Jackton Wekesa, of Covenant Kids Home, knows the secret is in the clothes a man wears….

We spent the first part of the morning today at Covenant Kids Home, an orphanage we’ve assisted for several years through our Orphan’s Tear division. We’ve faced some challenges over the past year due to trust issues with the directors of that orphanage, but we’ve been hanging in there for the sake of the children while we try to work things out. I generally try to hide all the headaches that we face in the ministry of Heaven’s Family, knowing that you probably have enough headaches of your own. But we do face challenges that sometimes tempt us to throw in the towel.

I took portraits of all the children for their sponsors and future sponsors, while Becky handed out candy canes and stuffed animals. It was nice to see many familiar little faces, and to see how the kids had grown since I last visited them three years ago.

Linet Amondi

Tony Otieno

With my old pal, George Otieno, whom I held three years ago while my son, Stephen, filmed us for video that we made for Orphan’s Tear. George has a great smile. Photos like this one always make me think that white skin is ugly.

In the afternoon, Becky and I again visited house churches planted by HF-sponsored national missionary Erick Situmah. In fact, we visited seven of them during their Sunday gatherings—all of which are in a slum area outside of Kitale. I don’t think it is possible to imagine the living conditions unless you see it for yourself. As I sat in the tiny, single-room mud huts crowded with lovers of Jesus who were very poor, I kept wondering how I could possibly describe it to someone in my home country.

Below are two photos that show the outside and inside of one of those homes while a church gathering was in progress. This particular home was not inside the crowded slum area, but very nearby:

Later in the day, Becky met with seven widows who were featured in our February magazine. They’ve joined together in business to store and sell corn with a grant from our Widows & Abandoned Women Fund. Most were won to the Lord through Erick’s ministry. Tragically, one of the youngest widows in that group, Dorcas, died last month after our article was already published. The surviving widows have agreed to make sure that Dorcas’ children receive her profits when they sell their corn in March. Here’s their photo:

In the evening, we caught our flight back to Nairobi, ready to leave tomorrow morning for Tanzania. Thanks for your prayers — David