Fund Raising Information

At LLM's recent banquet, it was encouraging to hear Solomon share about the physical and spiritual progress the 16 children have made over the past year or more they’ve been at the home. Solomon and the board’s desire is to give that care to more vulnerable children. Since the existing house is full, plans have to be made for a new house. 

To give the children a comfortable, stable and safe house to live in, LLM is looking to build a new house that will hold 2 sets of houseparents and 24 children. The center of the house will have a living room and a kitchen, then each wing will have a bedroom for houseparents and bedrooms for the children. 

(one wing for boys and one for girls) 

It takes both Solomon and the staff in Kenya, along with the financial giving of people thousands of miles away to make projects like this happen. The estimated cost of the house is around $40.000 (US dollars). To cover any unexpected costs, LLM is looking to raise $50,000 this fall.

At the banquet* a little over half was raised. We praise God for that and we thank each of you that already gave toward the new house. 

We have exciting news! A few generous donors have offered to match any donations given between now and the end of the year. (up to $15,000) So if you, the gracious supporters of LLM, give a combined total of any amount up to $15,000, the donors will match that. If the total is raised, this will give LLM an additional $30,000 which would allow us to begin construction soon.

As Ron Miller, our treasurer, stated at the banquet, we know that the economy is tough right now and many are struggling, so we understand not everyone can give, but if you can, we thank you for prayerfully considering giving a gift to LLM this year. 

Donations can be sent to:
Living Love Ministries
12002 Arnold Road
Orrville, OH 44667


*Click here to see banquet pictures.

Living Love Ministries Banquet

With grateful hearts we bring you a report from a meaningful and festive evening Living Love Ministries recently had. 

LLM hosted its first fund-raising banquet at Shady Maple with a focus on raising funds for a new house. 220 people were there. Thanks to those of you that joined us at the banquet and for those of you that weren’t there ... here’s a recap of the evening. 

As people arrived, they were greeted by Solomon or a Living Love Board member at the registration table. They were given a brochure and a magnet about LLM and an updated picture of Solomon and his family. After entering the banquet room, they enjoyed appetizers, while browsing and shopping at tables covered with many beautiful items made in Kenya. 

The wood-burned pictures were made by Solomon’s father 

and the beautiful woven baskets by Eunice’s mother and other family members. 

The LLM board members covered the evening’s program. Mel Nissley opened with a warm welcome and a prayer. After a delicious meal, Mark Kraybill shared some of the history of LLM. He was followed by a video made by Eric Cressman from footage Solomon brought of the children at the home singing and playing. 

Janet Oberholtzer then interviewed Solomon about the home, the children and what he feels God is calling them to in the future. This transitioned into Ron Miller sharing about the finances needed to build the new house. Becky Jones closed the evening with a hopeful prayer.

Click here to see a photo album of banquet pictures on our Facebook page.

Join the Party!

Living Love Banquet

(Facebook page)

November 10, 2011
6:30 Appetizers / 7:00 Dinner

Shady Maple Banquet Facility

129 Toddy Drive, East Earl, PA

Solomon Mwangi,

director of the LLM home in Kenya, will be joining us.

 And we'd love you have you join us for this special event.


There will opportunities to buy Kenyan items. 

For more information and for reservations, 

contact us before October 30th ... info@hwcf.org or 610-286-6308 


So all the money donated that evening can go directly to 

the Children's Home in Kenya,

we need table sponsors, would you consider being one? 

Time has Wings

Time has wings they say! How true this is! 

 We fly with it whether we like it or not, why? Because it waits for nobody not even the king. Nothing lasts forever even the Bible says man is like grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall. But the word of God lasts forever. Isaiah 40:8. 


The only thing we are sure lasts forever is the love of God. I remember two boys who liked singing when I was in high school. One part of the song said: How will I sleep in the grave without Jesus, when my mother and my father and everybody else leave me? I need to have Jesus. While they were not born again they loved to sing this song. I hope they got to know the Lord. 


Some things are inevitable and must happen. The end of time is near there are signs pointing to this all around us. Time will soon stop flying and so shall everything else. You and I have today to do what we want to do. To spend time with those we love. To tell somebody about Jesus and His saving grace. To do that which we have been postponing for tomorrow, for tomorrow may never come.


While I have been reflecting about all this, our children have been a great reminder of how true this is as I watch them grow. I realize I have them for a limited time. I will not have them with me forever; even now I can not control them or what they do all the time. Abby is only five and a half, she recently went for music festival competitions with her school and spent a night for the first time without us. It was hard to let her go but it would have been unfair for her since she was performing. My baby is growing fast, telling me it's time to let go and let God! Something else is that a lot has changed with time we can not bring up our children the way our parents did. While we obediently obeyed without a lot of questions, our children are questioning, reasoning; arguing and you need to be ready with answers because they will not stop. This is where we go back to the word of God for wisdom and guidance. Because as much as everything has become modernized the word of God has not changed.

Timothy is two years already and quite tall for his age. We had a small birthday celebration with the children at the home. We might make this the norm for now since he loves being at the home and around the children.

That is before he knows he can have a birthday celebration at our house, at school and at the children’s home with big cakes like Abby insists.

The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.  Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.  Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others faithfully administering Gods grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4: 7- 10 

God bless you all,
Eunice

“MAMA” RAHAB

We want to introduce you to the staff at the children's home. Today Solomon introduces us to Mama Rahab. 

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Our house mother Rahab, together with her 3 children joined us at the home in April last year. She’s been both a mother and a mentor to the children. The work has not been without challenges given she’s never done this work before. However, her commitment and Christian values have been an asset to the home.

Rahab comes from an abusive marriage relationship and her coming to the home was a blessing for her. After years of physical and emotional abuse, her husband abandoned her and their children and left for another woman. For many months, she worked manual jobs to fend for her children until she was selected by the Kenyan LLM board to work with us.

She is now happy that her children can go to school, have food on the table and a roof over their heads. This has enabled her to fully focus in providing a safe family like environment. Her children quickly adapted to the new environment and integrated well with the LLM children. 

We have 4 other support staff that work with us to ensure everything runs fine both at the home and on the farm. Jane, Nathan, Mike and Teresa are a gift to the home and form a committed and dependable team. We will be focusing on each of them in our future updates.

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Along with care from Solomon and the capable staff ... the home needs your support. 

If willing to help, sent your tax-deductible gift to:

Living Love Ministries 

12002 Arnold Road 

Orrville, OH 44667

Personal Reflection from Eunice

Hello Friends,

Our whole family recently spent three days at the Living Love Children’s Home in Ol-kalou. We often make day visits but Timothy and I had not spent the night there before. Solomon always thought it would be too cold for Timothy since it can get quite chilly at night. Timothy really loved it and made himself busy opening and closing the many doors in the house. He enjoyed the vast space outside and wanted to follow the sheep and chickens everywhere. He also enjoyed playing with the children but only if Abby was in sight. Abby loves to be at the home and would go there everyday if she was not going to school. She likes helping, especially serving food to the children.

Solomon spent most of the time outdoors fixing and mending stuff. The children enjoy when he is around since he fills the father figure gap. One of the small boys (William) who was living with his grandparents before coming to the home calls him grandpa sometimes. But he says it in the cutest way, so we don’t mind.

It’s always fun to be with the children, I have realized at the end of the day that I always learn something new. My highlight was getting down (I mean physically) and playing all kinds of games with them. The children seemed to enjoy the sight of me being on the floor and running around as much as they enjoyed the games.

This reminded me of John 13 where Jesus washed the disciple’s feet. It’s obvious that he did not wash them standing, as that wouldn’t be practical. He must have been kneeling. I realized how much it means to the children when we get down to their level and be like them. In Matthew 18, Jesus responded to the disciples question regarding who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, by calling a child and using him as an example. He told them that unless they change and be like little children they will not enter the kingdom of heaven. While it may have spiritual significance, I believe the literal part is important too.

Some of us grew up without ever seeing our parents get down to our level physically. We always felt small before them. I remember how much I looked forward to growing up and become “somebody” and cease to be a “nobody.” While our parents had good intentions of bringing up nice kids through discipline and punishment, I now realize what we missed. We never felt the same intensity of love like we felt anger towards our wrongs.

Jesus, our role model, has shown us how it is done. Now that we understand, may the Lord help us to do it right. Our children and those the Lord has placed under our care need us to get down where they are and let them know they matter, no matter how little as they are.

Next time you talk to your child or to any child try getting down to where they are. You will see the smile you have been missing. The twinkles in the eyes or the tears. Give them a hug or lift them up. As you feel humbled, they will feel great and know they are valued.

Thank you all for your prayers and support.

Eunice

Solomon's Recap of EASTER WEEKEND 2011

Late posting, but still good news. 

Over the Easter weekend, we invited relatives to all our children to the home for a time of sharing and fellowship. Most of them came and brought goodies to the children. A few wanted to take the children away for Easter but we felt it was important for us to be together for the maiden Easter at the home. 

Singing at Easter

Their relatives are happy to see the dramatic change in the health of the children and we praise the Lord for that.

Our hope is that the children will experience physical transformation, spiritual and emotional healing during their time with us. We hope that as they grow up, they will become testimonies of God's love and faithfulness to all who see them.

Solomon for the LLM home

The Living Love family 

on a recent visit to a local park.

New newsletter coming soon.