JUNE 2024

The last month has been one of the most difficult we have faced while being in Kenya. The damage and devastation caused by the flooding in Mai Mahiu has had a deep and profound long term impact on the community we serve. Sean has been working with other leaders from Naomi's Village to engage those in the community and work collaboratively on restoration and rebuilding efforts. The difficulties facing people are complex and go beyond just physical needs with many requiring counselling and mental health support. There have been many long meetings and discussions about how best and the most appropriate way to help restore the community. The multi agency approach, working with the Kenya military, National youth service alongside local ministry partners and churches is beginning to bear fruit. Communities and villages that were cut off now have new roads making them accessible for aid and restoring some sort of normality. Water storage tanks and water filters are providing families with water, counselling sessions are being provided and physical material needs like clothing, bedding and rehousing are underway. The road is long and there is still some way to go but we thank God for the progress so far.

At Naomi's Village, the property has been repaired and the children moved back. Then more recently the guest house re-opened ready to welcome the many short term teams that will visit over the summer. This means that over at Cornerstone Preparatory Academy, the makeshift temporary arrangements have ceased and normal operations have resumed. The students at CPA have just resumed from their mid term break as we approach the half way mark in the Kenyan school calendar. Things continue to go well and progress is being made. In fact, we recently received news that one of the High School graduates has had her USA student visa approved! Millicent and Stella were some of the very first children to arrive at Naomi's Village. They never knew their father and after their mother abandoned them they came home to live at Naomi's Village. Millicent has always cared for others and is very responsible and servant-hearted. Despite not regularly attending school prior to NV she applied herself and graduated from Cornerstone Preparatory Academy in 2022. However, she was not happy with her grades which would have prevented her from studying medicine so she decided to retake her Senior year. Her grades improved and she now has the opportunity to go to Harding University in Arkansas, USA to read Human Biology. Millicent will leave for University at the end of July. 

The boys are happy to be finishing school for the year. They've had a great year in 2nd and 4th Grade and we are grateful for a wonderful community at Rift Valley Academy. Rachel has been continuing to work on Hope Begins, the newly registered charity providing a platform UK sponsors in partnership with Naomi's Village. We now have a website up and running (hopebegins.org.uk) and are looking forward to signing up lots of new sponsors! Anna continues to bring a lot of joy to our family and is now very talkative and keen to be independent.