I haven't written for a while, I thought I would wait until all the results were in. As for the maize farming, it was a tough year for us. We had 170 acres in maize and we harvested a total of 1250 bags. We projected between 3000-4000 bags of maize.  I sent pictures a number of times showing that we received above normal rainfall. Usually starting in the month of November the rain subsides, however it rained all the way to January. Fredrick, our administrator, worked tirelessly to harvest the maize so we wouldn't have a total loss. We purchased a truck to haul the maize from the fields, to the schools and to sale. The end result is that we own a truck but with little profit. That truck has now become a small business, employing two people and hauling all kinds of products to different cities in Kenya. So not all was lost!  Cars and trucks are very expensive in Africa because everything has to be imported and a heavy duty tax must be paid. The truck cost $18,500 U.S. dollars and we have put in almost $5,000 in repairs because of how old it is. For example, I also purchased a small 2002 Toyota truck (for personal use) for $15,000 U.S. dollars and have put in almost $3,000 in repairs. This is Africa at it's best, and this comes with the territory of working in a 3rd world country. The small Toyota truck would cost $45,000 U.S. dollars new, and I don't even know what the maize hauling truck would cost new.

 

I shared with you that we would do a number of projects for the boys home and local village and to my amazement we have accomplished all of them in a short amount of time. We were given 3 challenges: 1) The water project for the Kipsina village. 2) The boys home dormitory. 3) Electricity for the boy's home.  By the time I return in April, all will be accomplished!!!!  What a great blessing!  Jim Perdue from Flagstaff, Arizona who is a roofing contractor, has a passion to help orphans and widows and called me wanting to go to Kitale and build the boys home.  We partnered together and for the last month, he has put up all the walls and worked on interior of the home, now almost completed.

 

I would like to share with you about future projects that have challenged my heart, for this coming year. The 14 boys that we care for in the Kitale Orphanage have needs.  We should make it a yearly task to clothe them and purchase shoes along with other essentials.  The children need dental work, immunizations, check-ups, and school supplies.  We need a steady flow of income per month to accomplish that, with money in reserve for the yearly services. If you would like to donate for that sole purpose, please note it on your giving and it will be put aside for that objective.  Please remember, 100% of your donation goes directly to these projects. 

 

The next challenge is a large one, which I believe is very important to the lives of the Africans. I posted a blog on Facebook of Fredrick's desire to help the village Ouya, where he was born.  I will not repeat the story about how important CLEAN WATER is to a human life, so please just read the blog on Facebook. The challenge is a water well that will service the whole village of 5,000 people. We have also worked with Foundation Stone Orphanage in Bondo, Kenya for the last 5 years which houses  40 orphaned children.  We have poured concrete and helped build 5 different dorms, in addition with many other projects. The challenge now is the cost of drilling two wells, with pumps and storage.  Between Fredrick's village and the Bondo orphanage, these wells will total $30,000 U.S. dollars.  The Love Mercy Organization has a drilling rig and will do this at their cost and without any profit.  I want you to pray about the need and believe with me that we could accomplish this with other projects as well. I would like to thank you for your faithfulness and your generosity!  I'm looking forward with great expectations of hope and blessing for this coming year. Lani and I should be going back to Africa in April!

 

God Bless

Coney