Kenya Sunbeam Ministries

In the year 2001 I had a dream from God for a children’s home Kengatuny, Kocholia, Teso district in West Kenya.

 

I had been on a visit to my friend Matilda, whom I had gotten to know when I worked in Eastern Kenya 1998 -1999 in a medical centre. As it seemed an impossible dream I put it aside and just continued to go out for a month each year helping where I could.

My dream still persisted. Working on the ground I had seen the need of a home for children who had HIV or been orphaned by it. The area has a high rate of HIV affecting all age groups, leaving many orphans to be cared for by elderly grandparents who could barely manage for themselves.

I prayed that if it were God’s will land would become available; my prayers were answered and we got our first acre of land. Bear in mind that this area is quite remote with the interior having no water supply or electricity. Most people live in mud huts and live according to there tribal ways and culture.

Here is a list of some of the progress so far.

 

2004: First acre of land

2005: Successfully implements a water project. The local water supply is mainly rain water caught in tanks around buildings. The pump system no provides water from the river for washing and manual site work.

2006: Annett Agnew, his wife Wilma and Simeon McCullough come out to dig founds and start work on the septic tank.

2007: We bring out a team to start building – they accomplish up to the roof in two and a half weeks! Annett who hails from Annalong is a builder and he co-ordinated all the building work.

A large container holding furniture and clothing was delivered, a great blessing.

2008: A team from LIFT arrives to complete plumbing and electrical work plus dropped ceilings. Two solar panels were also installed.

May 2009: Our first twenty orphans are admitted to their new home.

 

A word about our first intake. Nearly all were undernourished and suffering from malnutrition. Some were very sick; one child with a severe heart condition was close to death but God showed mercy love and compassion and all the children have settled and call themselves Sunbeams Children.

The child with the heart defect is named Linda. Born with this heart defect she is in a weakened condition but we believe in a God of miracles who heals, and at present we are his hands and feet meeting her needs and giving her the love and comfort of a family, who love and care for her. One child with HIV is on treatment and is presently doing well. Another child is in a wheelchair as a result of polio which wasn’t treated when he was a baby but he too is doing well and is a happy little boy.

 

Recently we purchased two further acres of land adjacent to the Children’s Home. Presently it is being farmed to supply us with vegetables and maize – currently another success! We have chickens providing eggs and two goats which will hopefully m provide milk. Currently milk is purchased from a neighbour but it is our wish to buy a cow and provide our own milk. Going back to our water project, our desire in the near future is to have our own bore hole for a constant supply of clean water. The container I spoke of also contained a land rover bought by Mavis Allison. This has been a special blessing as it can used not only a supply vehicle but as an ambulance for the seriously ill to get them to the regional hospital one hour away. The empty container is currently used for storage but in the future may be adapted to offices or living rooms. 

 

Our aim is to be as self sufficient as possible, the children go to the nearby local school, were they have settled in well. These are early days but God has shown favour and blessings. At present we employ approximately 15 of staff to cover all areas of work within the site to ensure it runs smoothly and that all the children are cared for. From next year I plan to live in Kenya long term and we hope for people from KSM UK to be at site on a regular basis.

 

Did God give me any more dreams? Yes is the answer. At the moment that is all they are; a vision for the future. When I was very ill I spent some time at the local hospital where I saw the neglect of people who were dying of terminal illness, and it was unbelievable. God touched my heart with compassion, and showed me a great need to bring love, comfort and dignity to people in the last stages of their life, to be God’s instrument bringing his love to them in a practical way, and having the joy of leading them to the Lord.

Thus it is the Board’s desire when the time is right to construct a hospice and medical centre on one of our acres. 

A further need which I identified was for the forgotten generation; the elderly. As I said earlier many of their families are dead, and these vulnerable people are the only ones left to look after the orphaned children. Some of the elderly in our area are living be4yond 100 years and are still working in the fields.

Whilst their bodies are frail their minds are active and they have much to offer. Their main requirement is a place to live and food each day.

I see these older folk as a great advantage to the work of the children’s home. When the children get older, they can teach them local trades, cooking sewing etc in the way in which we are instructed in the bible to tell the stories of the past and hence keep their culture alive. And also of God’s Blessings and provision over the years. Men can teach farming, local building work, how to make and play the Teso musical instruments, and play them. We have a wealth of knowledge on our door step. It is therefore our dream to construct a building to house these elderly people, feed and water them so that they can be more self sufficient. I believe God will lengthen their days in peace and comfort.

Underpinning all that we do is strong spiritual work where the bible is taught and people learn to walk the Christian life and not just know it. We want a place where local pastors and church workers can come for spiritual food and encouragement and instruction. At present our children have Sunday school and good news clubs and children from outside are welcomed. In future I would like to see evangelical teams coming out each year to do children’s and adult’s work with perhaps pastors and teachers coming to teach the word of God. But this is all for a future day. I ask you to pray about the work of Kenya Sunbeam Ministries and Sunbeam Children as we, with God’s help, meet the need in Kengatuny.

God said that we were a light in a very dark place, where the work of the enemy is very active. But he is a defeated foe. Praise God and we have the victory. I pray that as KSM press on in the work he has given us to do, we will hear “Well done thy good and faithful servants”. So let us press on and see God’s work accomplished, as we live in these last days and fulfil the call God has put upon each of our lives. Thank you for taking the time to read this and if you would like to be involved in this work please contact us.

 

No one likes change, the secret is to drop the C and the E at the end then you are left with Hang. You have got to hang in there to see it through.

KSM Life Ministries will meet the Holistic needs of the whole person and the community.

 

 

We are there to give hand up’s not hand out’s. We are to impact the community, and bring change. Its time to expand our borders and strengthen our stakes.

Let me talk it through 

 

Sunbeam Children’s home was the foundation stone on which the work among the Teso community began.

God opened the door for us to get our Title deeds, Ministry registration and Bank Accounts, and become acknowledged among the Teso district as a ministry. 

When Jesus walked this scene of time he was laying the foundation stone for a greater work, Christianity and the church was built upon it.

The children’s Home will always be part of this work, but it time to build and establish the light that God intends us to be in the Teso District.

We are a Faith Based Ministry which means we trust and believe God will provide for the work he has established. Sometimes we trust him step by step, and have to believe when there are no resources.

At other times God provides in advance. He told King David to plan and provide materials for the temple, so that when Solomon came provision had already been made. I believe this is where we are, but we have not yet seen it. God provided through a donation made by the Willis /Baker family Provision for the Vision… God will provide. 

 

Bringing Holistic Approach to the Ministry in Kenya

Meeting the needs of the whole person and the Community 

 

Spiritual Physical Emotional Mental 

 

Luke ch 4 v18 and Isaiah ch 61 v 1-3

 

To preach the Gospel to the poor, he has sent us to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captive and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them are bruised.

 

To be a light and bring the love and compassion of Jesus to the community especially, Orphans and Widows and the very needy to assist and encourage them through practical and spiritual means. Working to gether to bring unity encouraging them to be self sufficient. Bringing hope and putting a new song in their hearts all for the Glory of God.

 

Equip the Body of Christ in Teso through the teaching of the Word of God and Godly principles in every day life.

 

Provide a home for orphans and those with special needs.

Nurture the children in a Christian environment, and instil a sense of discipline and responsibility to wards each other, and the community by educating them in the importance of attaining and maintaining Unity, Peace, Justice and harmonious co existence for God’s Glory.

 

Reach out to the community in every way possible in equipping them with knowledge in all areas of life. Making resources available to assist them to be self sustaining and uplifting the community. 

 

Support the local hospital with medical assistance, setting principles in place for daily living that will prevent serious illness.

Bring out teams that will assist in all areas of our work both practically and in a teaching capacity, people that will be available for counsel and offering advice when required.

Work within the community in a Pastoral role visiting in the homesteads and in the local hospitals. Pray with the sick, the broken hearted, those in despair offering them hope in Jesus.

Establishing a church as a place of worship and fellowship and teaching. 

 

This will be a multi function building, comprising of one large hall to accommodate about 100 people, two offices, two class rooms, and reception area at entrance. It will facilitate - 

 

Teaching social skills, Hygiene, family planning, HIV prevention. 

 

Resource information on what is available in Kenya, including benefits entitlement and the method for claiming

 

Financial advice and how to budget wisely and start small business

 

Nutritional and general health advice.

 

Bible School, church on Sunday, conferences and seminars 

 

 

 

To accommodate orphans and those with special needs, those recovering and waiting for support programme to be put in place.

It can house up to 35 children they will be educated and medically cared for in every area and fed with a nutritious diet.

A support programme to be set in place for those who can live in the family environment with support in place.

Nursery school to run daily Mon to Fri. 8am -1pm 

 

Were all food stock will be stored for support programme for children and elderly.

Food supplemented by government will be distributed to HIV patients. 

 

To be absolutely clear; this does not mean we feed people randomly at the gate or indiscriminately distribute food. 

A feeding programme will be set in place after carefully assessing different families and problems. Those in great need will be put on a list and then come to the site to receive there portion after they confirm they are on list. This will be structured and include both the elderly and children.

 

Medical Centre 

A medical centre of five rooms with; lab facilities, anti natal care, children’s clinic, HIV clinic vaccination clinic and general medical care. 

 

A Bible School whose main aim would be, spiritually equipping leaders and lay persons in evangelism and teaching the word of God. A course established in November 2010 would bring students to diploma level. 

 

A Hospice facility to provide palliative care (not generally available in the area of Kenya we work in) to adults and children in need. This would ensure the dignity and privacy of those who are terminally ill, with care that showed them love and hope in Jesus

 

I hope this will excite and motivate you all to come on board and see this assignment fulfilled. Everyone is important no matter how little you may feel you can add; to gether we can make a difference.

 

 

God Bless