100 Christmas Dollies 2019: Beneficiary Announcement

Mountain of Glory Church in Ganda is home to Bishop Kahindi, whom we’ve known since first coming to Kenya. Bishop is a wise and gracious church leader and he is also a fundi (a carpenter). He spends his days digging trenches to lay water pipe, roofing homes, or any number of skilled assignments.

Surprised by Hope brought Kingdom Business to Mountain of Glory several years ago. As a result of that training, the church joined together to purchase a piece of land upon which to farm so the proceeds could be used for construction. Together they prepared their acre with seeds sown, but no rain came. The next year, the floods came and washed away their nicely matured stalks of maize. And this year, finally, the crops sprung up and their hopes were realized. Taking their maize to market resulted in money invested to begin construction of a permanent structure.

Being a fundi, Bishop and several church members began laying their foundation and raising the walls for their sanctuary. Their work together inspired Surprised by Hope to share in the joys of community and select Mountain of Glory Church in Ganda as the recipient of the 100 Christmas Dolly gift for 2019.

Will you join together with Mountain of Glory Church and Bishop Kahindi in bringing their church to the next phase of construction by sponsoring a Christmas Dolly? Click here to go directly to the giving page or read below to learn more about how the program works.

Who Qualifies

• Several criteria qualify a church to receive the 100 Christmas Dollies gift.
• Attending a Kingdom Business conference.
• Applying Christ-centered business lessons toward positive change in the church. We acknowledge that there are many ways to apply our lessons and that not all of them are tangible. However, our goal is to leave a tangible, long-lasting legacy and so we aim at selecting churches making physical improvements.
• Evidencing self-motivation toward tangible church goals without expecting this gift.
• Experiencing life in community where our gift is but a small portion among the giving of many members.

How it Works

• Choose the one (or several) dollies calling your name.
• Make a tax deductible donation of $25 per dolly using PayPal, or send a check in the mail to the U.S. address at the bottom of the home page. Don’t forget to include your dolly number(s) in the comment field.
• On Christmas day we will provide a hot meal to the church and a simple Nativity message to the children with a gift of all the sponsored dollies.
• Watch for a picture of your dolly with his or her new Kenyan mommy or daddy on social media or via email.
• Then we’ll use your dolly donation to invest in the construction for Mountain of Glory Church in Ganda. Watch for future progress updates.
• Pray regularly for the child who received your dolly and for the church.

Read About Previous Gifts

• Life in Africa Sewing Program: 100 Christmas Dollies 2012
• Mountain of Glory with Pr Njuguna: 100 Christmas Dollies 2013
• Grace Abundance Church with Pr Owino: 100 Christmas Dollies 2014
• Victory Christian Center with Pr Opio: 100 Christmas Dollies 2015
• PEMA Church with Pr Menza: 100 Christmas Dollies 2016
• Emmanuel Baptist Church with Pr Raymond: 100 Christmas Dollies 2017
• Sanctuary of Praise with Pr Karisa: 100 Christmas Dollies 2018

Stay Connected

• Check out our website at SurprisedByHope.org.
• Follow Surprised by Hope on Facebook.
• Subscribe to our newsletters.
• Read our blog.

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100 Christmas Dollies: 2017 Beneficiary Announcement

I felt strangely pressed to visit a church we’d ministered through about four years ago. We don’t often lose touch, but somehow my life in Uganda made staying connected to this coastal Kenya church a challenge. We reconnected through the Sensible Shoes short-term ministry program in August and I was surprised by what I saw. Instantly I knew it was the Holy Spirit bringing me home. Prs Raymond and Amos humbly presented their church expansion project by leading us over the half-built threshold into the old church structure, which was overflowing with children.

At a later interview, Pr Raymond introduced four ladies who started new businesses as a result of our ministry-teaching, but was sure to point out they weren’t alone. A short time after these new businesses were launched the church had a fundraising ceremony and began constructing their expansion. We don't often get to see the results of seeds sown many years ago, but I am thankful for blind obedience in the urge to return to visit with Pr Raymond and the way the Lord encourages us all through relationships.

Between the time I met Pr Raymond for the Sensible Shoes ministry and the time Pr Ephantus returned for the interview, even more work had been done. Their next phase of constructions is beams and iron sheets for the roof.

Before the addition began, this is the church photo I took many years ago.

Walls for the expansion under construction in August.

The new construction almost doubles the size of the church.

The beautiful tree is gone now.

Who Qualifies

• Surprised by Hope has several criteria that must be met before selecting the beneficiary of the 100 Christmas Dolly gift.
• The church pastor or leaders must have attended a Surprised by Hope workshop.
• The church must evidence direct application of some lesson from that workshop toward positive change in their church. We acknowledge that there are many ways to apply our lessons and that not all of them are tangible. However, our goal is to leave a tangible, long-lasting legacy and so we aim at selecting churches making physical improvements.
• Church members must evidence their own motivation toward their goal without expecting the 100 Christmas Dolly gift.
• Our gift must be only a minor portion of the overall work of the church construction. We are not in the business of building churches, it’s members are. We simply wish to offer a small gift to help them along.

As you can see, Prs Raymond and Amos, and Emmanuel Baptist Church of Hadu, Kenya, meet all these criteria very well. We are excited to award Emmanuel Baptist Church the 100 Christmas Dolly gift for 2017 and are so thankful for Pastor Raymond’s faithful service to the people of Hadu, Kenya.

How it Works

• Choose the one (or several) dollies calling your name.
• Make a tax deductible donation of $25 per dolly using PayPal, or send a check in the mail to the U.S. address at the bottom of the home page. Don’t forget to include your dolly number(s) in the comment field.
• On Christmas day we will bring a full meal to the church and a simple Nativity message to the children with a gift for all the dollies we have sponsored.
• Watch for a picture of your dolly with his or her new Kenyan mommy or daddy. Often these photos are posted online before your family gatherings on Christmas day.
• Then we’ll use your donation money to invest in a roof for Emmanuel Baptist Church in Hadu. Watch for future progress updates.
• Pray regularly for the child who received your dolly and for the church.

Read About Previous Gifts

• Mountain of Glory with Pr Njuguna: 100 Christmas Dollies 2013
• Grace Abundance Church with Pr Owino: 100 Christmas Dollies 2014
• Victory Christian Center with Pr Opio: 100 Christmas Dollies 2015
• PEMA Church with Pr Menza: 100 Christmas Dollies 2016

Stay Connected

Check out our website at SurprisedByHope.org.

Follow Surprised by Hope on Facebook.

Subscribe to our newsletters.

Read our blog.

Read more »

Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday

As you prepare for Black Friday and Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday, we wanted to be sure you have the opportunity to join with Surprised by Hope in serving the Lord with our Christmas giving too. 

Each year Surprised by Hope makes 100 adorable dollies to give to children in East Africa as a free gift for Christmas, just like being saved by faith is a free gift (Ephesians 2:8). These precious handmade dollies are a gift of love born by a beautiful woman called Mom, but she isn't the only dolly maker this year. Another beautiful woman named Kathy took on the project with her Bible study group. And now, Shakira (a Ugandan widow) is also making dollies for us. Each Christmas a dolly is delivered to an East African child, who lives in the community of the beneficiary church, along with an age-appropriate Nativity story.

      

Your sponsorship of these dollies is also designed to make a lasting impact on the church. This year we’ve selected Victory Christian Center and Pr Patrick Opio as the beneficiary church. Pr Opio’s church is located in Barrio, Lira, Uganda. The former church structure was eaten by termites and church members are working hard to build a permanent brick structure. You can join together with Victory Christian Center and Surprised by Hope before December 20 by sponsoring a dolly for a child in Barrio thereby adding walls to the foundation church members have already started.

           

After Christmas, we will send you the picture of the dollies you sponsored being cradled by his or her new mommies or daddies, and we’ll update you on building progress at Victory Christian Center on the Surprised by Hope Facebook Page. There are many great ways to give a sponsorship gift:

• Give a meaningful gift on behalf of someone you love and respect.
• Teach your family about generous giving.
• Learn about different countries and cultures.
• Honor and remember someone you loved and lost.
• Pay it forward.

                

Click here to make a one-time donation using your credit card; you do not need a PayPal account to donate. Simply indicate which dollies you want to sponsor in the notes field or send us an email message and we will reserve those dollies just for you.

You can also send a check, but be sure to let us know early which dollies you want sponsored:
Surprised by Hope
464 Adaway SE
Ada, MI 49301

Thank you for joining together with all the other dolly sponsors to make this Christmas bright for children in Barrio, Lira and for Victory Christian Center. We couldn’t do this without you! 

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100 Christmas Dollies 2015

Mountain of Glory Church in Marikebuni, Kenya received the 100 Christmas Dollies gift in 2013 after Pr Njuguna applied what he learned in the Entrepreneurship Series by planting tomatoes on church land (last year he planted peppers and this year he planted okra). Your gift afforded windows for the church he built using profits from planting.

Grace Abundance Church in Watamu, Kenya received the 100 Christmas Dollies gift in 2014 after Pr Owino applied what he learned in the Entrepreneurship Series both in focusing his church strategy and in teaching his church members about farming to support the purchase of church land. Your gift afforded a portion in the purchase of that land.

Throughout this year, Surprised by Hope has been watching for pastors who meet our criteria for the next 100 Christmas Dolly gift. First, we desire someone who has applied what he or she learned from any of the Surprised by Hope teaching ministry lessons. Second, we have a heart for pastors and desire that our gift have a lasting impact on the church. Third, we see evidence that the pastor and his or her church members have made significant efforts to meet their own needs and therefore our contribution would be only a minority portion.

I’m happy to announce the 100 Christmas Dollies 2015 gift recipient, Victory Christian Center and Pr Patrick Opio. Mud huts with grass roofs sprinkle the landscape in Barrio, a small village waaay outside Lira town in Uganda. This is where Pr Patrick first invited Surprised by Hope to teach about proposal writing and where we began watching his life change. Because of his application of that teaching, he secured a government contract for seedlings for which he started a small tree nursery, and he continues to receive contract requests. Later we added entrepreneurship teachings and showed you the small school he started by making his own bricks for construction. This year Pr Patrick added a piggery and a dairy cow (her name is Coffee) to his income generating projects and is well on his way to adding a poultry keeping project.

Coffee took Pr Patrick for a 30 minute walk before he was able to return to our meeting.

Pr Patrick is using his additional income, along with engaging the community, to construct a permanent brick church structure to replace the one that was eaten by termites (shown below). This past Sunday, church and community members came together to contribute all that is needed to prepare the land area and construct the foundation for the church. Surprised by Hope will come alongside Victory Christian Center and Pr Patrick to take the church through the next phase of construction.

This church collapsed after being eaten by termites.

The location for the new church is just across the path from the old church.
This ground is rock whereas the former was sand. Yes, building his house upon the rock!
This week (Nov 1) the land is being cleared and the foundation constructed.

Church members, young and old, help lay the foundation by moving bricks,
hauling water, and carrying sand, as the bricklayer does his work.

The foundation is prepared with bricks left over. 

Join with Victory Christian Center in building their church structure, one that is impervious to termites.

Sponsor dolly boys and girls as a Christmas gift for children living in remote Barrio, Lira, Uganda and we will use your sponsorship money as to purchase the materials needed to bring Victory Christian Center to the next phase of construction. Join with us in this Christmas gift giving tradition as a great way to have a long term impact on the global church.

1. Select your favorite dolly (more dollies are arriving soon).

2. Click here to make your tax-deductible donation using PayPal or your credit card. You do not need a PayPal account to give. 

3. Or, mail your gift to:

Surprised by Hope

464 Adaway SE

Ada, MI 49301

4. Watch Facebook and the website for photos and to follow Pr Patrick's story.

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Financial Management for Pastors and Church Leaders

David Maranz, author of African Friends and Money Matters, said that one of the most fundamental economic considerations in Western society is the accumulation of capital and wealth. Alternatively, he pointed out, one of the most fundamental economic considerations in African societies is the distribution of economic resources so that all people have at least their minimum needs met so they can survive (pp 4-5).

I'll be the first to admit that, for this frugal American woman, the culture of distributing resources for survival is a bit irritating. Almost everyone I meet is rather happy to distribute my money in their direction. When was the last time your neighbor knocked on your door saying she couldn't pay her children's Christian school fees and asking you to contribute? Or when were you last asked to give toward the burial of the 98 year old mother of the man who lives seven doors down. Seriously, who even borrows a cup of sugar anymore?

What disturbs me even more is that this culture of distribution is far more biblical than our American "everyone fend for themselves" approach. I love the story of Ruth when Boaz graciously allowed her to freely glean from his fields (Ruth 2:14-16). And Timothy's message to pastors when he said, "Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share" (1 Timothy 6:17-19).

All at once I choke on my own lack of a generous spirit and long to protect their culture of distribution too. Yet, there are gaps in that culture of distribution where opportunities for better financial management abound. Why not at least try to prevent the deep poverty that leads to the need for distribution before it begins?

Most small business people in East Africa fail to separate their business money from their personal money. For example, they try to pay their children's school fees with business money and then wonder why there isn't money left to purchase additional inventory. They don't know how profitable (or not) their business is and they don't understand why they struggle to keep their business open.

Many churches receive less than $3 in tithes each week and because the amount is rather small, pastors feel it's pointless to allocate that money according to an agreed upon budget so that eventually they can replace their roof, purchase a sound system, or hold a crusade. And so the church goes on barely surviving and certainly not being "generous and willing to share."

Prossy shows the saving box used at this church outside Kamuli.
There's no rubber stopper by which to get inside.
That one coin has been rolling around in there for some time, I'm sure.

Surprised by Hope has the opportunity to help pastors and church leaders learn how to position themselves for growth by offering a four-day financial management conference in Watamu, Kenya. Pastor's will learn how and why to:

• Prioritize tithing, saving, and giving
• Track income and expenses (accountability)
• Analyze financial statements to make business decisions
• Know when buying and selling on credit are helpful (or not)

·         Budget for church growth and church events

We'll also have the opportunity to address common issues such as:

• The disappointing results of the prosperity Gospel
• Ethics in money management
• Alternative ways to meet the social demands for the distribution of wealth

This conference is no small undertaking, it's not in keeping with the usual Surprised by Hope simple workshop style. Instead, this conference provides comprehensive teaching-ministry, handbooks, meals, and the like. We want pastors from neighboring towns to come too and so lodging and meals will be available for them as well. To make all this event is successful, we have a small team of pastors at the ready to mobilize and prepare for the most well attended event yet.

WHEN:           Wednesday, December 10 – Saturday, December 13, 2014

TIME:             9:00 am – 6:00 pm with film ministry beginning at 6:30 pm

WHERE:         Watamu, Kenya

Please join Surprised by Hope in laying a foundation for change in the Malindi coastal area of Kenya. Will you consider supporting this important event to ensure that all the pastors who desire to attend can? And please don't forget to pray for us so that we would be God-honoring in all that we communicate about the sensitive topic called money.

Click here to give using your credit card or PayPal.

Or, send your check to:

            Surprised by Hope

            464 Adaway SE

            Ada, MI 49301

As always, we couldn't do this without you…and we wouldn't want to.

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Sell at eBay Giving Works

When sellers list their items for charity, they choose how much of the final selling price they would like to donate and which organization to benefit.

Sellers listing items through eBay Giving Works benefit because their items are easier to find and get extra exposure by being listed on eBay, the eBay Giving Works site, and on the MissionFish site.. MissionFish also provides a simple process to remit funds to Surprised by Hope and a receipt for tax purposes. 

Buyers can more easily find items supporting a cause, be assured the donation will reach the intended and pre-verified organization, and be satisfied in knowing they have made a difference.

Click here to begin selling with a purpose.

Click here for the FAQs about the program or here to learn more about the eBay Giving Works program.

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Shop AmazonSmile

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Surprised by Hope every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to Surprised by Hope. 

Click here to select Surprised by Hope as your favorite charity.

Click here for more details about the AmazonSmile program.

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100 Christmas Dollies 2014

Thirty little brown dollies donning their winks and smirks are crossing the ocean on their way to sights unseen (the inside of Posta Uganda). Added to what we already have, we'll joyfully launch our 100 Christmas Dollies campaign. Click here to peruse the dollies and listen for the one who whispers your name. Then send $25 for each dolly you love and we'll be sure that your dolly gets into the hands of a new little mommy (or daddy) on Christmas day.

Sweet and innocent, you say? Hardly.
These girls play tricks on me by hiding in the bushes where I can't find them.
Lucky they don't get eaten by a goat!

Last year the 100 Christmas Dolly campaign gifted 100 children with adorable mom-and-friends-made dollies on Christmas day and provided windows for Pr Ephantus' new church building. Pr Ephantus applied what he learned in the Entrepreneurship Series by planting tomatoes in the land near his Mountain of Glory Church and using that income to purchase building materials so that he could construct his church. You'll be happy to know that he continues planting, but this season he went with green peppers.

This year, Surprised by Hope has been on the lookout for its 2014 recipient. When selecting the recipient, we use a few criteria. First, we desire someone who has applied what he or she newly learned from any of the Surprised by Hope teaching-ministry lessons. Second, we have a heart for pastors and desire that our gift impact the life of the church. Third, we see evidence that the pastor and his or her church have made significant efforts to meet their own needs and therefore our contribution would not be the majority portion.

Less than a year ago, one pastor in Watamu, Kenya was told he had to vacate the land where his temporary church structure stood and that he had less than a week in which to do it. This pastor identified a nearby plot of land and the members made quick work of dismantling the church and moving it down the "road." Sounds a bit like the OT Tabernacle, doesn't it? Determined never to be uprooted again, Pr Samuel Owino set out to raise the funds needed to purchase that small plot of land.

About 3 years ago, Pr Owino invited Surprised by Hope to deliver the Entrepreneurship Series of teaching-ministry at Grace Abundance Church. One of the many lessons in that teaching was designed to help pastors think about how their church would be set apart in the way they accomplish the purpose of the Church universal. I'll never forget Pr Owino's declaration that his church would be an evangelistic church, it was like an epiphany for him. What I've seen in Pr Owino over these past 3 years is a steadfast determination to do exactly what he declared he would. Security guard by day and street evangelist by night, Pr Owino holds street evangelism and crusades almost bi-weekly. Follow him on Facebook to see his persistence, his leadership, and his bold faith.

Another way Pr Owino applied what he learned in that Entrepreneurship workshop was to teach his church members about using farming to provide a source of funds with which to purchase church land. More than 25% of the funds raised to date came from these hardworking families. Given that the average total tithe in these churches is less than 1,000 KES weekly, this result is nothing short of miraculous.

The purchase price for that small plot of land is 600,000 KES (about $6,700 USD). As a result of many fundraising and income generating events, Pr Owino and his church members remain with a balance of 244,000 KES, which is due before December 31.

Surprised by Hope would like to be part of something bigger, and we know you do too. Will you please join us in this year's 100 Christmas Dolly campaign?  Our campaign will not fill the entire need, but we can make a big impact on the life of Grace Abundance Church by helping give them a place to call home.

Select the dolly who is calling your name and give $25 to the 100 Christmas Dolly campaign. Then, we'll give your dolly a new mommy or daddy for Christmas and help Pr Owino and his church members secure their new home.

Click here to see last years' 100 Christmas Dollies campaign.

Click here to see all the dollies waiting for a new home.

Click here to deliver your support electronically.

Or mail your check to:

Surprised by Hope

464 Adaway SE

Ada, MI 49301

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Count Your Blessings

Count Your Blessings

Take a small box, put a slot in the lid, and then wrap it in Christmas paper. Each day, add the following:

Dec. 1 - Put 25 cents in the box for everyone in your family that had at least two meals this day. The average American eats five times as much as people in developing countries.

Dec. 2 – Add two cents for every light bulb in your house.

Dec. 3 – Add up the number of years your whole family has gone to school and add two cents for each year.

Dec. 4 – Add 10 cents for every hour the television set was turned on.

Dec. 5 - Add 10 cents for every gallon of gas your car holds.

Dec. 6 – For every can of pop in your house, add two cents. We discard 1,500 aluminum drink cans every second. Over a year, that’s 788,400,000 cans.

Dec. 7 – Count all the pairs of shoes and boots in your house and add one cent per pair.

Dec. 8 – If you have your own bedroom, sewing room, or office, add 25 cents.

Dec. 9 – Total the length of your house and add six cents per meter.

Dec. 10 – Contribute 25 cents for every pet you own.

Dec. 11 – Add three cents for every electrical appliance you use today.

Dec. 12 – For every room that’s carpeted, add 10 cents.

Dec. 13 - Add 25 cents for every toy gun in your house. Don’t forget video games.

Dec. 14 – Add one cent for every page of today’s paper. Every day, it takes 500,000 trees to supply newsprint for America’s Sunday newspapers.

Dec. 15 – If you or any member of your family has ever been vaccinated, add 25 cents per person. Every minute, 13 children under five years old die in the developing world because they haven’t been vaccinated.

Dec. 16 – For every electrical outlet in your home, add five cents.

Dec. 17 – If you have a clothes drier, add 50 cents.

Dec, 18 – Add five cents for every pair of mittens or gloves that you own.

Dec. 19 – If you are wearing clothes that have only belonged to you, add 25 cents.

Dec. 20 – If you have a bed of your own to sleep on, add 25 cents. In Bombay, India, between 100,000 and 500,000 people rest their heads on the pavement every night.

Dec. 21 – Add $1 if you own a VCR or DVD player and $1 for every computer or smartphone in your home.

Dec. 22 – For every glass of clean water that you drank today, add 10 cents. Of the six billion people living on the planet today, one in four do not have access to adequate drinking water.

Dec. 23 – Add 25 cents if you know the name of your doctor.

Dec. 24 – If you have more than one blanket on your bed, add 25 cents.

Dec. 25 – Add five cents for every serving of meat given in your house today.

Dec. 26 – If you didn’t recycle your Christmas wrappings, add $1.

Dec. 27 – For every glassed window in your house, add five cents.

Dec. 28 – For each person in your family who earns more than 20 cents an hour, add 50 cents.

Dec. 29 – Add 25 cents for every fridge or freezer in your home.

Dec. 30 – For every book you have read or received this month, add 10 cents.

Dec. 31 – If you keep the water running while you brush your teeth, add 25 cents.

Jan. 1 – Add five cents for every time you talked or texted someone on a phone today.

Jan. 2 – For every can of food in your cupboard add 5 cents.

Jan. 3 – If you have more than 10 items in your fridge, add two cents for every extra item.

Jan. 4- Consider how fortunate you are. In North America, one out of every four children under the age of six is living in poverty.

Jan. 5 – Sit down with your family and decide to whom you would like to donate the contents of your sharing box.

Jan 6 – (Epiphany) – Add up the contents of your box and then send your blessing to Surprised by Hope through your credit card or PayPal or by sending a check to:
     Surprised by Hope
     464 Adaway SE
     Ada, MI 49301

Together, we can change our world!

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Grace Abundance Church in Watamu

The former church location was a sliver of land just big enough to erect four posts for a modest temporary structure. When Pastor Owino showed me that sliver after having removed the structure…I was shocked at just how small it really was and how tightly it fit next to all the other surrounding structures.

Early one weekday morning the land owner informed Pastor Owino that he’d have to move by the end of the week. Move. Moving immediately meant finding someplace, anyplace to go with the church structure materials that the current congregation would find convenient. Moving immediately also meant enlisting the aid of his people to disassemble every pole, every nail, and every iron sheet, transporting the load, and reassembling before church service the following Sunday.

Grace Abundance Church found its new home not far from its old, on a plot about 40’x70’. The hitch…this new plot would require 600,000 KES (about $7,000 USD) paid before August. Pastor Owino described the various fundraising activities and generous donations that came in for the purchase and was very proud of the 25,000 they’ve collected in that time. His faith is remarkable, he’s trusting that God will provide the rest of the funds before the required deadline.

Before the church was finished being reassembled, thieves removed everything that wasn’t nailed down including a single church bench. Just one. Pastor Owino certainly has cause feel defeated, but instead he continues to cling to hope in the Lord.

I’m so thankful for the time of prayer I was able to share with Pastor and his wife. We declared that land protected by an army of angles. We declared financial provision for the land. We declared a pouring out of the Spirit on the people who step into that church. We declared anointing, favor, and power. While the three of us covered every centimeter of that plot in prayer, we felt a move of the Spirit and we claimed its continuation even after we stopped praying. Please join us in covering that church body with protection and blessing as they continue serving the Lord.

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Stockings are for More than Feet

Stockings have always been my favorite part of Christmas and apparently I’m not alone. My aunt and her family love stocking gifts too. But this year they decided to sacrifice their own stockings and bless my neighbor kiddos with “stockings” instead. For a few precious minutes I got to remember the Christmas of my youth…you know…the grabbing, crying, and hitting.

Look at Sheffar's eyes! So big!

Oh the fun.

Even Sheeba knew she was getting something fun.

Maama Farida has as much fun as the kids.

Sheffar is ready to brush her teeth.
After eating the bouncy ball she probably needs to.

Stoic kids but thankful none the less.
Tiny baby is on maama's back. She got a stocking too.

The rest of the stockings will be distributed when the kids return from the village where they spend off-school holidays.

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