Kenya Orphan Dream Project

Well I am happy to report that we now have enough money donated to purchase our property in Kenya!!! Is that awesome or what??   A generous donor stepped  up to add to what we had collected from many of you and we now have enough to go ahead with the land purchase.  PLUS we have enough extra to start looking at possibilities of putting up a basic structure!!!  Our dreams and vision to  put up a building where our children and volunteers can meet regularly is becoming a reality.  We ask for prayers of wisdom in working out the legal work in purchasing this.  May God be our guide every step of the way!  Asante Sana to all who have given to make this a reality!

Poverty In Maseno Kenya

I had a discussion yesterday with a local lady that works with a summer food program. She commented "and isn't it sad to think we have 29 kids in this program that are hungry".  I said I was glad that people like her work with  programs like that.  As I drove home, I thought to myself about the book I read by Jeffrey Sachs "Ending Extreme Poverty" which is a great book to educate oneself on the different levels of poverty.  He mentions the first level, which is like this lady mentions. Poeple struggling to make ends meet, not always able to buy adequate food.  Sachs wrote how we can see that level of poverty now in the USA probably in every state. Then he mentions the second level, he said there is even some of that in our poorest areas in USA.  People lacking food for their children and very few resources availabale in their area.  Then he mentions the third level, which is what we work with in our program in Maseno Kenya.  He called it Extreme Poverty.  No food, no resources, nothing for the family to eat, and lasting for days or weeks. 

Imagine a shell of a hut, no beds, only corn stalks for blankets and "mattresses".  No money at all. No furniture or items to sell to get some money. No transportation to go somewhere to get help. No resources in community to help you with. No medical care at all. One cup of water to drink a day from the contaminated river you can walk to per person in your family.  No energy to do any of the work as you need protein for energy.  No protein meals at all. No money to buy seeds to try to raise some food.  No money for fertilizer to try to increase the yeild in the over worked garden areas. And on it goes. 

Yes, we have people in need in the USA, and thankfully we have programs to help them. But we must not forget those in Extreme Poverty who have NO RESOURCES and few fighting for them in many cases.  Become educated on these needs.  Check out programs to make sure they are credible. Consider working with us at www.hisarmskenya.org to help the world alleviate such suffering.  We cannot do it all, but we each can do SOMETHING!

Solar Lights for Kenya

The closer it gets to our mission trip 2012, the more excited we all get.  We have placed our order for more of the solar lights that we took in last year to some of our children that had sponsors that gifted them with the lights. THEY LOVED THEM!!! They said, "we have never had a torch" before!  Not even a flashlight had ever lit up their little homes before. Since that delivery last July, 2011 the grades of the children that received them have all greatly improved. THEY CAN DO THEIR HOMEWORK!  So exciting.

So we are taking more in this year for the rest of our 56 children we sponsor.  So if you care to donate towards those lights, even if you are not a sponsor, we accept all donations, any amounts. You can mail your tax deductible check to Peace Lutheran, 2084 Couty Rd N, Baldwin WI 54002, attn: His Arms Ministry.  We operate our 501c thru Peace Lutheran. 

We also may be able to offer visitors to our website a chance to donate in the near future thru Pay Pal donation button. You would not even need your own account to do so, but could donate with a credit card. Details need to be worked out, but it is looking hopeful.  We will let you know as that progresses.

One more HOPEFUL thing!! We now have gathered over $1500 toward our property purchase toward the $3000 needed to get our match from a generous donor.  Then that $6000 would be enough to purchase that piece of land for the ministry.  We are excited!  God is moving, people are listening and we are thankful!

Asante Sana/thank you to our faithful followers! 

Kenya Orphan Property Project

Habari to all of our friends and supporters. The month of June surely went by quickly. Since our last blog letting you know about the great chance of having matching funds earned toward the purchase of property in Maseno, Kenya for our ministry, I am happy to report we almost have taken in $1000. YEAH!!  Brenda and I coordinated a Brat stand at the local shopping center which brought in $225 of that. Everyone is trying. Just wanted you to know it is not too late for any kind of gift toward that project.

We have found out that the land owner will definitely sell us the piece of property we have had our volunteers look at.  It would be a place where a building could be constructed to house our support groups, possibly even be a church on Sunday's, have a corner that could be developed into a library, and who knows what all!!!  Plus it could be a place our visitors could safely stay at when in Maseno on trips.  So we all are so excited.  

We will keep praying and keep working at fundraisers.  This Sunday the team leads worship services at Peace Lutheran in Baldwin Wisconsin.  We are excited about that, and will hope you can prayerfully support us!  

Blessings and love from the His Arms Kenya Ministry!
Nancy Rowe

His Arms Kenya Orphan Project Visions!

To be involved with this ministry, is certainly exciting. One never knows where the Lord will lead us next. We have just been offered some land to purchase in Maseno area near the market, and near a road (important for logistics!) and so we are prayerfully seeking funding to do so. We have had a generous donor offer a 4 figure gift!!! So we are praying for others to step forward and donate as well as he will match up to $3000!   Is that exciting or what. We know that the property will cost about $6000 to purchase.  Plus of course, the cost of the building. We have two builders eager to make a summer of 2013 trip to help with projects if we secure the property. WOW, God is really making plans!!  Our dream is to have the one building on the property be a combination church, gathering place for our activities, place where we could safely stay when we go to the area and who knows what else!  So we ask your for your prayers.  If you would consider donating, send your tax deductible gift to Peace Lutheran, 2084 Cty Rd N, Baldwin WI 54002 with attn: His Arms Ministry written on outside of envelope.  Thank you!  Asante Sana!

56th Orphan in Kenya being sponsored!

We are so excited to report that His Arms Orphan Project now has teir 56th child being sponsored. This latest one is a little boy with his US sponsors from Michigan.  We welcome them into the program and remind all of our loving sponsors that we would not have this ministry without them. So we praise the LORD for that!  Almost 80 children in grade school with our support and sponsorship!  And 6 in high school that would never have been able to attend without the scholarships from our USA supporters. We feel very blessed.

Plans continue to be made for our trip in October.  Already we have three travelers and more considering it. We pray for them as they prepare for this journey.  We also pray for our ministry and our volunteers in Maseno, Kenya. Things are not simple since the full-time missionaries left. Many challenges exist. We continue to ask for prayers that God shows all the solutions to these challenges.

Mungu Awabarike!  God bless you all!

Kenya Orphan Fundraiser

This week marks an exciting week for the His Arms Orphan Program.  We will be heading two major Fundraisers in Michigan for the ministry and the team leaving in October, 2012.  We will hold a Garage Sale at 5460 Dowling, Montague Michigan on May 18th and May 19th.  Many from St. James Lutheran, Montague, Michigan are supporting these efforts. Then on Saturday evening, May 19th we will be sponsoring a Family Fun Night to benefit the ministry at St. James Lutheran's Youth Building.  It should be a fun night with Euchre Tournament for those that want to play Euchre, and Bingo for the younger, and those that want to enjoy that. We will have Silent Auction items available to bid on and a light supper for Freewill offering as well.  It should be an evening of fun for the whole family.  Plus all these activites and donations will help the Mission Team leaving for Kenya in October and for the many Kenya orphans they work with.  Come and enjoy the fun. Contact us via email at ndrowes@yahoo.com if you have questions for us about either of these activities!