HAPPY TO REPORT

We are happy to report that Charles Kimani, who has lived with great pain in his shoulder and back for more than two years - due to a tumor connecting his shoulder, ribs and lungs - is now without pain.  The surgery was successful - thanks to a friend who helped with this - and he is healing fast. He has already begun to do a little work in the woodshop.  We are bringing some things to the USA he has made.  This picture was taken four days ago near the chapel.

We are also happy to report that Brian Ochieng is doing a wonderful work filling in as the Catering and Cooking instructor.  Magdalene Wairimu had her baby, and she is on three months' total leave.  Brian had been managing our cafeteria at the Learning Center.  Tira Njue has taken over that job while Brian has gone to teach cooking.  He gets online to find recipes and new "presentations" of food.  We are delighted with how excited the cooking class is. 

Good presentation of good food!

Brian Ochieng the day his students did an exam -
a special lunch for some of us!  We enjoyed
the "chicken Maryland" and green beans!

Joel Njue's Life and Work

Joel Njue reported to the Team today that he was in a meeting this week that included the County Director of Child Protective Services.  That director came to MITS-Kamulu last year when we were being re-certified to intake children and youth for education and skills training.

During the meeting, where the director reported that a head count was made recently of street children in Nairobi - and they concluded that there are at least 60,000 kids and teens sleeping on the streets within city limits.  This is about the same number that a government official reported about 10 years ago.

He also talked about MITS during the meeting, and he praised the work that we do in Eastleigh and other places on the streets as well as our boarding program at Kamulu.  Joel told the rest of the Team, "Pat someone on the back and say 'Good Job'"  

Joel is doing a great job in relation to government officials and networking with people who care for children an businesspeople who might hire our kids.  He also made the chapel talk to the kids this morning, and his subject was "Slow down, enjoy the life you have, and let God be in charge."  He talked about Moses and Joshua - last week we were in chapter 6 of The Story on "the wanderings" and this week we start chapter 7 "the battle begins."  So Joel, said, "be courageous," as Moses told Joshua.  Angela then requested that we sing "be strong and courageous and do not be afraid."

Joel also said he woke up a couple of days ago and said, "Wow, I have a child. Tira and I have a baby. I'm getting old."  And we said, "We all need to slow down, make and enjoy friendships...and let God be in charge."

Joel with Naledi

Joel and Jackton overlooking Mathare Valley

CHARLES KIMANI IS WELL!

For several years Charles Kimani has had a growth in his shoulder and back.  When Dr. John Bailey led a medical team to Malindi, we flew Charles to the coast to be examined. They did a biopsy and exploratory surgery.  When we tested the biopsy, it was negative, but the exploration revealed a very complicated mass attached to his shoulder, his ribs, his back and next to his lungs.  The medical team loved Charles; they said he has a great outlook, loves Christ and people and was a good patient.

Charles has continued to live with constant pain and suffered weakness in the shoulder and arm.  So we have been working on getting an appointment for surgery, and a local doctor has examined him.  As we were working on it, God blessed us richly...again!  A friend wrote saying that he wanted to make a sizable contribution to Made in the Streets!  And we recommended that one of the things he do for us is provide for this surgery. He agreed to this, so we scheduled Charles for surgery.

Now he is back home at MITS and has recovered.  Last week he went back to work in the woodworking shop and told Darlene he had finished some things she wants to take to the USA.  I asked him about pain, and he says "it is gone."  He is smiling; actually he never stopped smiling through the pain, but now his smile is not in spite of the pain.

Rejoice with us!

THE STORY

The exciting events going on at Made in the Streets (Kamulu and Eastleigh) and the churches at both places is THE STORY.  We are immersed in God's Upper Story and our lower story.  The pic shows all the materials that we are using.  And these are the books and handbooks that we will give out to representatives from 50 congregations who will come to Kamulu October 12 and 13 for a workshop on The Story.  We will have 45 minute sessions on all the ways we have used The Story in our ministry - the book itself, the children's book, our preschool Sunday school, children's Sunday school and the youth/adult Sunday school, dorm devos and home Bible studies, Discovery Bible Studies, sermons, how to use The Story in business and in skills.  Our little pre-schoolers are very interested, as are our skills students and our street ministers.  One of our Team members told me a few days ago that she finds herself in The Story, right along with Eve and Noah's wife and Sarah and Miriam.  We are on chapter 5 this week:  New Commands and a New Covenant -- learning about rules and why and how to keep them.
  We pray that you find yourself in God's Story too.

MITS Keeps Growing

Ruth and her little son Dennis are our newest students at MITS.  We are pleased that the Eastleigh Team found Ruth and became her friend and invited her to live at Kamulu with us.  They have moved into the Moms' House at the girls' compound and seem very happy.  Dennis is in our child care program -- taught by Hellen Maina nd Milly Omondi -- and will be learning English and being well prepared for school in the future.










Several of our students are prepared to make "home visits" today.  They are wearing the new T-shirts that our students will wear when going on a trip outside of MITS.  Team members go with them to see a parent or grandparent whom we have located.  Usually it is a good experience, though relatives are not always happy to see them!  So...we keep on saying "We are family" and "You are ours."