Benjamin's New Preschool

It's been a couple of weeks since my last post but a few recent updates that I wanted to share.

On Saturday, we had our 1st homestudy visit. We were all very excited to get the next steps put into motion.
The adoption investigater was very kind and helpful in leading us in the right direction. Brett, Melia, and I will be headed to the police station in the morning for our mandatory finger printing! Melia was really excited to have her prints filed with the federal government! Once, our second visit has concluded and the reports have been finalized we will be filing for pre-adoption approval (I-600A) with the United States. We hope that the remaining paperwork will continue to go smoothly and that we will be able to forward all the necessary documents from the US to the Kenyan courts and receive final adoption papers on schedule.

In the meantime, it has been our prayer to help fund a pre-school and a well to be drilled on site at the new church. With much joy, monies have been donated to help with the initial start-up costs and to help build a kitchen where we will facilitate a feeding program for the 50 children who will attend the school daily. We are in need of raising a monthly operational overhead of 400.00 a month. This will help employ a fulltime teacher and cook at the church. A one time donation has been given toward the drilling of the well, and we continue to need an additional 3500.00 to complete this project. This well will provide clean drinking water for eveyone in the village and surrounding villages. It's amazing how such little funds for us as Americans can be life-changing for an entire village. If you feel connected to this story, and project, and would like to contribute please send your charitable donations to House of Freedom at 1721 Ashwood Drive SW, Altoona, IA 50009. All donations are tax deductable. We appreciate your contributions and prayers as we continue on this journey.



I look forward to passing on more information regarding the pre-school and well!

Thank you for sharing in this great commission,

Jennifer

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A Phone Call with Benjamin!

Saturday morning at 8:30am we had set-up a conference call with Benjamin. The gentleman assisting with the adoption would help translate. We were so excited just to hear his voice, even if he didn't say much or anything we could understand! My husband answered the phone when it rang, Joshua was on the line and said that Benjamin was as well. Brett greeted Benjamin and mostly heard laughing and a restless 3 year old in the background. Joshua told Brett that Benjamin had been asking for "momma". Brett smiled and then asked me to get on the phone. I said "hello Benjamin this is momma". With the phone on speaker we all heard in this sweet high voice "MOMMA" with excitement! Then repeatedly he said "hi, hi, hi"! So exciting, my heart just jumped. I was told that he colors everyday with the crayons and book that we sent and that his blanket is always with him. Following the call, Joshua informed us that he had began carrying our photo with him as well. What a great day! We hope to be able to talk to him every couple of weeks until he comes home!

At the church in Benjamin's village we have been discussing launching a preschool for the entire village. The preschool would accomodate 50 children 5 days a week and also provide them a hot meal before they go home. We had received information that the start-up costs would be 300.00 and the ongoing operational expense for the teacher, books, and a cook would be 400.00 a month. This weekend, at our church, the start-up costs and operational expenses for one month were donated. We continue to look for monthly sponsors of this preschool and are excited for the first classes to begin in about a week. If you would like to make a contribution to this project please log on to http://www.fomministry.com/ . All donations are a tax credit. Below is a photo of the new church building and home of the preschool.

I look forward to keeping you posted on the preschool and Benjamin's adoption journey!