April 16,2020

HELPING CHILDREN IN CRISIS UPDATE ON HOW GC SACRED CARE IS DOING IN KENYA

Dear supporters of HCIC,

As you well know Covid-19 has found its way to every corner of the world and disrupted life as we knew it. This is true for our work with the support of orphans in Kenya as well. The Kenyan government has shut down all schools and public gatherings and implemented other restrictions such as curfews and road closures.

I have been in regular contact with Samson and our Liaison, Dorothy, since the beginning of the outbreak. Samson’s family moved from their home onto the church property to take care of the children since all their supportive staff (cooks, guards, dorm matron and patron, etc.) are now sequestered in their own homes. The new dorms we built are much appreciated! The children returning from their boarding schools were tested before they were allowed on the church grounds. All are well. I was impressed that Kenya had testing available to do this! Currently there are very few cases of Covid19 in the Kisii region, most of the cases are in Nairobi and Mombassa.

The new dining hall has walls but no roof yet and finishing the structure is now delayed until after the virus restrictions. They are eating there on dry days and in empty classrooms on rainy ones. Unfortunately the tin roofed church recently came crashing down during a storm due to termite damage to the supporting beams. Fortunately no one was hurt but they miss having a large roofed in area to gather.

Where the current 31 children and young adults are:

• 20 children and young adults are locked down on/near church grounds. Two of the older children who work jobs are sequestered from the others.

• 2 are in Eldoret (where they attend vocational school, now closed) They work at part time jobs living in an apartment.

• 4 are in Kissumu where they went to visit one of our older orphans who is doing an internship there. He is the older brother of one of the younger orphans that went there. They are now stranded there due to road closures.

• 5 are staying with distant relatives.

Some food can be delivered to the gates but Samson and Jackline have to foray out to markets and farms to find fresh produce and deliver food or money to those who are not on premises. The children are helping out with the cooking and chores. Samson gives daily New Church religion classes and worship. Dorothy reports they are using the educational religious supplies we have brought over in the past and they find the religious instruction helps give them peace of mind. Singing is a favorite past time.

Thank you to all who support our work through donations, good will and prayers. We are doing our best to navigate the situation with integrity and transparency. Some of the children/young adults who are on the church premises recently wrote letters to their sponsors. We have compiled a few of their comments below so you can hear in their own words how they are doing.

May you and your loved ones stay safe and healthy.

Kind regards,

Kay Alden

HCIC Chair

“We wake up in the morning we sing, do our personal studies, play and dance to fill out time here in school. We do get our New Church teachings every day to comfort us that with God we will go well.” Eunice Mo.

“We do get food from Pastor’s office and vegetables from our neighbour’s farms. I thank God because none of us is infected with the disease only that few got injured when our church fell down.” Beckham

“I would like to thank you for the new dorms, kitchen and dining hall which you built for us. We also thank for you your good support for us in our basic needs. We thank God because none of us is suffering from the disease. Only a few got injured when our church fell down.” Vincent

“There was a house for Pastor Sampson which was built at the school but it was turned into staff rooms when the government attacked us in the school.”

“We also get food from Pastor’s office because everything is stored there. But when we need vegetables our neighbours bring them in the school or we do walk from one farm to another because all the markets are closed because of the disease which came.”

“We read, sing, play, watch movies in a laptop most of the time, wash clothes, wash dishes, clean the compound, sleep, compete (complete?) reading the English books with our friends, learn how to play the guitar which you brought for us, have a class of New Church teaching, and it depends on how we wake up feeling. We are not restricted from doing what we love doing, except the time set aside for teaching.” Shem O.

“As a family of New Church we are thankful to your support that you are giving to us. Here at Etora we are staying together and Pastor Samson and Madam Jaklin they are much concerned to take care off us. Always as we do pray we also remember you in our prayers.”

“On Saturday we do Bible study in the church, watch Christian movies and later we do go for the night up to Sunday in this Bible study Pastor do guiding us and for some of us who know also we do take part. On Sunday we start with praise and worship then later the sermon of the day. In worship Pastor tells us about the New Church doctrine that we are supposed to follow. In this it is much enjoyable. We are much thankful for it, and this makes us to be changed by the Holy Spirit into a new creature.”

“For this I have a reason to thank you and praying for God’s guidance in this life as we are in the journey of salvation. May God in Heaven grant you more days to continue your mission help more of us . Thanks.” Simeon