KHOFH

February 28,2021

Greetings Brethren,

I hope all of you are well both physically and more importantly Spiritually, as we await the return of our Lord and Savior. Let us praise our Heavenly Father for all the wonderful blessing He continues to bestow upon us, as we continue to do the works He has given us, to not only preach the Gospel, and feed the flock, but also to assist the fatherless and widows in their afflictions. (James 1:27). Our Lord also says “Insomuch as ye have helped the lease of these my brethren, ye have done it to me.” (Matthew 25:40.) It’s so nice to be working together with brethren who take our Christian responsibilities to heart.

I have much to report on today concerning the good works you donors are doing, which glorify our Heavenly Father. Let me start my report with an incident that occurred in the local Elementary school located not far from the Sengera House Orphanage. The boy’s name is Mokoro, he is an orphan who lives with his widowed Grandmother. They are members of the Sengera congregation.

While at school Monday morning, while running back to class after using the outdoor toilet, Mokoro fell and broke his leg. So, what do you do in a situation like that? For most of us the answer would be a no brainer of course: “call an ambulance” but not necessarily in a 3rd world country. Many (if not most) people living in 3rd world countries who sustain a broken bone, often times not only have to endure the pain, but live the rest of their lives limping around with their fracture never treated. Unless of course there happens to be some God fearing, God loving, humans around willing to help. Fortunately there were three caring classmates who knew just what do, and where to go for help when Mokoro fell and not only broke his leg, but also had a stick driven into his ankle as he hit the ground.

Patrick (another orphan, and member of the Sengera congregation) and two other students ran to find a wheelbarrow, and then transported their injured schoolmate to Sengera House Orphanage for Help. Haron (our orphanage administrator) brought the injured boy to Kisii hospital. Turned out the Leg was not broken, but dislocated knee. Mokoro was in excruciating pain and in need of immediate surgery to relocate the bones, and remove the stick from his ankle.

Taken shortly after the operation.

I’m sure we have all experienced our children falling and breaking a bone. But not all children have parents. Thanks to God, these orphans do, they have you!

Mokoro is now doing well, recuperating and receiving therapy at the orphanage. He sends his heartfelt thanks to you donors for helping him, and treating him as your very own. Without you, the lives of these orphans would still be very much in peril as it was before you began helping them.

In Kenya (and in many 3rd world countries) you will find the following posted on the wall of clinics and hospitals. Because poor people are Rich in Faith, and trust and know, there is a God above who heals us:

Following letter is from Manley Mochama. Manley is one of the orphans living at Sengera House, who is in his second year of High School, and has been boarding at “Itierio Boys High” with hopes of becoming a surgeon. This past week tragedy struck “twice” at school. Manley elaborates in his letter:

“Receive much greetings from Africa. I am Manley Mochama from Sengera House here in Kenya. I want to take this opportunity to give glory and thanks to God for this far he has brought us. No words can express how happy and appreciative I am of your help. I am really very grateful as well obliged to thank you our lovely donors. Please allow me express my gratitude to you, for the decision of your support and let you know that the hand you are stretching unto us orphans is much meaningful to our lives. The support has given us the chance to envision a positive future. Your kindness is actually permitting me to fulfill my purpose and dreams.

So many of us came to Sengera House Orphanage in such poor condition, lacking clothes, out of school, some like my sister and I were living on the street after our parents died, and literally starving. Now we are once again cared for and loved like when back with our parents. Praise God for all of you who have taken us in as your very own.

As Scriptures states, tribulations are part of our training. Recently am not boarding, but back home at Sengera House because of the fire accident that happened in my school. It’s the second time the incident occurred in less than two weeks. First, on 31 January this year, at around 9:00pm, as we were in class and on with our studies as usual (night prep goes up to 9:30pm.) As we were on, we heard a whistle from nowhere. So we had to come outside and find out what was happening. Screams all over by students who were first to witness the incident, some rushed for fire extinguishers to stop the fire but it was too late. The place where we keep our books and one dormitory was full of fire and down. The night turned to be tragic. Some of us were injured due to up and down running. Six students passed away.

Then on Monday 8 February we again experienced fire incident. This time we were in our dormitory sleeping after night prep. It was around 12:00 midnight when I was awoken by the temperatures going very high that you can feel much heat. By this time fire covered almost everywhere, but I want to thank God who is always fighting for us like he did for Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego. We were able to have the way out, but we couldn’t do anything since we had inhaled a lot of smoke and some of us broke legs from running and stumbling to flee. After the incident our dormitory was like so, nothing was left.

Nothing can stop me from praising and lifting God high because of protection that he always gives us, I happened to inhale some smoke and got injured on my right leg, but this time nobody died even if we have injuries.

God is there to support us in any time, either of the two parts happy and sorrow. Nothing is limiting you and me from thanking him. God only wants us to be obedient and follow his commandments and for sure he will never stop stretching his arm upon us. Please pray for me and others in school. Lastly, let me thank you for taking your time reading this may God bless you.

Manley O Mochama.”

(Manley is now studying back home at Sengera House, taking his lessons from the Internet.)

Next report comes from Haron, after his recent trip to visit the Ikoba church.

“Dear elder Bill,

Greetings to you, your family, and Kenya Hands of Hope donors. It is another Sabbath of joy and I am very much happy that God has made me to visit today with some of our Kenya brethren from across the country.

I visited Ikoba group which is around 200 miles from Sengera orphanage. Ikoba is one of our groups where our dear Kenya Hands of Hope supported tents for Sabbath congregating, and Ekegosii (local Language) Bible. (Before, they were congregation under trees on Sabbath.) I was received warmly, shared uplifting message, and had nice discussion after services. Next, the elder along with one young boy came to me and told of his mother’s recent death. The elder explained to me how the mother died leaving five children orphans, it was real sad. I was also introduced to other orphans in the group. So I decided to move around to see their living conditions. They were staying in old grass thatched roof hut. Five of them are cooking, eating, and sleeping same place. What was so scaring no neighbor around, and house was raining inside. They were old mattress on the ground and some dirt dust like blankets. Also had no food they were depending eating sugarcane from neighboring plantation.

I thank Kenya Hands of Hope through elder Bill that we were able to help these orphans with some food and bedding for sleeping. Besides these orphans I was able to visit the other three orphans home who were staying around half a mile away. Two boys and one girl that is Alex, zedinah and Wycliffe. They are 5, 7 and 9 years old. They had grass thatched house and cooking outside. We were able to help a little at the time, but will try to do more for them in the future.

Thanks and have nice Sabbath.

Haron Mokoro.”

Another church widow we have been assisting is Grace Rafiki, She has been living with her young orphaned Grandson in an unfinished mud house. The house was never plastered, and has no windows or doors, making it unsafe, and cold for sleeping at night. As you know, we assist according to priority and as funds become available. We are trying now is assist her in completing construction of her mud house. At the same time we are looking to raise funds to help our brethren prepare for the upcoming Passover. They will need assistance in purchasing Passover wine, and flour for making unleavened bread which we are required to eat each and every day during the seven day Spring Feast of Passover.

Grace Rafiki’s unfinished mud house.

The mud house consists of two rooms. As you can see in the picture below, air can easily come in through the cracks in the mud when not plastered.