An Improved Farming Method

Wachara community is a rural area where Life for children ministry has been in a forefront to improve and support the welfare of the community members not only through sponsorship of the vulnerable orphans, building improved houses to vulnerable families, spiritual nourishment, microfinance support to small businesses and also providing TRACTOR to the community farmers.

Farming being the economic activity in the community, community members fully depend on farm products for commercial purposes and for consumption. Wachara community has been using traditional way of farming method where farmers use cows for ploughing, this method is time and energy consuming and only small area of the farm will be worked on.

Thanks to Life for Children Ministry for bringing in board easier way of farming through provision of a tractor in the community. This helps them plough lands which were left barren and easy way to saves time thus promote sufficient food within the community not only as an individual farmer but also to the entire community.

I wish to pass my sincere gratitude to the donors and founder Director Mr. Michael Agwanda for making work easier for farmers and the entire community thus improving the living standard for the community members. Today Wachara Village has improved their yield compared to previous years. Our objective is to increase our production hence food security for the community. It is our prayer that in future we shall get additional tractor since the demand is getting high and it is overwhelming one tractor.

A Hand plow and a team of Cows are limited to the amount of acreage they can till

New tractor plowing a neighborhood plot that will increase crop output

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The Change with Street Boys

The street boys program has evolved through the years and the changes are evident in the lives of the boys. In the early stages it was hard for the boys to keep cool and sit down while attending the programs. They were always rowdy, shouting and fighting. Sitting down for even 5 minutes and listening to the advice and teachings was impossible. This was due to the influence of glue, alcohol and other drugs but things have changed over a period of time.

They now sit, listen and sing praises for a longer time in the Sunday programs. Here is a photo. We thank God for these and many more.

The Great Commission with LCM

Working with Life for Children Ministry was an incredible adventure. We were able to meet so many friends and fellow Christians, and spread the love of Christ to people who didn’t know. We were inspired, and we got to inspire. In Kenya, we were greeted with such love and grace it was astonishing. The very first day in Kisumu, our team spent time learning from an amazing guardian through the ministry, a woman named Jerusa. She took us into her home and began to teach us her fine craft of making pottery. We each got to take some of the clay and try for ourselves. She gathers mud from the river just down from her house, and mixes it with just a touch of water to make the perfect combination, then she fashions and molds beauty within her hands. This is how she supports herself and her grandson, by selling her pottery. Jerusa prayed over our team with such passion and authority it blew me away. Even through the language barriers the Spirit was heavy and thick in that place, I was brought to tears in her living room. This was a woman that understands the mission and lives to please Jesus. Many moments like these throughout our two-week journey continued to impact my heart and remind my spirit of God’s love. We met other guardians caring for orphaned children due to HIV/AIDS, we prayed over the sick and broken, we watched God move in young children singing and playing, we helped treat people medically wherever we had the chance, we loved on people who live in dumps and on the streets, we climbed rocks, went exploring, tried new foods, and learned a lot about God, ourselves, and each other. We worked with LCM to bring the word of Christ however we possibly could; and it was definitely not always in the most obvious way. It was wonderful to have the chance to be a part of this team, even if just for a small time. I was able to see the incredible ways the Lord works through this ministry to reach the hearts of the Kenyan people. The few and the faithful, LCM daily lives out this verse…

“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” James 1:27

Charity Johnson

Fellowship Program

Life for children welfare has been in the forefront for providing not only food, shelter, clothing and education to the vulnerable but also provides spiritual nourishment to them too. In line with this, the guardians have been organized into two groups in which they meet once every month to fellowship together and encourage each other. They also help each other in times of despair for example during grieve; they give motivation and even do some little contributions for the bereaved. They also participate a lot in team building for example when it comes to house construction of one of their member, they come together to help in the process.

This movement has been very helpful to the guardian because they even get to know where each and every one of them lives, the kind of life they are living and also the challenges they are facing. They also get to share the little food they have with their fellows because through this, they also receive blessings from God and am very much grateful for them for their generosity. However less it may be, they will always share it all without considering how the next day will be. This is the kind of heart expected from a true believer of God therefore they should continue with the same spirit.

Life for children ministry has also played a bigger role in ensuring that this program runs successfully, they are always available when this time comes and they will always provide a means of transport for the guardians and this is a very good gesture of togetherness. I thank life for children welfare for dedicating themselves to serve the children of God who are very much in need. May the Good Lord continue blessing them each and every moment of their life. Below are some of the beautiful photos during the fellowship.

By Maureen Adoyo

Family

Family is always an integral part of our society and plays a very important role in day to day life. Considering the fabrics and the need to belong for every human being, street boys are not exceptional; they tend to identify themselves with the new environment they find themselves in. This has created a family unit for the boys. In different spots in town they call “base’ from there they relate, protect and care for each other. The photo shows how these boys are happy and trusting in God for their daily lives.

-Pastor Tonny

Life for Children Ministry feeds the streets boys every Sunday and have church, medical attention and provides soap for their bathing. Life for children also repatriates and reunite the willing boys to their families. Any support will be appreciated to continue reaching these boys with the word of Christ. Please see our website for more info.

Founder of LCM, Michael Agwanda

LCM Clean Water Project

One of the strategies used to support orphans is to improve community access to food and water. Watch the latest YouTube video where Micheal Agwanda, LCM founder describes the conditions on the ground and how to combat them.

LCM board Annoucement

Greetings to the friends of LCM,

For the last nine months, Perry Dillman served as our first Executive Director.  Perry brought energy, wisdom, skillful communication, attention to details and most importantly a heart for the Lord and for our mission, the children of Kenya.

In hiring our first executive director, the Life for Children Board stepped out in faith and gave sacrificially to fund this position so that no funding was diverted from the ministry.   Now, with great disappointment, the Board announces the transition of Perry Dillman from salaried Executive Director to individual advocate and volunteer for the ministry.  This transition will be effective April 19.

It has been a pleasure to work with Perry.  We all will deeply miss the depth that he added to this ministry and his incredibly positive spirit.  He has made a difference, especially in making the connection stronger to each of you, our supporters.  Please pray for Perry as he seeks his next assignment from the Lord and for the ministry as we make this transition.

Perry, thank you for jumping in and serving God through each prayer, phone call, email, thank you note, meeting, and follow up action item.   You have kept our eyes on Jesus and on Kenya and kept us looking forward.  May God’s grace and blessing follow you wherever He leads you next.

Board of Life for Children Ministry

Perry visiting with Street Boys in Kisumu

The Plight of Daniel

DANIEL OTIENO

Daniel Otieno is a third born in a family of five, aged 23 and comes from Siaya county-Asembo.His father died in 1996 while he was in class one and since then he has lived with the mother. He dropped out of school while he was in class seven because of financial constraints the family had since his mother could not adequately provide for all their needs. He decided to move to the streets because that was the best alternative to him at the moment. Early this year Daniel was hit by a motorbike while on his usual daily activities in the streets and sustained serious injuries on his right leg. Due to the ongoing doctors strike he has not received any serious medical attention and the wound on his leg keeps on worsening day by day.

On 1^st march 2017, LCW during field work touched by the plight of Daniel, took to him some drugs that would help him clean the wound and also relieve him of the pain. Daniel would wish to relocate back home for close attention and start a new life.

What are the keys to breaking the cycle of poverty in Western Kenya?

Please click on the link below to hear Michael Agwanda talk about the Life for Children Ministry initiative that will be critical to breaking the cycle of poverty and spreading the Good News of the love of Jesus Christ throughout Kisumu and Wachara, Kenya.

https://youtu.be/LTbY5xAAqiI

Agricultural Initiative with Life for Children Ministry

Please see Michael Agwanda, Founder of Life for Children Ministry, discussing our Agricultural Initiative in the attached video. https://youtu.be/h4YNQ-OWT1A

With the help of our loyal supporters, Life for Children Ministry has purchased our first tractor and formed a farmers’ cooperative so that we can plow much more land than the farmers could do with their current hand tools. With the tractor, we will help the local communities to significantly improve their food security and the health of their families. They will now also have extra crops that they can sell to pay for other food, school fees for their children, etc. This agricultural initiative will help to break the cycle of poverty and will ultimately become self sustaining as the additional crops will help pay for the tractor driver, fuel, and maintenance. If you would like to contribute to help us expand the agricultural initiative, please visit our website at www.lifeforchildrenministry.org.

Thanks and God Bless You!

Perry Dillman
Executive Director, Life for Children Ministry