Team & Construction Update

The construction process is going well. Ed Moser and Bob Leinbach returned from Kenya on November 20th while Kenny McIntyre left for Kenya on November 23rd. Kenny joined Verle Hostetler to continue helping with the construction of the baby center. The roof is complete except for a 20' area. The steel will not be in to finish this section until sometime in December. While this is a small set back it does not change our goal of finishing the center in January. Here is a small list of things being done: painting of interior walls, metal ceilings being installed, exterior and interior doors and windows being installed, cabinet construction, cleaning of site grounds and sealing of cement floors. Many processes are well underway and our teams have been nothing short of outstanding. I thank God for each one of them. NMC's next team leaves Friday December 7th. Those team members are Denny Yoder, Andy Farmwald and Steve Cross(New Life Member). These three men will return on December 18 with Kenny and Verle. I cannot thank Verle enough for his dedication to the babies of Kenya. He has done an amazing job and has quickly gained the respect of our Kenyan brothers. Keep praying for our teams and the people of Kenya.

Jamie Lengacher

Happy Thanksgiving!

Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.
Psalm 105:1-3

Video

This moving video was shown in our morning services on November 18, 2007.

What will you do?

There are over 2.3 million orphans in Kenya!
The need is urgent and doing nothing is not an option - what will you do to help?
Steve and Donna Henry spoke in our morning services on Sunday, November 18th. They shared their passion for the babies at the baby center. They also thanked our church for the work that we have done and encouraged us that the need is still urgent. Steve and Donna are the assistant field directors in Kenya. They work directly with the baby center. Their visit corresponded with our missions month. A timeline video was shown demonstrating how NMC's involvement began and what has happened since then. There was also a video showing what the babies might say if they could talk. It was beautifully done as was the first video. Again people's hearts were moved as evidenced by the many tears wiped away after the video. The "three words" video will hopefully be added to youtube and when it is I will add the link here. A special thanks to Rodney Jernas for his diligent work on the two videos. He understands the vision and was able to relay that in such a powerful way thru video media.

Abigail goes to be with Jesus

On September 10, 2007 we received an email with this message from Staci Wells:
"Today is a difficult day for our AGC Baby Center Family as we will lay to rest one of our precious baby girls, Abigail. Abby was taken to be with Jesus early Saturday morning. We know she is in perfect peace and rest, and we trust that Jesus' purposes for her life were fulfilled. But still we hurt and many in our family will struggle this afternoon at the burial as well as in the days to come. Even some of the bigger kids are aware that something is different. They see Abby's photo and say "Abby?" (which is the only name that any of them knew how to say). They all loved her so much and were unexplainably drawn to her, always gathering around her in the mornings when they were outside. It was like they knew that she need their support. So pray for our family here. We're thankful for the hope and joy and comfort of Jesus. And we're thankful for the LIFE that we're surrounded by everyday in each one of our precious family. Our family, by the way, remains at 25 - another thing that Jesus knew would be needed. On Friday evening (the same day Abby was admitted to the hospital) baby Meshack was left at our gate. In taking Abby home, the Lord provided space for Meshack here with us. THANK YOU for continuing to lift us up to the Father. We know already that He's answering."
For those of us who met Abby, we can tell you that Abby was an angel here on earth. She left a lasting impact and we pray that her life and death will leave a lasting impact on our church. Abby knew what it meant to be loved for the short time she was here on earth. But there are many more who will die without knowing that love. We need to continue the work God has called us to and ask ourselves what can I do?

Kenya Tea Garden

The Ladies Ministry of the church held a tea party at the home of Linda Thompson on July 10, 2007. The purpose of the tea was to raise money for the baby center. Along with tables of delicious tea sandwiches and cookies was a chocolate fountain with fruit and cake to dip. The cold tea and lemonade were served in beautiful glass jars with different types of fruit floating in each. Jan Yoder was also making hot chai tea. The original plan was to make it over an open fire like they do in Kenya, but the wind was too strong. It was still delicious! There were many items for sale that ladies had donated. Those who had been to the AGC Baby Center had pictures and small items on display. There was also a slide show with pictures of the babies. The air was filled with the beautiful singing of Lee Minnich, Sharon Minnich and Donna Weaver. Becky Beron accompanied them on the piano. Those who attended enjoyed the delicious food as well as visiting with one another. They also enjoyed the beautiful yard and time spent outdoors. Special thanks goes to Linda Thompson as well as Kay Miller, Elaine Lambert, Jan Yoder, Ronda Klotz, Lorene Kropf, Gloria Moser and many others who helped make this evening possible. A generous amount of money was raised and many of the ladies asked if this could become a yearly tradition! And in fact, there will be another tea in September of 2008! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Car Wash

Immediately after Bill & Melody's visit and Pastor Dave's challenge the funds started pouring in. The whole church was thinking of ways they could support the babies at the baby center. Everyone realized that even though the goal needed to finish the baby center may soon be met, that was only the beginning of the support the babies would need. Monica and Brittany Lengacher had been to Kenya and realized first hand how precious these babies were and that more babies needed help as soon as possible. On June 16th they had a car wash with all of the donations to be given to the baby center. Many of their friends came to help on a hot Saturday morning even though they attend other churches and know very little about the AGC Baby Center. A special thank you to : Ashleigh Lehman, Mackenzie Lechlitner, Jenna Wisler, Jessica Tierney, Kayla Yoder, Lauren Davis, Chelsea Lengacher, Jill Focht, Kayla Bear, Hillary Lechlitner, Cassie Lengacher, Todd Anglemyer, Josh Stump and Jordan Yoder. Also LJ Wagner for allowing them to use their parking lot.

Bill and Melody Visit NMC

On May 20,2007 NMC was so excited to have Bill and Melody share during the morning services. They had just recently returned from Kenya. In his message that morning Pastor Dave had asked the question: How do you eat an elephant? The normal response would be "one bite at a time"! Not so! You eat an elephant by inviting 3,000 of your friends over for a picnic! The elephant represented an impossible situation and he was inviting our congregation to step up and help solve the situation in Kenya. Bill and Melody had spent four years in Africa because God had asked them to build an orphanage for abandoned babies. There are over a million and a half orphans in Kenya alone and the infants are the most vulnerable. While in Kenya Melody developed MS. After much prayer and pleading with God about the situation they knew they needed to return home without the baby center being completed. When they came that morning they told our congregation that they firmly believed the AGC Baby Center would not have been able to welcome their first baby if it had not been for our help. Bill and Melody went on to say they believed God was calling someone to help
finish the project that they had begun. And they were right!
God had stirred the hearts of many of those who had been to Africa. And even before Bill and Melody came that morning, meetings had taken place with WGM representatives to discuss NMC's involvement in finishing the project. God specifically called my husband Jamie and I as well as Dan Jacobs and his wife Dana to take a leading role in developing a plan to finish the orphanage. Melody shared that when they left Kenya, 17 babies were on the waiting list to come to the orphanage. Many of those will die before they can find a place to go. The need was urgent and it touched the congregation. A goal of $150,000 to finish the baby center was the commitment NMC made to Bill and Melody that day. The need in Kenya seemed like an impossible situation and nothing could be done about it - but doing nothing is not an option! And in the weeks following Bill and Melody's visit the congregation at Nappanee Missionary Church showed just how much they cared about Kenya's orphaned babies!

Work Team #6 Has Arrived!

IT HAS BEGUN! The first team of our final phase in the building project has arrived in Kenya! Verle Hochstetler, Ed Moser and Bob Leinbach were met by our own Margie Helmuth at the airport. The flights went well and entry into the country was smooth. They will stay overnight in Nairobi and then head to Ngata tomorrow.
Praises for the day: Safety in air travel, Servant's Hearts and In-country cell phones!
Prayer requests for the day: A good night's rest, bonding as a team, families back home and safety in road travel on Sunday.

Construction Update

Dan Jacobs spoke with Construction Manager Mwangi this morning and relayed this update on the continued construction of the AGC Baby Center:

The 2nd story trusses will all be set by the end of this week!
The remainder of the roof metal will be installed by the end of next week.
The front entry is complete except for finishes.
The lower level floors are complete except for the bathrooms.

The Kenyan workers are doing a superb job and moving along at an amazing rate!
Mwangi has been a powerful leader and we can't thank him enough for his hard work and passion for the baby center!
Continue to pray for the construction process as we are getting close to finishing the work on the project that the Dearmon's began. Praise God for all that He is doing!

Construction update as of 11/6/07. The second story trusses will all be set by the end of this week. The remainder of the roof metal will be installed by the end of next week. The front entry is complete except for finishes. The lower level floors are complete except for the bathrooms. Interior doors and windows will be ready to install by the end of next week. As you can tell the Kenyan's are doing a superb job. Mwangi has been a powerful leader and we can't thank him enough. Continue to pray for the construction process as we are getting close to finsihing what the Dearmon's began.

Current News

On October 18th an EF3 tornado left a path of destruction thru the town of Nappanee and the community around it. Praise God there were no serious injuries! An outpouring of support overwhelmed the community in the days that followed. There are many touching stories of good coming out of such a devastating event. One of those stories directly touches the AGC Baby Center!
Local farmer Scott Sheets' corn field was left in such a disarray that some of the crop was unable to be harvested in the usual way using a combine. The only way to harvest the corn was to go row by row on foot and pick the corn up by hand. Scott contacted NMC and asked if they might possibly want to send some First Serve Saturday Volunteers to pick the corn up. He then said that any income from that day's corn would be donated to the baby center! On November 3rd around 150 people arrived in his field to gather in the harvest. Sometime during that morning Scott lost his cell phone in the field. Not believing it would actually be found, he jokingly announced that he would donate an extra $100 to the baby center if someone found the phone. Soon after C.J. Grove, one of the youth helping, noticed it in the field and returned it to a surprised Scott!
How awesome it is to see all of the different ways God is using the people of NMC to support the babies at the Kenya baby center! Thank you Scott and all of the volunteers for your generosity and servant's hearts!