Dispatches from Nairobi Kenya

Dispatches from Nairobi Kenya

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who has not
forsaken his mercy and love for us all, as we continue to proclaim his
surpassing works to one another and to the world He so loves.

For the joy and peace since return from furlough; for every good result we
can observe in lives here in Kenya and for your unwavering support to our
Ministry, we continue to thank God.

The Dickersons continue supporting orphans, widows, single mothers and
stressed women pastors through Turning Point Ministries (a project of SERV
Ministries International) and all the generous donations they brought back
from the States. They brought back TNIV bibles, NIrV bibles, fabric for
dresses, 350 pounds of second-hand clothing and shoes, second-hand
computers for the office, Experiencing God bible study books, a
scholarship to beauty school, as well as financial support for the
Dickersons and the women in their ministry. People committed and
re-committed to pray for the Dickersons and the women and children in
Turning Point. Lives are being transformed and these women are shining
Christ's light in the world. Praise God!

Girls like Miriam and Carolyn who had no hope of ever joining High School
after years of abandonment are now in school and working hard.

"I always yearned for a better life away from the streets of Nairobi but
nothing surrounding my life at that time indicated such a possibility.
Thanks to God, I am not only in school but with loving parents, Don and
Laura, fond brothers, Drew and Zack plus a tender sister, Carolyn. I hope
that one day I shall treat someone with love the way mum and dad (Laura
and Don) have treated me." Miriam.

"I am happy to be part of a family that loves God and for secondary
education. I now see hope ahead; not gloom and misery like I used to. I
want to work hard. I would like to demonstrate Christ's love to those who
feel hopeless and rejected and the lost.' Carolyn.

Don and Laura have arranged day-schooling for the girls (instead of being
boarded like most Kenyan children) hoping to raise their grades through
helping with class work and homework. They have been tutoring and
motivating them in the evenings - hopefully they will have improved enough
to be able to resume boarding come January. And they are doing great!

More passionate and effective

We greatly appreciate our American brothers and sisters in helping to
support a number of women pastors through our ministry. They are now able
to serve God more passionately and effectively.

Reverend Margaret
Reverend Margaret, one of the women ministers, pastors a congregation at
Nairobi's Kayole slums, called Glory to God Ministries. Rev. Margaret and
Laura were among the teachers at a 3-day women's conference in August,
when Laura felt the Lord leading her to pay the rent for Rev Margaret's
church for six months, even before knowing how much the rent is. She found
out that the church was three months in arrears. The debt was paid as well
as the next three months! This was a prayer answered to the church since
they were praying and trusting God for provision.

Turning Point and SERV Ministries are encouraged to see such trained
pastors who preach Christ in the slums where many pastors tend to avoid
due to the financial reality on the ground. It's difficult for a church in
the slum to get financial independence because the members rarely have
anything to spare.

Rev. Margaret is now teaching her congregation without stress from hall
payment arrears. One month rent is only $20. We know someone could pay an
entire year's rent.

Pastor Mercy
Mercy Muthoni, a minister working with Laura in Wednesday's fellowships,
was once in a similar predicament, three months behind in house rent.

But when she was about to be kicked out of her apartment, Laura arrived
with good news. Some American brothers and sisters had bought all the
jewelry she had given the Dickersons prior to their recent visit to the
U.S. She not only managed to pay the house rent but save enough to buy a
gas cooker, no longer having to cook with fire wood outside her house.

And despite her tribulations, Mercy is always encouraging the women who
meet at Kadija's for fellowship; forever assuring them of how much God
loves them despite loads of trouble. Experiencing God Bible study has made
this Wednesday fellowship very interesting indeed.

Wednesday Women's Fellowship and Bibles
Thanks for the women's group in Cartersville, Georgia that has adopted our
Wednesday fellowship! Every woman has a copy of Experiencing God manual
and a fabric to fit a dress! A group of pastors from seven different
churches were also given two manuals which they are using together every
Friday. They describe the experience as life transforming.

The women at Saint John United Methodist church in Florida who donated
many bibles for their Kenyan brethren did a noble thing; they have been
very helpful especially because the TNIV is gender accurate and the NIrV
is easier English, especially for young readers and others for whom
English is not their mother tongue. Laura gives the TNIV to pastors during
conferences and the NIrV to individuals who hope to improve their English.
Recently, she gave one to a friend who closes her vegetable stall on
Sundays to attend church, unlike many of her colleagues in the market
place.

Prophet Elizabeth
Still on victories for women, Elizabeth, a missionary from Uganda, has
been able to sponsor her missions to Congo and Rwanda after selling her
quilts to the Dickersons. The Dickersons then sold them in the USA, with
all the profit going to Elizabeth. She hand makes each item, buying
special batik cloth from a single mother in Uganda. She sells the items as
part of her tent making. She has left more quilts and embroidered items
with the Dickersons, which they hope to sell to Americans. She's raising
money for her next mission to Mauritius, an island off the coast of
Madagascar (which is off the coast of Kenya).

Widows and Single Mothers

Kadija
Also doing great are widow Kadija's four children who are receiving school
fees, food and shelter through Turning Point Ministries. Abraham enters
high school in January with the requirement of 80,000ksh (1143 US$) for
first term admission and school supplies. We still have no sponsor for
him, so please consider helping! The youngest two are yet to join school
while her eldest son is looking for a job.

The 350 pounds of clothing and shoes from Trinity on the Hill UMC in
Georgia went to open Kadija's second-hand clothing business. She was
ecstatic! And because these clothes were from America, she has so many
customers. Currently, the customers come to her home to purchase items, or
Kadija carries a few items along the street, hoping to attract passers-by.
With her success, she's even helping other Borana single mothers in her
area with food and clothing. The Lord Jesus has multiplied this blessing!

Laura mentioned that Kadija couldn't read or write while in the USA, so a
member of Trinity on the Hill UMC ordered a CD from Faith Comes By
Hearing, an organization that records Scripture. He was able to get
several copies in the Borana language and Turning Point passed them to
Kadija and her Borana friends. Kadija was so excited; she stayed up all
night long listening to the entire New Testament!

Pauline
Pauline, a single mother with a two-year-old child, dreamed of styling and
braiding hair. So Trinity on the Hill UMC donated a scholarship to Talent
Beauty School. In four months, she'll have a certificate and a way to feed
herself and her child.

House of Hope, an orphanage in the desert

The most dramatic change in the SERV House of Hope revolves around a young
girl called Topos that the orphanage is taking care of in Lodwar alongside
ten other children.

She is mentally disabled and was unable to walk when SERV adopted her from
the hands of an ailing grandmother. The grandmother was unable to feed
herself and Topos at the same time for life there is survival for the
fittest. There is nothing extra to take care of those considered weak in
this land of endurance. But thanks to God, today Topos is walking around
by her self and smiles back when you call her. She even motioned with her
hands that she was hungry!

And for this purpose, the House of Hope was birthed in Lodwar; to put
smiles of Christ's love on orphans and the neighboring community.

Laura was recently on a three-day mission to the House of Hope alongside
Amanda Smith (a Mission Society missionary and pediatric nurse) and Jackie
Brantley (Director of Gifts on a Mission, a project affiliated with SERV
Ministries International). They taught about healthy living and how germs
spread through hands. They also trained the staff on mentoring the
children as well as how to recognize signs of stress in themselves. Jobs
like these can have a high burn-out rate.

Don, as part of a SERV team that will include Executive Director Steve
Kasha and Board Director, Lee Johnson, will be traveling to Lodwar at the
end of October to present the House of Hope's registration papers and do
more training.

These things the Lord has brought to pass and in Him we trust and serve
together in unity. God bless you.

In Christ's service,

Don and Laura Dickerson