We are in Christian Chronicles!

KENYA NAIROBI — Former street children in this East African nation are learning business ethics, money management and job-finding skills through the Made in the Streets ministry, said missionary Charles Coulston, who oversees the ministry with his wife, Darlene. The ministry launched a new course recently that includes classes in Bible, business and computers. “We now have 34 training in sewing, cooking, woodworking, auto mechanics, agriculture and computer operations,” Charles Coulston said. “The new course is called 4.30, because it meets each day from 4:30 to 5:15 p.m.” Church members Francis Mbuvi, Moses Okoth, Joel Njue and Victor Otieno teach the classes.

For some reason I found myself reading the Christian Chronicle magazine, only to find Charles had mentioned something about the 4.30 class. Today actually was the last day for the first Unit (101) for Bible, Business and Computer classes. A test was given to the students to examine they progress in each of the classes. If you ask me this class has been an eye opener. mostly for my students, it has been a constant reminder of how they had the knowledge hidden away inside their head, they only needed a reminder. What could life present to them, which could worse than street life, bad family background. They only have to use these past life experiences to make new once.
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On Friday last week the team decided to take the the kids to visit their parents/guardians. Most of the students got to see their parents/guardians, some were disappointed to find lock on where once used to be home. For those not so lucky, tried with the help of the team member accompanying them to find out where actually their parents/guardians had moved.
The fortunate who found their parents, had a grand fellowship with their folks, telling of stories of classes, past events like the camp, visitors that come. One could not help but notice the free spirit that was hovering around the homes. The parents who once could not take care of their own, were really now interested of what had become of the children. This shows the forgiving nature of the students that we have, a good sign of change in attitude and will.
Another group of kids , are those whose homes are not within the city center, those that come from without the city of Nairobi. For them, a special trip is always arranged for their parents/guardians to come pick them up and spent some time with them, mostly during the long holidays for a week.
We give thanks for the students we have in our protection, and may He help them have better lives than the once they once had.

Businesses

We thank the Lord, God almighty for the chance and the opportunity to service the ministry. The businesses as well as a way of reaching this community with service oriented products and services. The tea and coffee house has being busy offering services to the visitors who have being staying with us starting from May up to date and they have really enjoyed the delicious meals that we serve at the shop. What a blessing and honor to know that people enjoy and appreciate our services. Businesses have had some set-backs in the past. It has really taken us steps behind, but right now the tea house is picking up. Thanks to those who kept us in their prayers everyday. With the failure of the generator Jackton has moved some of the machines down at the uniform shop to continue with the production of hisa sales.He is working with his team on the the two days that there is no power rationing;Tuesdays and Thursdays and when the rationing is on they work at the twenty acres with manual machines. We closed the salon for a while as we are looking for somebody who will be able to run the business and as well as train the students who are interested in beauty and becoming salonist.

Posted by
Victor

VBS is finally here!!

Wow!! it very exciting to be doing VBS (Vacation Bible School) after along time, I think I was beginning to forget how to host such an event but we have an amazing team and children that have made it so easy and enjoyable to do it together! Thanks to the Nichols family who really helped us in the preparation and planning of the VBS and also the materials to teach.

The children are amazing, they have been longing for the VBS and everyday looking forward for more. Wow! Jesus has truly given us the power to share the Good News with the children and we will not waste one minute. Day one started out a confused day but all the same we enjoyed having the children come, we started out with 102 children the first day and it has stagnated there until today.

Today we had the children learn about Jesus encouraging Peter to be brave and the kids enjoyed the Games activity washing each other using the water guns. Its although hard for us with the electricity rationing going on every other day but the Coulston's generator has really helped us to solve that, thanks Charles!!

Theme stories for the week:

Power to be thankful
story:Jesus heals 10 lepers

Power to help others
story: Jesus gives sight to a blind man

Power to be brave
Story: Jesus gives Peter courage to walk

Power to live forever
Story: Jesus dies and comes back to life

Power to tell others about God.
Story: The Holy Spirit comes at pentecost





Joel

Student Exit updates

(From left to right; Joseph Wahome, Micheal Mckenzie, Anastacia Njoki, Joseph Wambua, Sarah Aono, Ken Wambugu)

We are grateful for all that the Lord has done for us and for the opportunities that he has given us to serve children that are living in the streets and need our help to turn their lives around.

This year we have several students exit the program and they are :-
1. Halima Nguvu:- finished the program with us and we were glad that she was able to secure a job with Nargisse' Salon in the Sarit center in the western side of town and shares an apartment with friends.
2. Patricia Wanjiru:- got a job in a salon called Tender Touch in Afya Center building downtown this year and also has her own apartment that she stays in.
3. Mary Wanjiku:- got a job baking cakes in a bakery in an area called Mwiki.
4. Stephen Omondi:- got a temporary job with Tom from Eastleigh and settled with his uncle in Bahati area.
5. Moses Kung'u:- able to get a place in Westlands called the Galitos but still put on probation for two months before they offer him a position.
6. Joseph Mburu:- started a job last month in downtown area dealing in computers but still on probation to see how he works.

Students still on Attachment and will be job hunting in the next 3 months
1. Kenneth Wambugu: still on attachment and we hope to retain him as the school mechanic and driver in the future.
2.Joseph Wambua:- On attachment for mechanics at 4 wheeler auto-shop at the village market.
3. Francis Wahome:- On attachment for mechanics down town area.
4.Francis Cugia:- starting hunt for an attachment for woodworking down town.
5.Grace Wahu:- Has secured an attachment in a restaurant around Ngon'g road area.

Students who are to start attachment this month are Mercy Wanja and Brenda Adhiambo.

Students who walked out before finishing their training
1. Tabitha Akinyi:- walked out during her final exams and later got married.
2. Lucy Muthoni:- didn't finish her studies at Lo'real Beauty school and went to stay with her sister, later was able to get a job in Thika, we are still not sure if she was able to retain a job.

Students who will be ready for exit next year are:
1. Susan Wambui:- she is doing very well in college doing beauty at Lo'real beauty college.
2.Morris Gitonga:- already staying with her aunt and still attending college for computer studies in Umoja.
3. Anastacia Njoki:- still doing journalism finishing next year.

We will also drawing plans for Sarah Aono, Willis Odhiambo, Michael Mackenzie as they have reached the exit age and still don't have a definite path to follow.
Lets pray for them as they fit in the pieces in their lives, Thanks to all the people who have helped in shaping the lives of our kids.
By Joel

From left to right; Willis Odhiambo, Joseph Mburu, Susan Wambui, Mercy Wanja, Grace Wahu, Francis Cugia)

Seattle, WA. here with us.

On Tuesday we were so much blessed by a group coming out to the farm to spend the whole day with our kids. On Monday they had been in Eastleigh and spent some with he the street kids and helped out in the programs that run there. While here in Kamlu they spent some time in the Orchard removing dried up grass, which was a lot of hard work. Then we had lunch together. After lunch they blessed us with a mini-concert. Teaching us new worship songs. The students were not left behind, they also showed our visitors that they also can perform something. Some boys did a rap duo, danced, the girls did a traditional dance that was gospel. It was an exciting time for all the students. They topped it all up by having a soccer match.
Thank God for blessing of visitors.

goodbye ryan!

Today we said adios to another good friend of ours who has really made a change in the kids and also to us teachers. Ryan has been with us for the past two months helping me in teaching math and also working on other projects in the center. He has made a great impact and i feel we have lost a great part of us. Ryan aka Kilonzo(your new African name), we hope that life presents your true destiny and that God will continue to show his love in you as you spread it to other people.
I also hope the kids will get to apply everything that they have learned in class to improve their lives. Thank you for spending your time with us and using your skills in improving the lives of the kids that you got to work with.

by Phillipo.

New boys

Getting all the six boys was more work than I anticipated, well we set off on Monday with Robin to start the process of getting the legal documents that the boys needed and we needed in order to have the boys in our program. We went to the National Hospital (Kenyatta) where we were taken left and right just to have an x-ray and getting the doctor to read the x-ray and write to us what the boys' ages were. We do this when the kids we take in don't have any documents supporting the dates and years of birth. Its called an age assessment test. We finally get this, but it was late in the evening. The next day we got for the physical medical check up, just to make sure that we don't have any kids who have 'special' kinds of illnesses. We do this...we find that all are fine. Immediately we start the process of finding their parents/guardians for consent. We do by going with the boys to their various places they stayed stay before they left for the streets, explaining to the guardian about MITS purpose and goals, then having the guardian sign an agreement that they have given us the power to be with their kids. This went on smoothly for some boys but a glitch came with two boys.
One parents decided to remain with his son, which is OK with us, the other guardians are not really sure of what to do. They are snot sure of MITS and want to do more investigation of their own. They say they have not seen their boy for 1 and half yrs. The funny thing is they don't want to release the boy to us and they don't want to take him in and leave with them. We will still do a follow-up on this.
From the camp we had boy who was HIV+, called Franklin. While at the camp he told me his story of his life, his family. After the camp we drove him to his uncle's place, I talked to the uncle, though harsh he admitted that he wanted to help. So we reconciled him with his uncle.
We will start an orientation program for the new boys, this will go for the next month.
We are so grateful for the help from the Eastleigh team and the volunteers there, and so thankful to God who has given us the wisdom to choose these boys, who really want to live and change for Him.

(the pic above from left to right - George Lokitoi, Francis Ndung'u, George Karanja and Martin Maina)

we're back!

We are back from our three day camp and we are already feeling sad that it has gone by so fast. Camp Badilika was a real eye opener for me and as we sat in the small bus in the cold morning, I was just thinking of the work that was waiting for us. We had to make some very hard decisions which we were not looking forward to. The kids sat quietly feeling sad because they knew that we had to select five of them who will be taken into the Kamulu program. Luckily for us, some of the team members from Kamulu came to help us make the decisions. When we got to Eastleigh, we immediately started working on the kids' life stories.
God really works in mysterious ways because he really helped us through. As we did the life stories we came to realize that most of the kids that were in camp had been on the streets for a short time and had run away because one reason or another, most of which could be taken care of if we reconciled them back and talked to their families.
We finally selected six of the boys but because we did not have enough time, most of the tests could not be done and so we planned on their stay in Eastleigh so that we could do that early on Monday.
We hope that on Monday every thing goes well so that they will be taken into our program and get to 'badilika'(change) their lives as they learned in the camp.we will also get to know their names on Monday too.

by philipo.