Shalom Christian Missions
Shalom Christian Missions

June 2017 Newsletter

Hello Friends

As I sit here on the mountainside in rural Kenya, I am amazed by God's beauty. Only a loving God could create such beauty and diversity for us to witness. I thank God for His great love for us. I also thank God for the beauty of the children here at New Beginnings. Not only are they beautiful on the outside but their hearts are beginning to reflect God's beauty working on the inside.

You might have heard me say that this is a very hard area to work in, with people that have very hard hearts. But God is beginning to do miracles and we are seeing it within the children. Last evening as I was preparing for rest, I heard the beautiful sound of one of my favorite songs that the children sing during worship in the evening. It seemed to echo across the valley and brought me from my room to bask in the beauty. As I stood there listening, I could almost sense how God must be feeling to hear these children sing so beautifully to Him.

We deal with many problems with the children. Imagine handling 130 children who all live together. We are responsible not just for the basics of life for them but many are in need of counseling. Some have other health issues. Teens are teens in any part of the world and we have many teen issues. Every day is full of its challenges in one way or another. But at the end of the day to be able to hear their voices come together so beautifully to worship God makes it all worth while.

Thank you, God, for giving me this opportunity to witness your miracles on a remote hillside in far off Kenya.

New Beginnings, where miracles happen everyday. Consider joining us for just a short 2 week visit. You will never regret it and God will change your life forever too.

Calendar of Events

July 2017: 2 week mission team at New Beginnings

November: Benefit Dinner in York, PA

January 2018: Applications NOW being accepted for our 2 week team to New Beginnings

July 2018: Applications NOW being accepted for 2 week or 1 month mission team to New Beginnings

Would your small group, church, Sunday School, VBS, or organization be interested in hearing a motivational talk about the challenges of serving orphans in a remote part of Africa? 
Please email or call us to schedule a date.

Year of Giving

Currently we are taking donations for casual uniforms for the children. Each child is issued a school uniform in January and a casual uniform in July. Each of these casual uniforms cost $15 (this includes flip flops for the children-they are purchased in Kenya). Please consider a gift for one or more children to receive a new casual uniform. Thanks so much for your support of the children.

You may make a donation through Paypal here (choose 'Casual Uniform' from the drop down menu)

or you can mail a donation to:
Shalom Christian Missions
1255 Mill Creek Rd
York, PA 17404

Special Projects Giving

We have several small projects each year that need special funding for things such as a new roof over a dining area, school books for the primary and/or secondary school, playground equipment for our primary children, sports uniforms, etc. If your VBS, Sunday School, or any group is looking for a way to give to help orphans in Africa, please consider one of our special projects as a way to help.

Currently our special project is looking for funds to replace our store room and add a small roof to our kitchen for shade for the children to eat. The cost is $500. If your group is interested in raising the funds to make this possible, please contact us.

Expedition 2017 & 2018

"What will I do on a mission trip?"

That is often the question people ask.
The answer:  What is God calling YOU to do?

From construction work to Bible school, to medical care, taking gifts to widows in their mud homes, 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 beautiful, remote area of Kenya. Spend time immersed in the culture and lives of those who call New Beginnings Children's Center HOME.

Show the love of Jesus to the community.
Change their lives AND change your life...FOREVER!
Youth groups, families, singles, are all welcome.

2017 Summer Trip
This trip is now CLOSED and the team is preparing to for their departure!

2018 Winter (January/February) and Summer (July/August) Trips
Applications NOW being accepted! Please visit our Missions Page for more information about specific trip dates/costs and to download an application.

We also have a FAQ page for commonly asked Mission Trip questions - you can find it here!

Feel free to contact us with any questions!

Travel as a group OR travel alone and make new friends who will travel with you.
Make plans to bring your whole group!
Discounts for leaders and we do all the training/planning.
Set up the dates NOW while there is plenty of space open.
Check out our Missions Page for an application or call us.
All Dates are tentative until airfare is booked.

This is a unique opportunity to experience life in a very remote part of the world. Don't pass it up!

Want to stay longer?

2-6 month internship ($1000 for first month and $500 for each month thereafter)

Long-term mission opportunities available. Come LIVE in Kenya!
Visit our Long-Term Mission Opportunities page for information about internships and long-term mission options!

SPECIAL! LIMITED TIME OFFER FOR YOUTH LEADERS AND PASTORS!
Contact us about a free trip to New Beginnings in Kenya. (You pay airfare.)
Contact us for details TODAY! Don't wait, offer limited--first come first serve!

Urgent Medical Need

Last month we told everyone about the need we had to pay for ear surgery for Ephy, who is going deaf. We are happy to announce that we have received donations to cover all her medical expenses for the needed surgery.

Not long after making that request we also took our deaf child, Rose, and Ruth, another child we suspected had hearing loss, to be checked at the same mission hospital. We were so excited to learn that they feel they can do the same surgery for Rose and she will regain partial hearing but might still need a hearing aid. They will also add Ruth to the list for surgery. We are also happy to report that all but $100 has been collected for the surgeries.

Thanks so much to everyone who gave to make this possible for Ephy, Rose, and Ruth. What a great blessing for these girls. They are scheduled for the surgeries in mid-July when a team of doctors will arrive from the USA.

College/University Scholarship Fund

Consider a one-time gift or monthly gift to our students who have finished our sponsor program and are approved to study in a college or university.

Not every student qualifies for the scholarship program. We prayerfully consider not just scores but also behavior of those whom we want to make this great investment. Most of these students will go through our intern program first, so that we can assure they will take the next step seriously, before we place them as ones to be part of our scholarship program. It is not easy to be placed in our scholarship program and we want to make sure these students will not waste the money donated to help them achieve.

This year we have chosen 3 students who finished in 2016 to be scholarship recipients.
You can give a gift designated for a certain student OR give a donation to our scholarship fund to be used as needed by any scholarship recipient.

Here are this year's scholarship recipients:

Brighton Andar

Brighton will attend Masinde Muliro University where he will study to earn a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Chemistry.  

Costs he will need for the first year = $1,000 (plus transport, etc)
Our hope is that after the first year, he will then qualify for grants and loans, through the government of Kenya, to help him.

Currently Brighton is serving as an intern with our secondary school office. He also serves in the evening tutoring the younger students who are struggling academically. He is a well-behaved young man of God. Can you help give Brighton a chance in University?


Brighton Andar

Stephen Ondick

Stephen will attend the African Institute for Research and Development where he will pursue a degree in Social Sciences.

Costs for total of degree program (2 years) = $1,200 (plus transport, etc)

Currently Stephen is serving as an intern with our primary school. He also helps to tutor the younger children who are struggling academically during evening study time.


Stephen Ondick

David Onyango

David is attending St Paul's Teachers Training College where he plans to graduate as a certified preschool teacher.

Cost for total program =$500 (plus transport, etc) David is also serving as an intern in our primary school and helping with study time in the evening. He has been a great role model for the other children.


David Onyango

You can give to any of these three students by adding their name to the memo of your donation (either a one-time or monthly donation.)
OR give to the College/University Scholarship Fund (you can select this in the drop-down menu) in general.

Please keep all our graduates in prayer as they seek to serve the Lord in whatever field God takes them.

Thanks for making this possible for these students.

School News

The second semester of the 2017 school year is off to a great start. All the students are excited and ready for the challenges that face them. Our only struggle is that many of the community students are finding it very hard to pay their tuition because of the famine. New Beginnings has been helping a lot with famine relief and our school feeding program is so appreciated by the community. The good news is that the rains have come again and this harvest should prove to be much better than the last. Already some small crops of beans have begun to be harvested. They need a few more weeks of rain to get a good harvest of corn. The corn harvest should begin in June. Keep praying!

Primary News

All of our primary students are now being served porridge everyday. It is served late in the morning and for most children it is what keeps them going until they return home for the evening. Everyone is so grateful for those who are giving to make this happen. You have made the difference for a child's empty belly. Some parents have begun to pay tuition with beans. At New Beginnings we accept many different payment types. It is not uncommon to have beans, corn, or tomatoes given to pay school tuition for a child. We also have some who seek a day's labor to pay for a child's tuition.This is just one way that New Beginnings has been able to help this community to overcome illiteracy.

Secondary News

The secondary students are off to a great second semester. This semester is the time that the nation focuses on the arts and games part of an education. The Music Festivals have already started and we are excited to report that 3 of our students have finished in 1st and 2nd place in the County competition and will now go on to the Regional Competition in June.

Congratulations to Mercy who took 1st place in the female solo competition and Sharon who took 2nd place in the female solo competition. Also, Simon who took 1st place in the horn competition.

How exciting for them to move on to the Regional and then hopefully the National Competition.
Keep them in prayer!

Building News

Building has slowed down until we have enough to move forward with the next classroom for the primary section. The cost for one classroom is $10,000. Each year we hope to be able to complete one new classroom for the children. Moving them out of the iron sheet classrooms (which were only made to be temporary) and into brick classrooms will make learning a little easier. Plus, we need to show this progress for those who inspect our compound.

If you can give anything towards our goal for a new classroom, it would be greatly appreciated. Our current goal for building donations are for the permanent primary classroom we are hoping to complete this year. Our goal is to see at least one but we are really praying for 2 to be built this year. They are in great need. It seems that almost daily we are having snakes invade our dirt floor classrooms. This is very dangerous for the children since many snakes in this part of the world are poisonous. Can you help us reach our goal for at least one classroom? Please pray for this need!

Phase IV Projects Cost  Donated  Still Needed
Temporary Kitchen $3,000 $3,000 COMPLETED
Vehicle $20,000 $0 $20,000
Classroom $10,000 $1,000 $9,000
Water Harvesting $500 $0 $500
       
       
       
Total $33,500 $4,000 $29,500





Can you help us Build for their Future?
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 all the building projects!

Child of the Month

Meet Beatrice!

Beatrice is 11 years old and in 6th grade. Beatrice was found as an abandoned baby by a caring father who took her in to raise as his own along with his son, after he lost his wife. It was a happy family of 3 for 2 years until the post-election violence took her adopted father's life. Beatrice and her brother were brought to our area to live with relatives as they were shifted from family to family.

Her brother, Brighton, soon found a home at New Beginnings when someone chose to sponsor him. Beatrice then lived without her brother for several years. In 2016, her brother, knowing that he would soon complete our sponsor program, had great concern about his sister's well being. He begged us to consider bringing her to New Beginnings so that he could go on with his life without concern that she was not being well-cared for.

We listened to his plea for help for Beatrice and saw that she was not being well-cared for within the family. We brought her to live at New Beginnings but she still awaits a sponsor. She is a sweet, lively girl who would love to get the news that someone has cared enough to sponsor her. She is in need of a full sponsor. Could you be that person?

Please pray for Beatrice!
Visit our Sponsor a Child page to see children waiting for sponsors!

New Beginnings News

The rains have continued and our harvest of kale is proving to be sent from God during this drought season. It has remained more than enough for our children. The fields in the community are now green once again as they wait and pray for a good harvest late in June. Join me in praying for an abundant harvest.

This is an election year in Kenya and we are grateful that this community has remained peaceful. Elections can turn violent and the predictions are that this year will not remain peaceful. Please pray for peace to remain in Kenya during the upcoming elections.

New Beginnings has welcomed a new child, Volenta. Volenta is 5 years old and shows some signs of malnutrition. She is the granddaughter of one of our community who could not manage to care for her and her own children as a widow. Volenta doesn't speak English yet and never attended school until she came to New Beginnings but she enjoys coming to see me during school breaks. Please pray for Volenta for her health and for a sponsor to be touched by God to help.

Children in Need!

Meet Ephy!

Ephy is 17 years old and a total orphan. She will undergo surgery on her ear in July in hopes of correcting a hearing loss. She is in need of a partial sponsor ($40/month). Is God calling you to help Ephy?

You can sponsor Ephy or another child by sending $40 for partial sponsor or $80 for a full sponsorship per month.

A child is praying...are you the answer?
100% of all sponsor donations go to help the children.

Meet Brian!

Brian is 13 and a total orphan. He is in class 6 and hopes to continue in school through high school He is in need of a partial sponsor ($40/month) to do this. Can you help Brian?

You can sponsor Brian or another child by sending $40 for partial sponsor or $80 for a full sponsorship per month.
A child is praying...are you the answer?
100% of all sponsor donations go to help the children.

Meet Pamela!

Pamela is 14 and is a total orphan. She is an excellent student and hopes to go to high school and beyond. She is in need of a partial sponsor to help her achieve her dreams. Consider helping Pamela.

You can sponsor Pamela or another child by sending $40 for partial sponsor or $80 for a full sponsorship per month.

A child is praying...are you the answer?
100% of all sponsor donations go to help the children.

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.

Special Thanks to our supporters:

A & R Rental Center - York, PA
Bob Evan's - Mansfield, OH
Cheddar's - Mansfield, OH
Brown Derby Roadhouse - Mansfield, OH
Freedom Wireless - York, PA
Kroger's - Bucyrus, OH
O'Charlie's - Mansfield, OH
Sleep Inn - Galion, OH
Test Products Inc. - Exton, PA
Ann Downing Ministries - Hendersonville, TN
Christ American Baptist Church Youth - Spring Grove, PA
Christ American Baptist Church - Spring Grove, PA
Crestline UMC Children - Crestline, OH    
Crestline UMC - Crestline, OH      
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  
Trinity Lutheran Church - Crestline, OH      
Zion Bible Church - York, PA







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

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