TODAY WAS INCREDIBLE!  I worked in VBS Madoya.  We played soccer, made beaded bracelets and ate vanilla wafers with the kiddos.  After VBS we all went outside and sang, played and danced.  Ernie, Kaylie W,  Kaylynn, and Cassie all busted some serious moves with the kids.  Back at Kiamaiko, we all got to meet our sponsor children and their parents.  I cannot even put to words how that felt. My little boy is Ibrahim.  Before I met him, I felt like I was going on a date.  I was so nervous!  When I finally saw him, my heart stopped and everything else got kind of quiet.  He was so quiet and didn’t say hardly anything, but it was so amazing!  We then went for bring the light.  I was with Brent, Brooke and our social worker, Vitalis.  We were stopped by a 90-year-old woman, Mary’s, shanti. We had barely stepped through the threshold when she smiled brightly asking us to come closer.  She did not stop smiling the whole time we were there!  Her eyes had turned blue from cataracts and I’m not sure if she could walk.  We were there to bless her and did pray over her, however, she blessed us so much!  She kept thanking us and blessing us and saying that we are always welcome in her home. I am so honored to be on this team.  The kids, Mary and so many other stories have impacted our lives, and we are only half way through this journey.

 Lots of Love,
Mallory

Joshua 1:9

I was so excited when I woke up this morning: I was going to do VBS at Madoya! Having been last year and seeing Kiamaiko again yesterday, I was excited to see a school I didn’t get to see last year. Madoya was incredible; the kids there are amazing. The school is a little more sophisticated than Kiamaiko and it was so cool to hear the kids understand the memory verse and repeat it back to us. We went back to Kiamaiko to join the other half of the group after VBS to do bring the light, but before we went out for bring the light we got to see the kids we sponsor. I got to see Perris, the little girl my family sponsors. She’s so beautiful. Last year she didn’t say anything and barely smiled. This year she spoke a little English, but she smiled more. In every picture we have of her she has a thumbs up! She loved everything we gave her. When the teacher was asking her about her presents she asked Perris what she was going to name the teddy bear we got her. Perris responded, “Ashley.” Tears flooded my eyes as I was over swept with emotion. I loved that time with her; she is so precious.  I am so blessed to be returning to Kenya and to be seeing all the kids again and familiar faces. God is moving so much through the work of CMF and the schools. I love seeing how much we are impacting the slums of Nairobi. Bwana Asafiwe!

Ashley Vargas
Psalm 27:1

Today was our second day of VBS in Kaimaiko.  Our team played soccer with the kids and it was a blast.  These kids get so excited when they see the “Futbol”.  They couldn’t contain themselves.  I just love seeing these little eyes light up as they kicked the ball back and forth with each other.  They are so well behaved and they are just so humble.  I am really thankful for having the opportunity to share this time with these kids. But the most exciting part of the day was seeing Anthony, our child we sponsored over a year ago.  He is a sweet, shy, and happy little man.  We met him for the first time yesterday and he was extremely shy.  But today he was all smiles and waves.  We had some time to give him a few things like a Toy Story shirt, a pair of shorts, a race car, a stuffed animal, a ball and a few other small toys.  He couldn’t put his new shirt and shorts on fast enough.  It blessed my heart to see Anthony, a boy we only knew from a picture and a few letters. Now to meet him in person is God’s miracle. I just want to say that this experience so far has been filled with so many emotions.  Words cannot even begin to describe the conditions these people live in.  It breaks my heart and makes me angry all at the same time to see that humans actually live like this.  Let me assure you, we have nothing – and I mean nothing – to complain about.  I pray that God will continue to work in these teachers at Kaimaiko.  These people are such an amazing blessing to teach and love on these kids.  I am so thankful for how God has worked at this school.  I want to encourage every person to sponsor a child through CMF.  You cannot even believe that $35 a month gives new life to a child. Sure you hear the stories and wonder if the money is actually going to the child. Let me assure you I have seen it with my own eyes, it absolutely does.  These children would literally be on the streets and most probably wouldn’t have food, an education, or even know Christ.  I thank God for this organization and the people who have shown the Love of Christ to these children.  I also want thank God for my children Daniel, Noah, Allye & Logan. 

Please continue to pray for our missionary journey as we continue to share the Love of Christ to those that desperately need it. 

With love,
Brian Duarte
Jeremiah 29:11