As usual it’s hard to believe that the month has almost finished. Everyone of us has had a busy month and in general terms it has been very successful. A highlight for the whole of Eburru is the rains that have been long waited for. It has been very dry and the rains are here with us. This is the planting season and everybody is busy planting. At the Camp Brethren land, we are planting potatoes. This is part of the crop that we intend to use in our feeding program in the late months of the second semester. We pray that the rains continue and the crop does well.

Camp Brethren Medical Centre – it has been a very blessed month for the clinic. We thank God for Justus the new prescription nurse who has joined us. His being here full time has seen an increase in the numbers of patients. Also now the clinic has started operation both day and night. The maternity has recorded an increase of children being born due to Justus being here since most deliveries happen at night. We thank God for David’s Hope International’s monetary support that have seen the maternity equipped with the necessary beds and beddings. This has had a great impact for the mothers. So far due to the unique situation of the Eburru community some mothers do not attend clinic during pregnancy and end up in the clinic at the time of delivery when they sense complications. Last month and this month we have seen 8 deliveries and 3 referrals to a major hospital and all of them ended up in surgery. One of the women told George, our other nurse in the clinic, ” I now know why in the past women died unnecessarily while delivering at home.” It is encouraging to know that the clinic has served to save lives. We also thank God for Anjanette Flemming from David’s Hope and the supplies for baby clothing. This has been a great gift for babies born at the health centre.

Camp Brethren Christian School – The school has seen great improvement. All the teachers have been working very hard to train the kids both academically and spiritually through the chapel hour. We want to praise God for Jonathan, the school manager, and the work he is doing to manage most of the school’s activities. In the last few months he has been following the registration of the school with the ministry of Education. We already got the provisional certificate of registration for Camp Brethren Christian School. This is supposed to go for 18 months before the full registration is requested.

Camp Brethren Feeding Program – Thank God for Rachael and the assistant cook who have been faithfully preparing meals for the feeding program. We need to specifically praise God for food that we have been growing in the farms. They have been a great boost for the sustenance of the feeding program. The commodity prices have skyrocketed due to high fuel prices and we have been able to sustain the student’s feedings through the farm produce. As of now, one cow have given birth to a female calf. The cow is producing an average of 10 liters of milk per day. Some of the milk is being used in the feeding program. We are hoping for the best even when economists are warning Kenyans to prepare for a very tough future.

Ongoing projects:

• The kitchen extension project has been completed this month.
• Textbooks for all subjects have been purchased so there are 3 kids per book.
• 3 fuel saving stoves have been built and installed. The bakery oven is also built with a capacity to bake 70 breads.
• Tables and benches together with bunk beds for the Dining hall and the dormitories have been ordered to be built by the Naivasha technical college. The work is underway.
• Drilling of a steam well has began. The construction of a 35 feet diameter reservoir tank is also underway.

Church News – We want to praise God for the Jerusalem church. It is now 3 months old and God has brought many people who are joining and also getting saved. The number has increased to 53 adults and many children. We covet prayers for the growth of this church.

Family news – Mary has been keeping busy in the hospital at Kijabe operating room. She had an amazing month with a bit of relief from much of Eburru duties due to the presence of Justus, the new prescription nurse. Her highlight this month was when she went to Dubai (United Arab Emirates) for a medical conference with her work. She stayed at the Novotel resort which served as a holiday trip as well. Breathtaking! She says and hopes one day to return with the whole family.

God bless,
Steve