Dear Hungry4Him Family,
I clearly remember my first trip to Kenya, in 2017, the sights, the sounds, and those precious children. The children that are trying so hard to live and the simplest task there is not easy. They do not have enough food to fill their bellies, they must share books together in class since they do not have enough to have their own. Many of these children live at the school since they are orphans, some have families but it may not be the best situation for them.
Sometimes when they first come to school, they need to learn the basics and not just school, but how to clean themselves like learning how to take a shower, and how to use the bathroom. Those are things we take for granted and teach our children to do. Regardless of their struggle, these precious children are happy, and do believe in the Lord, and believe they have a future. If you ask them what they want to be when they grow up, they will tell you many different occupations, from a police officer, a teacher, a doctor, etc. The Lord has a plan for them. These children are precious to the Lord. As I think about these children, they are precious to me, and I have had the opportunity to pray over them. The memories I have of Kenya are deeply embedded in me, and hold a special place in my life, that to this day changed me forever. They are not children that I don’t personally know, they have deeply touched me in the depth of my soul, this is from the Lord, so when I talk about them, I really feel their burdens, and struggles and my love for them is real I’m not writing facts but people’s lives, they do really matter to the Lord.
When the children are in eighth grade, they know thier time is limited and they might not be able to go to high school. In order to go they must raise funds to do that. The schools in Kenya are not free and many times the children need sponsors to be able to go. Sadly, many do not go to high school and end back on the streets to raise money to go back to school but many never do since they are struggling just to live day to day.
In 2017 at Bernard’s Vision School, the pastor who started the school, Bernard, had a desire to build a high school on the current property of Bernard’s Vision School, to give those children hope by continuing their education. In order to do that he needed to buy land near the school. So many obstacles stood in the way, but the Lord started to open the doors for the land and he was able to buy it and started to build the high school. Many other obstacles came but each one removed, and little by little, the building of the high school continues.
I was part of a team that went back to Kenya in 2019. To my amazement, the high school was being built! That building being on site where the children could see it every day gave new hope to the children of Bernard’s Vision School. You could feel it and see it in the children’s faces. They are excited to have an opportunity to go to high school. The high school is not yet completed, but is getting closer all the time. We have included a new picture of the high school in this newsletter.
We are so grateful to our sponsors who have given to the children, and pray the Lord will bless you and your family.
As I wrote this newsletter, the Lord reminded me of Galatians 6:2 carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Blessing
Barb Roithner, a board member of Hungry4Him Board