Photos on the blog

If you want to see the Partners for Care team go to www.partnersforcare.blogspot. I think you will enjoy seeing both the new music center and the Life Changing Center with the new cyber.

Connie
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Eric and I return from Kenya and update on status of PFC

We are now flying home to the US. Eric is anxious to see his family and friends. He has really done an excellent job! He has been an asset to Partners for Care and we really appreciate him coming to Kenya. You have seen some of his photos on the blog and we will post more later.

I wanted to give an update about what the Partners for Care are doing in Kenya. They have three main projects. The first is the newly opened cyber and music center they opened in the village near the PFC house. They call the center Life Changing Center. Their focus is the youth in the slum near the center. They are giving music lessons including guitar, vocal and keyboard.

The Temples of Worship in front of the music center

They also are teaching churches in this area creative worship. Each night they show a motivational film to the youth. The cyber is dedicated to the memory of Alain - son of Virginia a friend of mine. Alain died when struck by lighting last spring. He was 32 years old and a very, very special young man. It is through Alain that we received the computers for the cyber. We thank our partners in the US - C. Ron Allen for the computers.

The Temples of Worship and Connie in front of the Cyber

The second project the team is their church impact program. They are working with the 22 churches in this slum area helping the churches do the 7 things Dr. Rick Warren says needs to be done to wipe out HIV/Aids. These include testing publicly, preaching pure, non-discrimatory policy for those infected, an outreach to the orphans and vulnerable children, an outreach to those persons living with Aids and a youth program teaching waiting until marriage.

The third is their what if? campaigns. They will continue to do out reaches giving the message of HIV prevention and bringing people to Christ.

The following make-up the Partners for Care staff:
Sammy, George, David, Franko, Justus and Sam. And, we continue to support Mare in Marsabit.

People we are working with in Kenya include:

Dr. PLO Lumumba who is our what if? spokesperson
The Kolozo Foundation (Vice President of Kenya)
Hope for the Next Generation

The team is good and the work is there to do. I left the team working hard to transform and save lives. I am truly blessed to work with this team in Kenya.

Connie
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Update on Nick and Charles and Community Transformers

Partners for Care continues our partnership with Nick and Charles and Community Transformers. I spent time at the rescue center and making a home visit in Mathare. All the children continue to be happy, to grow in their faith and the school-age children are in school. There were five children with malaria this time but all have been treated and doing well. Nick plans to move the children to their new home after this 3 month school term as there wasn't room in their new school until next term. Please pray for the safety of the children staying in Mathare and for their health. Nick and Charles still struggle with having enough money for food and health care but they use their own salaries and do without themselves to help these children and others in Mathare. And, they are very grateful for those of you who do send them support through Partners for Care. I can personally tell you all the funds go to help the children. I see that for myself. Your funds are making a difference in the lives of these children. They will never forget and neither will God.

Thank you for helping the least of these,

Connie
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PFC leaves for mission

We almost called off this mission due to a lack of funds and sickness. George was sick, funds were gone and the team felt we just couldn't go. But, yesterday George got better after we changed his malaria medicine. The first medicine he took the malaria was resistant. The team wanted to keep their commitment they had made to do a what if? event at the celebration of Obama being President for one year. And we are designating Mama Sara (Obama's grandmother) as the Voice of the 473 children who die everyday in Kenya. It isn't easy to go on mission with a music team. Where ever we go we need to take the speakers, instruments, etc. We take bibles for new believers, commitment cards and eight of us are traveling. Eric is with us and hopes to get some good photos of Mama Sara. The team was up at 4:30 am and we left the Partners for Care house before 6:00 am. after prayer. Our prayer today included prayers for the Beat the Drum children.

On mission in Kenya,

Connie
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More photos posted

We have posted more of Eric's photos. There is a very good one of Justus and you will also see a couple photos of the Temples of Worship that we will be using for a calendar.

The Temples of Worship

The Rift Valley

The Temples of Worship

Justus


Connie with Dika

Enjoying very much Eric being here with us in Kenya,

Connie
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God does remember just one little girl

God did remember the little girl, Daisy, from the Rescue Center. Nick called me yesterday and asked me if I could send 4,000 shillings (approx. $60.00) through the phone so he could bring Daisy home from the hospital. In Kenya you cannot be released from the hospital unless you clear your bill. Even though having enough funds to even care for the Partners for Care staff is an issue, I sent it without hesitation. I couldn't think at the moment of a better use of $60.00. How I wish I had back all the $60.00s I have spent on something I could have lived without. Just more stuff I thought I needed. Now what I needed more than anything was to help a young man - Nick - who takes care of 32 children even when it means taking children to the hospital in a matatu. He has been caring for 4 children this last week who have malaria. One of the children Lucas wasn't better today so I suggested Nick try a different malaria medication. If he isn't better tomorrow Nick will take him to the hospital. For those who read the last blog update both Daisy's parents have died from Aids And, they believe Daisy got malaria when she went to the village to bury her Mom. Nick will have Daisy tested for HIV/Aids. Pray she is not infected with the same disease that took both her parents.

Grateful to God for remembering just one little girl,

Connie
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Just one little girl

It might seem insignificance to tell the story of one small, little girl in the face of thousands of lives lost in the devastating disaster in Haiti. But, I remember Ryans's blog about how he serves a God of distraction who remembers even the smallest person in need. Nick and Charles came close to losing another one of their children in the rescue center. Daisy is five years old. Her mother (Nick's cousin) died of Aids last month. Her father had already died so she is now a double orphan. She has malaria. The doctors told Nick when he took her to the hospital if he had waited much longer to bring her in she could have died. She was admitted to Kenyetta hospital. This is the fourth child in the rescue center with malaria in the last week. They are expecting many more cases of malaria in the coming weeks due to the rains. Nick and Charles are so grateful for those of you who support them in prayer and financial support. I really don't know sometimes how they keep going day after day with so much ilnesses much Aids and so little money to provide for the children.

Praying for those in Haiti and little Daisy,

Connie
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Eric takes Temples of Worship photos on location

Eric spent the day taking photos of the Temples of Worship giving him a chance to see their work and go deep into the heart of Kenya. Eric followed the team as they walked through the slum near our house. He saw up close slum life. He said sasa to the many children standing in the doorways of the shacks they call home. Eric takes everything in stride. When I told him what the many little plastic bags were (flying toliets) he just said "oh" and started stepping over them and not on them. All the time he was taking photos of the Temples of Worship. And, you will see when we post some of today's pictures on the blog Sam was photograhing Eric.

Tonight we went to Limuru to meet with the street children. I still wonder when the words "street" and "children" started to be used together. It doesn't seem like those words should ever be used together. It also gave us a chance to eat at Ryan's favorite restaurant - where the goat meat hangs in the window and they cut it up for you right in front of you with big, sharp knives.

Sammy and Franko had gone earler to meet with the street children to tell them we wanted to take a photo with them. Street children are very hesitate of allowing people to take pictures of them. They say people come, take photos and nothing changes for them. We told them we know that. And, we didn't lie to them. We told them while we won't be back there with them again we told them Partners for Care through the what if?, campaign is working to wipe out HIV/Aids so the Nation can use the funds spent treating HIV/Aids to develop their Nation. They allowed us to take the photos of them with the Temples of Worship.

Their are different groups of street children in Kenya. There are the young children like the three we were able to take from the streets of Nairobi two years ago Steven. Jimmie and Brian who are now with Nick and Charles. They were young and were not sniffing glue or using alcohol. As the children living in the streets get older they get more "hardened" and there is more use of glue and alcohol and even other drugs. It is much more difficult to help them. Obviously, the best solution is the children never have to go to the streets.

Eric went today where most people have never gone - even Kenyans. He went from the slum to the streets to see where people live. 60% of the people in Kenya live in a slum. Eric was brave to go there. He is 18 years old and has seen a lot here in Kenya in a short time. I never feel we are in danger as the Partners for Care staff always protects us. And of course, I know God has our rear quard "and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard." Isasiah 58:8. Someone recently reminded me of this.

From Kenya,

Connie
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More photos....

Here are some more of Eric's photos:

Connie

Justus working on the garden

Sammy

Pictures posted

Pictures are at www.partnersforcare.blogspot.com. Enjoy, Connie
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Eric comes to Kenya to take photos

Eric Kirk made the decision to come to Kenya when he had dinner with David Gruber and his friend Courtney (David's daughter). And we are glad he did. Taking a semester off school Eric wanted to come to Kenya with Partners for Care to photograph their work. Eric takes his passion for photograher very seriously and the result you will see in his photos. He travelled with me when I came Friday night. Below you can see five of his photos.

A photo of the cyber cafe in Marurui Slum


Mary who lives at the Rescue Center


Brian, who also lives at the Rescue Center


An auntie with two of the kids who live at the Rescue Center


Sam with Junior

We will post more each day as he follows the Partner for Care team capturing their work and other images of Africa. Eric has been wonderful. He has a servant heart. He hasn't asked for anything for himself and has seemlessly fit in with the team in a country he has never been to before. We are blessed to have him with us and appreciate that he is using his talent and gifts to help Partners for Care. I want to thank his family Dr. and Mrs. Allan Kirk with trusting me to bring their son to Kenya.

Connie
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I have returned to Kenya

I have returned to Kenya.  As some of you may know, the last month has been very challenging for Partners for Care. The challenges began last summer. These challenges have been tough--families go through divorce, churches withstand splits, and nations experience coups.  But, what man meant for evil, God uses for good.

Because of these challenges, I didn't know what to expect here on the ground when I came this time. I had been told the team was in place and focused, but frankly my trust level has greatly changed over the last few months--especially this last month. Unfortunately, I have found I had trusted some that were not trustworthy.

What I found today here in Kenya is a team more focused, more determined to make a difference than ever before! They are more supportive and trusting of each other. They are certainly a stronger team. They are a team that is having fun together again, both working and serving. I see more passion and joy in them and and more humility expressed.They now begin each day with devotions and prayers and a planning meeting. They have department leaders - missions, cyber/music center, music lessons and devotions/spiritual development.  They then do their work for the day coming back together again for music practice at 4:30. They meet again to share the results of their work for the day. They end the day with a motivational movie shown in the new music center.

They are cooking for themselves and cleaning the house and the compound. The garden has grown and that is where their vegetables come from.   Ryan had an impact on them. Ryan told them work hard, tell the truth and serve God.  And, that is what they are doing.

Partners for Care seeks to equip, encourage, empower and enable young leaders--aiding them to solve the problems in their villages, their communities, and their Nation. These problems are numerous. The problem of poverty that brings despair is all around them. The problem of HIV has infected and affected so many.  The problem of the deaths of 473 children who die everyday in Kenya. Today, I was witness to young leaders who have been equipped, encouraged, empowered and enabled to change their Nation. And they are doing just that. I was glad to be back.

From Kenya,

Connie
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