Progress and Growth

We have the blessing and challenge of inheriting a building project here.  Tenwek has been in desperate need of housing for years now.  No new housing for long term staff has been built in over ten years, even though more and more families are responding to the call to serve those in need.  

Before we got here, plans had been drawn up and money had been raised for a new house to be built for a family that has been here for almost 20 years - very dear friends of ours that we lived next to our first time at Tenwek. Their plan was to make room for new families without them having to raise money for housing their first time here.  Sadly for us, our friends have changed direction and are now moving back to the US for some exciting things with global missions.  The day after we pulled into town, our suitcases still packed, they told us the bittersweet news that they were leaving.  They also asked us if we would take over the project that had already been in play for many months.  

If you know us well, you know that buying a ready to move into house for us in NY was not an easy task.  But to manage a building project in another country, well, that's another whole thing.  We prayerfully agreed.  It's off the main campus, but it's near the river, which for us is heaven. 

​Since then, there has been a push to build more housing for the families that are ready to come but have no place to stay.  Mike has agreed to oversee the next building project for another family that is ready to build once this first one is complete.  It is a pretty involved process, but we are so grateful that things are moving ahead so the staffing here will improve.

In that light, we have decided with our Tenwek family to not keep this gift to ourselves. Instead of spending all of the money raised by our friends on a home for just us - what if we could use that money as a fund to match gifts for us and two other families to come and serve here? And the hospital has gotten behind the project as well, donating staff and equipment to reduce the cost of each house. 

So our family goal is to raise $50,000 - which will be doubled by the prior funds. That includes road access and utility costs - to be split between each of the three houses. We need to bring a new water line, septic/sewer line and electricity to this new area of campus by the river along with a road, large retaining wall and security fencing. $15,000 has already been generously given!

Would you like to help us expand the housing at Tenwek?  

​What a difference this will make for the community here.  It has been discouraging to have to turn people down for coming to serve due to housing issues, especially when there is such a need at the hospital.  If you are interested, click here to donate and thank you in advance for helping the housing and staffing issues here at Tenwek.