This month I would like to share the story of a child who came to live at New Beginnings last June. Emmanuel lived with his grandmother's sister in Nyasoti before coming to live at New Beginnings, but his story starts long before that. Born in October of 2001 in another part of Kenya, like all children Emmanuel hoped for a good life but Emmanuel's life took a different road when at the age of two his mother, diagnosed HIV+, abandoned him and moved to Tanzania. A short time later she died from an AIDS related illness.
As the father remained with the children he too found himself in a desperate situation facing the life-threatening illness. As fear gripped his father he went out of his mind. One day he tied Emmanuel and his two siblings in their mud hut and tried to burn it down. An uncle saw what he was doing and rescued the children.
A second time Emmanuel's father took him into the forest. Knowing the man was mentally unstable, Emmanuel's uncle followed only to find that his father had tied him upside down to a tree and was preparing to cut off his head. In an area steeped in witchcraft and satanic rituals, many people resort to blood sacrifices in hopes of a cure for AIDS. Many such sacrifices include the killing of your first born son as a blood sacrifice to cure you from AIDS.
After the second attempted murder, Emmanuel's uncle moved him to the safety of his grandmother's home. Emmanuel's father disappeared. Emmanuel's grandmother later became ill and with great concern about what would happen to Emmanuel she traveled to Nyasoti in the hope that her sister would care for Emmanuel. Emmanuel continued to live with this kind hearted relative until a sponsor came forward to help.
This story was shared by Emmanuel after talking to the sister of his grandmother, who has cared for him for many years. It was a very difficult story for Emmanuel to share. Emmanuel remembered most of it but did not have all the details. This is Emmanuel's Story.
Emmanuel and his great aunt, last year.
When Emmanuel came to live at New Beginnings last year, he was thin and looked in poor health. Emmanuel is now healthy and happy. His future looks much brighter because someone decided to help and gave Emmanuel a chance by becoming his sponsor. The difference this can make in the life of a child like Emmanuel is amazing. He now has three meals each day, good medical care, a school to attend, a place to call HOME, and people who love him and look out for him. That is the difference a sponsor makes in the life of a child.
Thank you for giving to the Lord, Emmanuel's life has changed!
Emmanuel today!
Emmanuel means 'God is with us' and I think it is obvious that God was with Emmanuel through the difficult life that he has had and will remain with him forever. Praise God for the life of Emmanuel! God is with us!
This month we are collecting donations of toys for the children. We will take gently used toys as well as new. The children like board games, card games, Legos, Tinkertoys, Lincoln Logs, small dolls, small toy figures, coloring books, crayons, chalk, twister, etc.
Please send all donations to our office.
We still need underwear for the children in these sizes; girls 10-12 and woman's small and medium. Boys size large and men's size medium.
We also need tube socks for the children in girls and boys size large.
Get your church or group involved and collect donations, then pack them and send them to our office.
Thanks for your help!!
Saturday April 12, 2014: A Benefit Breakfast will be held at First Evangelical Church of Chambersburg, PA
Friday-Sunday April 25-27, 2014: We will be at Middle Tennessee Woman's Retreat. This is a part of Ann Downing Ministries. Ann Downing is a Southern Gospel singer and a Dove Award recipient. She has also been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. It is truly an honor and privilege to be invited to share a little about what God is doing through Shalom Christian Missions with this wonderful ministry. If you are interested in attending, check out their website www.anndowning.com/mtwr or contact me. I know that you will be truly blessed by the experience!
July 2014: Mission Expedition to Kenya.
Friday November 7, 2014: Mark your calendars for our Annual Benefit Dinner in York, PA.
We would love to come and share with you and your group about what God is doing at New Beginnings in Kenya.
Contact us TODAY!
This summer's team is very busy planning and preparing for their time at New Beginnings. With less than 3 months before their departure date, the team is working hard on VBS plans, a drama, and preparing to understand the culture and life in a very remote part of the world. When you sign up for a mission trip with Shalom Christian Missions, training is provided to prepare you for the adventure that God has planned for you. We can still take just a few people, but time is running out. Don't delay, apply today!!
Summer trips include a Safari on the world famous Maasai Mara.
We also have space on the one month trip and will accept intern applications for 2-3 months. Spend this summer immersed in a different culture on the other side of the world.
Questions?? Contact us today!
Our January trip is now accepting applications. What an awesome time to join us in Kenya! After this past winter, what better way to escape some of the cold and spend two weeks or a month in the warmth of Kenya. Serve the Lord and feel the warmth!
Winter trips include a Safari to a smaller game park
Visit our missions page for dates and more information.
The sooner you are ticketed the better airfare pricing.
John M has been in the mission field for more than a month and has made great progress at New Beginnings. A new piece of land was signed over to New Beginnings. This land is next to our mission house. We are believing that this piece of land will one day hold a new Technical/Job Training Center for the community. In a community that has lived for centuries by sustenance farming and had little hope of anything else to break the cycle of poverty, a job training center will help many.
John made great progress is pulling together the overall organization of our staff and helping to assign duties.
John has also been working to get solar power operating in the big house but unfortunately the wiring has been done very poorly and much will need replaced. Pray that he is able to salvage enough to get power to at least part of the house so that the center's offices can be moved into that section. Our office now needs power to help with paperwork needed not just for the children's center but also to meet demands of the secondary school. The larger side of the house will remain the girls' dormitory.
John was able to oversee a lot of work going into preventing any further decay of the brick classrooms. Because of poor workmanship and cut corners when they were being built in 2011, one wall had collapsed last November and if preventive measures weren't taken we would stand to lose more. We are moving forward with repairs to rebuild and prevent any further damage. John also oversaw repairs and additional work on our mission house which will house the team this summer and will become home to those who desire to serve long term on the mission field at New Beginnings.
Please pray for John as he returns to the USA later this month.
The first semester of New Beginnings Christian Primary and Secondary School is just wrapping up with finals being taken as I write this. Keep the children in prayer and pray for the teachers that have been entrusted with the care and education of these children.
New Beginnings Christian School has full classes!
We are praying for more people to become involved in helping with the cost 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 incoming president last year, prices of everything have been on the increase within the nation. This is not helping those who live far below the poverty level in the rural area. Plus, we 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'!
So much work to do! The fencing was completed until we acquired a new piece of land that added an additional 65' to our boundary on one side of New Beginnings. This piece of land is a great blessing and our prayer is that one day this will be the location of the Technical/Job Training Center where many of our children and people in the community can train for practical jobs. We were told as soon as this piece of land was signed over to New Beginnings to "fence it right away!" We are in need of about $500 to get this area fenced.
Work continues to take place on the mission house to ensure that there will be enough space for the team this summer. We also hope to get rain spout and water harvest tanks in place in various areas of the center. We plan to place the first around the brick classrooms that have not been finished. Behind the classrooms has been excavated to help keep water from washing out. What remains is to place a rain spout to divert the water into tanks for use at New Beginnings.
Work on the collapsed wall.
| Donated | Still Needed | Total | |
| $1000 | $500 | Fencing & Temporary Gate plus additional fence for new parcel | $1,500 |
| $1000 | $4,000 | Gutters & Water Holding Tanks | $5,000 |
| $5,000 | MIssionary House Renovations | $5,000 | |
| $11,500 |
$9,500 still needed
Meet Norestine!
Norestine is 9 years old and lives in Nyasoti, Kenya. She attends New Beginnings Christian School and is in grade 3. Norestine does very well in school and is always in the top 10 in her class. Norestine has 7 siblings that all live at home. Her parents are peasant farmers that have been gracious enough to donate land to New Beginnings.
She is asking for prayers to do well on her final exam for the first semester. They are taking place this week. She is also asking that you would join her and her family in praying for her to find a sponsor. It would be a blessing to help this family in this special way.
Gentle rains have finally come to Nyasoti. This is a true blessing for the people who live here and depend on sustenance farming for their lives. For someone who lives in poverty to have little grow from their shamba (garden) it is devastating and can be deadly. They depend on a good harvest to feed their families. Pray for the rains to continue to quench the land and pray for a good harvest.
Meet Rolex!
Rolex is 6 years old and lives in Kenya. His father died just before he was born and his mother has struggled to support him and his sister since then. Rolex needs help!
By sponsoring Rolex or another child for $38 a month, you will provide food, clothing, shelter, medical care and an education.
100% of all sponsor donations go to help the children.
Meet Lillian!
Lillian is 13 and lives in Kenya. She is an AIDS orphan being poorly cared for by her aunt. She rarely attends school because there is no money for tuition. Lillian is desperate for a sponsor!
By sponsoring Lillian or another child for $38 a month, you will provide food, clothing, shelter, medical care and an education.
100% of all sponsor donations go to help the children.
Meet George!
George is 14 and lives in Kenya. He and his two sisters live with their grandfather who struggles to care for them. George often misses school because of lack of tuition. Are you the answer to George's prayers?
By sponsoring George or another child for $38 a month, you will provide food, clothing, shelter, medical care and an education.
100% of all sponsor donations go to help the children.
Shalom Christian Missions is a 501(c)3 non- profit,
dedicated to serving children in need throughout the world.
All donations are tax deductible.
A & R Rental Center - York, PA
Bon-Ton Dept Stores - York, PA
Flying Feet - York, PA
Freedom Wireless - York, PA
H & R Block - USA
Imagineered Signs - York, PA
This Little Light of Mine - York, PA
Zapata Renovations - York, PA
Ann Downing Ministries - Hendersonville, TN
Christ American Baptist Church Youth - Spring Grove, PA
C.R.E.W. Youth Ministry - York, 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 United Church of Christ - Schuykill Haven, PA
Harvest Chapel - Abbottstown, PA
Hope For Women - Tempe, AZ
May God bless you as you 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
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
