Cherish Meru

Celebrate With Cherish

2023-08-31T19:42:00.006-07:00

October 8, 2023 at UPPC.... 12:20 - 2 pm.

Come and celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the CHERISH Ministry ! There will be a presentation about our sponsorship ministry, where we have been and where we hope to go. We will share stories, food, fellowship and provide opportunities as we pray for our students as they begin their final term of the school year. Come and spend time with others who have been blessed to be part of this ministry.

Praise God....A Very Special Meeting !

2023-05-04T12:14:00.004-07:00

On a very special March day, Bernard G. was able to meet Clare and some of her family. Clare had sponsored Bernard and he has come far !!!! What a blessing this time was for all involved.

Here is description of that special day from Sharon Moffitt:

It was such a privilege to witness the first meeting of Bernard Gitonga and Clare Devine when he visited recently. It will be 20 years ago this coming September that Josephine Mburugu and I made our first trip to Meru to find out how our church might be able to join folks there in providing aid and assistance to the children and families of Meru.

Bernard made a supreme effort to be here, traveling from Florida to Tacoma for just 48 hours before heading to his new job in Virginia. As we left to visit Clare, he asked that we stop so he could buy flowers and a card which he chose with great care. Imagine, this young man and Richard and Clare having a relationship for all these years but never meeting in person! I wish I could describe the joy on Clare’s face when she entered the room! It was wonderful to witness this experience. I am filled with gratitude to the people of UPPC who have joined in this ministry with our brothers and sisters in Christ in Meru, Kenya!

Read about the difference Clare's sponsorship made in Bernard's life, written in his own words after he completed his nursing degree:

"I was hopeless but now I’m hopeful, was downcast but now I’m lifted."

Several children in Meru are waiting for sponsors. Click on "Waiting on a Sponsor" to learn how you can sponsor a child like Clare did with Bernard.

2023-04-17T10:48:00.004-07:00

Greetings CHERISH Sponsors and Supporters

Thank you for sponsorship funds. Our shilling (Kenyan currency) is very weak now due to our poor economy.

I wish to tell you that the cost of living in Kenya today is very high, and many families are finding it hard even to put enough food on the table for their families. Cost of fuel and food has gone up. School fees are a real challenge and many of the schools are finding it hard to manage the institutions. So, the income and expenditures are incomparable.

It is our hope that the situation will normalize one day.Thankyou for all who donate their funds and more so their love to help our children. Wish you God's blessings in all your undertakings.

With love

Elijah

HOPE International Ministry

2023-02-09T17:10:00.004-08:00

February 2023

Dear CHERISH Sponsors and Supporters,

This year marks the 20th year in our relationship with Hope ministry in Meru! What a tremendous blessing this has been for everyone involved. Our goal is to help educate the youth of Meru and offer additional support as needed. Thank you all so much for your part in this effort.

Since 2022, a severe drought has affected large parts of Kenya. In Meru, three-fourths of the country was affected by the drought. For many families, one meal a day was the norm. Students were unable to concentrate in class or participate in school. In response to the crisis, we have used non-sponsorship funds that many of you have generously given to CHERISH to partner with Kenyan groups who initiated feeding programs supporting the Meru community. As a result, since April, the students included in these feeding programs have all been able to have regular lunches.

Despite the fact that rain did come, it was not enough to overcome all the effects of the drought. Hope now lies in the rainy season from March to May. Please pray with us for recovery from this dreadful situation.

As we begin the 2023 school year, we are sponsoring 177 students. Because of Covid, Kenyan schools had altered their usual three-term school year to four terms in 2021 and 2022. Students are looking forward now to returning to their normal schedule. Guardians send their gratitude for sponsors continuing to support the students throughout the Covid crisis and send their best wishes for a “HAPPY NEW YEAR 2023 full of GOD’s blessings”

If you are currently sponsoring a student, please make note that you can check how much you have given toward your 2022-23 Sponsorship Pledge by clicking on “How to Check Your Cherish Donation History” at above. Sponsorship rates and giving instructions can also be found on the site.

Thank you for being a part of this important ministry.

Sharon Moffitt, Cherish Team Member and Cherish Sponsor
Emily Bosh, UPPC Elder of Outreach and Mission
Rev. Lisa Woicik, UPPC Minister of Outreach

2022-02-07T13:11:00.000-08:00

January 2022

Happy New Year, Cherish Sponsors and Supporters!

January is a great time to pause and picture our young Kenyan friends walking with anticipation through the villages of Meru to start a new year of school. Because of Cherish and HOPE, over 200 students are experiencing school security; they don’t have to wonder if their family’s money will run out before the next term’s school fees are due, abruptly ending their formal education. Not only do they enjoy educational security, but they also know they have a stable and loving neighbor – their HOPE guardian – checking in on them periodically to make sure they have the clothing, food, and even medicine they need to flourish. I feel so blessed to be a part of this good work, and I hope you do too.

I traveled to Kenya with Cherish three years ago. Visiting the homes and schools of our sponsored children showed me that our Cherish students are learning so much! At home they learn practical skills such as farming, gardening, budgeting, water purification, and management. Their school learning – such as language acquisition and problem solving – augments their real-world learning to open their mind to think big and find innovative ways to support their family in the future. I will say this – these Meru students work hard at both home and school! They are going to be well equipped for a productive adult life.

To make up for educational losses during the school closures in 2020, students in Kenya will be attending a 4th term of school in 2022. This Is the equivalent of schools in Washington deciding to continue school through summer break. While Cherish sponsors will not be expected to make a 4th contribution this year, we do want to invite you to consider make an extra gift to help cover these additional school fees for our Cherish students. Simply label your donation, “Extra family gift.” For reference, the cost per term for a primary student is $118 and for a secondary student is $195.

Cherish maintains the best aspects of being small, grass roots, and personal (despite tremendous growth) through relational letter-writing and prayer. We do want to let sponsors know that extra gifts beyond sponsorship dues can no longer be ear-marked to go to a specific child or family. It is healthier from a non-profit standpoint for donors to designate their above-and-beyond donation, “Extra family gift,” and allow the HOPE guardians to discern where the money needs to be directed. This money will be used for unforeseen needs such as food, clothing, and medicine for the children, or spikes in school fees.

Other bits of news –

Cherish has a new, useful, and easy-to-remember email address: cherish@uppc.org. Multiple Kenya Team members will have access to this mailbox so inquiries can quickly be directed to the right person.
There are several students waiting for sponsors; see the list at cherishmeru.org.
Sponsorship donations are due March 5, June 5, and October 5.
View your Cherish giving – past, present, and future – online! See link for details.

Thank you for your faithful partnership with Cherish Meru. Sponsors are making such a difference. Speaking for my family, I know the money that we pre-designate for Kingdom purposes is the easiest yet most gratifying part of our budget. It is a practical way to express our trust of a good God who cares for our needs as well as the needs of the children in Meru – He really is good “all the time!”

Sincerely,

Pam Wenz,

Cherish Team Member and Cherish Sponsor

Emily Bosh

UPPC Elder of Outreach and Mission

emilybosh@yahoo.com | (253) 459-4049

Lisa Woicik

UPPC Minister of Outreach

lwoicik@uppc.org | (253) 292-2848

P.S. Be sure to check the updated Donation Instructions to help ensure your donations are received correctly.

September 2021 - CHERISH UPDATE

2021-09-01T07:02:00.003-07:00

Greetings Sponsors and Supporter of CHERISH,

This is a reminder that of today, September 1, the sponsorship rates have changed. Please also remember that there has been a change in the school year and your donation due by October 5 will cover the final term of their school year. I will contact sponsors whose rate will change with their March donation.

Beginning September 2021

· Elementary = $354/year; $118/trimester; $29.50/month

· High School = $585/year; $195/trimester; $48.75/month

Please also be aware that the tracking of donations is undergoing some changes also. Please make certain that your donations are designated for SPONSORSHIP (above amounts) and any extra you would like sent to your student for family needs is designated EXTRA GIFT TO STUDENT AND FAMILIES and donations for general needs of the ministry go to CHERISH WHERE NEEDED. UPPC is tracking the amounts donated during the fiscal year.

We appreciate your patience and continued support during this time of change and COVID disruptions both here and in Meru. Please share our website with others who might be willing to sponsor one of our WAITING students. We are thankful to be able to continue to walk along side our brothers and sisters in Meru.

Blessings,

Karen Lau and the CHERISH TEAM

January 2021 Update

2021-02-07T16:53:00.001-08:00

Dear Cherish Sponsors and Supporters,

The upheaval of routines and schedules over the past 10 months has impacted every corner of the globe, United States and Kenya alike. Our partnership with the HOPE team in Meru has never been more vital, nor more inspiring.

Due to the COVID-19 virus, many of our children here in the U.S. are experiencing the loss of social interaction, in-person learning, and ability to spend time with grandparents. Schools in Kenya have been completely closed, and now – tentatively – reopened (more on that below), but children in Kenya have lost 7 months of learning, along with the stability that school provides. Let us pray for each other!

Many families here in the U.S. have lost their livelihoods, or live in fear of making adequate income this year to provide for basic needs. Friends in Kenya are experiencing the same: businesses have slowed, tourist visits have waned to a trickle. Let us pray for each other!

My own family and friend circles here in America have experienced disease and loss, both due to COVID, and to other causes. An auntie lost to cancer, several friends experiencing chronic health issues (likely exacerbated by stress), a long-time acquaintance lost to COVID-19. Our dear friends in Meru have also experienced sickness and loss. Mercy’s grandmother lost to heart attack, Liz’s mother and Abby’s grandmother lost to cancer, and Josephine’s father, Ibrahim, gravely ill for several weeks (now fully recovered, praise Jesus!). Let us pray for each other!

Participating in Cherish Ministry to Meru is more than just providing financial support for the education of children. We share life with one another, share common experiences – especially this year amidst a global pandemic, share faith and hope in a God who cares deeply about us all. We practice frequent and honest communication, and provide each other with grace.

That last point, about practicing communication and grace, is going to be required in higher doses than usual in the coming months. The Kenyan government’s policy on school closure has changed since the pandemic began. Back in March 2020, all schools were closed, and the 2020 school year was declared a lost year; students would simply restart, and repeat their current grade, in January 2021. In recent weeks, however, the government changed course, sending students back to classrooms a bit earlier than expected and opting to condense months of learning into weeks in order to play catch-up. The 2020 school year will therefore end in July 2021 for grades K-7 and 9-11, and will end with national exams for grades 8 and 12 in March 2021. The consequences of school closures and rescheduling directly impact our ministry:

Your continued giving in 2020, during school closures, allowed the HOPE team in Meru to provide for emergency needs amongst our sponsored families. THANK YOU!!
Kenya’s school calendar has been – and will likely continue to be for 1-2 years – massively adjusted to account for the lost months of 2020.
This in turn impacts the logistics of our financial support for students. School fees in Kenya may come due at times that no longer coincide with our usual trimester giving due dates.
Students in Standard 8 (8^th grade) and Form 4 (12^th grade) are especially impacted, as they will be sitting for their national exams in March 2021. They will then move on to high school, or graduate, 8 months earlier than we previously expected.

For now, you can plan to continue with our usual donation schedule: March 5, June 5, and October 5. The Cherish Ministry team is in constant communication with our HOPE team in Meru, and will be doing our best to communicate with each of you as individual students’ circumstances change. We are more grateful than ever for your generosity and grace as we navigate the confusion together.

As a reminder, here is a summary of our recently updated sponsorship rates:

Current (as of September 2020)

· Elementary = $330/year; $110/trimester; $27.50/month

· High School = $549/year; $183/trimester; $45.75/month

Beginning September 2021

· Elementary = $354/year; $118/trimester; $29.50/month

· High School = $585/year; $195/trimester; $48.75/month

We have also updated our donation instructions. Please review and keep for your reference the enclosed instructions, especially if you plan to give above and beyond the designated sponsorship rates.

Thank you again for joining us in this important ministry. Be praying for our brothers and sisters in Meru, and know that they are praying for you.

Emily Bosh, UPPC Elder and CHERISH Team Representative
emilybosh@yahoo.com; (253) 459-4049
Cherishmeru.org

Lisa Woicik, UPPC Minister of Outreach
lwoicik@uppc.org; (253) 564 2522 Ext. 125
UPPC.org

UPDATE: Mail to Kenya

2020-12-08T11:18:00.002-08:00

We have been informed that Kenya is again accepting international mail. International postage at this time is $1.40.

Address mail:

Name

℅ HOPE INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY

PO Box 832

Meru, Kenya

Meru School UPDATE

2020-11-22T10:29:00.004-08:00

It is now official that schools will reopen on 4th January 2021.Hope that the Covid-19 crisis will have reduced then. As we stand now infection rate in Meru is very high. However we continue to follow the government and ministry guide lines. Grades for kids have not changed so far.

Be blessed
Elijah.

CHERISH MINISTRY NEWS

2020-08-07T05:48:00.000-07:00

July 28, 2020

Dear CHERISH Sponsors and Supporters,

Earlier this year, we let you know that we would be dedicating time to prayerfully discern how we can continue to be good stewards of the resources you have given to CHERISH and UPPC. Because of you, our partnership with HOPE has served and given hope to hundreds of children over the last 17 years. Today, you collectively sponsor nearly 200 children every year. To God be the glory!

While the ministry has grown eight-fold from its humble beginnings, we have done our best to absorb increasing operational costs without asking sponsors to give more than the original sponsorship rates of $300/year for Elementary and $500/year for High School that were set in 2003. We have reached a point, however, where we can no longer continue to absorb these costs without significantly jeopardizing the ministry’s effectiveness and long-term sustainability. Therefore, we have made the difficult decision to make our first-ever child sponsorship increase, which will be phased in over the next two years.

Starting September 2020, we are asking sponsors to donate $330 per year to sponsor an elementary aged child and $549 per year to sponsor a high school aged child. We will then be asking sponsors to donate $354 and $585 per year respectively, beginning September 2021.

New Sponsorship Rates

Beginning September 2020

· Elementary = $330/year; $110/trimester; $27.50/month

· High School = $549/year; $183/trimester; $45.75/month

Beginning September 2021

· Elementary = $354/year; $118/trimester; $29.50/month

· High School = $585/year; $195/trimester; $48.75/month

Spread out over the year, each annual increase will amount to an extra $2-4 per month per sponsored child. While small at the individual level, cumulatively, these increases will allow us to cover the ministry’s existing operational costs and make some much needed investments in the ministry. The timing of these increases will also allow the new rates to correspond with the Kenyan school year, which runs January-November every year.

Those of you who have already given your sponsorship donations for the the 2021 school year or beyond do not need to contribute additional funds toward the sponsorship costs for those years. We are only asking that sponsorship donations made after September 1, 2020 be at the rates listed above.

We also understand that there may be a few of you who will have difficulty making sponsorship donations at the new rates. If continuing your sponsorship at the rates listed above will create financial hardship, please contact Karen Lau (karenllau@hotmail.com) to make arrangements for continuing your child sponsorship at a rate you can afford. We want to do all that we can to foster an ongoing relationship between you and your sponsored child.

Other News

We want to use this opportunity to also let you know that the COVID-19 situation in Kenya continues to worsen. Cases are rising and the needs for food and supplies among families in Meru continue to grow. In light of increasing cases throughout Kenya, the Kenyan government has decided to keep primary and secondary schools closed until January 2021. Once schools reopen, students will restart the level/grade they began in January 2020, thereby extending their education by another year.

While Kenyan families have not been able to recoup school fees they paid prior to their school shut down in March, it has not been necessary for them to pay additional school fees for the 2020 school year. This is allowing the HOPE Guardians to use the sponsorship donations given over the last several months to take care of the growing emergency needs among the families in Meru. We have received reports back that the families are extremely grateful for the much-needed assistance they have been receiving during this unprecedented time.

Thank you for being a part of this important ministry. Stewarding the resources you’ve entrusted to us for this ministry is a responsibility we employ with great care and seriousness. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with questions or concerns you may have about the changes mentioned in this letter. Let us also continue to keep Kenya in our prayers. These next five months will likely be a very difficult time for the families in Meru.

Emily Bosh
UPPC Elder and CHERISH Team Representative

emilybosh@yahoo.com

(253) 459-4049

Cherishmeru.org

Lisa Woicik,
UPPC Minister of Outreach and Mission
lwoicik@uppc.org

(253) 564 2522 Ext. 125

UPPC.org

OVERWHELMINGLY GRATEFUL

2020-06-15T11:36:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all who were able to make an extra contribution to provide emergency funding to our families in Meru. Because of your amazing generosity, we were able to raise over $10,000 to help these families get through this difficult season. We are humbled and overwhelmingly grateful for the ongoing support all of our sponsors give to this ministry.

If you didn't have a chance to make an special contribution and would like to do so, there is still time. You can make an extra gift by clicking on the link below or by selecting "Cherish Meru - Where Needed Most" when you make an online donation at UPPC.org.

DONATE HERE

Donations to the "Cherish Meru - Where Needed Most" fund are used throughout the year to cover emergency and other unexpected ministry needs.

Emergency Relief for Meru, Kenya

2020-04-27T10:37:00.000-07:00

Like most places in the world, COVID-19 has forced mass shutdowns all throughout Kenya. Many of the vulnerable families we sponsor in Meru are no longer able to work and are strongly encouraged to stay home to avoid social contact. Without access to food and income, these families are now struggling to meet their basic needs as a result of the pandemic.

UPPC is seeking emergency funding to help families in Meru get through this difficult season. A contribution of $50 can provide over a week's worth of food and supplies to a family in need. Please consider making a special contribution for these families today.

DONATE HERE

WAITING for Sponsors UPDATE

2019-12-30T07:12:00.001-08:00

As of the end of 2019, our WAITING list has been updated. If you would consider sponsoring a student, please click on the WAITING for a Sponsor tab. Share with outside friends and family who might be interested. Just click on the Waiting for a Sponsor tab above to see the current list. Send questions or sign up to sponsor by emailing karenllau@hotmail.com

The opportunity to sponsor is a blessing to sponsored students as well as sponsors !! Join us.

Time of Prayer and Praise - October 13

2019-09-15T17:35:00.000-07:00

Join us as we gather to pray for our graduating students!

October 13, 2019 at 4 pm, we will gather in the CHAPEL at UPPC to pray for our Form 4 and Standard 8 students who will be taking the Kenya National Exams this fall in order to graduate at the end of the calendar year.
We want to pray together for these students as they go through this important passage in their education. As in Kenya tradition, greeting cards wishing them success will be sent. We will have cards but people are welcome to bring their own.

Join us in this Concert of Prayer !!

We've Got Mail from Meru

2019-06-14T12:03:00.001-07:00

One of the blessings of sponsoring, is that we may develop close relationships which will last even beyond the sponsorship commitment. What a joy it is to hear from our sponsored students and learn about them and their families.

I have permission to share the following letter which was received by a sponsor this spring. From a Form 4 student who is quite a strong student, it expresses so well what so many of our sponsored students have expressed in their own ways.

Please enjoy and know what a difference sponsorship makes in the lives of our students.

Dear ______________,

How are you? I hope you are doing great. On my side, I am doing fine back here in Kenya. The reason for writing this letter is to express my endless gratitude to you. I would like to thank you for being there in my academic journey. From the time that you took that role of becoming my sponsor and financially supporting my education, I can confess that everything is running out well. Before I had you as my sponsor, my education was so hard and stressful. Being born into a humble family, raising my Meru School fees was a very hard task for my parents. My parents worked so hard and tirelessly to raise my school fees but still the money could not be worth an eighth of the school fees This problem put me into a very hard time and it haunted my feelings a lot. I even at sometimes thought that one day my education might come to an end due to lack of enough school funds. Although I had that urge of studying hard and becoming a mechanical engineer and a respected person in the Kenyan society and even globally, the thought of my family's poverty really put me in a very hard time. I would take even one or two hours pondering about my family's status. Having a younger sibling, I usually asked myself that suppose may education came to a halt abruptly because of lacking school fees, who would be there to help my sister in her education to be the person of her dreams? Who would pay my school fees to see that I have achieved my dreams and goals? All these questions that had put a lot of stress in my life were then answered by you through God. They were answered by you when you accepted to sponsor me by supporting me financially through helping me raise my school fees. All the bad and haunting memories are now gone and I can study peacefully to be the person of my dreams. I don't know what words could express my gratitude but all in all, thank you a lot. May God bless you and enable you to live more and more years to see this great mission succeed Thank you !! Yours sincerely _________________________

Sponsorship Inspires

2019-01-08T11:04:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to Brenda, Bridget and Felista, graduates of Nyweri Primary School. They did well on the national exams (KCPE) and learned recently that they will be able to attend secondary school with the support of new sponsors ! Parents and others at the school were excited to surprise the girls with the news. Some students at Nyweri are so "desperate" they will never see the door of a secondary school. According to the head mistress, "Everybody was very happy and this left our pupils highly motivated and inspired to work hard. Feel most appreciated together with family and friends !"

Important Date Change

2018-12-17T17:15:00.002-08:00

*** Sponsors: Please note that we have changed the fall donation deadline from November 5 to October 5. It is important that we be able to get our donations to Meru in a timely manner. The fall donation pays for the new school year which begins the following January. Fees for students moving into high school go up with the fall donation.

Beginning in 2019, donations will be due March 5, June 5 and October 5.

Thank you for your support !!

2018-12-17T14:52:00.000-08:00

CHERISH SPONSORSHIP DONOR DIRECTIONS

Sponsorship donations are wired three times a year. Donors are asked to have trimester donations in by March 5, June 5 and October 5.

$100 per trimester or $300 per year for students Standard 8 (Grade 8) and below.

$167 per trimester or $500 per year for high school: Form 1- Form 4

**Sponsors may send additional funds with their regular donations to assist the students and their families with other needs.

Donations may be made:

a. ONLINE:

1. Go to the Kenya blog which can be reached at www.cherishmeru.org or the old address www.uppc-kenya.blogspot.com

2. Click on …. How to make a Donation

3. Scroll down and click onto …. Sponsorship Payment

4. Fill in the total amount you are donating for sponsorships**

5. Follow the site instructions for entering payment information

6. NOTE: You will no longer enter the name(s) of the child(ren) you sponsor on the payment site.

**If your donation differs from the $100/$167, please email karenllau@hotmail.com with instructions of how your donation is to be allocated.

b. BY CHECK: Make checks out to UPPC with Kenya Mission in the note line. Checks should be put in our special donor envelope and turned into the church office.

UPPC – 8101 27^th St W, University Place, WA 98466

c. AUTOMATIC BANK PAYMENTS: Some donors have monthly checks directed to UPPC and the ministry.

Letters and cards may be sent to your sponsored student and the families who care for them. Postage at this time is $1.15. Do not send cash through the mail.

Name

c/o HOPE INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY TRUST

PO Box 832

Meru, Kenya

Questions? karenllau@hotmail.com Other information: http://www.cherishmeru.org/

Sponsorship Donations

2018-11-10T05:56:00.000-08:00

Sponsorship donations are due October 5, March 5 and June 5. The school year in Meru beings in January. Students who receive our support are able to attend school without the fear of being sent home for lack of fees. Praise God !

Quickly make your online donation at: https://uppc.churchcenter.com/giving/to/cherish-meru-sponsorship

More details can be found at the HOW TO MAKE A DONATION link.

Join Us !!

2018-10-02T09:23:00.001-07:00

Join the Cherish Ministry as we celebrate and get updates on our ministry from the

Summer 2018 Mission Trip Team !!

Sunday, October 28, 2018

UPPC Fellowship Hall

4 - 6 pm

Stories, letters from students, pictures, food, singing, opportunities to sponsor,

celebrate our 2018 graduates

and MORE !!

See you there !

Follow The Mission Team

2018-07-30T08:58:00.000-07:00

Note that you can follow our 2018 Mission team at:

Cherish Ministry Trip to Meru 2018

Summer 2018 Mission Trip Project

2018-05-26T12:44:00.001-07:00

Dear Sponsors,

I'm happy to inform you that we have an amazing opportunity to bless our sponsored kids this summer in an even greater way! The Meru travel team, of which I'll be a part, will be transporting and personally delivering letters and small packages (envelope size) to the sponsored children this coming August. We will be purchasing backpacks for every student through funds raised by UPPC's VBS this summer and it is my hope that every child that Cherish Ministries supports receives a personal letter with some extra goodies that we can tuck inside the backpacks.

Would you be willing to put some items in an envelope and send it directly to me or drop it off at UPPC by July 15th? We will make sure it's packed and traveling with us to Meru, Kenya.

Please make sure the items are flat and fit in a small manilla envelope, no larger than 6x9. Notes, stickers, bookmarks, cards, pictures would all be appropriate to send. Also, please consider writing a letter and sending a picture of you and your family. The kids love personal pictures. Please DO NOT send bulky items as we will have many envelopes to pack and take with us. Please put the FULL NAME of your sponsored child on the front of the envelope and YOUR NAME on the upper left corner to make delivery easier.

There will be a box labeled MERU KENYA at UPPC's welcome desk or you can mail it directly to me at:

Carissa Lewis

921 Manor Dr.

Fircrest, WA 98466

Please have it dropped off or mailed by July 15th.

Thank you so much! I look forward to personally delivering these envelopes and seeing the joy that these small gifts bring!

Blessings,

Carissa Lewis (Cherish Ministry sponsor and Meru travel team 2018 member)

Jan 2018 Annual Sponsor Letter

2018-01-14T13:07:00.000-08:00

January, 2018

Dear Cherish Sponsors and Supporters,

Each year at this time, as we begin a new year, we think of our students and their families in Meru who are starting a new school year. What a blessing it has been to walk with these young people through the year!

Over the last year, CHERISH and HOPE have worked together in providing sponsorship for almost 200 children. Through special donations, we have provided for the administration of the HOPE

program and we sent over $8,000 to help our families and their neighbors with famine relief. We rejoice that another 26 of our students were able to graduate from their high school, Form 4 ! There is much to be thankful for.

Most gratifying are the relationships we have built with our brothers and sisters in Meru and with each other. We are touched by sponsors, who, upon the graduation of their student, ask to sponsor another student. Or when hearing of the death of a student’s grandparent, the sponsor sends a card or funds to add to the community custom in Meru of helping the grieving family pay for funeral costs. It was touching to hear of young girl in our congregation who asked for donations for the child her family sponsors instead of birthday presents. And it is wonderful having people decide to give undesignated funds that can be used when special needs arrive. Letters to and from sponsors are treasured. Relationships are precious !!!

This year will bring more opportunity and new experiences. A mission team will be traveling to Meru during the summer of 2018. This time there will be families with children among our travelers. We will hold an evening of comedy, music, and food to help raise funds for the trip: Sunday evening, February 11, 2018. Save the date and watch for other ways you can be involved.

Once again, we ask that you note our trimester wiring deadlines, March 5, June 5 and November 5. If you are unsure whether you have already paid or not, just email us and ask. This year, the directions for giving online have changed a bit. You can find details on our website.

Thank you for sharing in the blessing of this ministry. Please check our website for updates on what happens through the year.

God is good, all the time; All the time, God is good !

Blessings and Asante sana,

Karen Lau – Sponsorship coordinator

karenllau@hotmail.com

From Elijah, Our HOPE Co-Cordinator

2017-07-30T17:43:00.000-07:00

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

It is my joy to share with you a
bit of what I have experienced during my rounds in distributing
relief food to needy children and families.

Firstly I want to thank the cherish team for considering our request for
food donations. As co-workers in this ministry take our appreciation on
our own behalf and all those beneficiaries.

The families that benefited were both needy sponsored children and
non- sponsored families. Food stuff was comprised of maize flour,wheat
flour, cooking fat, sugar, salt, and rice.

Some of the families could give stories that there times they take one
simple meal in a day.I visited a school Ngiine primary school with our
office secretary Ann and the principal told us some children come to
school without food for lunch. You can see some in the picture
receiving food. These were selected by other pupils because they know
their situation.

In another place I and Ann visited a family in the program and met a
boy who was bed laden. The family is so poor and said God has visited
them himself. This was shocking to me. The appreciation for the
donation was immense. After talking the father said the bed laden boy
was 29 years and got clipped as a child in standard one. There was
a wheel chair next to the bed. This family needs help to feed the
boy. What do you say!

There were many other cases but I will stop there. When you are here
next time let us find time and visit homes outside the sponsored
families for some experience. Many thanks for your heartfelt concern
for the families situation in Kenya.

Finally our elections are just round the corner. Join us in prayers for
free, fair and peaceful elections to produce credible and God fearing
leaders.

With Love

Elijah
HOPE.Int Min.Trust co-coordinator

God is good, all the time; All the time, God is good !!

2017-07-25T11:42:00.001-07:00

A Psalm

I do not thank the Lord that I have bread to eat while others starve.

Nor for work to do while empty hands solicit Heaven;

Nor for a body strong while other bodies flatten on beds of pain.

No, not for these do I give thanks, but I am grateful to the Lord.

Because of the loaf I may divide;

That my busy hands may move to meet another need;

Because my doubled strength I may expand

To steady one who faints.

Yes, for all these, let us give thanks to the Lord.

Harun Koome

Hello brothers and sisters(Cherish).

We sincerely appreciate your love for the people of Kenya. As you can see from the pictures the situation is quite desperate for some. As we went round in families, we were shocked by the revelations we found on the ground. I particularly came across children living without an adult, of course with very interesting stories. I also came across a blind old lady taking care of a disabled grandchild. I also happened to move around in the evening and a Sunday morning and in some families there was no lighting or fire. I also found a very young family of a single mother where the children were using dim light to do assignment.

God bless you for your big hearts, Amalia

Thank you so much for your current donation for relief food to the
needy people in Kenya. Our donation service was a big success, partly
due to the support you enabled us to provide.
As you can see from the pictures the food gave the families hope for
another day, this time was difficult for them because some said they
didn't harvest anything but knowing we have the support from people
like you certainly helps.

A father of two siblings whose unsound wife ran away with one kid
leaving the younger kid shared stories of how it is hard to get basic
needs." so we should not worry saying what shall we eat,drink or wear
but seek the kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will
be given to you as well...may God bless the giver " He said.
Many families appreciated for the donation.

Again, thank you! we love your support.

Regards

Ibrahim

I wish to thank all those from America who sent their donation towards
the drought and consequent famine in Kenya.

Your aid could not have come at a better time. All the families that
benefited from the food stuffs bought by your generous donation were
so touched by your love for them even if you have never seen them and
you don’t know them.

I remember during the time of distribution I met one nine years old
orphan shedding tears of joy, when he received the food; he had gone
to the village to borrow food so he could cook for his younger
brother. He had been given a handful of potatoes and arrowroot and
that was to be their dinner.

Another recipient said you have come at the right time because all our
crops dried up so we had no harvest .A grandmother who lived in a
rented house that is paid by well wishers was cooking her meal outside
because she can’t afford to buy charcoal to cook inside, could not
stop saying ….may God bless the giver, And you who has brought this
food. She has no family and depends on neighbors for everything.

Space and time fails me but on behalf of our people receive our
heartfelt gratitude.The famine is far from over because we expect the
next rain in October but your help gave recipients hope for another
day.

May your generosity eternally rewarded.

Regards,

Esther