4.30 at MITS

  We are so excited about the 4.30 Classes -- we are doing month-long units in Bible, Business and Computers.  Our skills training students come weekdays from 4:30 to 5:15.  We are doing 5 units in each area (that is 20 classes per unit) -- Bible is 1) business ethics, 2) personal counseling, 3) relationships at work, 4) serving Jesus on your job and 5) relationships outside of work.  Business is 1) getting a job, 2) keeping a job, 3) accounting without a computer, 4) marketing and 5) secretarial.  Computer is 1) personal finance, 2) small business finance,   3) business English, 4) appropriate use of technology and 5) office computing.  

  We have someone writing Bible 1 and 2 and 4, Business 1 and 2 and Computer 1 and 4.  We need you to help us with one of these courses.  Essentially it is a one-page lesson plan for 20 days for a Unit, with a Scripture for memory, a purpose statement, methods to use in class, activity /discussion /small group, etc.  

  Please look at the blog at  www.made-in-the-streets.blogspot.com  at Moses Okoth's great article about the 4.30 class in computer that he is teaching.  You will see how valuable it is.

HONOR                                                                                                                                                                                        

   

We try to give honor where it is due.  This month Joel Njue, our student affairs director at MITS, is receiving an honor in church for his role in the Sunday school and in development of Vacation Bible Schools at Kamulu.  He has also taken students on many trips to do VBS at village churches, and they have been happily received.  

Besides leading worship at Kamulu Church, Joel also spends some time in Eastleigh each week on the streets.  Here he is a Rounda Base - he's the one on the left in the white cap.  

We are truly proud of the men and women who serve, at low pay (we call it ministerial, but not the kind in government), the street children of Nairobi.  How wonderful the feet of those who walk through garbage to tell the Good News!

The Children of MITS

Made in the Streets is now a place of children.  Besides the four children of the Moms living in the Eastleigh Center - Brian, Mutua, Larry and Mna -- and the children of the 40 or so Moms who come to the Monday program, we have our own children.  And Darlene loves being the Shosho (Granny).  Kehl is Jackton and Milly's baby, born with hydroencephalus, he is doing very well.  Kehl has not suffered any of the setbacks or problems with the shunt that the doctors were concerned about.  Each week now he goes in for physical therapy.  He has been using his legs to kick with but not to stand with, but he is beginning to test them.  He recently began to find his mouth with his thumb, and he chews on the Shosho's toys as he sits in her lap on Sunday morning.  They came to the Coulston's house for dinner last week, and Kehl is pictured here on Dad's lap chewing on broccoli.  

   Raymond is Laurent and Elizabeth's little one, and he is a delight, and very talkative.  He is really glad to be living at Kamulu - such freedom to run around.  And we have Sunday school, and he has friends to play with.    Here he is standing with his Dad singing in church; and he has all the hand motions

 down also.  

                                                        

Jonathan is 3 years old now, and he has a little brother named Jeremy, and Francis and Mauryn are having a great time being parents.  Jonathan is in nursery school.  When he comes home in the afternoon, he often comes over to his nearest neighbors, Darlene and "Kulu", to visit, because he just might get a cookie.  He likes to follow Charles around and watch him work in the yard or with tools.  On this day Charles was trying to repair a sprinkler, and they were accidentally sprayed once.  Jonathan liked it so much that he started running through it, then he just stood in it and got completely wet.  When his Mom came over, Charles said, "You may not want to see this."  She just laughed, whatever she was thinking.  

  We also have Amaria, Irene Mbithe's little one, and John Wambu has lots of children - Susie is now 9 years old, and most of them are out of high school.  And Ben Mwami has 3 children.  And Kariuki (he works on the farm) and his wife have two children now.  So we are a place of children and enjoying it very much.  

FOREVER CHANGED by Alex Jackson

     There are few places in the world where one can directly see the changing power of our Lord. Made In the Streets is one of those places, it has forever changed my life as it has forever changed the lives of its students. The street children of Nairobi are perhaps the most lost souls I have ever encountered. Their countenance is one of despair and their stories full of injustice. The first time I visited MITS during the summer of 2006, I left with a bitter taste in my mouth. How could God put his children through such an upbringing? If he loves all his little children how can he introduce them to drugs at such a young age and how can he let them starve in these cold, dirty slums?

    Upon my second visit to MITS (summer of 2009) my eyes were opened and my opinions changed. I witnessed the grace and mercy of God first hand. I still don't know why God puts children through street life but I do know now that there stories are not full of despair but rather hope. Seeing children in Kamulu whom I first met on the streets showed me how much God loves these little children and how much the power of our Lord can change their lives. Kamulu lets children robbed of their childhood be children again. The smiling faces, laughter, jokes and games has shown me that the Lord has a purpose for every one of them and, through their experience in the slums, is preparing them for amazing lives of service. These kids are the light of the Lord and I am forever changed by my time with them.

    Perhaps no story is as powerful as Titus Kioko's. When I met Titus in 2006 he was skinny, high, disrespectful, angry and mischevious. One afternoon we decided to buy some sandals for the street kids at one of our relief camps as none of them had shoes, we couldn't imagine climbing through the trash piles and walking among broken glass barefoot. We were handing out sandals through the gate at the Eastleigh center, but when Titus stepped up to get his sandals, we ran out. Titus looked at me with furious eyes and spit in my face. I was livid, and while we bought him a pair of sandals, I wanted nothing to do with him. However, Titus has a personality that draws you in, and I couldn't resist forming a friendship with him. When I left Nairobi, I prayed that God would work in Titus' life and he most certainly did.

    My trip this summer was full of hills and valleys as my health really hindered my ability to serve. When I got out of the Aga Kahn Hospital, the first thing I wanted to do was see the kids. I was sitting in a chair in the Learning Center and I heard someone say, "man Alex, you're alot weaker than the last time I saw you." I turned around and saw Titus just laughing histerically. It was such a joy to see him taller, well dressed and in good spirits. He then said, "I have been praying for> you ever since I heard you were ill." It stopped me dead in my tracks, Titus Kioko is praying for me? This last sunday Titus served communion, led a prayer, and sang with the praise team, I am so proud of who he has become. The Titus I spent time with in Kamulu is a true servant of the Lord and his story will be a blessing to anyone who hears it, he resembles the Titus I met in the streets only in appearance and humor. If God can change Titus he can change anyone. Saying goodbye was hard, but I am so excited to hear where the Lord takes him, I have no doubt that Titus will do great things with his life.

    Titus' story is just one of the hundreds of stories of reformation among Made in the Streets students. The world could use more programs like MITS.

Show Honor To One Another

On Sunday we honored two members of the Kamulu Church of Christ for faithful service.  

Brian Ochieng is one of our students at Made in the Streets.  He lived on the streets as a young teenager and has been with us for 2+ years.  Each Sunday morning he comes to the Learning Center where the church meets outside, gets out the benches and the chairs and lines them up and sets out the song books.  He received a certificate of honor for faithful service and a cash award.

Jane Njeri has been a member of the Kamulu Church for 3+ years.  She was formerly an alcoholic and is open about her past and her struggles.  She made a decision several years ago to change her life and did all the right things to make everything right with God and to build a new life.  For the past year she has volunteered for Made in the Streets at the Eastleigh Center working with street mothers who come to the Monday

program.  In recent months they have served 40+ girls each week.  Jane has proven to be a good teacher, has good rapport with the girls and serves as a good example to them.  She also received a service certificate and a cash award.