Ministry Report for January

January has been a busy and trying month, and we thank God for His grace through it all.

Monday January 8th was the first day of school at Mercy Christian Academy. As you may imagine, the days leading up to opening day are very hectic. There is always so much to get done, and no matter how well we plan, things can feel overwhelming. We have said it many times, and I will say it again, running the school is the hardest thing that we do here at the Mercy Ministries mission. It may also be one of the most rewarding things we will ever do. Running the school gives us the opportunity to proclaim Christ every day to a student body and staff of over 300 people. What an amazing opportunity God has empowered us in to raise the banner of Christ in this spiritually dark community in western Kenya. We prayerfully expect God to do big things here and we are thankful He allows us to be part of it through the prayers and support of many like you.

I was recently notified of a widow with four small children who were infected with jiggers (not to be confused with chiggers). Jiggers are nasty little sand fleas that burrow into toes, feet, and fingers and lay eggs there. They can be very painful, and if not dealt with, will continue to spread and cause a lot of tissue damage. We began treating the kids immediately and I have been taking some of our Mercy Home boys to her house in a nearby village the last few weekends to deal with the source of the jiggers; the floor. Most neighboring villagers live in mud houses with dirt floors, and if not done right, the floor can become a breeding ground for jiggers. We have sprayed the house and floor, re-surfaced the dirt floor, and will spray again next week to make certain that there will be no more jiggers attacking those poor kids. Their treatment has been coming along nicely and they will soon be jigger free!

We are so thankful for our new ministry partner, Musedics International! They have agreed to teach music classes via Zoom to many of our Mercy Christian Academy students, as well as teach our Mercy Baptist Church choir. We are so excited for this opportunity! We now have world-class music lessons in our little village in western Kenya!

For the last few years, Stephanie and I have been sharing a room with our biological kids and several of the Mercy Home babies. There are at least 12 people that sleep in our room every night. This was certainly not an ideal situation, but it was the best we felt like we could do with what we had. We are thankful for all God provides for the ministry, but have been praying that He might make a way for Steph and I to have our own space. God answered that prayer through a very generous couple who not only wanted us to have our own space, but wanted it to be nice. They sent the funds and our son Karson got to work on adding a bedroom, sitting room, and bathroom to the front of Mercy Home. It is not complete yet, but a few nights ago Steph and I were able to move in! I continue to be amazed at all the good ways God takes care of us.