What is success?

Priscah Kerubo is baptized by Francis Mbuvi
in December 2011. Not long after this she
ran away.  The team allowed her back, but she
ran again.  Then they decided not to allow
her to return.  Sometimes we think success at MITS
is having kids finish our skills program and get an ID card
and a job and apartment.  But read Joel's story about
how it ended up for Priscah.  It is great success when
a family comes together. 

The light at the end of the tunnel

When Priscah Kerubo took off from MITS, our hearts were heavy and sad.  We could not understand why a young lady who was doing well would want to go away from a place where she got very good care.

This week I met her parents and they were happy to see me. The parents have been struggling to provide for their family.The mother said that initially before Priscah came to MITS she would normally not stay at home for more than one week and she would always come back late at night drunk and high, leaving the mother guessing and wondering what might have happened this time to her oldest daughter with all the evils that take place in Nairobi. It always made her stressful and wished that she died. They really love her so much and it was painful to see her waste her life.

This week when I met the father and the mum, they were happy to tell me that  they are very grateful to MITS for all the help we have given them with Priscah. They happily reported that Priscah now stays at home and helps out with work in the house, and that she is willing to go to cooking school and learn something new that will help her. The parents say that, "it’s like having a brand new daughter".  They had never imagined that their daughter would transform to this. They will be forever grateful for our help and patience with Priscah. This reminded me that in the midst of all the discouragement and pain that we go through, these children are transformed and given new hope and they also listen to the advices that we give them, and Priscah's story is a testimony that we are influencing their future in a positive way. Parents like Priscah’s parents are happy that even though poverty has brought a lot of difficulty, there is still hope  and opportunity for their children, so the MITS family should continue with the work and never never give up!

NATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE

2012 NATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE FOR CHURCHES OF CHRIST

The Kamulu Church of Christ and Made in the Streets were hosts for this year's youth conference.

Young people came from the Kenyan Coast, from Kisumu by Lake Victoria, from Kisii in South Nyanza, from Meru near Mount Kenya and other places in Kenya. 

MITS Students Cooked for Youth Conference

Students made more than 1,000 chapati for the first day of the conference

Young people enjoyed singing together - 253 were registered

Alex Atema - a former MITS student who is currently attending the Great Commission School (he intends to
preach and be a helper to other street youth)

On Sunday morning, the youth conference engaged in a Discovery Bible Study -
they were encouraged to learn to do this at home, inviting other youth in
to study Scripture and thus build up the church. 

Gifts from Sponsors

We are always so happy when a sponsor is able to send a gift to one of the students. When Darlene and I returned to Nairobi this time, we brought several gifts to students. Here we are giving out the gifts in chapel, and everyone was happy.

Mercy's baby got a doll (they are very new at MITS).

Lydia receives a journal.

Edward will enjoy all the Laker stuff!

Clinton receives a book of

photos with his picture on

the front!!

Moses Gicharu Reports from Eastleigh

JANUARY MONTHLY REPORT

MOSES GICHARU

During the Month of January my fellow team members and I started working on the documents required for intake process of both boys and girls. I was compliing case histories for the potential teenage boys and girls to be admitted to MITS boarding program. We conducted home visits for street boys and girls who had relatives so as to find out more information from any parents or guardians available about the reasons for the teenagers running away.

Some didn’t want to visit their homes because of the fear of being beaten up by their parents or guardians or because their physical appearances was not appealing - dirty and untidy. We discussed as a team how to solve the issues of the boys and girls who were attending the program but their situation or cases were not fit to be considered as very needy since, at least they had a place to sleep at home. Their problem was maybe lack of school uniform, writing materials and other minor needs. We decided once again to give opportunities to be admitted at M.I.T.S. boarding program to those kids who were sleeping on the streets. We helped others as we could to reintegrate to their homes and assisted in buying necessities required e.g. Emmanuel Sifa, a class six leave out pupil from ST. Elizabeth school at Lunga Lunga, Maureen from Kamulu Kwa Ruben while others from Mathare slum we advised their parents or guardians on what to do in order to ensure that their children continue with their studies.

The teenagers we admitted at Kamulu farm were consistently attending the Eastleigh program for the past eight to ten months. There were sixteen students (10 boys and 6 girls) who were admitted at M.I.T.S Kamulu center on 31^st of January 2012. One of the girls tested positive on the pregnancy test. Shamim was about two weeks pregnant. She had accompanied other friends to the program at Eastleigh center, and when the Eastleigh team visited Mutindwa base we found only that she had been living on different bases for the last five years. Shamim is a hardworking and intelligent girl and it was God’s plan for her to be admitted at the Kamulu farm.

That the Blind May See

Until the 19th of January 2012, Geofrey had lived a normal life in the streets (n.b., as normal as that can be!!! You see how our Team thinks - life on the streets is not awful, but is part of God's plan to make something greater of the kids who end up there!!!). He had been used to hauling garbage from peoples' houses where he could get his money and possibly his daily food. But on the morning of the 20th, the unexpected happened "niliamka nikaona Giza" ("I woke up and saw darkness"). He was to go to his usual area and start his routine only that he could not see. Efforts to wash his face proved futile, and his friends helped him get to where he wanted. When we visited him yesterday at "Rounda" base, he was holding a tin with milk. When Byron spoke and asked if he knew who we were, he said "Najua ni odijo lakini sikuoni" ("I know it's the teacher but I can't see you"). He narrated to us how Evans had taken him to Kenyatta Hospital and how later he was chased from there. He had the hospital papers which on the top read "Urgent Please". Larry, Jane Njeri and I taught all the other youth there especially to be thankful, and we made plans to take Geofrey to hospital on Sunday. We hope it will be something the Doctors can rectify before it's too late.
Please keep him in your prayers as we continue to trust that God will work a miracle for him.

Time with God

This report is from Francis Mbuvi:

One of our greatest desires is to see our students develop a closer relationship with Jesus. Our classes, chapel and Church have provided the basis for it and we continue to seek other ways to lead them to God. We took a trip to one of our properties called Mountain view and asked each student and team member available to spend time in prayer.

Each person spent time either talking to God aloud or in their hearts, but whichever way they did it, it was more time with God. When we met together, Jackton read some scriptures and encouraged us to leave the burdens to Jesus. Just like we loved praying we also loved the lunch. On our way home, we saw some giraffes and Thompson gazelles!!! How great is our God!!!

Note from Charles Coulston: The property at Mountain View is 40 acres and is located near the top of a mountainous area about 40 minutes drive from Kamulu. Part of it is rock and a cliff face and part has grass and scrub trees growing. There is a spring on the property that may provide enough water for groups. We dream that one day we will build a camp for youth and others to use for retreats and seminars and "time with God." Please pray that this can become a reality one day. We will need to have a water tank, solar or generator power, kitchen and residence areas, as well as a sports field. This has been done many times before by people committed to have a place for youth to grow in spirit and in relationships, so we know we can do this, with God's blessing.

Teach a Kid to Fish

A few years ago Ben Mwami, MITS Team member who is responsible for landscaping, the animals (cows, chickens, goats) and the FISH ponds at MITS, consulted with the Fisheries people about growing talapia. He has helped several of our students from the streets to learn how to care for fish in an open pond. This week the Team pulled about 100 fish out of the first pond - so finally our kids will eat the fruit of their labor. Mbuvi reports that there are about 1,000 fish growing in our second and larger pond, so we have added nutritional and tasty food for the future. We want to teach our kids as much as possible about as many subjects as possible so they have great opportunities when they leave MITS at 18. We could have any number of fish ponds on the land that we have. And they taste good!