July 2011 News

                    Biblical Environmental Education for Sustainable Development

“This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you.”

John 13:34

Dear Friends,

 You may have heard of the great drought in northern Kenya and southern Somalia putting millions at risk.  We are here working on drought prevention.  These droughts are man-made, and lack of understanding is at the bottom of them. Deforestation, overgrazing, and agricultural practices that dry out the soil and deplete it are at the root of these things.  SEEK is helping Africans find and implement solutions to these problems. Reforestation restores climate and rain.  A couple of $17 sack gardens can enable a family to always have veggies, using their dish and clothes washing water to water their gardens. Knowing how to feed and raise healthy chickens can provide needed protein.  So thanks for helping us help people help themselves!

 Deadlines help. The carpenters were bringing in the last bed across the gully bridge to Cabin 4 as the Mission Discovery team travelled their last miles from Nashville to us for a night on their way to Mfangano Island. We really enjoyed these visitors from Tennessee. Their serving hearts and sweet countenances reminded us of why children around here run out excitedly calling, “Muzungu, muzungu!” when Americans are around… just wanting to get a bit of attention from them.

Now all beds are made for our beautiful campground, and only twelve mattresses and blankets are needed to make us ready for a class to camp.

 Events of past couple of weeks include:

• Suba Lakers girls soccer team hosted
• Open house for Environmental Club Patrons
• Birth of three dairy goats
• Club activities moving forward in ten schools.
• Christian movies for Youth and Club Members
• Children of Destiny meetings and practice
• Calling together of pastors to seek the Lord on behalf of Mbita District which resulted in their commitment to gather on the 30^th for repentance and prayer and participation in the Children’s March for Jesus.
• Task force meeting for ecotourism development in Mbita
• A day clean up of Mbita with great turn out and nice results for one part of town

Incidentally human

What happens in human hearts is God’s great concern. Poignant incidents like these make life worth celebrating:

• I walked in on the little old ladies laughing and dancing during plastic recycling work, grateful for something that will enable them to eat or pay their children’s school fees.
• A perky 13 year old girl in a pink suit was standing nearby on the ferry. We felt led to chat with her and found out that her step mother had sent her away with only 100 shillings (about $1.20 or a fourth of the fare needed) to travel home to her real mother. Aware of the dangers for a young lady traveling without money, we were able to take her to Kisumu and put her on a bus home, providing enough fare, enough warnings to the bus driver and enough prayers to see that she did reach her mom.
• One of our staff had his house broken into and items stolen. The police caught the thief, a thirteen year old son of a widow. Our staff would not prosecute the lad, but brought him to Hezron for counseling. His story: at a young age he had been kidnapped and was missing for a week. When found he had a funny mark shaved onto his head, evidence of some dark black magic. He shared with Hez and Joel how voices in his head would demand him to do wrong acts like stealing, and he was afraid not to obey. Hezron and Joel prayed with him. He gratefully gave his life to the Lord and was set free.
• Rachel, the widow, whom we were given money to help start a business was the one who when she received the Lord broke her old beer brewing equipment. This resilient 81 year old widow who lives with her 12 year old granddaughter Ruth, would go begging when she was too hungry to stand it. When SEEK staff Dorothy went to see how the business was doing, Rachel prevailed on her to stay for a friendly visit and joyfully brought her a plate of food. She was full of joy that she had something to share with others.
• Reports from Pastor Charles that twenty of the 80 people who came to the Lord during a base outreach in an area strong into witchcraft and the occult are now happy Christians regularly attending church and growing in the Lord.
•  Nancy and Ken Omalla returned from outreach with the Mission Discovery team, their faces looking refreshed and glowing from the encouragement they had received. Nancy has been blind for a year and a half and Ken has struggled to look after her and the three children. Nancy has worked hard to overcome the challenges. During the outreach, Nancy did needed  translations, was treated with much kindness by the team, and Ken received commendations from local pastors for the example he has set in caring for his wife.

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Prayers: Please add your prayers to ours and celebrate the results with us.

“You can ask the Father anything in My Name and I will do it. Jn. 14.14”

• Children’s March for Jesus August 6th. Please pray for this to be wonderful. We are encountering a lot of spiritual warfare, but preparations are going well.
• Unsticking Motorbike Registration: We have a new motorbike, and we are waiting for the registration so we can insure and use it.
• Release of vehicle from Narok Police Station: No it wasn’t bad. It just broke down there and they have been looking after it for almost a year. Please pray it out of jail and repaired.
• A healed Mbita and Suba District population..AIDS, malaria, poverty and immorality to become vague memories instead of present realities.
• Nyachebe Beach biogas project to be implemented.
• Recycling, multistory and Arbor Loo businesses to take off and really help.
• Museum completed

Danny and Michelle Johnson are taking over the accounting for Kenya Islands Missions, Inc. Starting now, please send any checks to KENYA ISLANDS MISSION INC. PO Box 84, Lowell, AR 72745. Or you can still give through Paypal at www.missionwild.org. Thanks to Jeanie Morgan for 12 years of unpaid service to this ministry!  She has been wonderful.

If you would like to participate in this ministry here are some opportunities:

• Provide t-shirts for our Children of Destiny 40 of them at $2.50 each
• Provide a widow a toilet $52
• Provide a widow a vegetable garden $17
• An Outreach to Children $25
• Train and license a staff to drive Motor bike $88
• 1 mattress for camp bunks $35 (12 needed)
• Sponsor a Camp for a School Class One day $167. 2 days $334, 3 days $500
• Solar lighting in Acacia House Dormitory $100
• Water catchment off the huge education centre roof $1000
• Dairy Goat Barn $300
• Stopping bat entry points in Education Center $91
• Boma for camp meetings, with camp fire pit    $173
• Solar fridge $1364
• Vehicle repaired $4800

 Thanks so very much for caring,

 Love and blessings,

Don and Nancy Richards