Our Sustainable Skills Program includes teaching our residents skills for living and for working.

The girls help the staff with meals and cleaning, learning side-by-side. It our desire for the home to operate much like a family.

We are so excited that sewing lessons have begun. We own four sewing machines and a local seamstress is teaching several hours a day for the next month. 

The girls were eager to get started:

and very fast learners:

Gloria, our Social Worker is over our Skills Program and Annette, Housemother, were also apt students. 

Once basic sewing skills are mastered, simple patterns will be taught to produce items in beautiful Kenyan fabrics: stylish handbags, scarves, little girls skirts and more! 

Dirt walls, with gaping holes are common in the slum. This is the home of one of the pregnant girls that was interviewed this week to become a resident of *Rehema House. [We are trying to obtain parental consent].

The staff spent the entire week visiting different slums within Nairobi, sharing the vision of the maternity home with churches, schools and clinics within the slum. 

Several girls were referred and home visits conducted. Wary neighbors and families, listened as the staff explained and asked questions. Choosing the most at-risk girls is not an easy task. 

This isn't a cut and dry ministry. So many terrible stories of abuse and rape and desperation and bad decisions...tense family circumstances...

Please pray that God will lead us to the girls that are waiting and praying for help. Pray for wisdom and discernment as the staff and board make decisions in the next few weeks and months.

*Swahili word for mercy

Our dear Executive Director, Maureen, is grieving the loss of her only sister and nephew. Please pray for her and ask God to comfort her during this devastating time.

After months and months of prayers and planning, 8 applicants were interviewed for the Housemother role and Social Worker, both full time jobs.

The Social Worker will oversee (under the direction of Maureen, the Exec. Director) the maternity home programs (Sustainable Skills, Education, Counseling, Outreach, Graduate program, etc). She will also play a crucial role with the help of the Board of Directors in determining which girls in need are admitted in the program.

We are so happy to announce that Gloria, a Compassion International Leadership Development Graduate, and new college graduate will be in this role. She is single, comes from one of Nairobi's slums, rescued from poverty and now lending a hand to her family. She has recently been a school teacher, but made very little money. She will double her modest salary working at the maternity home. We are so happy to have her. (picture coming soon)

The Housemother is a vital role in the maternity home. She is the only other employee (besides Maureen) who will reside in the staff quarters. She is responsible for overlooking the day-to-day activities, helping to manage the family atmosphere and encouraging the girls in their duties (there will be household chores, each taking responsibility and learning how to cook, clean, etc).

We are very blessed because our new Housemother, Annette, comes with midwifery experience. While we will have a part-time nurse on staff, this is great skill to have if a girl goes into labor at night or they can't get to the hospital for some reason. Annette, is a single mother and desperately needed this job to provide for her family, who lives with her sister.  We are honored to have her on board! (picture coming soon)

Two full time guards are also on staff (uniforms coming soon!) These young men, Hosea and Jotham, have already been a huge blessing! The home is guarded day and night and they also take care of the beautiful grounds. These young men travel quite a distance to serve the home and just recently were able to move into a closer dwelling. They support their families and are such an important part of the maternity home.

With five full time employees and a few part time roles to fill (nurse, accountant), the maternity home is getting ready to help pregnant girls and show them Christ's mercy. It is our desire to also show the staff love and mercy and to create a very positive, good work environment.

Work and orientation begin on May 9, 2011. Please pray that God will protect these employees and provide for them and that He will continue to