Recent Prayer Request Updates

11 days ago I posted 4 prayer request and I wanted to update y'all on those 4 things! Facebook post copied and pasted below.

October 10, 2020 Prayer Request for Mercy Ministries:

1. Kenya has decided to reopen schools little by little so on Monday our 4th grade class will return to school. We didn't have much notice so we will be busy/scrambling this first week of school, but we will make it work. Please pray for the health of our children and teachers.

2. We are short a couple of teachers and need to hire a few more somewhat quickly. Our village is pretty far from town so we don't have a lot of teachers near us and we run our school differently so it can be difficult to find a good match.

3. We need to replace our current "septic tank" (we currently have a cement box that we have to empty) with an actual septic tank that won't require emptying. When we installed our current septic tank we didn't realize that a real septic tank was an option here. We also installed a leach field about a year and a half ago to try and keep so much from going to the septic tank, but during the rainy season (about half of the year) the ground stays too wet for it to work properly. A new septic tank is about $2500 and now just isn't a good time for that, but $300-400 to empty the one we have isn't really reasonable either because we use SO much water so it just fills back up. (Showers, laundry, dishes, hand washing and toilets for 120ish people 24/7)

4. December is quickly coming and we are really hoping to build the kids an amazing playground, but we still have a LONG ways to go to be able to purchase the land and build the massive structure. Will you pray that the details of all of that come together and that if it doesn't come together the way *I* think it should that my heart will accept that? I'm super excited about this playground project and if it doesn't happen I will be so sad even though I know God works ALL things for good for those who love Him.

Thank you for lifting us up in prayer. We are so blessed to live here...blessed doesn't even seem like a big enough word 😂. Not everyone gets to live their dream life and love on sweet kids and neighbors, but we do! Thank you for your love, support and continual prayers! 💜💜💜

Praise updates!

1. The school reopening has gone really smoothly. It has been nice only having 4th grade back in class because all of our teachers are able to teach different subjects to them. This helps the students learn from different ways of teaching and helps build trust with other teachers. All of our children have remained healthy so far, we are checking temps as they arrive and leave each day.

We start each day with 20 minutes of chapel time and Friday chapel is 45 minutes long.

2. We have been able to hire 3 teachers! We feel really good about 2 of the 3, the 3rd one is a good teacher, but he is technically a high school teacher and is expecting a higher salary than we currently can offer. But praise that we are fully staffed for when/if Kenya decides to fully reopen!

3. Not long after this post we had an unexpected donation come in that more than covered the amount needed for a new septic tank. So our new septic tank is done! We are waiting on everything to dry out and the bacteria to come from Nairobi, but I'm told it can start being used on Friday or Saturday.

New septic system being installed.

4. Our playground fundraiser is now at $23,855.47! This is super exciting (to me) and we now have enough to cover the land purchase! We do have $11,144.53 left and that is all play equipment 😃. I'm super excited at the prospect to seeing this project complete, our kids playing and having an amazing time and what God will do with the other opportunities that this space will provide.

We are making big progress.

Thank you for your prayers for this ministry. They are always needed and appreciated. I know we ask for a lot, a lot of prayers, a lot of money, a lot of wants and needs on our Amazon list, a lot, a lot, a lot. Honestly it is a lot for me to be this needy, to be this open, to always be asking, but I hope you realize what an impact you are having here when you join with us. It isn't just about the 100+ children in our home, it isn't just about the 80ish school kids from our village, it isn't just about the 10 widows/families receiving monthly food boxes. It is all about the Gospel, it is about people coming to Him through hearing His Word.

The 4th grade students are hearing His word each school day. Our teachers new and old hear His word daily and they attend a systematic theology class each week. 2 of our new teachers heard the Gospel during their interview. This new playground will be a place that will draw others in which will allow for more Gospel sharing. Right now we are planning and working on ways we can open up the playground to nearby schools where we would serve lunch and share the Gospel with the students and teachers.

Just a small sample of what is to come.

Thank you for supporting the ministry work here. Every prayer matters whether or not you make a monitary donation. Every monitary donation matters even when you wish it was more. Each time you share this ministry with others it matters, God has used that many times. Thank you so much for your love and prayers!

The Mercy Home Family