I Would Like to Give You a Little Update of What Has Been Happening at Kamatungu School

Sept 2014

Dear Friends,

I would like to give you a little update of what has been happening at Kamatungu School for the Deaf, Kenya, since I left last summer. I would also like to thank everyone who has continued to support the school in prayer and giving.

As you know the school was registered by the government some time before I left. This means that the teachers and auxiliary staff are now paid by the government and some money is sent for food, as it is a boarding school. The parents are supposed to pay 1000Ks (approximately £8) per term to help with the running of the school but very few can afford to pay this amount. They also have great difficulty in finding money for uniforms, shoes, personal items etc. Therefore they have asked me to pass on their very sincere thanks to everyone who helped to provide uniforms and shoes for the children at the start of the school year in January. In the pictures you can see the teachers distributing the uniforms at assembly. The children were so excited that they put them on immediately.

The school continues to grow and has now almost seventy pupils. There are two boys’ dormitories and one girls’ dormitory. The girls’ dormitory is now full so another dormitory is required to accommodate the new intake of girls next year. The BOG along with the Reverend Patrick and the staff have been doing quite a lot of fund raising and also applying for grants from the government. The dormitory will cost about £30,000 and to date they have been able to raise about half this amount. In the picture you will see how the work is going on. I hope they will be able to put up the main structure by themselves and then we can help with the finishing---- painting, bringing electricity and water and the purchase of beds, mattresses, mosquito nets etc.

As the numbers grow so does the cost of feeding the children. Rather than just sending money for food, it was thought that a chicken project would be would be a good, ongoing means of supplementing the children’s diet. Thanks to the generosity of friends in Ireland it has been possible to put up a large chicken house.

The Rev Patrick sought advice from the Department of Livestock at Meru as such a project had not previously been undertaken in Marimanti district. With the help of the Director of Livestock 150 chickens were purchased at Meru and transported to the school. The children were taught how to look after the chicks and how to inject them etc.

I am glad to report that the chickens are all thriving and are expected to start laying in a few weeks’ time. The children are waiting excitedly for the first eggs!!

Meanwhile the Reverend Patrick continues with his ministry at the church. He has now completed his part time course at the University of Nairobi in sign language and will receive his certificate in October. This means he can now communicate much more fluently with the children and consequently help them understand much more clearly what it means to follow Christ.

In the picture we can see Lucy and Rebecca (the head girl) leading the deaf children as they sign the chorus ‘Heavenly Sunshine’ at the Sunday morning service in the church.

Please pray that these deaf boys and girls will really grow in their commitment to Christ and be a witness to their families and to the wider community.

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During the school holiday in August the Rev Patrick held a mission for the community at which he invited a converted Muslim to be the speaker. During the mission forty nine people committed their life to Christ. Below we see the Bishop of Tharaka (a mission partner from Korea) blessing those who made a commitment during the mission.

Please give thanks for the enthusiasm and dedication of the Reverend Patrick and pray that God will greatly bless his ministry at Kamatungu Chapel.

Many thanks again to you all for continuing to support this work at Kamatungu. I hope to return for a short time in August/ September next year to arrange for the transfer of the first children (seen opposite) to high school/ vocational training. The present class 7 will sit their transfer exam next year so I hope we shall be able to arrange some further study which will help them find employment in the future. On behalf of the children, their parents and the staff at Kamatungu School for the Deaf thank you so much for giving these children hope and a future.

Every blessing

Helen

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