WOW! What a privilege it is to serve the Lord and see His hand in the many things we are doing. To God be ALL the glory for what He is doing on this hillside in a remote part of Africa. It is not about us but is ALL about HIM.
We are excited to see our community shop getting close to being finished. The building is almost complete and then we remain with the inside shelves, etc to make it ready. We hope to open in early October. This shop will be one of the means to generate an income to help support the project. Plus, it can provide a training opportunity for those who want to learn about how to run a business. But that isn't the only means of income for this project.
Currently our school is growing very fast. More students are coming for a quality education. More and more are coming from outside the area and even from within the area. More parents are requesting for boarding for their children. This is generating an income and helping to pay for some of the school needs and improvements. However, our dormitories are currently at their full capacity. The need to build more dormitories to house the growing demand of students, has become a priority. We are in need of 3 new dormitories if possible before the start of next year. If anyone can help us achieve this goal, we know that God will really bless you. Each dormitory will cost us about $12,000 to build.
Although the need for expansion is there, we do count it a blessing that God is bringing more and more students to learn at a school that is truly providing them with an education that will help them succeed in the world. Just this month we have seen 12 of our sponsored students move on to higher education. As one of those students expressed to me recently, that she can't believe this is actually happening and she is going to a university. She just never dreamed as a little girl growing up in a mud house with barely a roof and little food to eat, that one day she would be able to attend a university. This is the difference a sponsor can make in the life of a child. YOU ARE TRULY CHANGING THE WORLD one child at a time.
We have more and more formers students who come back to say hello and thank SCM for what they did to give them a hand up in life. Some are now married and have their own families. These are just a few of the changes we are beginning to see. To God be the glory!
Our January team is still forming, and we hope that some of you will be inspired to come and see what God is doing on this hillside. APPLY TODAY!!
I will be returning from Africa very soon and we still have dates open to come and share about what God is doing at your church, Sunday School, Bible study, small group, children's program, etc. Contact us TODAY to set up a date.
Follow us on FaceBook for daily updates and photos.
May God bless you all!
Gaye Makrias
Shalom Christian Missions
Bookbags
Every July, we give each of our school children a new drawstring bookbag for school. If you like to sew, please contact us and ask for the bookbag pattern!
Drawstring Bookbags
Bras and Pajamas
Currently, we have a need for bras (all cup sizes, but not more 34" band size), camisoles, sports bras, and pajamas for our girls.
Please bring/send to our headquarters:
Shalom Christian Missions
1255 Mill Creek Rd.
York, PA 17404
We so appreciate your donations!
It is that time of year again when we are collecting for school shoes and socks, uniforms, and textbooks for our schools. We need approximately $30 per child to purchase shoes, socks, and uniforms. You can give as much or as little as you want to help us reach our $5,000 goal. Donate here through PayPal or mail a check to:
Shalom Christian Missions
1255 Mill Creek Rd
York, PA 17404
Thank you for blessing our children this holiday season!
Please continue your prayers for our ministry to the orphans of Kenya. If you or your church are not currently on our Prayer Warriors list, contact us so that we can be sure to add you. We have weekly prayer requests going out.
We would also love to meet with you for a time of fellowship and prayer. We would be honored to come to your location, whether it is at your home or church, to pray for the needy of Kenya. These are just very blessed times and we appreciate them so much. Let us know if you would like to schedule a gathering!
Our January and July Mission Teams are accepting applications! Consider joining us. Change their lives and change your life FOREVER!
We are accepting applications for the January and July 2024 teams. If you are interested, visit our Mission page to apply. If you have questions feel free to ASK. We want to do all we can to help you get on the mission field to remote Africa. We have people interested in specialized team trips that would include a special ministry focus, and possibly even a longer safari. We can make this happen. Contact us about what you feel God is calling you to do. Let's work together to create the right trip!
Most of our teams spend their days immersed in the culture and lives of the children who call New Beginnings Children's Center HOME.
Show the love of Jesus to a remote community through home visits to their modest mud houses while taking supplies to the poorest widows. Spend time with the children doing Bible School, Bible studies, and Storybook time. Enjoy their cultural songs and dances. End your trip with an awesome safari to the world-famous Masai Mara. See the animals as they live in the wild.
Change their lives AND change your life...FOREVER!
2024 Winter Trip
Tentative Dates for these teams are:
Jan 21 - Feb 4 (2 weeks) $1500 + airline ticket
Feb 3 - Feb 17 (2 weeks) $1500 + airline tickets
Jan 7 - Feb 4 (1 month) $2000 + airline tickets
2024 Summer Trip
Tentative Dates for these teams are:
July 21 - Aug 4 (2 weeks) $1500 + airline tickets
July 7 - Aug 4 (1 month) $$2000 + airline tickets
Download an application and find more details on our Missions page. You can also call us at 717-586-6945 for more information. Can't reach us because we are out of the country? Email us for a quick response.
Travel as a group OR travel alone and make new friends who will serve with you.
Discounts for leaders (of groups of 10 or more) and we do all the training/planning. Make plans to bring your whole group. Must be 13 or older to travel without a parent or guardian. But family groups are welcome.
Set up the dates NOW while there is plenty of space open.
Can't make these dates? Contact us for other dates. This is a unique opportunity to experience life in a very remote part of the world.
Don't pass it up!
For those who would like to spend a month or more with us, you can request to come as an intern for 1-3 months. Interns will be assigned a specific job to do while they are at New Beginnings.
Must be over 18 years of age to apply as a Foreign Intern. Find details on our Long-term Missions page or contact our office for details!
Joy is 9 years old and in 3rd grade. Her mother has abandoned the family and Joy's father struggles to care for since he has very little education and only does small jobs. Joy is a good student and wants an education. Her father wants the best for his daughter, but it is a struggle. Joy needs help. Please pray for Joy, and visit her Sponsorship page to learn more and become a sponsor.
School News
We have started our 3rd school term, and all the students are working hard towards growing and learning. Both schools have had more students added even in the final school term.
Our elementary school continues to grow. We are happy that all our teachers have returned, 1 from a maternity leave and 1 from other health issues that was absent for an extended time. Both are doing well however we are seeing more and more the need to have a daycare available so that our staff can have small children safely cared for while they are at work. Pray for us to be able to add this in the near future.
Our high school also continues to grow. Students who come in often make the comment that our school actually teaches. We hope to have at least 12-14 more students qualifying for universities after the 12th grade exams this year.
Pray for all our students and teachers.
PHASE VI: Building for their Future!
Our new building projects unveiled for 2023. You blessed us so much last year and we are excited to see where God moves us this year. With YOUR help we know we can do it.
Our next building project will be one of our small projects: a small store/canteen that we will build at our gate. Our store will serve the community and those living at New Beginnings. This is one of our steps in making New Beginnings more self-sustaining - an important step in our growth. The cost of the construction will be about $3000. This project is ongoing. Consider a gift to our Building Fund today!
Another small project we will be working on is another latrine for our high school. We are required to have the boys' and girls' latrines separated from each other. This will cost us about $1000. This is ongoing and almost finished.
We are still working on the installation of electricity to New Beginnings. Prayers and donations for this would be greatly appreciated.
Then we will go right into building one of our new dormitories. The cost for 1 is about $12,000.
Any donation to the building fund will be greatly appreciated and help us to move forward in changing the lives of these children.
Renovations and Upgrades Total Donated Balance needed
Electricity for the center $10,000 $3,000 $7,000
Dormitory for High School boys $12,000 0 $12,000
Dormitory for Primary girls $12,000 0 $12,000
Dormitory for High School girls $12,000 0 $12,000
Various small projects $12,000 $8,000 $4,000
Road Project $20,000 $3,000 $17,000
$78,000 $14,000 $64,000
It seems like a lot to us BUT we know that with GOD ALL things are possible. Please join us in praying for what is needed.
Any size donation to our Building Fund will help us reach our goal. Donate TODAY!
"Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and
multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness."
2 Corinthians 9:10
Please join us in praying for finances for these projects!
Currently, we have more than 20 students in colleges/universities throughout Kenya. Our scholarship program is a great way to invest in advancing a student's education past high school. You can give to help a certain student or donate to help any who are waiting.
Students currently attending their first year at colleges and universities are Irene Joseph, Dave Okoth, Dickson Omondi, Kijana, Phenny, Linet Achieng, Tyson Juma, Pamela, Norah Achieng, Irene Atieno, Anjeline Auma, Papa John, and Austine.
Recently the government slashed some of the higher education funding for many students and we are still waiting to see how this will affect many of our students. Prayers are needed that if they cut something, they reconsider and choose to support vulnerable children in need.
Sometimes our high school graduates contact us when they have been out in the world for a little while and find themselves in great need of help to go to the Next Step. Some who finish our program have found jobs or have families that will help them get to the next step, but sometimes our graduates really just need that extra hand-up.
Our Next Step Program was started to help these formerly-sponsored students who come to serve our center as interns so that we can begin to train them and see if they are serious about this decision. Then we help them go on to college/trade school/etc to help them move forward. Those currently in our Next Step Program are Jane and Susan.
If you would like to give to help these graduates, your one-time or monthly donation of any size will make it possible. Currently, we have several young adults working toward their goals. If you would like to help them, I know it would be greatly appreciated. Donate here and select 'College/University Scholarship Fund' or "Next Step Program" to help a young person achieve their goals!
Please share this great need with your family and friends.
PLEASE NOTE: Because of rising food costs, etc, we have made a slight change to our sponsor amount. Currently, the cost to fully sponsor a child is $100 per month. BUT you can be part of the team of sponsors for as little as $25 a month. We will find others who can partner to help each child in need. Don't delay, start TODAY! $25 can help change a life!
Jeremy is 4 years old and has just started preschool. His mother is a widow who struggles to care for him. Jeremy needs help. Jeremy needs 1 $25 sponsor. Can you help Jeremy?
Herin is 15 and in 9th grade. She wants to attend high school but without a sponsor this will not be possible. Her father disappeared leaving her mother to struggle to care for the family. Herin needs help at any level. Can you help Herin?
A child is praying...are you the answer?
100% of all sponsor donations go to help the children.
"..when you did it to the least of these...you were doing it to me!" Matthew 25:40
If you would like to sponsor a child, please visit our Sponsorship page to see which children have been praying and waiting for YOU!
If you do not wish to sponsor through Paypal you can instead let us know which child you'd like to sponsor and send a personal check to our address:
Shalom Christian Missions
1255 Mill Creek Rd
York, PA 17404
You can BE THE DIFFERENCE in the life of a child!
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.
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Kirkland Electric - Wedowee, AL
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Trinity Lutheran Church - Crestline, OH
The Left Hand - Farmington, MO
Zion Bible Church - York, PA
We would like to add your business or ministry to our list! Contact us TODAY!
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
These two children are at the top of our list of children needing sponsors. Click one of their pictures to read more about them.
Meet more children in need
