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!

Current News

WE NEED OUR PRAYER WARRIORS TO GO TO BATTLE! During all 4 services yesterday the upcoming Africa teams were commissioned. This is a nice way for the church to see those that are going. And it is also a reminder for the church to PRAY for those teams. The following are some specific ways you can pray:
1. Continued guidance for those making decisions regarding the teams and
construction both here (Pastor Dave, Dan Jacobs, Jamie Lengacher, Steve Henry)
and in Africa (Mwangi, Staci Wells, Margie Helmuth, Jim Vanderhoof)
2. Traveling safety both in flights and especially ground transportation once the
teams arrive in Kenya.
3. Gifts and tools for construction will be taken by various team members. We pray that they make it to Kenya with the teams
4. Families that are left behind. Many times it is much harder to stay home than to go!
5. Preparations. Pray that each team member will remember to take time to not only physically prepare to go but also spiritually prepare.
6. For the babies! These precious little ones whom God loved so much that he motivated a church half way around the world to come to their aid. We want to be able to continue to bring them to full healthy lives, to find Kenyan families to adopt them and to finish the center so more babies can be saved!
As Pastor Dave shared yesterday, we are battling for Generation Next to come to know Jesus as their personal savior. When Jesus was on this earth he reached those who didn't know him thru his great love and compassion. In the same way we have great love and compassion for not only the babies at the center but for the community and country where they live. It would be awesome if EVERY PERSON in our church were able to go hold the babies in person. But what would be even MORE awesome is if EVERY PERSON in our church would spend time in prayer for the babies. Would you consider it today?

Michelle's ticket

The youngest member of our team was Michelle Pippenger. She was traveling alone to Kenya while the rest of her family went to Mexico on a mission trip. When we started checking in all was going well until it came to Michelle. The airline representative checking her in said she was not booked on that flight! Thinking there must be a mistake, she pulled out her itinerary. There was, but not on the part of the airline. Michelle had been booked on an earlier flight and this flight was completely booked! The reality sunk in fast - someone was going to have to stay back and take a later flight and it wasn't going to be Michelle! The airline representative was incredibly nice and before we even had a chance to pray about it, he had his assistant working on getting Michelle on that plane. She had to make several phone calls but was finally able to find a seat. Michelle had her first miracle before we even left Chicago!