Last Day

Rehema Grace when she was a baby and now as a beautiful little girl!




As I look around the acres of green land, the beautiful faces of the children and hear their laughter, see their smiles, I am joyous! It is my last day in Kenya, my last day to make the kids giggle with laughter and cuddle them when they cry. As I sit here under my tree, I am remembering the first day we got here. The abundance of children running to me with smiles and joy, hugs and kisses. There are sweet demeanors and soft voices, learning my name and stealing my heart. As I look around today I smile at the memory of stepping into an unknown world to see what it was I was supposed to see and learn more than I could have imagined.

I look at each of the seventy five faces and now see a story. I see devastating stories of abandonment and hurt, yet renewed hope in miracles and a future. The stories will break your heart, but show that through God’s grace and mercy there is optimism and faith. There are so many stories to share with realities that leave you astonished and overwhelmed. Rehema was the first baby brought to the children’s home, hence the name Rehema Ministries. Rehema was saved through God’s mercy and grace so her name is the meaning of such. Rehema (mercy) Grace and so it started. Rehema was born in a corn field and her mother just walked away. She survived for two days in that field while being protected from the rain and sun by the big leaves of the corn stalks. When Rehema was found she had dog scratches on her belly and beginning signs of dehydration. After three days in the hospital, she was turned over to Jeff and Carla, and has been there baby girl ever since. The logo of Rehema ministries is a painting that portrays what Rehema would have looked like bundled under the leaves waiting to be rescued. Rehema is a gorgeous, shy, sweet, and full of life little girl. She is ready to help take care of the babies with her gentle manner and loving heart.

All the faces and all the smiles have a unique past and a hopeful future. There are children’s homes all over the world, some good and some not so good. There are lives being lost, children dyeing before they are reached every day. As you walk the streets of Kitale you see the street children wandering around sniffing glue and begging for money. You drive the streets home and see children bare foot walking the side carrying buckets of water on their heads. You pass the trash lines streets, see the children playing oblivious to the fact that there world is poverty and despair.
I think about all of this today, the children of the world and the wrongs and rights of this country and others included. I now look at this astonishing home, nestled in the hills of Cherangani on the outskirts of Kitale and see the love overflowing. This home provides all the basic needs of a child; food, water, medicine, clothing, and a warm home, but most importantly is a family comprised of love. There is a healing here for the babies when they arrive and the children that need to be cured of scars and hurt, brought back to life. This home is so obviously sent from our God and his hand the provider. Jeff and Carla are mom and dad to these children providing them with loving role models of how humanity should look. These kids have brothers and sisters to love on, Grandma Joyce and Grandpa Ron to spoil them when they are here. As I leave this home tomorrow I hope for them, for love and blessings to poor on this place. I am so excited to see the next season of this home, a clinic and school, more houses for the children. This home will continue to prosper and I can’t wait to come back!