TLC Children's Trust Thank you for your ongoing support and prayers. God is blessing this work and we know in a large part that is because of people like you.
A lot has happened since our last newsletter back in June. Apologies that it has been so long since we sent you an update. Life is hectic. But do remember you can keep up to date on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HoPChildrensHome where we post short updates every week. If you click ‘Like’ under the main banner picture at the top of that page it will automatically keep you updated.
We are frequently asked how often we visit Home of Peace. We do not visit at the moment as the cost of 2 people flying to Kenya and visiting Home of Peace would be approximately the same as we spend on food, wages, and all other expenses at the home for 3 weeks. We therefore feel it would be wrong to waste this money when it is not necessary as we are in daily contact, we authorise all purchases, we see all receipts, Marilyn is on the Management Team, the home is visited by Children’s Services, The Dept of Health, the police and the Children’s Court on a regular basis.
But Rev Julie Shimizu and Rev Lynda Hulcoop, both from Sussex, England have just returned from a visit. Rev Shimizu was the person who introduced Marilyn and Ray to Home of Peace when she was their Pastor and she took Ray to Kenya as a Speaker in 2010.
We asked them to please give us an honest report which we could include in this newsletter.
Here is her report:
My friend Lynda Hulcoop, a fellow Baptist minister and I are just returning from a 10-day trip to Siaya, Kenya. This was Lynda’s first trip but my 8th although I hadn’t been for the last 10 years. The trip was primarily to teach at a pastors conference held at the church I was involved with in from its beginning. The church is next to Home of Peace children’s home and so it was great to spend time there too and see how much it had developed since I handed over the coordination of it to Marilyn White 9 years ago.
In those 9 years so much has developed. There are many more buildings for the children including toilets and shower facilities, a laundry, a first aid room with sick bay and offices for Erick the administrator, Faith the Social Worker and James, the Manager, and many other rooms.
It is well run and organised and the children look happy and contented.
Marilyn has done a great job managing the Home from a distance. Because of the efficient management, Home of Peace is recognised as the best Children’s Home in that area and provides a secure and loving environment which otherwise these children would not have had.
It also means that those who give to this charity are assured their money is well spent, carefully distributed and makes a huge difference in the lives of these children.
Since our last newsletter the Dept of Children’s Services instructed us to put up an additional building to house the Manager’s Office and also to build secure storage space for the secondary student’s bicycles. The secondary students have to cycle to school as it is too far to let them walk.
The building is now up and operational thanks to money we received from a charity.
Our new Senior Nurse Aid, Sharlet, has proved to be a real blessing.
In this picture you can see both our wonderful nurse aids, Sharlet (on the left) and Emelda (on the right) wearing the uniforms made for them by the Home of Peace seamstress Benter.
Following discussions with the Government Health Insurance Dept we have arranged to have our staff and children treated at a different hospital in future. A hospital with far better facilities.
Our water supply system kept having problems. We had no idea why and we asked a local water pump supplier and they also had no idea. Through a major supplier in Nairobi we discovered the problem.
The water was being pumped half a mile through a 1 inch pipe. Apparently, this is putting too much stress on the pump and it should have been a 3 inch pipe. We therefore had to dig up half a mile of piping and replace it with 3 inch pipes. Thanks for the wonderful assistance of Samuel (Erick’s brother) it all cost us just over £300 but if that means we have reliable water and no more breakdowns it will be money well spent.
Our amazing Trustees, Val and Keith Norton have again held a wonderful fund raising afternoon at their home and then last month Keith Norton (age 72) and his daughter, his son and his daughter-in-law all ran in the Hull marathon to raise funds for Home of Peace Thank you Nortons.
Erick our Administrator and Purchasing Manager and his wife Hellen had a new baby son a few weeks ago.
Please pray for God’s blessing on young Mark
SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
This coming year we will have 30 children in Secondary School.
This is so very important as without a decent education they will have no hope of breaking the chain of poverty and problems that landed them in Home of Peace.
It costs an additional £400 for each new Secondary School child and £350 for those who are continuing.
This covers their school fees, books, uniform and for those starting Secondary School a bicycle to get to and from school.
This must be paid at the beginning of January.
They each need to be sponsored.
Please pray about sponsoring one of them. (Even if you can only manage half)
If you would like to Sponsor a Student for Secondary School, or to make a donation towards the Children’s Home please CLICK HERE to visit our SUPPORT the WORK page for a range of ways to give.
God bless you,
Love in Jesus,
Marilyn & Ray