News from Don & Amy

Tanzania
Our Tanzanian leadership and one of our Kenyan training center teachers recently teamed up to do a survey of over 200 students and farmers that ELI has impacted during the past year. The results were very encouraging and our Kenyan teacher is now preparing to move with his family to serve alongside of our Tanzanian leadership for 2008 as they move forward with more training and outreach programs.

Southern Sudan
Our Sudanese Director recently traveled from Kenya to Southern Sudan with a load of supplies that will enable us to continue to complete the home under construction that will house orphans from the village. They will also be installing a very important fence / barrier near the borehole that was installed last year. This fence will protect the thousands of tree seedlings that will be planted in the months to come. Grazing goats and cows in the area are a great threat to anything green and could completely destroy all of the seedlings within minutes if they are not protected well. The ELI school now has walls and will open again after their normal break that takes place from January through March. Pastors in the area are very enthusiastic about the trainings that ELI has presented to them and relationships with these leaders and other leaders in the area continue to grow. Reech (Sudan Director) is thrilled with the “miracles” he is seeing take place in this village as the school reaches the children with new hope and daily nutrition and as the village and pastors respond and apply the trainings that we have been able to provide.

Support is needed to complete the administration room for the school, floors for the classrooms, the adjacent training center classroom, and a much needed motorcycle ($3,000).

Kenya
Here is a recent update from Don and Amy Rogers (ELI Directors) after their recent visit to Kenya:

Dear friends,

Thank you again for your prayers for the people of Kenya and for our family.
We moved from the Training Center and Children's Home in Ilula to Nairobi a few days before our scheduled return to California (Mid January). We traveled well though our hearts were and still are full of prayers for the nation and specifically for our staff and orphans in Kenya.
I have talked several times over the past few days with many of our leaders and our USA staff. Kipkaren is ok. There is a sense of calm in the village though the roads that go into Eldoret from there have concerning sections where sporadic road blocks make passage uncertain. Our staff and children have remained in the village though a few trips have had to be made to purchase food. All have traveled to and from without harm. Ilula campus is closer to town so the intensity and population is greater but I talked with Samuel today and he said that all are ok but the situation needs prayer.

As for our family - Joshua continues to pray for “Peace for Kenya” every day. He continues in 2nd grade here in Murrieta and our Nathaniel who is younger is back in preschool and seems to be doing fine -adjusting back to life here.
Right now there are important talks taking place in Kenya among the political leaders and we ask that your prayers concentrate on these discussions.

Some of you have asked if this crisis has created additional needs. The answer is yes as the price of food has gone up immensely. Many of you have already responded and we are so grateful as they have already been very helpful in securing the food and security. We know that God will use ELI also in the future as lives will need counseling, ideas, and hope. Any funds that we receive at this time , that are not used during this crisis will be used to help bring healing and restoration to people who have lost much and will need to rebuild physically, emotionally, and Spiritually.

Thank you again for standing with us in this important ministry and during these trying days as we give God our all to serve and empower the needy and lost.

Empowering lives together,

Don and Amy

Join ELI in Prayer

Ministry family,

We are so grateful for so many who are praying every day for the situation in Kenya. God hears and will answer. It is also good to come together in prayer.

We are inviting all of our staff and friends to join together this Friday – February 8th - wherever you may be (workplace or home) – from 12noon to 1pm for a time of prayer that focuses on Kenya.

Our office staff in Upland will be gathering for prayer from 11-1pm and anyone that can join us during that time is welcome.

Prayer for:

• Peace
• The current negotiations - that a process/ decision will be put in place that brings peace and restoration to Kenya and its people.
• For protection for all of our staff and ministry areas.
• For strength and wisdom for our Kenyan leadership.
• For all of those affected by the conflict thus far.

Together in Christ.
Don

ELI Upland Office is located at 422 N Second Avenue, Upland, CA 91785 (Just North of the 10 fwy - off Euclid)

Earthquake in Bukavu and surrounding rural villages

Two earthquakes (magnitude 6.0 and 5.0) hit the Bukavu area yesterday. Read about it on BBC. Please pray for our staff in Bukavu as well as for the families of the children at our school.

Here is an email from Mudekereza, our Congo Director that came in this morning to Don Rogers (ELI Intl. Director):

Dear friends,

It was 9.30 am when we dropped the children at the church. As we alighted, the earth was shaking like we have never seen before; it was a strong earthquake.

We looked in the air and saw dust covering the sky above our heads; several building walls (including church buildings) were falling down around our church.

My wife, our newborn baby and some of our other children needed to be at home for various reasons. As I entered the church because I was to speak, I saw my nephew coming my way; he was scared. I asked what was going on. He said several building in our area had collapsed. I asked what happened to my wife and the children. He said the building was still all right. I drove back home and found that everyone including the little baby were outside far away from buildings.

Our two-year-old son was highly traumatized. He was just crying. He could not stand the shaking and up to this moment is crying and gets scared at every little noise.

My in-laws live in front of my house, in a school building, a very large and old building. They tried to run out of the building during the earthquake, my sister-in-law was trapped by falling walls and had a serious head wound.

Looking for her, we drove to the main hospitals and realized that many families have been affected by the unusual earthquake. She is in a critical condition.

The victims up to this moment has reached 5 people dead and about 200 wounded. As I am writing this email we have not been allowed to enter our homes, because even now there are buildings shaking. We are advised to spend the night outside which is difficult with little babies.

The government just said that the next 2 days there should be no office opening, or no-one should be near crowded buildings like in the market, because they say there are more aftershocks are to come. In neighboring Rwanda, 23 people are reported dead and more than 200 wounded. We need your prayers that God may be limiting the damages, console the affected families.

Thanks for praying!

Mudekereza