Elvis’s home (one of our sponsored children), a location whose close proximity to the village’s all-weather road distinguishes it as a better option to render the well to the village and therefore also bless the lager community.

The women in this village make multiple two mile treks to a single open underground water source to fetch this fundamental livelihood commodity and thus risk contracting waterborne infections like cholera, bilharzia, etc. and also perilous bites from snakes, mud crabs, centipedes etc. as they wade in the muddy waters with bare feet whilst trying to access the main water collection point.

Therefore, the 8th well like its predecessors, will not only be just another borehole, but the 8th well of wellness via providing myriad of solutions to the numerous water needs in the village and the vast community. 

Break in at Give Amore Offices

A few days ago, Give Amore’s resource building was broken into and our large screen used to teach computer skills to our students was stolen.

The thieves accessed the building via its incomplete roof and then proceeded to break the door locks to commit the heinous act. However, none of the computers used for training was tampered with nay stolen; something that raises questions as to why the tutorial television monitor was circled as a target.

The monitor was an LED 40 inch LG television which was mainly utilized in free community computer training as a rendering resource, televising video tutorials on myriad of topics on life skills etc. and has served the latter purposes for a record period of five years.

Give Amore and the entire Cornerstone Church fraternity condemns this act in the strongest of terms and appeals for any donations (funds or a used television) to help restore and keep the free computer training project on course.

The Program boasts of over 1500 students from the community and beyond having passed through it and hundreds from the output having secured prestigious jobs as well as started computer services businesses that are doing well and giving back to the community.

It can be recalled that there have been various fruitless attempts to break into the premises in the past and this is the only successful attempt and we hope and pray it is the very last. 

Henry’s “I do” Moment

Henry Anjeje, Give Amore’s chief accountant, exchanged wedding vows with his wife Eunice of 14 years on 6/24. While the couple has been married for 14 years, this beautiful ceremony was a rare and joyous event for the entire community to enjoy!

The wedding graced by family and friends of the couple was conducted at Cornerstone Mission Church and if the African energy of song and dance is anything to go by, the event equaled Eunice’s dream wedding.

Among the witnesses to account of this wonderful union were Mona and her family who were in Kenya for the annual Cornerstone church Christian convention and therefore had first-hand experience of how an African Christian wedding can be so much fun!

We speak blessings over the couple and their five children plus many more marriage memories to come.

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Anjeje!

Christa's Corner-Love is the Most Effective Form of Evangelism

Thank you dear ones for your support of Give Amore! We have been able to accomplish so much in just two and a half years! While God has done mighty things through us, there is much work to do! I don’t want to limit our goals and dreams for these communities to what I think I am capable of accomplishing. A scripture I read this morning jumped out at me off the pages of my Bible-”…If their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But, if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”-Acts 5:38-39. This scripture reminded me that if Give Amore’s purpose or activity is from God, than nothing is impossible!

If we are to tackle the global giants, we need a global vision. Global giants include extreme poverty (as a result of which 30,000 children die each day), preventable diseases for which we have easy cures, the need for education and the need for clean water (which could be funded by the amount of money that Americans spend on ice-cream every year!). 

There are two possible attitudes when facing a giant. One is to say, it’s too big, there’s nothing I can do. The other is to say, it’s so big, I can’t miss.

Please help us continue to tackle these big giants-we can’t miss…especially with God on our side, we will not fail! Just like David when he faced Goliath. Instead of seeing the giant who overpowered him, he saw a large target that he knew, with God on his side, he couldn’t miss. 

Join me as we fight the global giants one sponsored child, one clean water well and one Made with Amore tote bag at a time. 

God bless,

Christa Horst, Give Amore Founder & Director

The Chapatti Factor by Paul Mukani, Give Amore Director of Communications

Chapatti, a Kenyan delicacy, is similar to a tortilla (but better says Christa). 

General items distributions get our sponsored children excited but, did you know the zeal to always attend more of these functions is Chapatti?

If you have visited Kenya in the past, you are familiar with the popular unleavened pan-grill bread dubbed Chapatti and apart from them being a popular favorite to many, most children in the rural Kenya reserve the delicacy for special functions such as parties, weddings, funerals, circumcision, childbirth celebrations etc. while to some, it is a luxury beyond their daily reach and thus, save it for Christmas celebrations only.

Our sponsored children on the other hand however, have a chance eating chapatti every two months and this gives them something to talk about with pride to their peers whenever the popular food subject comes up on their lengthy treks home from school.

Different from Indian Chapatti, these are made with white or all-purpose wheat flour and are coiled up. They also have a distinguishing element of fat (either ghee or oil) to them.

The purpose of the coil is to make a light flaky chapatti and the outer layers are brushed with oil giving it a crispy edge.

Chapatti is supper simple to throw together, just five ingredients, a little bit of patience and you would be enjoying the tantalizing feel and taste of homemade chapatti; even better served with either chicken or beans and vegetables.

On the lighter side, a part from the call and passion of changing and blessing lives of many in the community, Christa comes back to Kenya for Chapattis too!

So next time your child mentions Chapattis as the favorite meal in his/her letter, you can gauge in your mind what it is and the fact that they have it every two months matters! 

Why water, food and education are our main focus in Kenya

Low school enrollment has become a growing concern in Kenya in the recent years, while governments play politics with subsidizing the cost of living, just to get their feet in the hall of power and immediately afterwards forget even mentioning easing the burden in the first place.

‘Subsidized primary school education costs’ was quite a statement, first heard in the year 2002 after a long wait and when it was thereafter implemented, Kenya registered the highest number of children enrolled into public run schools in her history.

However, this was short-lived when other factors came into play and either partially or totally impeded learning thereby forcing many learners to dropout of schools in order to help their parents/guardians curb them to survive.

The two main factors were insufficient water and food that were in meager supply due to children’s resort to be in school and the task of fending for daily bread and water left for a few to perform.

For Nixon Eshiundu, life has never stayed the same after his father’s death from asthma in 2014. His mother and his five siblings had to figure out how to redraw the vectors of their new life without their sole breadwinner.

As Gladys (Nixon’s mother) narrates, it is never enough to feed, clothe, and keep her six children in school from the uncertain $1.5 she makes a day from working in people’s farms and homes. Therefore, to increase their income, her children worked out a school skipping schedule in order to help their mother fend for their daily needs as well as ensuring water is fetched for their daily domestic consumption.

Further as we came to discover during this piece, Nixon, 9 and a 3rd grader, has been added to the schedule and skips school at least twice a week to help in the income generation activities and to this, he has no choice but to, because to them, it is either food or school or, as they worked it out, both.

‘Today is a weekend and only Nixon and his mother have been left behind; the rest have already left in search of menial work and with the pot of boiling mixture of corn grains and beans, the family of seven is certain of at least a munch today.’

With sky rocketing costs of living in the Kenyan economy such a reality, hopes of staying in school for Nixon are fast fading and only the assurance of the morning sun keeps him and his family moving on in the dissents and assents that come with it.

Finally as we prepare to leave, we notice a blanket on a rugged mattress on their living room floor and this he confirms as his sleeping place.

‘We all nod to the fact that education is the key to a brighter future, but with challenges such as these, there is very little to look forward to for Nixon and many othersalike; and this is where we come in!’

7th Well of Wellness

Our number of wells dug keeps growing and currently a seventh well is on course and should be completed soon!

As a blessing to Lydia and Elizabeth’s community (sisters in our sponsorship program), the well will quench thirsts and solve numerous water problems and risks in the vast community that solely depends on running water from a wide river traversing the valleys of the village.

The river is well known to flood during the rainy seasons and is even named after its devouring dangers such as sweeping away of bridges, and deaths courtesy of people (mostly children) drowning in it.

The well is a boost to our water provision venture and the communities we touch and much more a dream come true to the inhabitants of the communities who have for a long time been searching for an alternative source of clean safe water for drinking and other consumptions.

The well is located at Lydia and Elizabeth’s home, a strategic location and easily accessed by the villagers.

Christa's Corner-May 2017 Newsletter

“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.-Proverbs 11:25”

I am beyond thrilled to let you all know that I’ll be going to Kenya in September with an amazing woman and young mother, Heather Duncan. It’s funny how God clearly told me September back in February and when we checked in with Bishop Titus to see when we should come he said September! So, September it is!

Heather Duncan with one of her two beautiful children, Scarlett, age 2. Not pictured is Brody, age 4. 

A few updates:

• We are close to being able to start on our next well! God is so good!
• All of our children are sponsored! Praise Him!
• We received a batch of over 100 bags and another batch of 150+ Made with Amore tote bags are en route. We could use help selling these tote bags so if you have any events coming up that we could have a table or if you’d like to take 10 or so each to try and sell, that would be amazing! The proceeds from our tote bags go directly to support our programs
• Kenya is currently in a food and dry goods shortage and prices are soaring. We could use prayers for our children who will feel the effect of the prices by receiving less food than they currently receive. In order to keep their supply the same, we need additional funds. Please pray for more general funds so that we could increase budget as needed.
• As we prepare for our trip to Kenya, we need the following:
  • We are in desperate need for a new/used Canon T3 or T5i camera and lens. Our current one is on its last leg. 
  • My team each needs a smart phone, preferably an iPhone 6 or newer. We need 3.
    • All donations are tax-deductible
• Lastly, if you have any speaking opportunities locally (or even elsewhere in Texas), please let me know. I’m available and eager to tell our story directly to groups of people whether it be MOPS groups, churches, Bible Study groups, women’s clubs…whatever. If I can sell our tote bags on-site, even better!

Thank you to all our generous donors who make this all possible!

God bless you. 

Christa Horst

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in ever situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7”