Paul - January 2009

Jamie took this picture of Paul when he visited the baby center in January of 2009. Paul is now about 4 months old.

Returning from Kenya

As I sit in the airport ready to head home I have some exciting things to tell you:

AGC Church under Meshack Habib will be a significant contributor to the baby center.

Jeff Stanfield will fill the directors role while Staci is home. Jeff has been at Tenwek for several years and has a passion for the baby center. He will be a great addition to the staff.

Jeremy Greenlee had his first guitar "gig" this morning at church and was great. Pastor Habib stated he was the best he has heard on the guitar.

Nicole Greenlee is getting her feet wet with all the nursing care these little ones need. Priscilla has taken her under her wing and they will make a great team.

I met with more people in a short time than I have ever met before. From WGM to AGC I think I know them all on a first name basis. The relationships we are building will help ensure the future of the baby center.

While the numbers don't show it yet the number of Kenyan families inquiring about adoption is increasing. If we can ever convince the Kenyan government to move quicker we would be adopting more babies than ever. Pray for change in Kenya.

Keep the fire hot for this ministry as YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE!

Jamie
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Greetings from Kenya!

Greetings from warm Kenya. I want to bring you up to date with what's happening. The water tests all have come back great. We are approved to deliver water that is ready to drink!!! Billy Fuller and I went truck shopping on Thursday and have some good leads on a vehicle. Construction of the well house will begin within a few weeks. We are hoping to deliver water to the baby center by March 1st! PTL!
Jeremy and Nicole Greenlee traveled with me to Kenya and will call the Baby Center home for the next year. They have been such an encouragement to me. To watch a young married couple step out in faith is just awesome. They will serve the baby center well. Keep them in your prayers.
Margie has been such a blessing to so many of us. She is steady, reliable and genuine. Her apartment looks like her. Very warm and inviting. She has made significant changes as to how money is spent and recorded. She is setting this ministry up to be sucessful for the long term. She will be a great mentor for the Greenlee's.
Staci appears ready to head home shortly on furlough. Wycliff has been approved to travel to the states. It has been a long haul for both of them to get him approved. I can't wait for many of you to meet them. Staci has served the lost children of Kenya in a manner few of us could. She has poured years of sweat and tears into these precious lives and we are seeing the fruit of her labor. Pray for Staci and Wycliff. Pray for a great homecoming, for rest and for Gods leading.
As for the 29 bundles of joy currently here. They are full of life. They wear me out and I LOVE IT! When I look at each one I see life, joy and opportunity in their eyes. I believe its God's way of assuring us that what we are doing in Kenya is worth every dollar spent, of every mile flown, of every dusty mile traveled, of every tear shed. We are commanded to finish the race well. With your continued support we can finish strong!
Thanks for all your love and support for the baby center.

Jamie Lengacher

YOU SHOULD NOT GO TO THE BABY CENTER!

You should not go to the Baby Center if:

1. you aren't willing to step out of your comfort zone.
2. you don't want your heart stolen.
3. you don't want to be greeted with "auntie" or "uncle" every time the babies see
you.
4. you don't want God to change your priorities.
5. you don't want your heart broken.
6. you can't hold six babies at once or aren't willing to give it a try.
7. you don't want to make new friends with your fellow team members.
8. you don't want God to use you in a huge way for the "forgotten" babies.
9. you don't want God to use the babies to teach you a lesson or two.
10. you want to come home being the same person who left.
11. you don't want to fall in love with every beautiful baby there.



Tracy

(written by Tracy Bussard - member of work team #11)

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!

2008: Seeing God at Work

1. Violence in Kenya, over the presidential election in January, impacted the baby center in many different ways. We praise God for His protection of the babies and caregivers during that time. Also for His provision of water and other basic supplies. We know He was in control even though things seemed out of control!

2. Staci Wells became Staci Ketter in January. We thank God for Wyclif and his life of service to the local church and to the baby center. We wish them much happiness in their life together.

3. Nine new babies were welcomed into the baby center family in 2008. They came from hospitals and police stations. They have quickly become healthy thriving babies who have brought joy to everyone who works at the baby center. Currently 28 babies live at the baby center. Forty-six babies have been helped by the baby center since they welcomed their first babies in April 2006.

4. Nine babies have left the baby center in 2008. Seven were adopted. One was transferred to a different home to be with a sibling. One went home to his heavenly father.

5. The baby center was dedicated in September. Former President Moi and Pastor Dave Engbrecht attended the ceremony as well as many other dignataries and church and missionary leaders. This was a joyous celebration of the lives that have been saved and the faithfulness of God to His children.

6. Margie Helmuth moved into an apartment above the baby center in October. Her accounting knowledge and her sweet loving spirit will be such a valuable asset to the work being done there.

7. The long awaited news: "WE HAVE WATER" was heard in December of this year. This project was over a year in the making. We look forward to the many babies that will be able to join the baby center family because this large expense became much smaller.

We praise God for his faithfulness! He has provided every step of the way just what was needed at just the right time. We also thank Him for allowing all of us who have been associated with the baby center in one way or another the joy of getting to know those precious babies! Kenya and the babies at the baby center have stolen the hearts of everyone who have come to know them. And as Pastor Dave says "We are wrecked!"

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!

We Have A New Baby! - January 2009

Baby John joined the baby center familyin December 2008. He was welcomed by his 27 brothers and sisters. He is a cutie! Please pray that God will touch a couple's heart to adopt Jonathon. And continue to pray for parents for all of the babies currently residing at the baby center.

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!

WE HAVE WATER!!!!!!

We finally heard the words we have been waiting for this morning "we have water"! Billy Fuller reported the well casing is 117 meters (384 ft.), the well head is pumping water and the water tastes great. Billy drank right from the well tap which makes me really jealous. Billy invited us for steaks on his grill tonight and I just might take him up on that one! (Could be tough getting to Kenya by supper time) The aquifer is LARGE and appears very clean. We have shipped a water sample to be tested and will have the results within 2 days. Margie is sending pictures today so we will get them up on the blog as soon as we can. Thank our Father in heaven tonight for His faithfulness! He is bigger than any problem we face today, tomorrow or next week!

Jamie Lengacher

Almost There!

We received word that we are at 105 meters (344 ft.). We have a steady supply of water and should be at the correct depth within the next few days!!! We expect a phone call sometime over the next two days to announce the drilling has ceased and we are ready to hook up the wellhead. Once the drilling has stopped we will be ready to construct a small pump house. The brick material to build the pump house was donated by the lady we bought the land from. She has become a great friend to the baby center. God has been so good in supplying us everything we need on this project. Continue to pray for wisdom as we begin the next phase in this project.

Jamie Lengacher