Pray for Kehl

JACKTON AND MILLY'S BABY

NEWS FLASH:  We spoke with Jackton Monday night -- Milly and baby are at home, they were both asleep when we called.  Baby is nursing well and gaining weight he lost after surgery.  Meanwhile, school uniform business is taking off.  People from 8 schools are coming in for uniforms; school started today.  Staff is busy sewing.  Jackton will return to Rafiki Orphanage this week to do additional measurements for every kid they have.  He is doing all this on very little sleep.  Please keep asking God to bless them.  

  A little more than a week ago Milly went to the hospital feeling badly.  The doctors decided it was important to go ahead with the birth, so labor was induced.  When Kehl was born, his head was enlarged (congenital hydroencephalus), and the doctors determined that a shunt was needed to drain the water from his head.  He suffered cardiac arrest and was bleeding, so a transfusion was ordered and they waited for the surgery until he was stable.  He was moved to the hospital at Kijabe, where many Americans we know have had their babies.  Milly has been pleased that the doctors talk to her and tell her everything.  Surgery was performed yesterday and reports are good.  The shunt is working, and they think Milly and Kehl may come home within a week.  Thanks to all who prayed; we trust God whatever happens.  We will be so pleased if Kehl can grow up healthy as a playmate to the Mbuvi's new baby Jeremy.  

Notes from Mbuvi on 30 December -- 

  "We had chapel today and the kids are happy.  I told them you (nb. Charles Coulston) said you love them and the girls mostly giggled.  It has been a great family time here."

  "Tomorrow they will go for the Ngong hike and they are undecided whether to go and hike and come back or to spend the night!"

  "Church was wonderful and we had 6 newcomers.  It was nice because it was the last Sunday of the month, and they shared in the fellowship meal.  During our morning class we read Acts 21.  Bernard, one of the young men who came, was very polite and cheerful, and we were told that his house was burned.  This is because a neighbor has always wanted the plot where he lives since he is an adopted child.  He lost all he had and even had his hand cut.  During church we decided to give a portion of the collection for his needs.  Keep him in prayers."

  "John Wambu and I talked and we decided to write a letter to the Provincial Commissioner, the District Commissioner and the District Officer and copy it to the Police Commander telling them that the invaders have abandoned the building project and that we intend the fence the property again and take possession of the whole property again.  We will also explain to them the use we plan to make of the whole 20 acres in our skills training program.  We hope they are not part of the problem and will approve and be helpful."

  "Joel and some of the students are visiting Milly and baby Kehl today." 

  "We are yet to move into our house.  It takes a long time to complete and we don't have all the funds, but we will move in and finish later.  Mauryn has already packed!  Jeremy nurses well and is growing quick.  Jonathan is all over but likes his brother."

  "John Wambu told me the amount for Susan's surgery is 80,000 shillings (n.b., $1,200) at Gertrude's Children's Hospital." 

  "We love you much. Please pass our greetings."

                Mbuvi

When You Give A Party

The Gospel of Luke records Jesus counseling us to give parties, but to be careful about who is on our guest list.  Our daughter and son-by-marriage give a New Year's Eve party every year, in California on New York time!  That's so families can have the hoopla at 9 pm Pacific Time. and still get their kids home and in bed by 10 pm.  They invite people of all kinds -- from church, from work, from the neighborhood -- and they especially think of three types of people -- 1) lower income, 2) people without family nearby, and 3) dear friends.  

We are grateful to all those who support Made in the Streets.  They make it possible for us to "give a party" to lots of street kids.  We give parties in Eastleigh to kids, girls with babies and youth who are sleeping on the streets.  We give parties at Kamulu to former street kids who live with us and who are in literacy studies or skills training or preparing to leave us for life outside.  We give parties to Sunday school kids and to the community at Kamulu.  

Francis Mbuvi reports that the Team and kids at Kamulu (plus all the ones livingat the Eastleigh Center) spent Christmas day talking and listening to music and having a great lunch together -- with roast goat and stewed goat and rice and beans and corn and chapati and other good things, including dessert provided by the Conways.  Here are Mna and Brian, two of the children of our young moms living at Eastleigh, at the Christmas lunch.

Oh, yes, I was going to mention Jesus' guest list.  Essentially it is "whoever is not able to pay you back."  These kids can never repay you -- you have done it Jesus' way.  Thanks! 

Holiday Highlights at MITS

This picture shows part of the crowd who came for the Christmas program at Made in the Streets - Kamulu.  For the first time we made a serious effort to go out into the community and invite people to come in and experience the holidays with us.  Our motivation was that we have had people spreading bad rumors about the ministry around Kamulu, and we were advised by a law enforcement officer to "get into the community and let them know who you are."  To our happy surprise they came -- 150 adults and 80 kids.  Francis Mbuvi reports that Jackton shared about the work of Made in the Streets with street kids while Francis himself did a sermon from the Gospel of Luke about Jesus coming into the world to be our Savior and made a call to them to respond.  Several of our current and former students from the streets performed, with the RTGz and Christ Warrior groups singing, with several students doing acrobatics and with Ken Wambugu juggling (Mbuvi says they were awed by his ability!)   We are grateful to Josh Horton of Thousand Oaks, California, for his training in juggling earlier this year.   

All in all, it was a great experience.  It let community people experience our kids and our Team, to see where the church meets and to hear what we do and who we are.  By God's grace, that will help in our relationship to the community and lessen the impact of those who would damage the ministry with their words.  

Growing Faith at Kamulu

Here are two pictures of baptisms at Kamulu Church of Christ on December 21 -- Frederick Kamau and Selina Njoki.  They are young people home for the holidays from boarding school.  They are the children of a lady from the community who was baptized a few weeks ago.  She is a part of a women's Bible study group led by Maureen Mbuvi that asked Darlene to teach them about baptism and Jesus.  Now she has taught the kids.  Reaching the community at Kamulu with love and the message and growing the church are important to Made in the Streets.  

Soon we are going to face the need to have a full-time evangelist or shepherd for the congregation.  For now Francis Mbuvi preaches as well as administering Made in the Streets, and he takes care of many of the Bible studies led by the church.  Made in the Streets is becoming a bigger work for him, and so is the church.  So please pray for a person to step forth for leadership in preaching and teaching and visiting and helping others.  

Street Kids Get it Right and are Baptized

It has been an exciting two months for Made in the Streets.  It started with a street kid in our literacy program asking a question about baptism because of studying about John the Baptist in Matthew 3.  That led to a careful reading of each passage in the New Testament about baptism and answering whatever questions the kids asked.  

Then four of the older boys in our program asked to be baptized.  A group of women asked for the same study of baptism the kids in the school had, and several of them were baptized.  Then a large group of kids were baptized on our trip to the Indian Ocean.  And then more.  Finally one of our Street Moms in the Eastleigh program was also baptized.  And last Sunday the final two of 36 were baptized -- Mary Wangui and Lucy Wambui Njoki.  Before Lucy's baptism, Francis Mbuvi said a few words.  He told about how Lucy had come to talk about baptism but said she knew she must make things right before receiving forgiveness.  She had a conflict with another girl and had said and done some wrong things.  But now she had made it right, reconciled with the other girl, and she was ready.  

These girls have been wonderful in the Kamulu program.  Next year they will be 16 and will begin their skills training.  We have two more years to encourage and teach and help them develop into great servants of Christ.  

Here Mary is coming up out of the water.  In the other pic Lucy is ready and has confessed her faith in Jesus Christ. 

Student of the Year at MITS

STUDENT OF THE YEAR - TEAM MEMBER OF THE YEAR  2008



Friday was a happy day - we are always happy when we can honor someone.  We went through a process of choosing students of the year and a Team member of the year.  We asked students and Team members to write nominations -- not just a vote -- but to write what they appreciate about someone, how they work, the benefit MITS and the students get from this person, and so on.  We received some beautiful tributes!  

The end result was the choice of Ken Wabungu as male student of the year and Jackline Njoki as female student of the year.  

Presentations of a certificate and a "bahasha" (means envelope, and it has cash in it) were made, and Dr. Coulston praised them and shook their hands.  They were obviously pleased.  The bahasha was turned over to the Administrator to be saved for when they leave Made in the Streets.  

  Chosen as Team member of the year for 2008 was Philip Kariuki, who is the supervisor of our literacy education program.  Many wonderful praises were written about him.  He was very surprised to hear his name called.  He was given a certificate, a new pocket version Bible, a bahasha and a poster for his classroom entitled "Footprints".  

 We are very proud of our Team and our Students.  Praise God for people who work well together, who desire to succeed, who honor God and are good friends.

Trouble at 20 Acres revisited

Our court hearing was this morning, and Francis Mbuvi attended with our attorney (advocate for all us British-speaking people).  But the advocate for the other side did not show up.  This was the last opportunity to make a case, so the judge heard our advocate out and then stated that a ruling will be given on 16 December.  Our advocate told Francis that it will only be the ruling; there will be no more opportunity to present evidence.  So that is good news for us.   The picture is of the Member of Parliament and his people on the day they invaded the land.

The people continue to build; the trusses are ready to go on the roof.  They are using government funds from the Constituency Development Fund to do the building, so they are not personally at any loss whatever happens.  

Thank you for praying and for your concern and care.  We are well and going on with serving street children.  We have some great kids in our program now, and every day is a joy with them.  The last few days they have been coming up to Darlene and me one by one to ask, "What day are you leaving?" and to add, "I'll miss you."  And we will miss them too, but it will be good to be in the USA to report on the ministry, see family and gather things needed for the ministry.  

We opened the school uniform shop yesterday, or at least Jackton did.  Today there were several people at the shop finishing up details -- Philip and two of the girls were painting signs, Jackton and two students were checking on prices and setting out uniforms and accessories, and a few people were coming around to see what was happening.  A few customers have come in as well.

On Friday Jackton has an appointment with Rafiki Children's Home; they want to consider giving him a contract to supply uniforms -- that would be a great opportunity for us.  

The Team is planning the holiday season -- they have several great activities set up for the students, so they don't have to go to school while everyone else in the country is on holiday!

Have a happy holiday preparation time!