Sewing Seeds of Hope

You helped to inspire other Christian’s to support school children in need

The children of Caso Upendo Academy celebrating their new uniforms they just received

Last October, I was able to travel to Kenya for the first time on behalf of Heaven’s Family. On this trip, I had the chance to visit three Kenyan schools that Heaven’s Family’s Education Ministry supports.

One of these schools I visited, Caso Upendo Academy, is located in a very poor slum area near Nairobi. Joining me on my visit, was my colleague Diane, as well as a Kenyan couple Njeroge and Wangui, who we work alongside with in another Kenyan city, but were willing to travel with us during our trip and to help drive us throughout Nairobi and translate for us.

While visiting Caso Upendo Academy, I was able to speak to the teachers, students, and administration there and also get a first-hand look at the needs that their school still had. Because Caso Upendo Academy is located in one of the poorest slums in Kenya, they provide education to hundreds of children who are unable to afford to go to school. Many of these students are children who are homeless, parentless, or living in dire poverty and are only able to attend school because of your contributions to the Education Ministry which helps to support their schooling.

While visiting Caso Upendo Academy, I was profusely thanked on behalf of the Education Ministry. The teachers told me that without Heaven’s Family’s Education Ministry support they would not be paid, the students told me that without the Education Ministries support they would not receive an education, and the staff shared that without the Education Ministries support they did not believe the school could continue to operate. And that is all because of you and your kindness!

While visiting the school, I noticed that many of the children attending did not have proper uniforms to wear to school, a requirement in Kenya. The administration at Caso Upendo Academy expressed that most of the children are unable to afford the uniforms and so they allow them to attend without the appropriate dress code, but that this can put their school at risk of fines.

Only a few months after returning from my trip, I was overjoyed to receive the below email from one of my colleagues at Heaven’s Family, Dossie Briggs, who directs the Widows & Abandoned Women Ministry.

“There are two photos of children that Wangui saw at the school that put the desire in her heart to sew uniforms for the children and the rest are photos of the ladies holding the garments they sewed and then there are several photos of the students in their new uniforms at the beginning of the school term this year. It just puts such a smile on my face!”

Dossie informed me that Wangui, who helped to drive and translate for us while visiting Caso Upendo Academy, had felt her heart burdened for these children. Wangui has been a faithful leader of one of the Widows & Abandoned Women Ministries sewing schools located in Kenya. After our visit to Caso Upendo Academy, Wangui returned to her sewing school and worked alongside the women in her program to sew new uniforms for the children at this school who did not have them and donate them to these children.

Wangui and her team of sewing women making the uniforms for the students at Caso Upendo Academy

Your support of the Heaven’s Family Education Ministry, has made such an impact! Because of you, not only are hundreds of children able to receive an education, but the joy of giving has been shared too! You have helped to influence an entire women’s sewing school to help support and provide for these children in their own country as well.

Thank you for helping to change the lives and hearts of children AND women in Kenya through your gifts to the Education Ministry.

Rachel Reed

Director, Education Ministry