Helping Orphans Celebrate Christmas

Christmas in Kenya is somewhat paradoxical for me every year. While our family is busy celebrating the Advent season with gingerbread houses, twinkle lights and Christmas cookies, we are also so acutely aware of the many children in our region who find themselves without basic necessities and, most heartbreaking, those without parents. 

Though I won't offer many updates about the Bemm family in this post, I will share with you a cause that has been on my heart this Christmas season as it is every year at this time. 

Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these. 

Matthew 19:14

Below are some of the ways that you may help us in assisting these orphans and needy families. 

$5 can purchase a bible

$10 will buy a pair of shoes

$50 will purchase a sack of maize to feed 30 children for a month

$100 will purchase a cow for a needy family

$200 will assist orphans to build a new home

$500 will assist an orphan to attend school for a year!

If you would like to give to any of these projects you may donate online by clicking on the link below

 The Tenwek Orphan Fund

or copying the following link into your browser 

https://www.wgm.org/tenwekorphans 

Please know that all donations made through the WGM website are completely secure. 

If you would prefer to send a check, please make checks payable to World Gospel Mission and specify "Tenwek Orphanage Project" in the memo line. All checks may be sent to 

World Gospel Mission

P.O. Box 948

Marion, IN 

46952

More than anything, please pray for the many whom we encounter daily. 

Please  pray that they would know the love God has for them.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 

1 John 4:10-11

Thank you for your support and prayers. 

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas 

and a Happy New Year,

Amy and the Bemm family

WE SERVE A GREAT GOD

These past few weeks have been some of the toughest for us in a while.  We need to remember to constantly look to Jesus for our strength.  We need to remember that WE DO SERVE A GREAT GOD.

This healthy baby boy was put into a plastic bag and thrown into the pit latrine by his mother and father. We praise God that a good samaritan was suspicious of the mother's actions and knocked down the walls of the building (they were wooden), and dove into the latrine to save this precious baby.  We are grateful that the baby has no residual health issues from his sad beginning.  We are currently working with the local police and court system for the fate of the parents.  We know that Jesus is the ultimate protector and we praise HIM for this sweet boy.

Chaplin Helen sharing the love of Christ with  F 

This desperate mother (F) came to Tenwek Hospital wanting to sell her baby girl.  After much discussion with this weeping mother we found out that she was being abused by her father and brother, both alcoholics.  She needed money to find a safe home.
We also found from the mother that she believes she is cursed by her dead ancestors.  This is a very real problem in the Kipsigis culture.  We have known many people who have taken their own lives because they feel haunted by these spirits.  We would ask that you please pray for this young lady that she would know the love of Christ fully in her life.  She is currently being held at the local police station until her court date.  We plan to follow up with her at the hospital with counseling as soon as the court decides how to proceed.

The kids: L to R: Ellie, Lydia holding baby M, Esther, David holding Shadrach, Hannah, and Abby

Little M

Baby M, was born at Tenwek Hospital to a young mother.  The family had planned since the fifth month of pregnancy to give this baby up for adoption.  Baby M stayed with our family a little over a week and she was a joy to all our hearts.  Please pray that a wonderful family who loves the Lord will adopt her into their home.  She is now at a safe baby home where she is doing great.  

We are so grateful to all of you that are praying and supporting our family here in Kenya as we journey to be the Hands and Feet of Christ as HE asks us to be.  

Orphan Update

Our Ellie on the left and C on the right

I wanted to give an update on all the children that we have had in our home recently.  They were certainly a blessing to all of us and we miss them.  Little C on the right is now staying with a good Kenyan family. She is well taken care of and is now gaining some weight and talking more.  Our little Ellie and she are about the same age and played well together.

C's mother is only 14 years old and has had a rough last few weeks. After she willingly gave up her two children, she went back to the home where she was raped. The father of the children threatened her to give him the money she earned from the sale of the children.  He thought she sold the children to the "white people".  He just recently was released from jail for beating up his own parents.  Two weeks after his release he attacked his father again with a panga (machete) to the face! He is back in jail again.  We have offered to assist the mother with training in sewing.  She has refused any help from us.  Please pray  that she would seek the Lord with all her heart. That she would accept assistance for her future.

Caretaker, Claire, Lydia holding baby K. Chep in front

Baby K and Chep both went to separate children's homes about three hours away from Tenwek.  Lydia and Claire took good care of K while he was in our home and they sure miss him.  He is thriving and growing.  We pray that he is placed in a loving family soon.
Chep has had a difficult time adjusting to living in a children's home.  She continues to ask for her mother.  Just today her mother came to our home again.  When I asked her what she needed, she responded by telling me that she was ready to sign the final papers to give her child away.  I could not help but tear up that someone would so easily give their child up.  Please pray for this mother that she would know the Love of Christ.  This was difficult since Chep is about the same age as our Hannah. I can't imagine what this little girl is thinking after four years with her mother, and now she is no longer with her but in a home with many other children.  I pray that Chep would be adopted into a family soon.

Little P

Little P was abandoned in a near by town.  The police brought him to Tenwek during the night.  We often wonder what goes through a mother's mind and heart when they just leave their babies.  This mother wrapped P in all the clothes he had and even packed a little bag for him with a few more blankets.  She then left him by a church.  Often these mothers are going through abuse from the father or even their own family, forcing them to give up their child.  Little P was abandoned a day before the schools opened so we also thought this was a young mother wanting to return to school and not knowing how to care for her child and attend school at the same time.  We were blessed to have him in our home for a few days before he was admitted into a children's home.  Pray that little P would be adopted soon by a loving family.

Please continue to pray for these children and all the children that we are not even made aware of that are abandoned each day due to dire circumstances.

Yes!! The Bemm Family has a Blog!

From left to right in the back Amy, Abby (14), Chuck holding Esther (13 months), David (13) holding Elizabeth (16 months),  In Front Lydia (11), holding Shadrach (22 months), Hannah (4)

I know you all are as completely surprised as we are!!!  We are trying this blog thing out to try to keep up with those who we care about!  Another thing you all might be thinking at this point is.....weren't the Bemms a family of 6???  Well were WERE a family of 6 now we are a family of 9!  Please pray with us as we go through all the adoption proceedings for Shadrach, Elizabeth, and Esther.  We know that the Lord has placed them in our family at just the right time.  While our house is a little crazy and loud we are enjoying every minute of it.

We can't believe that we have been back in Kenya now for almost 2 years! Our children are so happy that they don't need to wear shoes anywhere! That includes Lydia forgetting to put her shoes on to go to the village! I guess she just fit right in!
To catch everyone up on our children:
Abby, now 14 and in 8th grade, still loves to read, her favorite hobby is to climb trees, very high trees. She and her friend Joel stop talking when I Amy walk by.  They don't know that I hear them shushhhhing each other! They don't want me to see how high they actually are.

Joel, Abby, David, Kayla, Peter 

David, almost 13 and in 8th grade, is growing so fast we think he grows overnight! He is a very active boy.  When he is not doing school work he is playing rugby or football (soccer) or just bothering all his sisters! We love having him around the house to brighten our day with his sense of humor.  We still need to convince him to change messy diapers.

Lydia at the AGC Baby Center doing what she does best!

Lydia, now 11 has more energy than a gazelle! She just recently had her tonsils and adnoids removed.  When the Doctor prayed with her before surgery he asked that she have more energy after the surgery! Chuck and I both simultaneously said "please be careful of what you pray for!" Lydia is our prayer warrior she always remembers the sick kids that Chuck is working with in the hospital. She prays for and frequently gives her things to those who have a need.  We look forward to see what God has planned for  her.

Hannah, now 4 is a gazelle! We her parents are trying to figure out some track program for her. She is such a delight to have around.  We frequently can't find her, she is outside playing with friends and getting into mud or picking loquats and eating them.  We often find treasures in her pockets from outside. She is starting Kindergarten this year and is so excited about it.  She has funny quotes that we all laugh at, such as when Amy had to attend a AGC Baby Center meeting, she said to our friend, " see, I told you we were getting two more babies!" this of course is after we already had the three in our home.  She thinks now every time we go to the Baby Center we are picking up more sisters and brothers for her.

Hannah with a tail!

Shadrach, almost 2 is a busy boy around the house.  We don't know his exact birthdate so we asked David to choose a date in late September! He chose September 20th.  Shadrach came to us as a toddler who had been at the baby center for about a year.  We are not sure of his exact history before he was admitted to the baby center other than he was neglected by his caregiver and had rickets when he arrived.  He is mommy's little helper, he brings me my shoes, and makes sure that we turn the lights out when we leave the room. He makes us laugh when he tries to explain something to us in his jibberish language.  We are working on his speech which is delayed but coming up quickly.

Shadrach

Elizabeth (Ellie), now 17 months old is a riot!!!! She has quite a personality! Again not knowing her exact birthdate we chose March 22, the same birthday as her Auntie Tina.  She was abandoned somewhere between 3 and 6 weeks old so we guessed at her age! When we first met Ellie at the baby center she was a quiet child. We can't say that now! We figure she will be the leader of their gang of 3 and make sure that after they get in trouble she is not held responsible! We are constantly laughing at her facial expressions and funny antics.  She loves to dance and be spoiled by big brother David. 

Ellie at the beach or should we say wearing the beach!

Esther, 13 months is our quiet one!! Although loves to be held at anytime and anywhere! She arrived at the AGC Baby Center day 2 of life, after being found by some school students on their walk to school. Her birthday is June 21st. She is now learning to walk and trying to talk some.  She has the nickname Anne of Green Gables since she cries like she is "in the depths of despair" Everyone loves her fluffy black hair and often it gets pulled by her sister and brother!! We are all waiting for her to finally get back at them for picking on her! Lydia has taught her to do the chicken dance of all things.  It is funny to watch her wiggle when Lydia sings!

Esther with her great smile

Continuing Story of the Lost Ones.

Two young desperate mothers in need of prayer

I did not want to show the mother's faces to protect their privacy.

Thank you all for praying for these mothers and their children.  We met with both mother's and the authorities on Thursday...which was a very long meeting.  Please continue to pray for them as they need to know how much Jesus cares for them.  The mother on the right signed papers to give up her four year old for adoption. As many times as we offered her other options.  A house, a job, land.....she denied all of them and continued to state that she did not want her child.  My heart was torn apart when she walked away from my house leaving her four year old daughter behind.
The mother on the left, who came with her Uncle and older sister to discuss the future of herself and her children.  After many difficult discussions and choices, the Uncle wanted to go home and consult with the rest of the family (this is typical Kipsigis culture) about giving the children up for adoption.  So the Bemm family is still a family of 11 and we will wait the decision of the mother and family.  We are seeing that C the twenty month old is fitting in nicely with all of our other toddlers.  The baby now two weeks old, is being spoiled by all of our older children.  Thank you so much for all your prayers.

Harvesting Maize!!

Chuck and I have been praying for years that the orphanages that we work with would be able to plant their own crops and have food to harvest.  Well our prayers were answered last year when we were able to lease 13 Acres of land to divide between Umoja Children's Home, Kenduiwa Children's Home, and Bosto Children's Home. When weighing the cost of continuing to purchase maize for each home and planting our own it was hands down cheaper that we plant our own.  While the drought and the hail storm did not help the crop any we were able to harvest more than 50 bags of maize.
  I, Amy enjoyed the physical work and staying there all day working beside good Kenyan friends and other missionaries who volunteered to help.  

Peter Rono sharing stories with orphans from Umoja.

Throwing the maize into piles to be collected in bags

The women thought it was funny that I wanted to help carry the maize.  They gave me only a small bag!!!  When one from the States thinks of harvesting maize they think....tractors....well here we think hands.  The corn is not in pretty little rows and the ground is not flat.  In fact the hardest part was walking around and trying not to fall into a hole or trip and fall on your face.  We were grateful for the amount of children from Umoja and Kenduiwo Children's Homes who came and helped to harvest.

From the piles to the bags to the backs

RESULTS!!!!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!

                  
As I looked over the corn, I could not help but think.  Which one am I like??  The full piece of corn, giving my all to the Lord in every circumstance?  Or am I like the one with very little fruit on it? I pray that in every situation, everyday that I would be giving my all to the Lord, and not like the scrawny little one, not showing the fruit of the Lord.   Please help us to pray for every situation that we are in that we would represent Christ to those around us.  Especially pray for those who are needy that appear at our door daily.  We can often become frustrated with their situations. Pray that we would show them love and compassion.

Pray also for the next crop of BEANS that it would produce an abundance of food for the orphans.

Pray for the young ones.

Back- Abby and David

Front-Shadrach, Ellie, Esther, Lydia with K on her lap, Hannah and C.

Please pray with us as we care for two orphans in our home. We have had a difficult weekend emotionally at the Bemm home. On Saturday we had a fourteen year old mother drop off her two children K(5 days old), and C(20 months old).  She does not feel she can care for them any longer. We are working with the authorities to ensure a safe place for the to go.  Then on Monday we brought another newborn baby home from the nursery, his mother abandoned him while they were in the maternity ward. We are thankful for another missionary family that offered to care for him.  Then if that was not enough emotionally.  Monday morning we had a nineteen year old girl come to our house.  She wants to give up her four year old daughter for adoption. Although we are grateful that we can be a safe home for these children we are deeply saddened by these events.  We are grateful for a loving God who has watched over these children thus far. Please pray for missionary partners in Nairobi who were waiting to care for another newborn girl. The baby was thrown into a pit latrine after being born.  The baby went to be with Jesus just a few days after she arrived on this earth.   Please pray with us for these young women who believe that they can no longer care for their young ones.  Please pray that they would know how much our loving God cares for them, they are just children themselves.

Shadrach welcoming another boy to the home!