JULY 2023

Just before we left for the UK it was a very busy period. As we approached the midpoint of the Kenyan school year there were lots of meetings and discussions to review the progress made so far coupled with setting targets to ensure we finish the year well. There was also lots of planning and preparation in the lead up to the schools participation in an international football (soccer) tournament in Tanzania, the first time that Cornerstone Preparatory Academy has participated in anything like that. Over at the Children's Home a number of children were welcomed home. It is always a bittersweet occasion. Bitter hearing their stories and the trauma and tragedy that surrounds them. Sweet knowing that their story is not over and the best is yet to come! So after welcoming home Nelson in May, at the beginning of July three brothers came home to Naomi's Village, Allan (10), Peter (8), and Michael (6). The boys suffered repeated abandonment and neglect by their mother while a father has never been in their lives. One night, more than a year ago, the boys were home alone at night doing schoolwork by candle light. Their mother had left them alone as she went out drinking. Somehow, one of the candles started a fire and the house caught fire. As it was burning down Allan managed to get out but soon realised his younger brothers were still in the burning home. He courageously and in an incredible act of selfless love, ran back in to rescue them. In doing so, Allan suffered 3rd degree burns on part of his face and head. After a year of uncertainty, living at a Safe House while children's services tried to locate the mother or a family member, they were lovingly welcomed home to Naomi's Village. Then a week or so later Emmanuel Fadhili came home. Emmanuel was a baby found abandoned in Naivasha. Although he may have spent the very beginning of his life alone, his name means "God with us" and Fadhili is Swahili for "God's mercy and compassion". Those are promises of the gospel. In Jesus, God took on flesh and walked among us and on the cross he showed us his mercy and compassion.

A few days after the homecomings we landed in the UK where we are spending a number of weeks with family and catching up with friends. It is really special for Jonah, Caleb and Anna to be able to spend time with grandparents and cousins. Especially as Anna changes and grows so quickly. It is also an opportunity to spend some time and share news with churches that partner us as a family and those that support Naomi's Village. Having not had a summer in the UK for 3 years we were very much looking forward to those long summer days and enjoying days out in the sunshine. Despite being let down by the weather, we have managed to have lots of days out and spend some time as a family creating memories. We still have a couple of weeks left in the UK before we head back to Kenya in mid August.