Upcoming Partners for Care trip in the Florida Sun Sentinal today

Yesterday a black reporter from the Sun Sentinel came to the nursing home (one of my client facilities)and interviewed the four black women who are coming with me to Kenya. I don't normally make so many references to a person's race, but, in this case that is what is special about this story and that is why Ron the reporter picked up the story. Four black women had raised their money and were going to Kenya. And PGA had helped them because of the death of one of the women's son (Allen) who worked for PGA who was killed by lighting. Allen's friend from PGA organized a charity golf event to raise money to send Allen's mom to Kenya. And, it gets better. The reporter is very big into charity work himself having won an award from the governor of Florida for his work. When the women said they wanted to open an IT training center in memory of Allen, the reporter gave them 15 computers! The women will carry four of them with them and we will work to get the rest to Kenya. We need them to replace some of the computers that aren't working in the cyber at Nick and Charles'. He wants to put their trip on the paper's blog so they will be keeping him updated throughout their trip. And, he said he can connect them to national media. One of the women said "Connie, you would have to be blind not to see how God is all over this". I must agree He has a hand in connecting all of this. This is the headlines for the article and the linkage to read the story.
Women set to take trip of a lifetime -- to slums in Kenya
They will work with women and children stricken with HIV/AIDS
By C. Ron Allen
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
September 28 2009, 6:34 PM EDT
Four women will leave on Oct. 10 for Kenya where they will provide health care, education and a future to poor Kenyan women and children with HIV/AIDS.
The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/sfl-kenya-aid-trip-p092809,0,497957.story
Visit South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com at http://www.sun-sentinel.com
Amazed at God's work,
Connie
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Visas denied

It was disappointing for Sammy and Justus and all the Partners for Care staff today as sammy and Justus were told - visas denied. The US Embassy doesn't tell you why just says no. Only two people today at the US Embassy in Nairobi out of hundreds who were applying were granted visas. Of course, everyone is diappointed as the reality sets in of how hard it is to be given permission to visit the United States. Even though they are discouraged by the news they are strong believers that know "it is not their time". They will continue to serve just where God has placed them. Thank you all for your prayers. We know God answered them even it wasn't just as we wanted them. Ryan is there and that is good as he is able to support and encourage the team even in their disappointment. I spoke to both Sammy and Justus right after they were denied their visas and they are ok - just disappointed.
Connie
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Prayers requested

When you go to bed Sunday night and if you remember would you please say a prayer for Sammy with the Temples of Worship? As you retire he will be waking up to prepare for his appointment at the US Embassy to request a visa to travel to the US. This has been a long process for him and the other members of the Temples of Worship. Some had to first secure a birth certificate. Then they needed to obtain passports. For their appointments they needed bank statements and letters of invitations. And we have to pay for the appointment even if he is denied. He is hopeful. If Sammy is successful then the other members of Temples of Worship will go for their appointments the next day. If they receive their visas they will come to the US and perform at churches here to raise funds for their what if? campaign.
Thanks for your prayers,
Connie
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Help recruit runners for Run for Rebecca

We are trying to get the word out about our upcoming race Run for Rebecca. Would you send out the race website through any email group you have, put on your Facebook, twitter or any other way you communicate with your friends and family? The website where people can learn more about the race and even register on-line is http://run.partnersforcare.org. Thank you for helping us getting the word out!
Connie
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Fw: Ryan Morris Arrives in Kenya

Read Ryan's first letter from Kenya. You will smile, laugh and feel his passion for the God he serves and you will see his desire to help Partners for Care in their mission work in Kenya.
Very blessed that God sent us Ryan,

Mission Kenya

I arrived in Nairobi on Tuesday evening (sept. 15) after a flight of almost 17 hours in the air. It is great to be back in the country of Kenya and we started work immediately. I am still getting adjusted to life here; four days into my trip and I have yet to have the privilege of a shower! As I write, Kenya is beginning to experience an increasingly bad drought. So that makes water, food, and electricity valuable commodities. Here, anything with value means most go without it. So we go without running water and have limited food and electricity. Because of this, I think there is a feeling of urgency that is growing with the people.
Like the weather here, tempers are becoming warmer. Even yesterday, as I was walking through the streets near the Mathare Slum in Nairobi, I witnessed Police shooting tear gas into crowds that were becoming unruly in the marketplace.
This "sense of urgency" to life that I feel here brings me to a Christian rule that I want to change for myself. Read the Bible. I began to think about this rule, as I was forever confined in the plane. With 17 hours to just sit there, doing some contemplating on life becomes the choice entertainment.
One of my major weaknesses is reading the Bible. Every Christian knows this is a staple rule to having a relationship with Jesus. Four year old's across the Sunday school world can probably even recite a verse or too. More than likely, "Jesus wept." But for me, reading the bible has always seemed boring. It feels too much like homework, and if you don't know me, I will never impress anyone with my study skills. I am more of an "I can just wing it" type of guy.
Luckily for me, growing up in my parent's house, I have picked up its message by hearing the bible verbally. And I can hold my own in Bible trivia, I know who killed who with a tent peg and that if you're not careful a she-bear can eat you or a donkey can talk to you, and sometimes a man just might run faster than chariots in a race down a mountain. But knowing these things and living in it are two very different things.
Which brings me back to Kenya; I have met people here that I have to admire. No food, no water, no electricity but their sense of urgency lies with the spiritual welfare of themselves and others. I was sitting next to a man with his bible open and every page of that thing was filled with notes. The margins, the space in between lines, everywhere were notes. Every page! Imagine the hours spent studying to achieve that. That's when I realized he is just not reading it but he is living with it. He had an urgency about him that made me think that he could not live one day without his relationship with Jesus. That's what I want to be. That's how we all need to be.
So my new rule? Don't just read the Bible, become addicted to your relationship with God! I like the word addicted because it means that you could not live without! It's a word the means dependant upon. It's a word that some people think of as a disorder, that's all you think about day and night.
The man with page after page of notes in his bible? Addicted. Like any addiction, it comes with side affects. People notice. Which isn't that how it's supposed to be? We are supposed to be different. So that's my new rule! I want to be so addicted that I cannot go without reading the Bible. I could not live without it. If you think reading the Bible is boring and a chore, maybe this new way of thinking might help you. At the very least, remember don't make fun of old people.....

...a she-bear will eat you.

Serving God in Kenya,

Ryan Morris.

PGA raises funds for Partners of Hope

The Partners for Hope team told me they are "fired up and ready to fly". Four women of color committed to travel to see how they can help in Kenya have raised their funds - with the help of Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA). As many of you may recall one of the team members, Virginia, lost her son Alain when he was struck and killed by lightening when playing golf in Orlando. Alain worked for the PGA and was loved by those he worked with. To help Alain's mom fulfill her dream they stepped in to raise funds to send her to Kenya. They hosted a charity golf event to raise funds. The CEO of PGA flew down from New York to play golf in honor of Alain. I and all of the Partners of Hope team were there. The letter below tells how the people who knew Alain want to help keep his memory alive. While in Kenya the Partners for Hope team will explore ways to honor Alain. Many said this team could not raise enough funds to travel to Kenya. But, they were determined. They have had garage sales, did car washes and collected change. It will be a privilege for me to help them fulfill their dream and to help find a way honor Alain.

Blessed to help others serve,

Connie

A copy of a touching letter from the PGA sent to Partners for Care regarding Alain and our joint efforts to honor his memory is below.

Click on the picture for a closer look.

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Maggie's School Update

Partners for Care social worker wrote a grant requesting two more classrooms be built at Maggie's School. Currently, there are two classrooms with 257 children! With the help of the Member of Parliament (MP) the funding was approved and they are starting to build two more classrooms at Maggie's School. And, because the school is now an official goverment school teachers will be sent from the Teacher's Service Commission. And, the MP told us last week he has asked for more funding from the Constituency Development Fund. Maggie's School will continue to florish with the support of Maggie's Mom and those in Kenya that see the great need this school is meeting in the desert of Turkana land.
Glad to partner with the Kenya goverment to serve these most vulnerable children
Connie

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If I don't tell you the need you won't know and you can't help

So I will tell you a need the what if? HIV/AIDs prevention team has. They need a larger amp. They are now reaching crowds of thousands and need a larger amp to support the speakers needed to reach such large crowds. The cost is $1,000.00 And they need 3 more mics. cost $200.00. If you want to help these young men reach the youth calling them to create an HIV-free generation and spreading the gospel please let me know. The what if? team is making a difference in the fight against this pandemic. You can join them by giving them the equipment so thousands to hear their message.
Grateful for your consideration,
Connie
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Even better news!

I have known for sometime this was to happen but hesitated to share the news. I quess because I find it so hard to believe. God is indeed good! When the Carrollton team went last spring Terri's (team leader) son Ryan was on the team. He is 25, a great mature Christian (his father is a pastor) and has a degree in marketing. Having grown up in the church world he knows of ministries stateside and internationally. He liked the work Partners for Care was doing through the Kenyan staff. And, the PFC staff loved Ryan! Two months ago he contacted me and to my suprise said he wanted to quit his job and go to Kenya to help grow the PFC ministry. We talked about what role he would have and about his goals and PFC goals. I could not at this moment think of anything better that could be happening for PFC. We are a young ministry and I have no experience in working in a developing nation with a non-profit organization! Ryan will be Assistant Director for Partners for Care. He has already started work here in the US for the ministry and on Monday leaves for Kenya. Here is his letter he sent out to raise support for the next three months. You can see by his letter he is creative.
Dear friend, In a prominent Christian Missionary magazine last month, advice was given out to all potential persons writing mission support letters that "letters should be sent to people in 3 categories: people who love GOD, people who love you, and people who love both." Hopefully this letter finds you in one of those categories, and more than likely the first category. I will send a letter to my mom, so that should cover the third.
I have spent much time thinking about the person I am and the man I want to become. And for someone, whose background has been immersed in athletics and business, it has become quite a habit for me to reflect on where I am now and how can I can become the man that God wants me to be. Becoming a stronger Christian has become a journey that has no end.
One of the ways that I have gone about this journey, is to redefine some old religious rules, some biblical and some traditional, into new rules that I think exemplify what it means to truly follow Jesus. This brings me to the first rule I want to change in my own life. Be faithful. We have all heard this rule and it truly is a staple for the Christian life. It seems to me being faithful has transformed into an excuse for being passive. We have all said or have heard it said, "God will open a door" and then we will wait to see what he has in store for us. For me, that kind of faith brings about a passiveness in my life that was not intended, and a focus on what God will do for ME, and not what I can do for God.
So I'm changing the rule. Do Something Stupid. Now by using the word stupid, I really mean do something that would seem stupid to a person who only looks on the outside. For example, a shepherd boy with no armor fighting one-on-one with one of the most experienced battle-hardened warrior giant in history? Stupid. A man jumping out of a boat on storming seas because he thinks he can run across the water to meet another man. What an idiot. You get my point. Instead of waiting of God to open up doors for us, I believe we are to open up our own doors and then have faith that God will be on the other side. The idea of this kind of faith is much more proactive than the former. This idea of faith takes the focus off of ourselves and places it back on God.
My stupid move of recent? I quit my great job at Bridgestone Golf at a time when having a job is a blessing, and I am moving to Kenya, Africa for three months for an director internship for an organization called "Partners for Care." Beginning September 14th, I will help lead a team of Kenyans in Nairobi. This organization runs an orphanage for children with AIDS, helps maintain a Community enrichment organization in the middle of the second largest slum in Africa, and hosts a tour of AIDS awareness programs throughout the country. You might be thinking, "What an idiot." But I have spent many months praying about this decision and ultimately decided that this is a door I need to open myself and have faith God will be on the other side, I want to be proactive in my faith and this is a great opportunity. Many people have asked me what will I do for money while I am over there and what I will do when I get back to pay the bills. My answer is I honestly don't know but I continue to step forward in faith.
My plan is to undertake one so-called "rule of being a Christian" each and every week while in Africa, using my experiences over there as a lens, and transform them into something that I believe might make them much more real in my life…maybe even yours! I would love if you would send me your e-mail address so you might participate with me in this study, as well as update you on undertakings of the organization.
This week, I would encourage you in your own life to take a proactive view on faith, let it be something that propels you forward. Do Something Stupid.
I ask that you would pray diligently for me as I embark on this trip to Kenya, and I would greatly appreciate any monetary gifts that you feel led to give to help cover my expenses while in Africa.
God Bless,
Ryan Morris
His approach worked - he raised his support.
Grateful to God for His servant Ryan,
Connie

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Run for Rebecca

Partners for Care is sponsoring a race to raise funds for Beat the Drum and we need your help to make it a successful event. With the ecomomic times here it is even more difficult to raise funds to support the children who need our help. You can help with the run in the following ways:
1. Help us find sponsors. The sponsor information is at:
http://www.partnersforcare.org/Run_for_Rebecca/docs/SponsorInfo.pdf  
2. Help sign up runners. People can sign up on-line at:  
http://partnersforcare.org/Run_for_Rebecca 
Or you can print the application form at this same site.
3. Volunteer on the day of the race. We will need lots of people to get people registered on the day of the race.
We really appreciate any help you can give to make this run successful for Rebecca and all the other children at Beat the Drum. Just email me or David Gruber about ways you can help.
Blessings,
Connie
Gal. 6:9 - Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
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Good news

It seems of late many of my updates are bad news - children sick, people hungry, deaths. But, today I am sending some good news about Partners for Care Ministry. As most of know one of the main passions and focus of PFC is helping create an HIV-free generation. One way the PFC in Kenya is working with prevention is through their campaign what if? In June the National Aids Control Council (NACC) in Kenya announced the opportunity for funding for work in AIDS. We wrote a district level proposal requesting $10,000 which would be used for four what if? campaigns in Eldoret. We were just notified our proposal was accepted by NACC. This is a major boost to the what if team? as the competition for the grant was many well-established NGOs who have been working in the field of AIDS for years. The PFC what if? campaign is less than nine months old so the team was very happy to be funded. Some good news!
Blessing God for His faithfulness,
Connie
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