News from Solomon

Greetings to you from Nakuru Kenya. We hope this note finds you doing well. We are also doing well in Kenya despite the many difficulties and challenges we have been going through in the recent past.

FAMILY NEWS

As a family, we are doing well. God had graciously protected and provided for our family and we give Him all the glory. Eunice is mostly recovered from her surgery. Baby Timothy is growing fast and is in good health and we PTL for that. Abigail is really adjusting well to the new arrival. We always have to be alert because she easily forgets this is a “real baby” and not a doll and can sometimes be a little rough on him. She is however learning fast and really enjoys being big sister.

One great challenge is the increased crime rate nationally and especially in the major cities which is largely attributed to the high rate of unemployment especially after the last years post election violence. We recently became victims of this spate of robbery when robbers broke into our home and stole 4 wheels from the LLM van. This was despite the having a good alarm system and security locks on the wheels. The insurance company says our policy does not cover loss of wheels. Thankfully, we have the old tires. Several neighboring homes are the latest victims of the same robbers and we haven’t had much sleep in the last couple of weeks due the state of insecurity.

MINISTRY NEWS

Work is progressing well at the Living Love Ministry site in Ol Kalou. We are currently making the linens for the beds, new window curtains, installing hot shower heads and refurbishing the old plumbing system in the house. We are also finishing up the basic furniture needed like beds and tables. Lance and DJ Nissley, good friends of LLM from PA were here for six weeks in May and June. They helped us build 20 bunk beds and install two huge raised water tanks at the farm house. They also did lots of other small but critical projects around the house. On behalf of the Kenya team, we would like to say a big thank you for the great work you did for us.

We had a board briefing meeting on the 16^th July to update on the current state of events at Ol Kalou. We also had the board members present update us on their lives and ministries. It was short but very refreshing thanks Kenya Team for the sacrifice your time and support.

MAIN LLM MINISTRY PROGRESS UPDATES

1. Land Subdivision. The long and slow process of land surveying, subdivision and mutation is now complete and we are just waiting for the release of the new title deeds which should be ready any time in this month of August. Esther the landlady has set aside some 15 acres on hold for LLM which include a dam and a large woodlot. We are keen to purchase this property in the near future for our crop production given most of the other land will go under construction.

3. In Dire Water Need. One of the great challenges we have right now is water shortage. The long rain season has just ended and we had a countrywide rain failure. We have a huge underground rain water tank that has very little water due to the failed rains. At the moment, there is no reliable piped town water in Ol Kalou but there is a project to bring in city water in our area sometimes in the near future. The Kenya government has recently declared the current drought and rain failure a national disaster. Approximately 10 million Kenyans are under threat of starvation while thousands of cattle and sheep have already died. The government is currently giving out relief food to most of the affected areas. We are praying for heavy rains during the short rain season of October and November later this year.

4. Admission of New Children. Our goal is to have some staff job interviews and children screening in this month of August and September and start admitting the selected children to the center late September. Our goal is will be 10 to 20 children to begin with. Due to this water problem we have to carefully evaluate when to bring in the children to the center because the government will be keen to issue their license only when we have sufficient and reliable clean water source and a functional sewage system. Most residents in this area use shallow hand dug wells and earth dams some of which have since dried up due to the prolonged drought. The permanent solution to the water problem in the short and long term is evidently the sinking of a deep well. We already have the hydrogeological survey done so we will only need the funds and the drilling permit from the government.

5. Wheat Crop. We have a little over 7 acres of land under wheat. We are praying that the short rains will not fail so that we can get a good crop. So far the crop looks good. The harvest will mainly be used to feed our children.

6. Chief and District Commissioner Support. We are happy to announce that we are enjoying support from the local chief and District commissioners as we start the orphanage. Both are senior government officials and will facilitate us in the screening process as well as getting legal documentation for the children admitted to the center. In fact, it’s the local chief who verifies the “orphan status” of each child admitted to the children centers because he has all the relevant legal children and family history paperwork.

7.

Prayer Needs.

We take this time to thank you all for your continued prayer and material support. As we prepare to take the plunge and start this project we ask for your prayers for the following items,

· For wisdom and discernment as we screen children and interview potential staff for the project.

· For Gods protection and provision for all in LLM the coming weeks and months.

· For good leadership in government and for national healing and reconciliation and cohesion.

· For the desperately needed rains, the many families and children facing starvation.

“Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls- Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills. To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.” Habakkuk 17 – 19

God bless you and Gods peace be with you now and always. Solomon for the LLM Kenya Team