Planning Our Next Trip to Kenya! Want to come?

We hope you and your families are thriving and enjoying time together the past few weeks. It’s a busy season for us Americans filled with weddings, graduations, summer vacations, college planning, preparing for a new school year and so much more!

It’s in this season that includes a little extra rest and relaxation for most of us that I miss Kenya the most. In year’s past I would be planning a trip or coming back from a trip. Unfortunately, for 2022, I don’t see a trip in the cards unless God stirs in the heart of someone else to join me! It’s a trip like no other and I prefer it to the most exotic vacation as you will laugh, cry, be amazed at nature, meet the kindest people, and MAKE A DIFFERENCE! The biggest difference will be in your heart as you will have a heart and compassion for others like you’ve never imagined. I like to say, “The biggest miracle is often a perspective change” and I sure could use a perspective change from all the first world problems we have going on here in America these days (and legitimate problems too).

If God has been tugging on your heart to join me in Kenya, PLEASE REACH OUT! I’d love to have a conversation with you about it and see if it’s the right time (or when is) for you to join me. I know God will bring me the perfect travel partner(s) soon!

In the meantime, please read on about our continued work in Kenya and how we truly are making a difference in the lives of so many!!! As always, thank you for your trust, partnership, and prayers!

God bless,

Christa

Changing Lives One Day at a Time

Having successfully completed a six months tailoring training at Give Amore, Jista, one of the recent alumni of the program, couldn’t be any prouder of her achievement courtesy of dedication and hard work, despite being seven months pregnant. She is now ready to take on her lifelong dream of becoming a professional tailor immediately after the birth of her child this fall.

Just like numerous young women in her community, she had to end her education prematurely due to financial lack thus setting her on the path of early marriage and taking care of her family as a stay at home mom. This offered no possibilities to advance her education let alone learn a new skill due to lack of time and most importantly money to finance her training but not until the opportunity to train with Give Amore happened.

Conveniently located near her home not only could she spare the much needed time, but also learn charge free in our fully equipped tailoring classroom keenly guided by competent teachers. Further. Upon her graduation, Jista and her course mates were each gifted with a sewing machine among other tailoring aids to catapult them to industry as women in business. We wish them all the best.

Well #33 In Service

Lack of water equals no life and once again your generosity has yielded another water well for yet another community in western Kenya, a gift to behold. This new blessing brings to thirty-three the total number of wells sunk in our portfolio since the inception of the program.

This community comprises of tens of families; forming the primary beneficiaries and also being the chief caretakers of its sustainability throughout its years of service to come. Alongside providing clean water to the community, it will be saving women and children valuable time that was prior lost in long treks in search of water, that now can be invested in industry.

It is a huge motivation to reminisce of how far our consolidated efforts in this partnership have changed lives remarkably over time and be hopeful of what the future holds. Further, everyday gratitude and joy exuded by communities such as this one imparts in us the understanding of how it is to be the hands and feet of Christ.

How Our Food Distribution Program is Changing Lives

Many families in western Kenya live under $1.90 a day, an amount which is impossible to support a healthy livelihood in any part of the world. This urgency and more are the reasons why Give Amore came up with her food distribution initiative to help alleviate, if not entirely, malnutrition and hunger.  

Statistically, one in three children in Kenya suffers from chronic undernutrition therefore, your efforts in combatting this menace is not underestimated. However, we believe so much more needs to be done and with our synergy of hope compassion for mankind and love, so much more will be achieved in due course. 

Alongside clean water, economic empowerment among others brilliant programs, it is embedded in our hearts that provision of nutritious diet to our sponsored children helps in realizing a lasting impact in their lives today and most importantly in their futures to come.

The Ripple of Love

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.”

— Mother Teresa

What a busy time of year this is! It seems the world has woken up after a two-year slumber! It’s spinning faster and faster (and at times seems out of control). It spun so fast that we missed the May newsletter as I was busy getting ready for my 18-year-old son to graduate high school! When I started working in Kenya, he used to draw pictures and sell then for ten cents each to raise money for the orphans in Africa! It seems like yesterday! 

Give Amore has accomplished so much! But we still have so much to do! Let us not grow weary of doing good! Galatians 6:9. Our ripple is just getting started!

One of my favorite things lately was a message from Paul in Kenya. He had bumped into a graduate of our sewing program who told him our sewing program CHANGED her life and to thank us! WOW!!! I love hearing that!

I’m missing my team. I’m missing our children (who have grown up so much since I’ve last been there) but God hasn’t cleared me to go to Kenya yet. I need an amazing travel partner. He’s always sent me with one. I’m praying He provides one soon!

So, in the meantime, I hope you enjoy just a few snippets of goodness that we are blessed to be a part of in Kenya!

Thank you for your trust and partnership! We are blessed to be on this journey with you!

God bless and keep you!

Christa Horst

Founding Director

Give Amore

Well #32: Abundant Blessing

As our hearts overflow with joy and love, a well in a remote village in western Kenya is brimming of clean, safe water ready to quench the thirst of hundreds of its’ beneficiaries. This new baby in town was commissioned in a prayer ceremony and handed to the community bringing our total number of boreholes sunk to thirty-two.

With the water problem being so perennial in the vast western region and beyond, women and children traverse miles in search for this precious necessity, but not anymore for this community because well #32 has got their backs with plenty of water; safety assured.

On the other hand, well #33’s sinking has kicked off in yet another village and should be completed in due course, thereby expanding the scope of number of lives touched in varied ways through this life changing initiative and thoughtful partnership. We thank you for your steadfast support.

Family Empowerment at its Best

There is a new cow in the village and it is a beautiful gift to Petronilla and her family of four. Not only will this cow supplement their diet with the much needed dairy product they so crave, but it will also be of essence in their long term economic growth and prosperity in various ways.

With a widowed mother who mainly does menial jobs to help put food in their bellies, this heaven-sent gift suffices as the best side income generator for the family, as well as hone their interests and love for animal husbandry.

Most people in communities in Kenya sell animal by-products, such as meat and milk directly to consumers who widely constitute mostly family and neighbors, as well as strangers. As seen over the years, this venture fetches much needed extra money that the families need. We pray this venture grows into a sustainable enterprise.

Blessings on More Blessings

Our recent Made with Amore sewing students graduation.

Our pool of Made with Amore tailoring school graduates keeps growing exponentially after four other brilliant young women graduated after successfully completing a six months training on everything embroidery. They each received a sewing machine to help catapult them into a future of possibilities.

These beautiful women further exhibited their prowess in design and dress creation by each making their own dresses of choice and rocking them as their own models. Further, they kept the dresses as souvenir of their productive days at Give Amore as well as a reminder of the second chance they got at life.

Most of these women come from broken violent marriages with deep scars of despair and bleak hopes. Others are school dropouts due to lack of school fees and forced marriages with a deep desire to learn and do more with and for their lives. However, certainly with this empowerment they can take on their future and further better it for others who follow.

The Goodness of God-April 2022

Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. -Psalm 27:13

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. -Psalm 23:6

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. -Romans 8:28. 

For over seven years, Give Amore has had a front row seat to see the goodness of God in Kenya through clean water, education for orphans, providing skills training for adults and medical clinics! When I look back at the vision God gave me to “do what I can do” and “BE the hands and feet of Jesus” to his children in Kenya, I’m in awe. So much has changed the past seven years. I still can’t believe that I get to have a front row seat to the generosity and compassion of others! 

I try to not focus on the fact that I’m just one person doing what I can do here to be the voice of our brothers and sisters across the globe and instead focus on who God has brought to us to support us! I’m constantly reminded how small I am and yet how powerful we are when we step into action under His prodding. Yes, I’d like to do so much more! Yes, I wish I had more time and more energy to focus on Give Amore! Yes, I wish we had more resources to grow into the vision that God gave me for a beautiful building that can be a community center of hope and health, but in the meantime, I will focus on what I can do and the amazing people He has brought along this journey with me.  

Read on for a few short articles showing just a glimpse of the goodness of God this month! It really is miraculous! Sometimes the miracle is kind people with good hearts coming together to make a difference. 

I love you all and thank you for putting your compassion into action through your support! You are treasured!

Blessings, 

Christa Horst

Founding Director of Give Amore

Well #32 Sinking on Course

The sinking of yet another well is underway in Emulele, Western Kenya, a clear indication that another community’s water problem will be solved soon. This well brings our total tally of wells sunk to 32 and will provide an enduring solution to the endemic water problem that has haunted the community for decades.

During the inception of the project, our team traversed the area and came to terms first hand with the difficulties women and children face just to get this precious commodity home. Despite the long distance and tiring terrain, the saddest bit was that the water collected was never enough to cater to a family’s needs.

Therefore, this well provides a sustainable solution to these problems as well as diminish the spread of prevalent waterborne diseases such as cholera bilharzia and more whose eventualities are fatal. Our hope is to help eradicate water problems in western Kenya and beyond and so far our efforts are fruitful. The well will be commissioned later in the month.

It's Back to School Time in Kenya

It’s back to school for Students in Kenya and our sponsored children are well equipped with the necessities to face the learning period ahead of them. Each student received the required stationery and text books as well as their regular supply of food and toiletries. 

Further, this school semester will realize the transition of Petronila, Fredrick and Walter from primary to high school respectively giving them yet another chance at education. With all their school fees paid fully up front, all our sponsored children will have all the time to focus on their studies without distractions.

Through education we seek to harness our children’s chances at a better tomorrow as well as achieve a ripple effect of change throughout the community through these precious ambassadors. We wish them all the best in their pursuit of education.

More Empowered Women

Another class of brilliant women graduated from our Made with Amore tailoring school resoundingly skilled and equipped after six months of training. They each received a sewing machine, certificate of completion and a stool for the future ahead of them.

Also, they got a chance to showcase their skills earned by making their own dresses and keeping them as part of their completion gifts. Most of these women hail from very poor backgrounds with families to look after and this program gives them a chance to excel in providing for them.

Some are married, others single mothers while others school dropouts, however, this program gives them an opportunity at making it in life by not only providing them with skills but also equipment to set up local businesses and later give back to their communities in different ways they can. We are proud of them.

Partners,

Wow! What a year it has been already! We apologize that this newsletter is so late in going out but we’ve had quite the technical and logistical challenges the past few months and continue to…but the obstacle is the way so we are persevering and doing our best to communicate all the good news we have going on!

Our world is in need of love, compassion, support and empathy now more than ever! And, some days it takes more effort to find the good news!

Well, we’re going to make it easier on you as we have 3 incredible, short articles below with what God’s been able to accomplish the past few months based on seeds that were planted long ago! We’re bearing more fruit!

As always, if you’d like to send a letter/message/photo to any child in our sponsorship program, please email them to me at christa@giveamore.org at any time. I’ll make sure the team can print them and deliver to the children at our next distribution event! The children love receiving letters! And, as a reminder, photos of the children are updated a few times a year and you can find them on our website with information about your child at http://www.giveamore.org/children-profiles.

While some days are hard, I’m always grateful for the front row view I have to all the good people using their gifts, talents, time and treasures to be the hands and feet of Jesus to this world! Read on for some examples!

May God bless you and keep you safe. Thank you for your partnership!

Christa Horst

Give Amore Founding Director 

Highly Anticipated Made with Amore Tote Bags are Back!

Made with Amore’s signature tote bags are back after years of wait due to the Covid 19 pandemic. The bags are handmade from carefully selected African fabric with a touch of love in every stich by our sewing students.

Apart from offering financial support to this program, our students get a firsthand experience in making them and as witnessed before, some of our alumni have specialized in tote bags making and they aren’t backing down.

Stylish and convenient, these bags are easy to carry around while their conspicuous beauty adorn your favorite daily look. With every bag sold, the proceeds ensure that girls and women in Kenya get sewing training without spending a dime from their pockets. Visit www.giveamore.org to purchase your favorite prints.

Well #31-Our Most Challenging Well To Date

As the year began, so was our well #31, the deepest of all our previous wells. The well is over seventy feet deep and soon the community around it will enjoy lasting clean safe water, a luxury they never had before and least dreamt of.

After weeks of intense digging by hand, along with many prayers, water has been found eventually and now its building is underway with its completion and commissioning expecting soon. This well is located in a very remote location further from the nearest water source.

When accomplished, women and children will be eased from the burden of searching for water for miles and also do away with common waterborne diseases characterized by water from open sources.

On the other hand, we are thankful that our well digging team is safe and sound given that such depths can be deprived of oxygen which is fatal. Hand dug with no modern day equipment, not even a flashlight, as our well worker goes deeper and deeper into the earth’s surface. This is truly not for the faint of heart or the claustrophobic! We are thankful we hit water and everyone was safe!

Give Amore Happenings

Another four of Give Amore’s sewing students graduated after completing six months of training successfully. The four ladies were later awarded each a sewing machine, a stool, and beautiful dresses they designed and made themselves.

Ecstatic as they were, they could not believe the next chapter of their lives was right before them and with the right tools to shape it. On the other hand, our two-month distribution exercise went down well with families receiving food and toiletries to supplement their supplies.

A section of our school going children also received their school uniforms after missing out on the first batch. Distributions are not only vital in supply of much needed essential items but also provide an environment to interact with our children and their guardians and also convey and emphasize much needed covid 19 prevention guidelines especially in these times of multiple variants.

Let There Be Hope for Every Nation

Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel (God with us). Matthew 1:23

Merry Christmas! We have wrapped up 2021 beautifully with every child receiving a new outfit, a wonderful extravagant meal of meat, vegetables, chapati (yummy) and so much more! Their shoes are on backorder (just like we have distribution issues here too!). 

Last year, I mistakenly had a “brilliant” idea of having homemade soaps made and mailing those to all of our ongoing donors. Well, much to my shock, each one coast over $7.50 to ship, along with a card, a bubble mailer, and a lot of time (only to have about 25 returned to me), I vowed to NEVER repeat my expensive (I paid for it not our donors) mistake again! :)

So, this year, I made a digital gift! It took me way longer than it should have but I had so much fun putting it together! I tried hard to capture photos (from Facebook) of our ongoing partners and I heard this beautiful song while out for a walk and God gave me this idea! 

 Please watch this short video and read these few short articles to see how we treat everyday like Christmas around our parts! :)

We are so thankful for you and wish you and your families a very, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May the God of hope be even closer in 2022! 

Christa Horst and the Give Amore Team

In the Spirit of Christmas

Joy and abundance filled the air this Christmas season at our resource center in Kenya as Give Amore spread love through gifts, teaching and celebration of the eminent birth of our savior Jesus Christ. Our children had the time of their life, some indulging in their favorite meals and beverages, something that isn’t as common in their homes and daily routines.

Topping the list of gifts this time and every other year was new clothes for all our sponsored children, a tradition so popular in the African culture, as well as extra food and toiletries. Coming in third and fourth in a row were livestock and bibles for select families. 

Apart from all the gifts, meals and merry making, our children were taught the significance of the birth of our lord Jesus Christ and how it impacts our lives today. They were further reminded that Christmas is a time to reflect about others, especially the less fortunate and how sharing unconditional love goes a long way in changing lives immensely. Merry Christmas!

Vivian's Big Leap

Vivian finally is set to embrace her dreams after successfully graduating among the top of her class with a bachelor’s degree in education. Scooping a first class honors upper division, this beautiful Give Amore alumni told of how hard she worked, prayed and hoped she would be where she is today.

Having grown right before our eyes, she has blossomed into a beautiful modern young woman, now a wife and a mother of one, with a knack for benevolence and charity. In her own way, she is thankful of how far she has come and hopes to make a better teacher and mentor to many she believes will look up to her.

By educating girls, not only is an individual empowered, but also the vast community nay society. While exuding great excitement and hope, she is prepared to take on the next chapter of her life. We wish her all the best in her maiden career. 

2021 in Perspective

2021 has been undoubtedly an extension of 2020 and despite all the downs coupled with it, there were many blessings that came with it as well. And as we prepare to turn a new leaf into the loading 2022, were are thankful for all we have achieved so far and hopeful for many more to come.

Despite hitting our 31st well target, we saw quite a number of women graduate from our tailoring school and set up sewing businesses that are thriving and greatly changing their lives for the better. Further, our sponsorship program churned out high school graduates who are out now chasing after their dreams.

From our fruitful partnership we hope and believe 2022 will be full of mightier achievements that not only change lives for the better, but also bring glory to God. Kindness is the perfect picture of the world we believe in and we are certain today and many others to come will be just as beautiful.  Happy New Year folks!