Two months ago, I went to officiate the grand opening of a bridge in Kimondo Village, Kitale-Kenya that we had just completed made possible by donations from people like you. This bridge not only created a way across a river, cutting down the time to cross the river by literally hours, but it also proved to be the ideal time to provide an area mother of 7 something she has needed her whole life.
Carolyne was born without any legs and, for her whole life until this past January, she had to get everywhere by moving around on her bottom and using her hands to push her across the dirt and paths she traversed.
At the grand opening on Jan. 17, 2011, of the bridge, she was presented with a hand-cranked wheelchair made possible with a $150 donation from a sponsor. A smile that had never been seen before on her face came out of hiding on that day.
She can now not only go across the bridge with a lot more ease (she christened the bridge by being the first one across) but she can now get groceries visit friend, go to church and take her children to school and more.
During the past year, Fishers of Men took in her 6 school-aged children
and, thanks to sponsors, they are able to go to stay at FOM’s orphanage and attend school at the Kimondo Victory Academy (FOM’s school) as well.
Caroline knows how to sew so we trusting God to provide her with sewing machine so she can make her own money.
The bridge not only makes it easier for Caroline but its creation has opened the eyes of the area villagers to what we are doing and the love of Christ we were able to make more tangible.
Prior to the new bridge’s creation, villagers and the area children had to walk 5 miles to get to the next closest bridge. Across the bridge is a market, the ministry’s farm and where some of the kids that go to the ministry’s school (grades 1-8) live. When rains came, for there are two rainy seasons in Kenya, the river would rise and make it hard to impossible for area villagers to cross to the market, school and more. Now, that problem has been greatly remedied. A walk that would take a couple of hours now takes about 15 minutes.
This is just one of the things we are doing to help the communities and the children in Kenya. You can be part of what God is doing in Kenya today!
