Clean Drinking Water in Kenya - September 2021 Update

In 1994, Mzee Toronke came to know Jesus Christ through the teaching of two local pastors, Rev. Nakeel and Rev. Maina. Since that day, Mzee Toronke has slept with a Bible as his pillow; he literally rests on the promises of God.

Mzee Toronke was born in a remote area of Kajiado, Kenya in 1925. He spent his early years tending to livestock, walking hundreds of kilometers looking for water and fresh pasture. As he grew older, Mzee Toronke married and started a family. Eventually, he had six wives and twenty-one children.

Partnership, Projects, AfricaElizabeth CarterSeptember 29, 2021Clean Drinking Water in Kenya, Lauren Scharstein, PCEA

Rebuilding Hope in South Sudan - September 2021 Update

Dear friends,

Many members of the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan (PCoSS), a partner of The Outreach Foundation, remain displaced as a result of the civil conflict which erupted in their homeland in 2013. Some are in camps for displaced people within the country, but many are in refugee camps in Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda. You can imagine the despair and feelings of hopelessness many have experienced. On the premise that we “boast in the hope of the glory of God through faith in Jesus Christ” (Romans 5), The Outreach Foundation has tried to help rebuild hope among our brothers and sisters in Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Sudan. They asked us to provide assistance in four priority areas: preschool education, trauma healing training, providing Bibles in the Nuer language, and scholarships for training leaders. The Presbyterian church has inspirationally and exponentially grown in the camps – in numbers and in faith, hope, and love for their neighbors. Congregations have become critical safety nets and “front-line responders” to hunger and ill health for many refugees. Providing scripture-based trauma healing training has been effective in relieving memories of the past and rebuilding hope for the future.

Bibles for New Christians - September 2021 Update

Nuer Bibles for Refugees

Dear friends,

Praise God!

Our order of 5,000 Bibles in the Nuer language which were printed in South Korea and delivered to Gambella, Ethiopia has now been distributed to South Sudanese refugees throughout the region. You may recall that an appeal was made in 2019 and 2020 to raise funds for this project as a priority of the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan, an Outreach Foundation Partner. Despite the challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic, $35,000 was raised from faithful supporters on 3 continents to procure and ship the 5,000 Bibles in the Nuer Language for distribution among the 400,000+ refugees in camps in Ethiopia. And the Bible Society of Ethiopia gave a gift of an additional 600 Bibles. There were delays in the shipping process and travel that heightened the anticipation and excitement around the delivery. During my visit in June, I had the joy of celebrating the delivery in Presbyterian congregations in three refugee camps. The Christians were so thankful to all who gave to this project. This Nuer Bible appeal, together with an earlier distribution of 7,500 Nuer Bibles in 2017, is a blessing to so many. They are eager to receive more Bibles for new believers and The Outreach Foundation will maintain the account for contributions. The cost of one Bible (for orders of 5,000 or more), and distribution is approximately $7.50.

Frank Dimmock - September 2021 Update

Dear friends,

It is September, and I have been back from my trip to Kenya/Ethiopia/South Sudan since the middle of July! In that time, we have welcomed two new grandchildren and navigated through six family members getting the Coronavirus. Nancy was with them, to help out, and experienced a breakthrough COVID infection herself. She stayed in Illinois under quarantine. All are now out of quarantine, recovering and we are so thankful for God’s mercy. NOW, I am able to tell you about the trip, which you made possible through your prayers and support!

As you know, we were all concerned about the risks of travel this summer, but the Lord confirmed the “rightness” of the trip and the timing, over and over again. Yes, it was tricky and stressful, trying to time COVID tests (and their results) to meet various border crossing requirements. But, even so, I was able to navigate through (sometimes at the 11th hour, or through the grace of an airport manager) and keep to the closely timed schedule. Truly amazing!

Dan and Elizabeth Turk - August 2021 Update

Dear friends,

Greetings from Orlando! We are still in the U.S. awaiting the time when we can return to Madagascar. Madagascar has a travel ban in place to keep the Delta variant out. Fortunately, new daily COVID-19 cases are currently very low, following a spike in cases this past April. We hope to be able to return to Madagascar in late September or early October.

While we are ready to return to Madagascar, we are grateful for the time with family. We have been able to celebrate Frances’ college graduation, Elizabeth’s parents' 60th wedding anniversary, and Dan’s mother’s 90th birthday as well as visiting Robert.

Holistic Evangelism in Tete Province - August 2021 Update

Outreach trustee Berry Long recently shared the following update on the Holistic Evangelism in Tete Province, Mozambique partnership:

I want to give you an update on our Holistic Evangelism in Tete Province project. Project Director Sebber Banda is doing well. She lives in Blantyre, Malawi about an hour and a half from Tete Province, Mozambique. She moved to Blantyre years ago when her children were small so that they would go to school in an English-speaking country instead of Portuguese-speaking Mozambique. Her son Adam is at home doing online college classes. He had been in college in China but moved back home when the COVID-19 virus began to spread. Her daughter Nancy was accepted at a college in Lusaka, Zambia and Sebber just returned home from taking Nancy to college and getting her set up. They are excited that Nancy can begin her college studies, but they worry about the new wave of COVID cases in Lusaka. Please pray for Nancy and her friends to stay well.

Dustin and Sherri Ellington - August 2021 Update

Inspirations from the Zambian Church

Dear friends,

Sometimes Sherri and I are asked what we find inspiring about Christians in Zambia. We’d enjoy sharing three traits that have particularly stood out to us.

Singing their faith

One of the things that has always struck us, both in Zambia and at Justo Mwale University, is that the Christian faith is something sung. Many supermarkets play worship music almost all the time. While walking around campus or working in my office, I (Dustin) hear students singing their hearts out numerous times a day. It may be a choir practicing (our resident student body of about 65 has several choirs), or it may be a class starting with a hymn, or it may just be a student walking across campus singing her/his love for God. Perhaps many Zambians take it for granted that life is meant to be spent singing to God. Singing is a main way people learn the faith, deepen it, and express it. Having near-constant songs of God in the air has a way of nourishing our faith. I also suspect it prepares us for the life to come. Additionally, African Christianity creates lots of music, and I’m thankful our students receive an education that helps people to think through the witness which they are singing and producing.

PCEA Church Construction - Dedication of Kianjau

Dear friends,

The dedication of Kianjau was very different in many ways.

The group that helped build this church was from TOLI (Touch of Love International) led by Executive Director Abigail McConnell, a former Outreach board member. We have been partnering with them for about six years. They do microloans and have been working in the Kiandutu slum next to the church. They have already given out over forty loans and by year’s end will have given out over one hundred. Many of their loans are going to single mothers with few skills and few opportunities. They not only provide loans but also provide training on how to run a business, open a bank account and choose a sustainable enterprise. I have been through the slum several times and met many of these women that have been helped. This program has lifted families out of poverty, empowered these women, and given them a chance to excel.

Africa, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationAugust 5, 2021PCEA Church Construction in Kenya, Kenya

Refugee Appeal - August 2021

Misery “by the numbers”

In this broken world, 1 out of every 95 people has been forced to flee their home---and many cannot go back. Let that sink in….

In round numbers, lives displaced by manmade disasters (like war) or natural ones (like volcanoes) are 82.4 million: that is slightly less than the entire population of Germany…. or more than 4 times the population of the Netherlands. Need to bring that a bit closer to home? Think the citizens of California + Texas + Ohio running for their lives.

Some flee to other parts of their own country---we call them “displaced.” If they cross borders, they become “refugees.” Within both groups, 50% are children.

Tumaini Children's Ministry - July 2021 Update

The Tumaini Children’s Ministry, a mission effort of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA), is comprised of Tumaini and Huruma Children’s Homes. More than 100 children are currently being served by the homes located in Nyeri County, Kenya. Outreach’s Africa Partnership Liaison, Frank Dimmock, visited Tumaini in June, and here are excerpts from his report:

During my visit, I met with Rev. Richard Gichuki, parish minister, and Anne Wandimi, the children’s home manager. Tumaini is in the process of renewing its registration with the Department of Children’s services. We visited the Nyeri County Director of Children’s Services, Mr. Mwaniki J. Kung’u, who complimented Tumaini for quality of care. The Kenya Government is developing new strategies for alternative care for children and Mr. Kung’u suggested that Tumaini could help network the 30 children’s homes in the county to share experiences.

COVID has impacted the ministry by school closures and a decrease in in-kind support locally. The two homes are trying to be self-supportive with laying hens, dairy cows, and a large garden with greenhouses. The Huruma home (in nearby Nyeri town) is challenged with a regular supply of clean water.

Rwanda Appeal: Nyiragongo Eruption and Earthquakes

The Outreach Foundation received this information from Rev Dr. Pascal Bataringaya, EPR President regarding the effects of the volcanic eruption and earthquakes in Rwanda:

Nyiragongo, one of eight regional volcanoes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, started erupting around 6:00 p.m. on May 22, 2021. This eruption caused people in Goma (DRC) to panic and flee to Rwanda, mainly to the Rubavu District. Consequently, the people of the Gisenyi (Rubavu) region have been strongly affected by the volcanic eruption.

The Tete Province Clinic Has Officially Opened - Praise the Lord!

Dear friends of Tete Province,

I am overjoyed to report that our health clinic in Tete Province has been officially opened! I received word from Sebber. She was there in person and was able to get some photos. Sebber is wearing a blue coat, and the Head District Commissioner in Tete Province is in red. Sebber said, " Clinic finally opened. We give all the Glory to God Almighty."

The new health clinic is in the rural village of Madzimaera. We have built a school and a church in this village and drilled a well. This clinic is about an hour's drive by vehicle to the nearest hospital in the border town of Zobue. Transportation to the hospital would be a formidable problem for the villagers who live around this clinic.

Tumaini Children's Ministry - April 2021 Update

Christian greetings from Tumaini/Huruma Children’s Ministry in Nyeri, Kenya.

We continue to pray and trust that you are staying safe and healthy during this COVID pandemic. Kenya has now recorded over 154,400 cases and 2,500 deaths. Between mid-March and mid-April, the country experienced its fourth surge in cases. Supplies of the AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in Kenya in early March and over 650,000 have been administered. Kenya’s population is nearly 54 million, so it will be many months before there is adequate vaccine coverage. Nyeri county, home of the Tumaini Children’s Ministry, is a rural county, yet has experienced more than 720 confirmed cases.

The pandemic has brought a lot of uncertainty, yet the staff at Tumaini and Huruma are working hard to sustain daily operations and care for the children. We were saddened to learn from Anne Wandimi the manager at Tumaini Children's Home, that Ms. Monica Kagume, chair of the Tumaini Board, died from COVID infection in early March. Her leadership and love for the children will be greatly missed.

Home of Hope in Zimbabwe - April 2021 Update

Dear family in Christ Jesus,

How wonderful that God loves us so much that he gave us his most precious gift, his only begotten son Jesus. Through Jesus, we are forgiven and given everlasting life. In Jeremiah 31:34 we hear God’s word speaking, “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

What an amazing message to share with those who think they have no hope, especially now when many are unemployed, have lost loved ones, and see no future for themselves except for life on the street. What a joy to share the Good News with those who must fight for survival, sharing with them that despite living in a fallen world, our hope is not of this world but in God who has compassion and has given us a heavenly home.

We thank all who support us so that we may help those living on the street with food, clothes, medicine, soap, and the Good News of Jesus. We pray that the Lord will be with you always.

Namumu Orphanage Center - April 2021 Update

The Outreach Foundation has been in partnership with Namumu Orphanage Center (NOC) for nearly 20 years. Located in the Kariba lakeshore area in the district of Siavonga, Zambia, Namumu has provided vulnerable children with food, clothing, shelter, and education to help them reach their potential. Children who have “graduated” from NOC have trained as pastors, teachers, and clinical officers, and many have returned to serve in the community where they grew up. In response to the health needs of the area, a clinic was built in 2005, with the help of The Outreach Foundation, to provide essential primary health care services to the children and the surrounding community.

Over time, it became clear that there was a need for more and better health and clinical services. So two years ago, in collaboration with the Government of Zambia, the clinic expanded services and increased staffing. Currently, there are two volunteer clinical officers, four nurses, an environmental officer, a psychosocial counselor, and several community health workers and clinic assistants. They provide a full range of primary services to the community and local businesses. And the community has, in turn, helped to provide for and maintain these services.

Africa, Partnership, Projects, Vulnerable ChildrenThe Outreach FoundationApril 21, 2021Namumu Orphanage Center, Zambia

Bill and Bette Bryant Crisis Nursery - April 2021 Update

We recently received this update from our partners serving vulnerable children and families in Lusaka. Their critical ministry is changing the lives of children, mothers, and families in Jesus’ name.

During the COVID pandemic, the Bill and Bette Bryant crisis nursery has continued to provide shelter for children five years or younger who are victims of the current weakening extended family system, neglect, abandonment, early marriages, unplanned pregnancies, gender-based violence, and poor parenting skills. While the children await reunification with their parents, original guardians, or other permanent family-based care, the children have access to food, clothing, shelter, and early childhood education.

Frank Dimmock - April 2021 Update

Dear friends and supporters,

One of the great things about reading Scripture is that you may have read a passage many times before, but in reading it again, there is a word or a phrase or a thought that takes on new meaning. Just this week, I was reading Zephaniah 3:17, “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”

For some reason, these words jumped off the page at me. The knowledge that He is present with us, He is “mighty to save,” that he delights and quiets and rejoices over us, is really overwhelming. Unconditional love. No strings attached. How can our response be anything but obedience and love for Him by loving others? These thoughts made me so appreciative of The Outreach Foundation, a vehicle for that obedience and love for others, and for you, our friends and supporters. Thank you for letting me be a part of this good and godly work with you.

Our partners in Africa continue to be faithful in their efforts to feed, clothe and disciple their congregants, and others in their spheres of influence, even with the challenges of pandemic restrictions.

CCAP Church Construction in Zambia - April 2021 Update

The CCAP Synod of Zambia, an Outreach partner, was constituted in 1984 with four ordained ministers, two presbyteries, and 16 congregations. The church has grown rapidly and today has 16 presbyteries throughout Zambia. There are now 104 congregations with 95 ministers and a membership of more than 85,000. As the church has grown, the need for more places to worship has also grown. The need for training additional pastors and evangelists is also critical.

The Linda congregation, in Lusaka, has about 150 members and is led by Rev. Joseph Kaluba. The construction of the new church has now reached an advanced stage and requires funds to complete the roof. The Linda Church also hosts a CCAP community school.

Partner Updates

Nuer Bibles for Refugees

Misery “by the numbers”