Praise God from whom all blessings flow...

A few updates that you need to know...

With the most recent donation we received we now have enough money to pay for James' ear surgery!!! He is so excited about his surgery. It will take place THIS FRIDAY MORNING. Please be in prayer for our sweet boy- that everything goes according to God's will, recovery is quick, the surgery works, and pray against infection. We'll try and give a post-surgery update. Thank you SO VERY MUCH to all who have given and prayed for James. James will come stay the night with us Thursday night and stay until he is recovered enough to return to his house...

...which leads to the next update: The Saint Boys have finally moved into their new house! This new location is safer, larger, clean, has all the amenities they need, and will be close enough to the school that the boys can walk to Hope Academy everyday.

Deo and Mama have agreed to become the house parents for the boys. They will provide stability, parental modeling, love, encouragement, and all the other things that these boys have lacked for years. Their acceptance of this position was one of the biggest concerns I've had looking ahead to our conclusion here in Kenya. Now that this has been secured, I have a greater belief that our boys will be cared for in a God-honored manner.

Dan and Nicholas recently tested to enter Hope Academy for next term. I am excited to tell you that they both did well enough to receive entry at the school. (I'm just waiting on the formal invitation from Hope Academy for them both) In fact, Dan tested high enough to be in the top 10 students for his age/class group! What a tremendous accomplishment! (James remains the last one now to go to school. Pray for his recovery and the academic improvement needed to enter school.)

Thomas and Noah just signed a lease on a piece of land near the house where they will move and establish THEIR chicken farm. This means that their future in chicken farming is taking shape. Over the next month(s), they will convert the extra building into dual-housing for their families while preparing the 3,000 capacity chicken house for business. The goal is to be moved in by June and starting the farm by July/August. Pray for things to work out as they pursue this!

Zipporah is within 6 weeks of graduating from her culinary arts and hospitality school. We are so proud of the hard work she has displayed with this. Her cooking repertoire has expanded as well as her confidence. This transformation has been evident to us both. Lindy and I were recently talking and we both noted that she carries herself with a greater level of esteem than she once did. And she should!

Vitalis has finished the expansion of his egg-laying business. His chicken project up-country now has doubled and will provide him with a greater level of income and possibilities. His hard work and commitment to this pursuit is encouraging.

So, as you can see, God has been gracious to our dear friends here. We see where they are heading and are more convinced than ever that our transition away from them WILL be for their eventual good. We want them to succeed. Our efforts and your prayers & support are part of that equation. There is still more that must be done. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep praying for their futures. Pray for their families. And if you want to specifically give toward either Thomas & Noah's chicken farm expansion, Beatrice's business development, or any other area for our partners, we welcome it!

You are loved.

Out Numbered for Sure...

Easter was even more special this year having our boys over. The 3 oldest haven't seen Ezra in 5-ish months... nor have I seen them! They have been in school 6 days a week, trying to get help and special tutoring. I cannot express to you the joy that leapt in my heart seeing [almost] all my boys together. Chingi is still off at school but comes in this weekend. We hope to have him come and stay with us for some much needed quality time together this weekend. We can't hog him though- he'll want to see his brothers and they will be eager to see him as well.

They...

just

can't

get

enough of Ezra!

Neither can we get enough of them!

Teaching Ezra to walk already!

Seeing how high Wallace can jump.

We are desperately trying to savor every moment with them. Words cannot express how grateful we are for the boys who have rocked our world and turned us inside out.

Brotherly love is special!

We are

just

so

very

blessed!

Do you hear what James hears?...

Wednesday we set up an appointment with a particular pediatrician to see James Kamal about his ears. This has been such a process. She looked in his ears and said that James ears have scar tissue probably from infection after infection or high fever as a child. She set us up an appointment with a specialist at Kijabe Hospital. Chris took him Friday and he had multiple hearing tests done. James has moderate hearing loss in both ears. The reason he talks the way that he does (with emphasis on the beginning of the words) is because that is the way he hears words. This is why teaching him has been so frustrating- both for him and his teachers. I think we've all given it a shot trying to teach James his alphabet, colors, number etc.

James recently got his birth certificate and we all learned that he is 14 YEARS OLD! It's true! I think he could hardly believe it himself. His growth has been stunted due to living on the streets and not eating properly. (Just like little Brian's growth has been so stunted.)

I am just so proud of this little fella- he has always been one of our most consistent, well behaved, and committed Street Boys. It is guaranteed that you will be smiling within seconds of meeting him. His smile and laugh are infectious!

After James had several hearing tests the doctor studied his ears carefully. The plan is to make an incision behind his ears, fold them back, and make a new membrane for his inner ear to replace the old ones. He is having all this done in a matter of a few weeks and this is where we need your help. It's actually very cheap to have this surgery on his ears because he's having it done at a mission hospital. It only cost $350 per ear! Can you help James to hear the way you hear? We are asking that you pray with us for this money to be raised and consider giving to help James to hear and thus learn!

He had 2 questions after the doctor spoke with Chris and Noah and Noah explained it to James: 1- Will I be able to hear like the other boys? 2-Will I be able to go to a normal school and learn like the other boys?

After James has his surgery he will come and live with us while he is on medication and recovering. I want to take good care of my boy and see that his medications are given exactly right and on time. We are all so excited about the possibility of James being just as normal as his brothers. Please pray along side us and consider changing this sweet boys' life!

Zippidy-doo-daa

Last week we visisted Zipporah's school one day while they were cooking. Let me tell you- it was AMAZING! I was so proud of her. She has learned so much and we were SO VERY impressed with the school. Not to mention she absolutely LOVES it. She most certainly is in her element. That particular day they were making banana fritters, banana doughnuts, and some spinach thingys that I can't remember the name of. At the end they served Chris and I some of their doughnuts. SO DELICIOUS!

On Friday I was holding a baby group at our house and I told Zippy she HAD to make those doughnuts. She made those and the banana fritters and I made cinnamon rolls. Everyones favorite thing was the banana fritters. Seriously- I think I ate 10.

Needless to say, this has been huge for Zipporah.

Here are a few pictures of the class cooking.

Zipporah prepares to make "pancakes" (crapes).

Looks amazing doesn't it!

These students are attentive to their instructors (with notebooks and pen).

Each of these ladies are learning more than just cooking skills. This school teaches them life skills, hospitality, hygiene, administration, and management skills too.

Someone REALLY wanted a taste test.

And a BIG thank you to those who donated to help her go to school! Listen to "Zippy" in her own words...

Dan Matano

What you are about to read has been written from the heart and not an attempt at literary impressiveness.

Dan Matano was the first street boy that we ever connected with over 3 years ago. He was our

"trial". Graig Austin, Rich Key, and I met him along with 3 other boys in Kawangware. After a lot of discussions and prayer, we decided to help these four boys out of the life they had become bound unto. (Many of you will remember this story) After 3 months, three of these boys decided that, though we could take them from the street, the street couldn't be taken out of them. They returned to the streets. This was a tough blow to Graig and I. We really wanted to see a better life for these guys. But they weren't "young boys". These were 19-20 year old street-hardened men.

But one young man stayed. He didn't want that life any more. He did want to leave it. For Dan's safety he moved into the extra house we had on our property. Graig and I tried a new approach. We involved Dan in as much of our lives and the lives of our families as possible. He ate with us, fellowshiped with us, went grocery shopping with us, and participated in life with us. Direct and intense discipleship was our game plan. We got Dan connected to a small mechanic school that began training him for a career in automotive repair that he desired. Dan eventually moved into his own small apartment under the watch of Thomas. He began attending church with Thomas. He got involved in the youth ministry at Thomas' church. He was making much better decisions. On his 20th birthday, we took him out to eat, made a cake, and bought him a present. Graig bought him his first phone. We were excited for what was taking place in Dan's life.

But Dan's life soon took another turn. Dan began to become secretive with his time. He wasn't coming home at the proper time. Jorem, his teacher at the garage, called me several times to report that Dan was either late or not showing up at all. Other people in the neighborhood told us that they saw Dan out with strange people and even taking up some of his prior bad habits like smoking. Over the next few months we had meeting after meeting with Dan in hopes of helping him realize the poor decisions he was making and that they must change. Sadly, his decisions became worse instead of better. Within a matter of months, Dan chose to leave the best shot he had a better future, and return to his familiar street past. I was grieved over this. Graig was grieved over this. But we couldn't make decisions for Dan. He had to take ownership of his own future.

This was just about a year ago. ...

Three days ago I was greeted in Kawangware by a few street boys I've known for a while.

"Chris, have you heard the news of Dan?"

"No. Tell me."

Dan was shot by the police and killed when he tried to steal someone's phone the other day."

I had no response. I returned to my vehicle and left. I didn't have much of a reaction. Maybe it was because of the other guests accompanying me on this particular day. Maybe I was struggling to imagine the young man who lived in my home and received my love ending up like so many street thugs I've heard about or seen. Surely not Dan. Surely not the young man that had tasted the freedom from that life.

Dan Matano. I'm still not sure how I should feel or respond. The inevitable questions are in my mind right now. "Did we fail Dan?" "Did we do enough?" I don't have answers to these questions. I'm still not sure how to respond other than this; I believe that God is bigger, better, and stronger than all the sin in this world. I fail Him, Dan fails him, but He never fails us. I am going to sit with our boys in Kawangware, Dan (young Dan, not the same one), Nicholas, James, Chinji, Brian, Thuku, and Julius, to tell them that I may end up failing them. I'm going to tell them not to put their faith in me. I'm going to tell them to put all their faith in a real Father who will never ever fail them, and who will never let them out of His sight; no matter the decisions or paths they choose.

I can only take the boys out of the street. But Jesus can take the street out of the boys. And that gives me great comfort.

~Chris

The Beauty of it All...

Today Chris, Deo, Thomas, and Chingi took a cab to Machakos to look at a school for Chingi. It'll be an all day event. We'll know soon if Chris discerns it's the right school for him and if they will accept Chingi. For now, Chingi has been helping teach the little ones at the school. He gets paid kiti kidogo (a little something) for his work. Ez and I got to go see them all last week because Ezra finally got over his jet lag and has been taking proper naps and sleeping better at night. We will go back again this week or next with some cupcakes for them.

I'm loving being a stay-at-home mom and working on the guest house. It's a bit more overwhelming now since Ezra is a bit more active and Zipporah is in Culinary school and not able to help me as much, but I'm still enjoying it. We had a group come last week and basically stay for about 5 hours before they flew out to South Sudan. They will be back tomorrow morning, so I'm excited to hear what they have been up to up there.

The plan was to go to the grocery store to buy food for this team in between Ezra's 2 naps, only I got everything and everyone packed into the car and.... the car wouldn't start. Not really a huge surprise to us though. This is a weekly event we deal with. Actually just on Friday some friends asked to borrow our car so they could pick up their parents at the airport (Our car would fit their whole family). So we went to their house, visited then swapped cars. Later that night we got a call that our car wouldn't start. Come to think of it, maybe it's more often tahtn every week. Ha! See, and you thought I was exaggerating. Today though, I do believe the problem is the battery. I would have called a cab to come get Ezra and I, but by the time it got here, it would be time for another nap. (For Ezra, not me.) Oh well. Hope to go at some point today or else the team will be eating bread and water.

-The washing machine "fundi" (worker) will come this week, hopefully tomorrow, to tell us the prognosis of the washer.

-I dropped Chris' phone yesterday and shattered the screen. Yea- I bet you all wish you had a wife as awesome as me.

-I also ran over a thorn with the stroller and killed the tire.

BUT....The good news is- Mr. Carolina Gnome is doing much better. Doctors do not expect a full recovery though. The tip of his hat cannot be found.

On a more serious note, I'm trying to enjoy every moment left here in Kenya. I often find myself getting all nostalgic though- saying to myself things like "Oh I'm going to miss this weather, and that Old Masaai Mze's swagger as he walks down the road." Or "I'm going to miss the way people greet one another here." I'm really trying NOT to do that, but I can't seem to help myself. I just need to make sure I don't take a single thing or a single day for granted here in Kenya. It is so beautiful here and the people have become so dear to us. It's my goal to take Ezra walking every single day, to look at the beauty of our surroundings here. Even if the stroller is out of commission, I just strap him on and we take Wallace along with us. We go out gazing at the Ngong Hills, meeting and visiting with neighborhood children, and praying. Yesterday we thanked the Lord for bringing us here and asked him to see us through to wherever He sends us from here. To me, it's scary yet exciting all at the same time. I can remember feeling this EXACT same way before arriving here in Kenya. Our Great God has taken such wonderful care of us here. I'm sure that will be the case for the next place and the next after that.

This n' That...

I wish I could say it has been an uneventful first week back here in Kenya. It couldn't be further from the truth.... or could it?

We were welcomed back to our home here with

-a broken washing machine (one of my worst nightmares with a baby in cloth diapers and running a guesthouse)

-a broken solar hot water tank (which we've been told will take a month to fix)

-"special" internet issues (who knew rats enjoy the taste of internet cords?!)

-broken crib

-3 broken lamps

-damaged dry erase board

-4 broken window latches

-damaged fuel filter in our vehicle (which made for some rough riding)

-and worst of all a very broken and pitiful Carolina yard gnome :( (sorry gk)

It's a good thing our joy comes from the Lord, huh? So glad it doesn't come from washing machines, hot water, and mere "things" in our home.

All of these things truly are minor and silly in the scheme of things.

For now, this is how I will wash dirty diapers since I have a skin allergy on my hands to soaps.

Now for all the great things going on:

-Mark and Su had their baby! Happy and Healthy, cute little Zachari was a leap year baby.

-Zippy is loving culinary school! It's kind of lonely around the house without her though:(

-Frank and Dottie enjoyed their trip and left Monday night.

-I, for one, am LOVING all these delicious fruits and veggies over here. And they are so cheap too. Ezra has enjoyed some more exotic foods as well.

-We are also enjoying this amazing, warm weather.

-Ezra is finally sleeping at night (not through the night, but I don't even care!) He had a rough go of the jet lag, but seems to be getting on a schedule now.

It is such a delight seeing Ezra being so great and happy with all these seemingly "new" people all over again. Little Helen was so happy to see and hold him on Sunday.

As you can see in this picture, he's nearly as big as her!

So that is the latest and greatest. I know- it's not all THAT exciting, but an update nonetheless!