A Future and a Hope

You make me feel…

Last night we launched our campaign.

I woke up many times in the night, mind spinning with thoughts, excitement, wonder.

As I get emails and see people donate, I feel as if each donation is like a stamp of approval, a piece of chocolate in a cookie, a kiss on the forehead from a loved one, a pat on the back… 

I know that folks love what we do even if they don't contribute, but now that I'm doing this and am on the receiving end, I can see how by GIVING to the needy, we really are expressing God's love. It feels just. like. that.

I've felt this on a monthly basis with the life we have, being carried by those who help, but the campaign is just a concentrated, visible version of it since I'm quite passionate about this.

Thank you for your encouragement and support!

This is it!

Skip the briefing and checkout our campaign or read on…

Instead of wasting money, flying our family to the States, spending money on gas, hotels, car rental, dining out, travelling place to place to raise money for land, we felt it would be best if we just started HERE utilizing the resources of the times..

Check out our campaign, please. The more comments we have, the more folks donate and share, the more public our campaign both among the people it is shared with and on the actual indiegogo site.

Want more details, read this article from yesterday, visit the campaign, or watch this video:

If you want to talk to us, we can talk through email, skype, phone, or whatever! We don’t mind answering questions. Also, IF we raise more money than needed for the land purchase, it will go to developing the land. First step, fencing it off to keep all the cows away. Second step, probably water, electricity, then a small house.

The latest news…

As most of you know, Johnny and I have been land hunting for years. In fact, we hoped to have land before we ever even opened a Future and a Hope, but we didn’t allow the lack of land to stop us from helping orphans.

Instead, we just kept doing, going, taking in orphans, and helping the needy; however, we still feel that a piece of land would be of great value to what we do in many areas:

• We could grow most of our food. (We spend 40% of donations on groceries)
• We could raise livestock for meat and milk
• Build cottages for more orphans and house parents
• We wouldn’t be paying rent
• Nor be at the mercy of a landlord
• We’d be investing in the land
• Providing a legacy for the children
  To name a few

THE GOOD NEWS:

We found 8 acres of land 30 minutes from here for the price of 2 acres. (1 acre goes for $15K USD on the edge of Nakuru, and $50K in TOWN.)
THIS land pictured below is 8 acres going for $30,000 USD. It has a brook on one side and is perfect for farming.

We are developing a campaign to raise money for the purchase of this land. In the mean time, we are looking for the owner to get all the details since we have only dealt with the agent.

As soon as we know it’s a go, we’ll launch our campaign and ask you to help us spread the word and raise money over a 30 day period.

We appreciate your support in this, since we can’t do it alone!

Amazing Kids

Our kids are always amazing me, or at least never fail to get me to shake my head in wonder. Take this morning for example. I drive the girls to school and on the way we see lots of people. Some of those folks are kids going to school, and almost every morning those children are in a hurry and therefore are running. Well this morning Teresa became so excited on seeing a kid jogging down the road. She was giggling and just amazed that a kid would be running in the morning. Even though we see these kids every morning. Nice reminder to me to find enjoyment in the mundane.

Family

I love reading the news. Scanning headlines for interesting sounding tidbits brings me happiness. I learn many interesting facts and/or psuedo facts. Example, read an article in Newsweek yesterday about secrets in the Vatican. I now know that the Pope likes toast, and apparently the vatican is riddled with corruption. Politics intrigue me. The process, the images, the posturing, the elections, and all the flim flam that goes along with it. 

In fact this year is full of politics. Campaigning going on for presidential elections in Kenya and the U.S.A. They are only going to get noisier. 

So noisy that concentrating on anything else will get difficult. Unless of course we switch off the news, but since that is unlikely we need a plan.

I propose that we remember what is really important. Governments will come and go. Sometimes our pick will win, and then other times not. That's not all that important. 

So what's more important than current events? Wars? Economic crisis? Celebrity gossip? Terriosim? 

For me it's this:

How to Make Egg Drop Soup - Cooking with Kate in Kenya

You're Hired

Our cook, who's been with us for almost five years, resigned. I don't think she could handle the work load nor our demands for honesty. Either way we now have a huge hole in our household which includes 14 children.

We actually could use the savings that having one less staff person brings. So, at least for the time being, I'm the new cook.

That's right. Johnny Brooks will be sweating over the stove for our huge family. I'm not sure how qualified I am. I mean I'm pretty good with main dishes. Take this evening for example. We will be dinning on a pork chop dish topped with mozzarella and tomatoes. Yet I have no clue as to what to serve with it. Plus I have to pick the children from school right at a crucial dinner prep time. We may have to rework our evening schedule and start having dinner an hour later than usual.

The more I think about it the less I like this idea of being the cook. Better stop before I hand in my resignation letter.

Cooking with Kate in Kenya

 

Posted with Blogsy

Quote of the Week

Confession of faith is not to be confused with professing a religion. Such profession uses the confession as propaganda and ammunition against the Godless. The confession of faith belongs rather to the "Discipline of the Secret" in the Christian gathering of those who believe. Nowhere else is it tenable...

The primary confession of the Christan before the world is the deed which interprets itself. If this deed is to have become a force, then the world will long to confess the Word. This is not the same as loudly shrieking out propaganda. This Word must be preserved as the most sacred possession of the community. This is a matter between God and the community, not between the community and the world. It is a word of recognition between friends, not a word to use against enemies. This attitude was first learned at baptism. The deed alone is our confession of faith before the world

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Complacent

Every now and then I become complacent and begin to forget that I'm living in a developing nation. A nation where insecurity is a big problem. A nation where being white makes you a brighter target for criminals.

We were out with friends, white folks from the U.S., eating lunch in a fairly nice Chinese restaurant. We enjoyed our sweet and sour, our shredded pork, and spring rolls. We had good conversations and reveled in the freedom of relationship. We barely noticed the table of three or four next to us. Apparently they noticed us, or rather took note of our friends.

At some point during our meal our friend's purse was stolen by someone at that table. Just like that. Unfortunately this sort of thing happens all to often, but when it is not happening at your table you tend to not think about it. Your vigilance in personal security becomes lax.

My diligence is now back, and with a vengenance. I'm sure I'll be getting on Kate's nerves soon enough with all my security precautions.

 

 

*Im aware that a purse theft is not all that horrendous of a crime, the bad stuff goes on too. Thankfully this reminder was not one on the more heinous crimes.