Gifts given to the Baby Centre

May 6, 2015

We all know babies are expensive. And 60 babies are very expensive! We also know without a shadow of a doubt that God will provide for their every need. This week the Baby Centre was blessed with a gift by an anonymous donor. They hoped the gift would help with the cost of formula. It reminded me of Jesus' words in Matthew "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink..." Thank you and may God bless you richly for your generous gift!

Generous Donors

The generosity of people, some of whom are complete strangers, always amazes me! As a team from New Life Fellowship prepares to go to Kenya in June, supplies are being amassed to take with them. The baby center is in desperate need of boys size 3T to 4T clothing. When I stopped at the New To You children's resale shop in Wakarusa, I was a little disappointed because all they had out was summer clothes. Great for around here but not so much in Kenya where they are in their winter months. I found a few things that would work and took them up to the front. When Sharla asked me if I found every thing I was looking for, I explained that it was going to be hard to find what I needed because Kenya will be cold and rainy! She then took me to the back and told me to pick out whatever I wanted from the leftover winter clothes - FREE OF CHARGE! There were quite a few things we could use and I so appreciate her willingness to give these to the babies in Africa. I know she would have been able to sell most of those things next fall, but how wonderful that in a few weeks, a cold little child in Kenya will receive warm and comfortable clothes! She also told me she didn't have any plastic pants to fit over diapers but Calico Point just outside of town did. When my husband went to check it out, the salesperson told him she could order the 200+ pants he wanted and she would give them to him at price! He told her she needed to make something because we would more than likely be back many times over the years! God's people responding with their gifts to babies they don't even know makes my heart sing! Thank you to both of these ladies and to the many, many unnamed donors who share so freely. May God bless you richly!!

Go God!

God is showing up in an amazing way again in regards to the Kenya Baby Center. We just received a letter from Jeff Stanfield, current director of the baby center, that said they were running dangerously low in funds! It was a little over a month ago that the "adopt-a-baby" program was started at our church. And just this week the first check was sent over to the baby center. His timing is always perfect! Often we worry about things that are in the future, but God doesn't often give us what we need way ahead of time. He wants us to rely on Him and He will provide what we need just when we need it! I understand that more needs to be done! But I praise God for all of you who listened when God called you to give to His little ones in Kenya. You came thru at just the right time! YOU are a part of HIS perfect timing and a blessing to the baby center. God has big plans for the children in Kenya and He wants YOU to play a big part in the history of this place! Thanks for giving from the heart!

"For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.
He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death."

Psalm 72:12-13

More Thank You's

Even more clothing will be sent to Kenya thanks to the generous donation from another young lady. When she took back some of her Christmas presents that didn't fit, she wasn't able to find anything she wanted to replace them. Her mom told her she could always use that money to buy something for the babies in Africa. They had a good time picking out adorable clothes in the sizes needed. Thanks again for using your gifts (literally!) for the babies. May God bless you richly!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

Jamie leaves for Kenya at the end of January and thanks to generous donors, he will be taking much needed clothes to the babies at the baby center. The October team saw first hand how desperate the need for the larger size clothing was. A donation of gently used size 2T and 3T clothes were left at the ministry center and they were exactly what the babies were low on. Also some teenagers sold items at a garage sale this summer and used the money to buy some clothes and towels for the babies. The caregivers at the center will be so delighted when they get them - I wish those who donated could be there to see! It is always so exciting to see all of the different ways God uses his people to supply the babies needs!

Michelle's wedding gift

Michelle Mast and her dad Denny went with an NMC work team to Kenya to the baby center in December 2007. She fell in love with the babies there and continued to pray and share about them long after she came home. When Michelle married Mike Marshall on November 21, 2008 she wanted the babies in Kenya to be a part of the ceremony. At the reception at each place setting was a tea candle with the following message attached:
A donation has been made in your name to the Africa Gospel Church Baby Center in Kenya. This candle represents the abandoned and the broken. Take your candle and go light your world!
Mike & Michelle

Thank you Mike and Michelle for sharing your special day with babies half a world away! May God bless you both as you begin your new life together!

Kids Rescuing Kids in Kenya

When I spoke with missionary Melody Dearmon about our Kenya Night she was thrilled! But she wasn't surprised that the youth were being touched by God to help the babies in Kenya. She, in fact, had written an article for WGM's Call To Prayer publication about young people she had known whom God had also called to give. I asked her to send it to me, so here it is:

KIDS RESCUING KIDS IN KENYA


It's always been intriguing to me, to watch a child play with a baby. Children of all ages are easily amused by this smaller version of themselves, and seem complimented by the grasp of a tiny hand around their finger, now so big by comparison. Babies seem to bring out the best in children, but it's clear that babies need adults to care for them. Only adults can meet the needs of babies … right? Don't tell that to some of our supporters ! God has sent some pretty young boys and girls to us, and they might just make some of you adults sit up and take notice! They have certainly made an impression on us.



It's been a year since we came to Kenya, East Africa as career missionaries. After months of orientation and language study, we began the awesome task of building the Africa Gospel Church Baby Center, a home of love and security for babies orphaned or abandoned, as the result of disease and poverty. Like all WGM missionaries, we had to raise a considerable amount of cash and monthly support to get to the field. This was and is, no small undertaking, but has definitely been a faith builder. By the time we got to Kenya, we had a profound sense of the team of Christians back home who give sacrificially to make it possible for us to take the love of Christ to this part of His world.



To us, a big part of our support team has been some of it's smallest members. Have they been able to give large sums of money? No, their contributions have been proportionate to their size, but we know from scripture that with God, little is much. Somehow, we have felt very keenly that these pint-size contributions will have a tanker-size impact. We believe God honors the heart and efforts of child in a special way.


Want some examples? Our first elementary school-aged sponsors are themselves Missionary Kids, one of whom already supports his missionary aunt. But, when they heard about hurting babies without mommies and daddies, they wanted to help. Compared to the little allowance and spending money they had, their giving to help the babies in Kenya was huge.



Another girl, a pre-teener, mailed in two weeks allowance and a lovely letter written with great sensitivity to the things of the Lord. She was going to have her long hair cut soon, to give to an organization that makes wigs for pediatric Chemo patients. She wished she could do more and thinks she might want to be a missionary herself someday.

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Want another one? How about the little girl whose heart was broken when she heard about the babies and children in Africa who needed a home? She asked her mother how she could raise money to help, and we thank God for this parent who found time to encourage and help her daughter follow the Lord's leading. She recently sent in $137 from the proceeds of a garage sale, stocked with donations she had solicited from others in her community who wanted to help.



At our own church in Savannah, Georgia, the Isle of Hope United Methodist Church, many children (and some adults too!) made wonderful cards and wrote letters of encouragement to us, to let two missionaries far from home know that we are loved and appreciated.



God is building a giving ethic in these young hearts that should inspire and challenge those of us much older. My husband and I have certainly been encouraged in our own walk of faith by these children and young people who are definitely doing their part as kids rescuing kids in Kenya!!

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!

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!