Noel Children’s Center, 5 of the oldest pictured December 26, 2009

Friends,

We hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas and can spend the next few days catching up on some rest! We would like to share with you that the children at Noel Children’s Center had a great Christmas, thanks to many of you! We were blessed to add five new children to our program this year and two of them just a couple of weeks ago. This has allowed us the opportunity this Christmas Season to share with them the love of Christ and bring some sense of structure and family to their lives. They surely are a blessing to our Kenyan staff and to us, and we are privileged to reach out to these precious ones in need of tender love, care and guidance.

Two children recently delivered into our care were victims of child trafficking. The children, both approximately two months old, were sick and dehydrated when they came to us. Of the two, the female child has improved and seems to be doing well. But sadly the little male child died last Sunday from his health issues. This was very difficult for our staff, as you can understand. We would like to ask that you keep them in your prayers.

As many of us look forward to 2010, we would like to remind those who will be considering their year end gifts to please consider helping us to finish the 3rd school building for Noel Academy. This facility must be completed by January 2011 to allow for additional classrooms as the school expands.

We also want to thank several of you for your gifts concerning running electrical lines to the Children’s Center. We are delighted to report to you that we have received the funding and God willing, we look forward to having power in the children’s home by the middle of January – amazing!!!

We would also like to mention that we still have many opportunities for individuals and groups to help in Choimim, Kenya this summer. If you desire
more information, please email your interest as soon as possible.

Thank you again for your prayers and support in making the Choimim project so successful. We wish you a very blessed, Happy New Year!

Damon, Randa and the BTV Kenya Team

Friends,

We’re excited to share with you a picture of our 3rd graduating Preschool Class of Noel Academy in Choimim, Kenya. This was a fun day of celebration (and it was all day) for the students, teachers and parents of these children. This class of 35 students has been promoted to the 1st grade and will begin their class in early January.

With the new school year just weeks away, we are working to finish the last few construction items before the children report. Additionally there have been desks and bookshelves to build, books to purchase (with special thanks to a supporter who has funded this project!), a teacher to hire, along with new cooking pots and utensils to buy to accommodate more mouths to feed! A lot of work has been done and still more to go, but truly an incredible blessing to be apart of these kids’ lives. Again, we want to thank each of these who have helped to make this all possible. Your prayers and gifts have helped the staff of BTV to impact this wonderful village community. With the start of the 3rd grade class in January, we will be hiring a full-time Chaplin whose sole focus is to minister to our children, their parents and our staff.

Please keep us in your prayers as we begin construction of the 3rd school building (you can see the foundation in the background) in the middle of January. The construction will focus on the walls and roof until funds are available to finish the building.

Concerning Noel Children’s Home, we want to thank so many of you who have helped to build buildings and beds, who have donated the much needed supplies and clothing for the children, and those who have provided sponsorships to our new arrivals. We are excited to tell you we have two new infants coming this week! Please keep us in mind this holiday season, we are currently building two new cribs for these two little blessings. With these two new children coming this week, we will have maxed out the 1st children’s home. The doors of the 2nd house will thus be opening soon, very soon.

This is a picture of me and Moses in November during recess at Noel Academy. Moses has been with us at Noel Children’s Home for only a couple of months but has made the transition to our family and the school very well!

Some have asked about Christmas gifts for the children at the Home and for the School. Here are some things for your consideration:

1. New blankets and mattress for the two new children we are receiving this week, $200.00.
2. New socks and shoes for the children at the Children’s Center, $520.00
3. A table, 10 chairs and rug for the Children’s Center, $600.00
4. Funding to run electricity to the Children’s Center, $1,500.00
5. Help with the purchase of a used van for the School and Children’s Center, $10K
6. Funding, one time gift of a commitment over 12 months to help finish our 3rd Children’s home (foundation is complete), $15,000

Thank you again for your many prayers and gifts, with the Lord’s blessing and your faithful prayers and support we have done much in the last 4 years, may it all be for His glory. May each of you have a wonderful holiday with family and friends this Christmas season as we celebrate the fulfillment of prophecy, the virgin birth of our savior, Lord and Holy God.

Merry Christmas!!

Damon, Randa, and the BTV team