Today at Beat the Drum we witnessed another miracle. If you remember the Partners for Care social worker assigned to Pastor Hirbo in Marsabit brought three children with her travelling 24 hours on a bus in April when she came to the GOA Children's Conference - Diga, Hawo and Barako. We saw Baraka and Diga yesterday. When I first met Barako in Marsabit he never spoke or smiled. He was living with his grandfather as he is a double orphan and has AIDs. Yesterday we saw a different child - happy, laughing and smiling all the time. He is in school and interacts well with the other children. Six year old Diga is speaking Kswahili and sat with Sammy and copied the entire English alphabit. Every child who goes to Beat the Drum changes for the better!! Previously bone-thin Faith is now twice her size!
The second house is constructed just waiting for finishing work and furnishings. The Partners for Care nurse Daniel is moving his wife and two children into this house and they will serve as mom and dad for the group of children living in the second house.. And Daniel will be there to serve as a nurse. For all of the children.
The purpose of the Partners for Care staff's visit to Beat the Drum was to conduct an assessment of the children's home. This is part of GOA's going deeper in all ministry areas. They are assessing the physical enviorment, spiritual nuturing, education/vacational opportunities, safety, compliance with goverment regulations, nutrition, community support, plans for substainability, board functioning and recreation opportunities. The team is developing assessment instruments that will assess in all of these areas. The assessment is for the purpose of identifying both the excellent practices and the areas of needed improvement. The team functions not as a "regulator" or "criticizer" but as a supporter, consultant and ally for the children's homes.
This first assessment by the team went well. Pray for them and the children's homes as they will assess the remaining homes next week.
Blessed to serve in Kenya Connie
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