Category: Empowering Lives
May 9, 2012 by dianahom
We can’t thank you enough for sponsoring our children and for increasing your giving. We had positive responses to the need to increase sponsorship fees to care for our children in both Children’s Homes. In Ilula, 84% of sponsors increased their giving and 78% in Kipkaren. What a tremendous act of sacrifice and love. Thank you!
With your sponsorship, we can continue to give these precious children an opportunity to live their lives with a hope and a future.
The children and our staff in Africa want to express their gratitude towards you in a special video.
Questions or comments? sponsorships@empoweringlives.org
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May 8, 2012 by Micah
This May 13th is Mother’s Day and a special time to share with her your care and appreciation. We would like to provide an opportunity that will not only encourage your mom but will also help a needy mother in Africa receive the skills and encouragement that she needs to be able to provide for her family. Countless mothers in Africa have every intention and a deep desire to provide for their children. Poverty and lack of knowledge squelches opportunity and the family suffers due to lack of food, school fees, and other basic necessities for life.
You can bypass the same usual gifts this Mother’s Day and give her something that is life changing for a family in need. For $30 We are able to provide a mother in Africa with the opportunity to participate in a special SKILLS FOR LIFE training session.
Here sessions in agriculture and business are combined with motivation and encouragement to help a needy mom put her family on a whole new course for the better. It’s meaningful – takes only a few minutes – AND we will send you an e-card you can print and pass onto your mother – letting her know that you have chosen to honor her in this unique way – by helping change the course of a family in need.
CLICK HERE to send your gift(s) and we will email you a card to print and give to that special woman in your life
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April 30, 2012 by Katie
It is a well-known fact that ELI could not operate as effectively or as vibrantly without the help, care and love of our amazing volunteers! Over the years we have had the most incredible people step in at crucial times and fill a special place at ELI. From mailing letters, to cutting sponsorship packets, to data entry, to video making, our volunteers have blessed us immensely.
This Sunday we held a special lunch to celebrate our volunteers. (more…)
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April 27, 2012 by dianahom
Mrs. Mushengenzi Zihalirwa with her second grade students
We asked our second grade teacher, Mrs. Mushengenzi Zihalirwa, from our school in DR Congo why she likes teaching at ELI’s School. Here are some of the things she said:
ELI gives the poorest of the poor children an opportunity to study.
We provide both intellectual and spiritual education
We hope that children and their families will know the love of God
Our school gives hope to the children, especially since the children come from poor backgrounds and many of their parents would not be able to pay for their school fees.
An education will help children be able to contribute to society in a useful way.
As teachers we receive training and attend regular seminars to ensure good quality education with results in the success of our children.
Our teaching methods create positive interaction between students and teachers which encourages students to participate in the lessons.
By providing food (porridge), ELI helps reinforce active participate of students during class because they are not tired.
We provide a good spiritual environment which is not only present in our school, but impacts the community and neighborhood; this makes parents want to send children to our school.
Thank you to everyone who is supporting our school!
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April 20, 2012 by dianahom
Jacob’s blood count is still low. He received a blood transfusion on Wednesday but still needs another, however, the hospital did not have the correct blood needed for the transfusion. The doctors are not completely sure what is causing Jacob’s nose bleeds and anemic blood. They are thinking about doing another bone marrow test. Please continue to keep Jacob in your prayers and for insight into what is causing this sickness in his body.
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April 19, 2012 by dianahom
Thank you to everyone who has been praying for our school in South Sudan and for our students. Our school is still temporarily closed during the time of disarmament in South Sudan, but, our 8th grade students continued to prepare for mock final exams that took place March 29-30th. These mock exams were in preparation for the final exams they will take in order to graduate from the 8th grade. Our 8th grade class consists of 17 students and all of them passed these mock exams! Please pray for them as they continue to prepare for their actual final examinations. Please also keep South Sudan in your prayers as they build the new country and avoid an internal war.
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April 18, 2012 by dianahom
Hello ELI Family!
Thank you for all your prayers for Jacob in our Kipkaren Children’s Home. Please continue to pray for him. He is back in the hospital in Eldoret after experiencing profuse bleeding from his nose. After consulting the staff in the clinic it was decided he needed to return to the hospital in town. Blood tests showed that his blood count numbers are dropping again. We are not sure if the recent set back is a result of having malaria. Please pray for healing for Jacob and for doctors as they work to determine the cause of Jacob’s low blood count. Please pray that Jacob would remain at peace despite his physical struggles.
Thank you!
CLICK HERE for the previous prayer update
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April 13, 2012 by dianahom
Hi ELI family. We would love your prayers for one of the boys in our Kipkaren Children’s Home. Jacob Ayieko has recently been diagnosed with a very serious anemia. About three weeks ago he was taken to the emergency room because he was very sick. At one point they thought that it was a very rare type of anemia that could become life-threatening. However he has been able to see a hematologist (blood specialist) who does not believe that that is the case. Until recently he was sent home to rest.
On April 11th we received another update that Jacob went to the clinic with lots of headaches and high fever; he was also having trouble seeing. They tested him for malaria and it was positive. He was also positive for malaria when he was in the hospital a short while ago. We think his immune system is just so low that he is catching everything. They are giving him an IV drip and he is resting at the clinic. Please pray for his strength to improve. Evidently his blood count is improving but he is just so sick.
We would appreciate prayers for his physical and emotional strength and healing. We will keep you posted.
Thank you for partnering with us in prayer for Jacob!
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April 10, 2012 by dianahom
We received a request from our ELI South Sudan Director to join him and the people of South Sudan in prayer. The South Sudan army has taken measures to disarm villages of any guns. To protect the children from any potential harm if a fight breaks out during the confiscation of the guns, schools across the country have closed. They don’t want any children to be around or in school while this process takes place.
Normally our school takes a month holiday in May and again in August, however, to accommodate the current situation of disarmament of villages, the children will have a holiday this month (April) so that the normal academic year can be kept on track.
Please join us in prayer for the following:
- Peace for the nation. Wisdom for the New South Sudan leadership so as to avoid a return to war (this time an internal war).
- Conviction of rebels, that they will be saved and transformed by the grace of God.
- For protection over our school children (some conflicting tribe bandits sometimes move in quickly to steal children and cows)
- Protection for our school compounds and structures (safe from any military control or physical damage).
- Protection from emotional trauma for the villagers and children.
- For the Christian Church to grow in vitality in the midst of and in spite of this situation and threat.
Thank you friends for caring and for remembering a people who have undergone more than we can imagine.
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March 29, 2012 by Cathy
It takes teamwork to complete this kind of task!
Recently the ELI Kipkaren staff gathered for a team building event. Part of the morning was spent solving some ‘puzzles’ to demonstrate how effective we can be when we communicate well, think creatively,rely on each other, and work together. Amidst the chuckles and cheers we concretely experienced the value each one of us has in completing our collective goal. We concluded our time together with a meeting under the sycamore tree to listen to some talks from our directors. We learned the value of being part of a T.E.A.M. – Together Everyone Achieves More Success. It was a time of inspiration, refocusing, and fun!
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