N.A.C.H.I.

Haven of Hope is part of an incredible community organization here.  It is called Nakuru Children's Home Initiative (NACHI).  It gathers together all of the hundreds of children's homes in Nakuru county.  They meet once a month and discuss how they can help each other.  If they are having trouble with a particular child they counsel each other on how to address them.  They befriend one another with prayer and support.  This is the first organization of its kind in all of Kenya.  They decided to have an event in order to showcase themselves to the community, to gain awareness and support.  All the homes were invited to bring their children along for the festivities.  We took the older ones with us.

waiting in line for balloon hats

After some of the homes marched into the park, they had lots of entertainment for the children.  Different homes would do a skit, dance, song, etc.

these guys were incredible!!

Uncle Joseph even did the DJ work

Afterward they provided lunch and cake for the kids

It was a very fun day!

New School Shoes

We launched a project last week asking people to donate towards new school shoes for the HOH kids, as theirs were in very bad shape.  In just one week people stepped up and provided every dollar (or schilling!) to make this possible.  The kids and the staff were over the moon!  We split them into two groups in order to make going to town slightly easier.  Yesterday we took the 13 younger ones. 

13 littles and 2 adults in this 1 tuk tuk!

I think the workers had as much fun as we did!

my guy Mirex wearing his first pair of school shoes

ready for school!

Today we took the other 12 kids to get their shoes. They were just as excited!

Beatrice loving her shoes



Shaquil admiring his shoes



 

To all of you who gave THANK YOU so much!  You made these kids' day. 

Motorbike Tour

A ride through the countryside and up into the mountains, on the back of a motorcycle...well, if you must twist my arm!!

The Journey So Far

Well, I've been here about a month now.  From day one this journey has looked entirely different than anything I imagined it would.  It has been a hard adjustment to leave behind EVERY comfort of my life in the states and try and live in a foreign place.  I now spend my days in complete opposition to my likes, preferences and instincts, having virtually no control over the basics in my life.  I’m here wading through the mess and the dark and the extreme discomfort.  And some days it’s all confusion, all seeking and not finding, all questions and no answers, all wondering and guessing and longing for the way things used to be.  And it is hard.  I've found that I am lacking.  I’m not noble, not as brave as I once thought, most certainly shouldn’t be labeled as a hero.  I'm just human, and a mess of a human most days. And maybe if I were Mother Teresa or Katie Davis I might be able to come to some great spiritual conclusion as to what all this means.  But I'm not them, I'm just me.  I fear that when this is all over and I return, there will be no big grand artwork for all to see and be enlightened by.  No fanfare, fireworks or movie script to validate this experience.  I’m afraid you could search to find the impact of this journey and never find it. 



But He doesn't need me to be the one that gives Him, or this, value.  He doesn't need ME to authenticate who He is.  I am not solely responsible for accomplishing anything here.  And quite honestly failing within me might not be such a bad thing.  For where I am less, He is more.  So although I'm afraid no one will ever know what this time was really about, I'm finding a small joy in that.  It will be like He and I had a romantic escape.  Like we have a secret that others will never know. An intimate lovers’ getaway that is too personal to share.  So just because others may not see the picture of what was done here and in me, does not mean I would trade it for anything.





These are the things I know, He is good ALWAYS, He is ever faithful, and He cares about the details of my life.  I know He is for me and for His glory.  And I promise you this, He is the sweetest taste of the richest of fair.





Adoption Update:

As is not uncommon around here, the information I was given about adoption was not entirely correct.  They have requirements that I just cannot meet, so I will no longer be pursuing adoption in Kenya.  I will however, be switching over to Uganda.  I have begun contacting places there and may even be going for an informational visit in the coming weeks.  This has proven to be a challenging situation, but He is not surprised by it and I know He has a greater plan at work.  Please continue to lift this up in prayer so that He may be glorified and I will just follow where He leads.

Sangaalo Babies Home

We at Hope Grafted In are SO EXCITED to announce that we are beginning a new partnership! Sangaalo Babies Home is located in Jinja, Uganda. They have 15 babies there, 12 of which are under one year of age.

Damalie runs this home on just her husband’s youth pastor salary and the gifts of strangers. She is an incredible woman of God with a passion to care for orphans because that is what God has called her to do. She tried to run away from this call earlier in her life, but God kept bringing her back to it. She lives everyday on complete faith, not knowing how food and medicine will be provided.









HGI is only working with Sangaalo at this time on child sponsorships, though we hope to be able to assist them with sustainable income work in the future.  Sangaalo is also partnering with another ministry, Voices for the Voiceless, in the building of a new home. Funds have already been raised for the purchase of the land and they are now working on fundraising for the structure.  We are looking forward to working with V4V in any way that we can, as we all desire to SPEAK UP for these orphans. 

If you would like to make a life changing impact on one of Sangaalo’s children you can sign up to sponsor a child here.

HOPE fundraiser

My amazing friends have just made these fantastic shirts...just for me!!

They are so incredibly generous and giving 100% of the sales to my adoption fund.  If you would like to have one they are $20 and it can be mailed to you, or if you live in the OKC area you can arrange pick up.  Email shilohwolff@hotmail.com to place your order and make payment arrangements.

So grateful to Matt and Shiloh for this act of love! 

End of Term Closing Ceremony

Today I went with Uncle Joseph to see the kids' closing ceremony at school.  They have 3 terms of 3 months each and 1 month breaks in between.  So on the last day of the term they have an assembly.  If you have spent much time around elementary schools in the states, this is likely nothing like the ones you have been to!

The adults gave some LONG speeches (in Swahili of course!) and then they handed out awards for each grade.  I was pleasantly amazed when 9 of Haven of Hope's kids received an award!!

Lucy

Shaquil

Harrison

Frenzer

Mary

Peter

Mohammed

Beatrice



Mercy



How amazing is that?!

Then the kids were dismissed and the adults gave some more LONG speeches.  I was zoning out, because I didn't understand a word, when the guy talking calls me up front to ask me how we do it in America.  Asks me how old kids are when we make them start working for themselves, and if our parents allow them to live in their house and eat their food when they are 20, 21 years old.  So funny!

Then after, I took a tour of their classrooms.

only 4 desks in this one!

What a great thing.  And I so loved seeing that these kids are thriving even though they don't get to go to school as consistently as other children.  God has great plans for these precious ones of His!