Shalom Christian Missions
Shalom Christian Missions

May 2015 Newsletter

Break My Heart for the Things That Break Yours!

As I think about returning to Kenya very soon, I once again start to ask God what it is that I am called to do on this trip. When I consider the lives He has entrusted into our care at New Beginnings, my prayer begins to be "Lord, break my heart for what breaks yours." I want my heart to break over the things that literally break the heart of the Father, so that He can use me to make a difference.

As I think about the children and the happy faces that many of you see me post in pictures, God also brings to mind the sadness that these children have faced and still face everyday of their lives. Some of their sadness comes from the loneliness of losing a parent or both parents. Some from facing a life feeling unloved as they were shuffled from one guardian to another. Some faced lack of food and shelter that continues to affect their lives, which is known when they hoard or steal. Some were physically abused and forced into child labor, they wear the physical scars of abuse. Some were sexually abused and forced into the sex trade, even as children. Break my heart, Lord, for the thingsthat break Your heart.

Break my heart for the child who says every week, "I will only be here a short time. My brothers are coming for me soon." And we know her brothers are not coming. How do we help her?

Break my heart for the one who came to us hungry, sick, and afraid when his mother went to the hospital and later died. How do we reassure him?

Break my heart for the one who came in so malnourished we thought she was a 3 month old and later realized she was almost a year old.

Break my heart for all those who suffer in silence and cry themselves to sleep each night.

Break my heart for the older children who have suffered and endured so much that often they just give up hope for a happy life. Lord, may I never forget or become desensitized to these children You have entrusted to our care.

And Lord, as I look around New Beginnings, may I again realize that this is only the beginning of what You want to do. That what little we have for them will not remain acceptable but that You will bring the means to provide these children with a much better and more stable lifestyle at New Beginnings. That you will break my heart once again Lord for what You brought me half way around the world to do.

The need is so great but I know that Your love, Lord, for these children is greater.

I am so very thankful that this past month our returning missionaries left behind a gift for the children. The gift of 75 beds! (25 triple decked bunk beds) They know that many of our children are still sleeping on the floor with only a thin mat between them and the concrete. While this is a huge blessing, we still need more beds. (This brings our total number of beds to just over 100.)

With 140 children who live at New Beginnings, this means we still need beds for another 40 children. The missionaries hoped to also be able to purchase mattresses, mattress protectors, and sheets for each bed, but ran out of funds to complete their goal. If anyone is interested in helping them complete this goal, it would bless so many children. Or if you want to buy another triple bunk, to can get more children off the floor. Anything that you might want to give will help us reach our goal and bless so many children.


New beds going into the new boys dorm!

15 Beds still needed  @ $150 per bed =  $2,250
140 mattresses, mattress pads, and sheets @ $25 per bed = $3,500

If you are interested in giving to this cause, mark your donation 'BEDS".

Calendar of Events

Contact us to have someone share about the miracle that God is doing on a hill in remote Africa. A missionary would be happy to share. How great it is for young and old alike to hear about miracles on the mission field in Africa.

Schedule for 2015 TODAY!

Contact us at info@shalomchristianmissions.org or (717) 586-6945.

2015, A Year of Giving!

May/June: These months we will accept boys' shorts and long pants. Sizes boy's 6-18 and men's sizes small and med. Our boys are tough on their shorts and we find we are always in need of more. If you can help us, it would be greatly appreciated.

May 23, 24, 25 Packing Weekend: Join us as we prepare the bins that will be transported to Kenya to take the gifts for ALL the children. Contact us at info@shalomchristianmissions.org or (717) 586-6945 if you would like to help.  Groups are welcome!



Friday November 13, 2015 is our Annual York Fundraising Dinner. Mark your calendars and plan now to attend.  Sponsor a table! Bring your friends!

Businesses: Sponsor a business table and advertise for your business while receiving a tax write-off.

Expedition 2015 & 2016

What will I do on a mission trip? That is often the question. The answer...what is God calling YOU to do? From construction to VBS, to medical care, to sharing the Gospel. Our teams have done it ALL.

What is God calling you to do? Not sure...take a step of faith and see what God shows up to do. It will be more than you ever dreamed or imagined.

Our missionaries stay in missionary housing of brick construction on the secure grounds of our children's center in a very remote area of Kenya. Spend time immersed in the culture and lives of those who call New Beginnings HOME. Show the Love of Jesus with the community. Change their lives AND change your life...FOREVER!

Upcoming Trips

July/August 2015 trip closed

2016 trips are now open!

Winter 2016:

January 10 - 24, 2016 (2 weeks) $1500 + airfare
January 10 - February 10, 2016 (1 month)  $1900 + airfare

Winter trips include a Safari to Nakuru National Game Park

Summer 2016:

Dates not yet scheduled, but keep an eye out for more information!

Summer trips include a Safari to the world famous Masii Mara game reserve.

Visit our Missions Page for more information about each trip and to download an application.
All dates are tentative until airfare is booked.

NOW is the best time to apply and start planning!
Airfare is always best in December & January.

Internship Opportunities

Would you like to spend more time living in Kenya and experiencing the culture?
Consider an internship (2-6 months) or long-term mission opportunity.  These trips are tailored to the individual applying, so please contact us for more information and get ready to GO!

Missionary News

Our three long-term missionaries have returned home amid a flurry of emotions. Happy to return to their homeland and be with family and friends, but sad to leave behind the children and those with whom they toiled for the past year at New Beginnings. They would be happy to share a snap shot of what their adventure was like if your church or organization is interested. Contact us to schedule them to visit. If you would like to become a long-term missionary in a remote part of Kenya, contact us.

The missionaries hosted a farewell dinner to honor and thank the staff/friends they labored with for the past year.

While those who returned are readjusting to life back in the states, others are training and preparing to venture to New Beginnings as the summer team and one more intern prepare to make the journey to remote Kenya. Some are returning missionaries and it is always great to welcome them back to Kenya, while others are brand new to New Beginnings.

Karibu Kenya!
Karibu New Beginnings, to ALL!!

If you would like to join a team for 2016, now is the time to apply.

School News

The second semester has begun at New Beginnings Christian School. The first week of May brought the primary students back to class and the second week saw the secondary students returning. Please keep all the students and staff in prayer.

This is an exciting and fun semester for the children as it is the semester that gives an extracurricular focus on the arts. The children are now busy preparing and practicing for the Music Festivals that will begin later this month. Please keep our children in prayer as they prepare to be part of the competition at the festivals.

Consider becoming a 'New Beginnings Defender of Education'

We continue praying for more people to become involved in helping with the costs of education for the children. This is an extreme need right now! We need to increase our teachers' salaries to above the poverty level. With the last incoming president, prices of everything have been on the increase within the nation. This is not helping those who live far below the poverty level in this rural area. We also need to purchase more books and other supplies for our students. We cannot do this based on the tuition we are charging since our goal is to continue to keep our schools affordable for the people who live in great poverty within this community. Please join us in praying for people to join us in this effort.

Donor Defender If you choose to donate $20-$50 each month to our education fund, you can provide an increase for 1-2 teachers.

Patron Defender If you give $51-$99 each month to our education fund, you provide for 3-4 teachers to receive a raise and more supplies such as books to be purchased for a classroom.

Champion Defender If you can donate $100 or more each month to our education fund, you provide a raise for 5 teachers plus additional supplies. Please consider helping us in this very critical way.

Every person who becomes a 'New Beginnings Defender of Education' will have their name placed on a plaque that will be on display at New Beginnings Christian School. Our current goal is to have $1000 in donations for our education fund each month to supply our teachers with a fair wage above the poverty level in Kenya and to buy the needed classrooms supplies for the school. This is vital for the education of the children in this remote part of the world.

If you are a teacher or just care about seeing children in a very remote, poor area of the world have a chance at a better life, consider becoming involved as a 'Defender of Education'...'for the love of a child'!

Building

With the rains that have finally come to the hill in remote Kenya, building has come to a crawl. With dirt roads that turn to slick mud when it rains, there is no way to transport needed supplies up the hill. We are very grateful to God for the rains but also hope to continue building again very soon.

A little progress has been made on the first classroom. The boys dorm is almost ready to move in but needs a finish coat on the floor before it is ready. Pray that the materials needed can get through between rainy days.

There is still lots to be done and built at New Beginnings. If God is calling you to help in anyway, it would be a great blessing.


Primary classrooms under construction
   

Building Phase II:             

Phase II Projects Cost  Donated  Still Needed
Rebuild (3) Primary Classrooms and finish Secondary Classrooms  $21,000 $21,000 COMPLETED
Finish floors, windows, and desks for Form 3 (Grade 11)
and laboratory for Secondary School 
$2,000 $2,000 COMPLETED
Permanent Boys' Dorm (Emergency) $10,000 $1,000 $9,000
  $33,000 $24,000 $9,000


Although construction is almost complete for our permanent boys dorm, we are still in need of the funds for this project. Funding for the primary classrooms had to be diverted to build the boys dorm after the metal dorm was ripped apart during a storm in November of 2014.

Construction of permanent primary classrooms has also begun.
Can you help us get this final part of the boys dorm completely paid?

Future Building Plans

Phase III:   Permanent Dining Hall/Kitchen & Guard Building  (Estimated at $20,000)
   Dormitory for the older girls (Estimated $10,000)

Phase IV:  Rebuild Primary Classrooms-phase 2 of rebuild (8 classrooms and office)

Phase V:  Final Classrooms for Secondary/Office/Library/Laboratory building
 Dormitory for older boys

Medical Clinic/Pharmacy/Store plus Staff housing

Can you help us Build for their Future?

Child of the Month

Meet Kevin!

Kevin will turn 13 sometime this year. He has no birth certificate and his guardians do not know his birth date. Kevin's parents both died when he was very young. He went to live with his grandmother after their death until a few years ago when an aunt rescued him from the squalor he was living in under her care.

His aunt has struggled to care for his needs and recently he was placed in the care of someone in the community. At the community home he is not receiving adequate care. He is required to work after school instead of studying and is given little to eat.

Kevin likes to play soccer. His favorite subject is Science and he likes the color white.

Kevin hopes to find a sponsor so that maybe one day his dream to become a doctor can come true.
Please pray for Kevin.

Nyasoti News

The biggest news in Nyasoti is the life giving rains have finally come. Very few days go by now without some good ground soaking rain. Although this makes it very hard to travel and to have supplies delivered, the rain is accepted as a gift from God that life will go on.


The local roads during the rainy seasons.

Children In Need

Meet Linet!


Linet is 11 years old and lives in extreme poverty. She has chronic eye infections and needs good medical care. Can you help Linet?

By sponsoring Linet or another child for $38 a month, you will provide food, clothing, shelter, medical care and an education.

To sponsor Linet or another child, please visit our Sponsorship page.
100% of all sponsor donations go to help the children.

Meet Austine!


Austine is 13 years old. His parents donated land to New Beginnings but live in poverty.
Austine is in need of a sponsor!

By sponsoring Austine or another child for $38 a month, you will provide food, clothing, shelter, medical care and an education.

To sponsor Austine or another child, please visit our Sponsorship page.
100% of all sponsor donations go to help the children.

Meet Brenda!

Brenda is 12 years old. She was born after the result of a rape. Her mother never married and has poor health. Can you help Brenda?

By sponsoring Brian or another child for $38 a month, you will provide food, clothing, shelter, medical care and an education.

To sponsor Brenda or another child, please visit our Sponsorship page.
100% of all sponsor donations go to help the children.

Shalom Christian Missions is a 501(c)3 non- profit organization,
dedicated to serving children in need throughout the world.
All donations are tax deductible.

Special Thanks to:

A & R Rental Center - York, PA
Bon-Ton Dept Stores - York, PA
Freedom Wireless - York, PA
H & R Block - USA
Test Products Inc. - Exton, PA
This Little Light of Mine - York, PA
Veleska Jewelry - Lancaster, PA
Ann Downing Ministries - Hendersonville, TN
Christ American Baptist Church Youth - Spring Grove, PA
Christ American Baptist Church - Spring Grove, PA                
Eagle Christian Ministries - York, PA
Elisha's Home and Ministries - Montrose, PA
First Baptist Church - Smithville, TX
First Evangelical Lutheran Church Youth - Chambersburg, PA
First Evangelical Lutheran Church - Chambersburg, PA
First United Church of Christ - Schuykill Haven, PA
Harvest Chapel - Abbottstown, PA                
Helping Hands Ministry - McAllen, TX
Hope For Women - Tempe, AZ
The Worship Center - Lancaster, PA

May God bless you as you pray and give to help the children!
Donations may be made through paypal or you may send your donation to:

Shalom Christian Missions
1255 Mill Creek Rd
York, PA 17404
(717) 586-6945