Our original schoolhouse—made of mud, clay, rocks, and sticks—has collapsed because of the harsh environment and elements. This schoolhouse represented the origins of our partnership with Abundant Mercy of Jesus Ministry. Starting with just a handful of students, we have now grown to over 160! With growth naturally comes restructuring. We can always try to keep things the way they were, but ultimately, if we want to make a big change, we’re gonna have to accept changes that we don’t anticipate. Thank you to everyone who has helped make this ministry grow to have such a huge impact on the children and widows that we serve in Kenya. Upcoming Summer Events! We have some exciting events lined up, from live acoustic concerts to multi-state walk-a-thons and summer festivals. All of these benefit our organization tremendously, and we hope to see you at one (or two!). Please view the latest events HERE. The LaClaires Bluegrass Concert I am personally so excited for this one! Tickets are cheap and the music is going to be amazing. Will we see you there? When: August 15th Where: Awaken Great Bay Church (Dover, NH) Tickets: The LaClaires View this week’s update video on YouTube.
We've been raising funding over the month of May to put on June's food distribution event. Out of the 16 supporters who donated, we were able to raise $5,000, and that fed over 3,500 people this week! View photos and videos in this Google album! Think of the possibilities if we keep spreading the word to gain even more supporters. The lives we could bless during these times of increased economic hardships are innumerable! Huge shout-out to those who made this event possible, it couldn't have come at a better time. We might be doing an additional food distribution sometime in the fall if this crisis worsens, so keep an eye out for any new distribution campaigns! The kindergarten class of American Christian School in northern New Jersey raised a whopping $8,300 to go towards building our school nursing clinic! Our total goal is $15,000, so we still have a ways to go. Help us close the gap by donating toward this important project! Thank you to the little guys for putting in so much hard work. You rocked it! Robin, one of our dedicated supporters, has been fundraising in hopes of putting a young student through university. The student's name is Stella, and I am extremely pleased to say that Robin has met her goal! Stella is now set up with a new computer, rent, and a food budget, and her tuition has been fully paid. She will be studying agriculture, which is perfect for the area of Kenya that she lives in! Robin, thank you for showing your compassion and dedication to the Kenya Now Organization. God is good! We have a young student who has been admitted to the hospital for a sickle cell crisis. Hosea, along with all of our other children, are completely covered with our Healthy Child Program allowing us to provide medical care when it’s needed most. Please be praying for him as he recovers. You can view his profile here. Our healthy child fund is always in need of being recharged. Please consider providing a gift of health today. 🗓️ Calendar Alert: February 2027 Team Trip! Are you interested in joining us on our February 2027 team trip? It may seem far off in the future, but our orientation is happening soon! When: Sunday, June 14th at 12:30 PM Where (In-Person): Awaken Great Bay Church in Dover, NH Where (Virtual): Online via Zoom/Stream. Video call link: https://meet.google.com/otv-dthi-itm Please find more info and RSVP for both in-person and virtual attendance here. This meeting is highly recommended for anyone who is interested. Trip seats fill up very quickly! Kara and I feel so blessed to have such a dedicated family of supporters and prayer warriors. God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good! Have a wonderful weekend! Mungu Akubariki ("God bless" in Swahili)
We were able to raise $4000.00!! Because of all the generous people who donated, Stella will be on her way to University! I would like to thank you all in helping with this Kenya Now fundraiser. I know Stella will be so excited to begin her schooling to study Agriculture. She will graduate with a two year degree and come back to help her community! God bless you!🙏
Food and fuel prices have been dramatically increasing in Kenya, sparking deadly protests and civil tension within the region. Last week I discussed how this has been affecting our fuel budget, getting Bishop to the places he needs to be to ensure operations run smoothly. This week the price of food followed suit with a dramatic 30% increase and an announcement from President Ruto suggesting this will only be getting worse. Full disclosure: this causes a bit of anxiety, but God’s got this. Our board of directors has been crunching numbers, evaluating the health of our emergency fund, discussing long-term strategic plans, and relying heavily on prayer and guidance. We are already starting to witness God’s divine intervention to meet a need that only a few people knew about. You can help us ensure food is always provided for our kids regardless of the turmoil occurring around them. These children were rationing food when we first met them during the COVID pandemic. Just the other day rationing was brought up as a possibility from our Kenyan partners: “Brother don’t worry. We’re Africans, rationing is always an option we’re used to," Bishop explained. We assured him that rationing was something these kids will never experience again. Sponsor a child today or give monthly to our nutrition program. Both of these programs provide the essentials needed during these turbulent times and beyond. But wait, there’s more! My wife, Kara, had the honor of speaking in front of a small church group in New Jersey thanks to supporter Kristina Barkey (pictured below with my wife). She flew round trip within a 24-hour period to attend and came back with sheer excitement. The stories of interactions and discussions she had were encouraging. Kara said she talked about our most recent issues with price increases, and God delivered. This small group of 20 people instantly provided nearly $5,000 by the end of the evening. We were not expecting this event to be an emergency fundraiser! Thank you, Hillside Church, for your wonderful gift. It will be supplementing our current food budget for the next few months. Please consider sponsoring a child to help us in the long-term strategy of making a difference. Prayer requests: Pray for our children: They are competing against other schools in track and soccer. They’re kicking butt and having fun! Check out these epic videos of the comps. Here is a list of our kids moving forward in the tournaments: 1: Emmanuel W (volleyball)2: Jasmim C (volleyball)3: Bravin S (Handball)4: Ivan S (handball)5: Bernard W (Soccer)6: Mitchell A (soccer)7: Ian W (soccer)8: Abigael S (Handball)9: Lindah N (Handball) Pray for Kenya: The current Kenyan administration is causing a lot of chaos and struggles compared to the surrounding countries. Pray for our Kenyan community: Seasons of hunger are enough of a struggle, let alone a continuous burden of increased costs to simply survive. Keep an eye out for possible emergency food distributions outside of our normal annual schedule. We’re keeping a pulse on the situation and will intervene when necessary. You can proactively give towards our crisis distributions here. Updates on our June distribution will be coming out in the coming week!
We did it– not only did we raise all the funding needed for our next food distribution event, but we surpassed it by $125. Way to go! I can't wait to provide updates on this event when it happens. This event will touch a lot of people. I’m talking over two thousand. We don’t simply feed people— we share a message of hope and truth and then they go home with a gift that will provide for another day. These people, our people, live day-to-day during these cyclic times of struggle. To add to the struggle they’ve also been experiencing massive amounts of rain, flooding and crazy fuel prices along with civil protests. Those blessed enough to own a vehicle are paying nearly $6 per gallon. Stark contrast to our elevated pump prices right now. Check out this video of a wild protest turned relay race that just happened near Bishop’s home. Creative, fun, and peaceful. That leads to another need; Bishop drives over two hours per day largely along rocky African dirt roads. It takes a lot of fuel between managing the orphanage, school, churches, and everything else he does for the greater community. Get this, Kenya Now doesn’t pay him or his wife. We have two people who help with basic car maintenance but it’s minimal and not nearly enough. But where does my donation go? Straight to where it is allocated; education, food, distributions... You can help Bishop by scheduling a recurring gift and know that this blessing would be a huge relief. The kids at the school have been competing in sports this week. They’ve all done great and they’re having a blast! Sponsorships help us educate these kids, house our orphans, and do fun activities just like this! Please consider sponsoring a child today. We have a very large list of unsponsored children. The impact is much larger than you might imagine. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
My wife, Kara, recently found this shirt, and I think it’s hilarious. But it also stirs up a bit of discord in my soul—a somber reminder of how I first reacted when God started writing this new chapter in our lives. In the beginning, leading a mission in Kenya, let alone a mission in Africa, was never a dream of mine. It wasn’t even a passing thought. When I felt God’s mighty grip pulling us in, my initial instinct was to run. I was on course to pull a full "Jonah" (although I could totally do without the whale). To be clear: I wasn't running because I thought the women and children in Kenya weren't worthy of help. I was running because I was terrified of my own inadequacy. I didn’t have the "know-how." I’ve always been a big dreamer, but a sloppy executor—the kind of guy with a yard full of half-finished projects. Mind you, our actual yard is pretty tidy. I'm sure you get the idea. The sheer thought of failing, of potentially putting dozens of orphans back on the street, was too much to bear. So, instead of saying "yes" to God’s will, I decided to go on my own little march. I cold-called twenty different organizations around the world with a desperate plea: "Please, take this project off our hands." The answer was almost always some version of: "We’ve got our own problems. You need to deal with yours." That was the "smack in the face" realization. When God tells you to do something, "no," or even "maybe," isn’t actually an option. "Get in, loser. We’re doing God’s will." There may not be a truer quip than that. And there, all along, stood my wife, waiting for me to hop aboard. Welp, now that we’ve got that out of the way, we have some work to do! What is God doing this month? We have a big gap to fill as we aim to raise $5,000 this month of May to feed thousands of people by early June. $2,000 raised so far! We could really use your help! Learn more and give here Bishop reported that they planted a new church in Kenya! The plot of land fell into place. The excited congregation started pulling together supplies from their own homes to build an incomplete, makeshift church structure. They have the drive and will to say "yes" to God's calling. Can we help them finish their church building so they can worship out of the rain? This project is $3,000. Donate below and put "church" in the note. I'll take it from there. Our board of directors has a vision for this year to expand the Rebirth Academy School and Children's Home compound. There are two plots of land that have been offered to us (without us even inquiring!). Both properties—a one-acre and a half-acre—align right next to our compound. To acquire both these properties will take some serious cash to the tune of around $20,000. God has opened the window to see what lies ahead, but He has yet to open the door. If you want to give toward this goal, simply donate and put "property" in the note section. There is no official fundraiser for this dream; it is that new! Yes, we have some ambitious goals directly in view. But like I mentioned, when God says "go," inaction simply isn't an option. Please be prayer warriors for our mission and projects. We are confident God will provide on His own time. I pray you have a restful weekend.
Today I have a project update as well as an urgent call for help. Our water runoff project has been in progress—building retaining walls, digging water retention tanks, and planting grass for water absorption (and esthetics, too!). We had a couple of generous donors who made this expensive project happen, and we want you to know how appreciative we are for those selfless gifts. This need wouldn’t have been filled without you. You can view videos of the project progress below. While that work continues, our most urgent need right now is for our next food distribution event happening in just a few weeks! We always aim to raise $5,000 in hopes to feed over 2,500 people during these hard times of food insecurity between harvests, when jobs are far and few between. Every donation is a blessing that goes well beyond nutrients and hits deep to the core of hope. These events not only feed people with food, but provide us the opportunity to feed people the truth of the gospel to thousands at a time. Please help us reach our goal. With current bulk food prices, $100 can feed around 50 people. Would you be willing to sponsor this event? Learn more and donate here Thank you for your support and for partnering with us in this mission of hope!
I wanted to share Jackson’s story this week because it fits so perfectly with what we’re fundraising for this May to get food to those who need it most by June. I literally just asked him to record a quick thought on what impacts him, and this is what he sent over. Jackson has witnessed the struggles of the people we serve over the past few years and his time with our Kenyan cohorts really sparked a wildfire in his heart to serve. Take a second to listen to him. Join the movement. What’s your story? URGENT: This May we are fundraising for June’s large food distribution event. We don't have long and we have a lot to raise— $5,000 by May 20th! ➡️ Give towards our June Food Distribution Event today. Every $50 feeds 25 people! Praise report: All three orphaned brothers (Ben, Joel, and John) have been fully sponsored! Nothing gives us more joy than seeing that confirmation notification. The impact is more than you can fathom. There is still great need! Find more sponsorship opportunities here.
Do you remember Ben and Joel, the two young and orphaned brothers we welcomed a few weeks ago? Through further investigation, we located their 11-year-old brother, John. Unfortunately, John was also living in very poor conditions. For his safety and the long-term well-being of all three boys, we have decided to bring John into our care as well. By keeping them together as a single family unit, we are giving them the best chance at healing. We feel truly blessed to be able to provide a safe haven for such vulnerable children and to keep this family whole. We need to get John sponsored. Here is his profile page. Our Healthy Child Fund has been working overtime lately. Between Ben, Joel, and John settling in and keeping the rest of our students in tip-top shape, the fund is sitting critically low. It needs a serious recharge. If you’ve got a passion for health, these kids depend on us to cover everything from basic check-ups to the advanced stuff. You can jump in and help HERE. Speaking of health—you know the saying that behind every great man is a great woman? For Bishop, that woman is his wife Ruth. She is as humble as they come, but she’s also a powerhouse who simply gets things done. This week, she had to undergo an urgent hysterectomy. We’d appreciate your prayers for her recovery, and if you’d like to help cover her hospital bill, you can donate below—just put "Ruth" in the donation note. Make an impact without spending an extra dime. We have a cool new tool called Double the Donation. You just type in your company’s name to see if they’ll match your current or even past donations from this year. It’s an incredibly easy way to do more for the women and children in Kenya. Check if your company offers this HERE. Finally: We have way too many shirts. We’ve got a mountain of event shirts from last year that look awesome and fit great, but they gotta go! If you buy one for $1 from our online store, I will ship you as many more as you want for no extra charge. Do you attend Awaken Great Bay church? We can bring them to you on a Sunday! Seriously. Take them. While you’re there, check out our other merch so you can rock some swag and spread the word about Kenya Now. Shop the $1 Shirt Deal & More Swag Have a great weekend!
My wife Kara and I received an update earlier this week with this photo attached from a kindergarten class at American Christian School in New Jersey. Since the start of the school year, this small group of children has been working tirelessly to help us build our school clinic. To date, they have raised nearly $7,500. You might wonder how such a small group achieves such a big goal. The answer is simple: they're sharing their stories. This past February, we hand-delivered unique, handmade bracelets to the children at Rebirth Academy in Kenya. Each one was hand crafted by a student at ACS. In return, the children in Kenya created their own bracelets as gifts for their friends in New Jersey. There is no better way to feel connected to a cause than to look down at your wrist and realize, "I have a friend across the world who cares about me." Storytelling is a powerful tool. It takes a cause that feels "far away" and brings it right to your doorstep. It turns a request for financial support into an invitation to join an international family. At Kenya Now, we don’t see "strangers in need." We see brothers and sisters working together to change a community. We aren't just an organization; we are a bridge that holds that bond together. What’s your story? How you can get involved: Robin Mcewen is raising money to put Stella through university and help her brother finish secondary school. Read Robin's story... Robin is also accepting household items (the heavier the better) to be donated to Savers. Savers will weigh the donations and provide Kenya Now with a cut of the profits. All of these profits will be going straight to Stella's fundraiser. What else are you planning to do with your unused items? Arrange a rendezvous with Robin via email. ACS and Sigma Beta Zeta at-Large Chapter are raising money to build a school clinic and pay for a fulltime school nurse. See their progress... Spark conversation by wearing our merchandise or drink coffee from our branded mugs at work (that's my trick). Support Kenya Now by shopping Have a great weekend!
The compound has been a beehive of activity and this pup has been watching it all. Workers have been finishing the cabinetry for our kitchen and temporary clinic as well as the wood stove expansion for the Nutrition Program. While we are excited about this progress, we are also dealing with an unexpected outbreak of bedbugs, brought in by students from the surrounding community. We are moving quickly to treat the facility, and our children are being temporarily housed in the school classrooms while the mitigation process is underway. If you would like to help us offset the costs of this treatment and the ongoing work, please consider making a general donation below. We are also holding a clearance sale on our remaining walkathon shirts from last year at 90% off. Use the code SWAG90 at checkout to grab yours today. Shop our swag. We have a supporter named Robin who is fundraising to put one of our students through university. Help her make that possible here. We appreciate your continued support and for standing with our ministry. Have a wonderful weekend!
This week has settled down a bit on our end, though our Kenyan ministry partners, Bishop and Ruth, have been dealing with a lot. They’ve been busy with multiple funerals for church members, including a tragic situation where a three-year-old was struck by a vehicle last week. To top it off, Bishop’s vehicle was impounded because the tires were completely worn out—the roads in Kenya are incredibly rough, far beyond any off-road logging path you've ever traversed. Please continue your prayers for Abundant Mercy of Jesus Ministries (AMJM). While Kenya Now is committed to our joint mission of education, nutrition, and widow empowerment, AMJM does so much more. They are the powerhouse of God’s movement in the region, and we are blessed to work alongside them. Their church system is always in need of financial support for crusades, leadership seminars, and more. You can donate directly to their evangelistic mission through our Spiritual Awakening Program. I encourage you to explore how you can be a part of their overall ministry. Supporter Initiated Fundraiser One of our volunteers, Robin, has started her own fundraiser for a university student named Stella. She is accepting monetary gifts at the link I just listed and in-kind donations for a Savers FunDrive. Spring cleaning season is here, and if you're like us, clearing out the clutter is probably imminent. If you have items to spare, consider donating them to Robin. Savers weighs all the donations and gifts a portion of the proceeds directly to her Kenya Now fundraiser. It’s a simple way to clear your space while fueling the mission. Email Robin to coordinate a drop-off today. You can also create your own online fundraiser directly from our website. Start here. A Shoutout to the Team Kara and I want to give a massive shoutout to Sara Tremblay, our sponsorship coordinator, and her dedicated team of volunteers. This past month, Sara has worked tirelessly to update every single child's profile with new pictures and information, ensuring our sponsors stay informed. These kids grow so much year after year, and right now, nearly 100 children are still waiting for a sponsor. You might ask, "What does a monthly sponsorship actually do?" Here is the deal: We have a large catalog of students ranging from Pre-K to University. People often get stuck trying to decide who needs it most. The good news is that every child benefits from every sponsorship gift—it’s what powers our entire school and orphanage. So why sponsor a specific child? Because we want you to see the real faces, names, and dreams that your gift impacts. We want you to pray for your specific child (and all of them) so that God shines His favor over them. I am confident we are raising future doctors, nurses, scientists, teachers, and great leaders of East Africa. Your investment goes significantly further than any of us can imagine. I still can’t believe God called my family into this wild mission. Thank you for joining us—and please consider sponsoring a child today. It truly means the world. Have a blessed weekend.
