Linda and I are heading back to Kenya this coming Wednesday and we would covet your prayers as we go. We will be joined by a team of 13 men this weekend and we are excited with what the Lord has in store for all of us!  This short-term mission team will be in Nairobi with us for 2 weeks of ministry and once they depart, Linda and I will stay on in Kenya for an additional 2 ½ weeks.  We will return to Rockford on February 14th.  Our ministry team will be working on several projects at our First Love Kenya Children’s Home property.  I will be writing some email updates to you along with photos from

Kenya so that you are able to be informed on the progress which is being made. 

 

I would encourage you to log onto our website at:  www.firstloveinternational.com  and click onto the “Operation Hope” link and then click onto the “New Dorm” link and take a look at the blueprints and photos which are shown there of the progress which is being made on the construction of our new 3 story dormitory.  Our goal for 2010 is to have this dorm totally completed and to be able to have a ribbon cutting ceremony by this time next year as we celebrate the grand opening of this new facility.  Once we open this new dorm we will be able to house 60 orphan boys and girls on our First Love property in Nairobi!  Please pray with us for God’s provision during this year for this very critical project of love and compassion aimed towards AIDS orphans in Kenya.  Thanks so much!

 

I just received the email which is listed below from my brother, Bob, and thought you might be interested in knowing what else is currently happening in the worldwide ministries of First Love.  In this email Bob is announcing the opening of a Home for Senior Citizens in the country of Nepal!  Linda and I will traveling to Nepal in March and April in order to assist with the development of this new home.  First Love also operates 5 children’s homes in Nepal as well as a home for widows called Tabitha House.  How we praise the Lord for the many open doors to show forth His love to the poorest of the poor…those whom Jesus called: The least of these.  God bless you and thanks once again for your prayers and encouragement.

 

Love, Tom (for Linda too!)

 

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From: Bob and Bobbie Clinton [mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ] 

Sent: Saturday, January 09, 2010 9:54 AM

Subject: the only thing that counts....

 

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.  (Gal:5:6b) NIV

 

Last July I wrote to you about our new First Love Senior Project in Meghauli started by Prakash Sonami, a young bible school student who had a desire to work with senior citizens as part of his one-year internship under the direction of Pastor Arjun.  I had the opportunity to share with 26 of the seniors the day after Thanksgiving at the church where they had gathered for food, fellowship, and fun.  This was a day before Arjun and I departed for our return to Kathmandu and just before Shristi became ill.

 

It was a huge blessing for me to be with these elderly friends.   It was especially enjoyable to watch as they played a game like musical chairs - only instead of walking around chairs, everyone was sitting in a circle.   As one man played a drum with his back to the group, they would pass a rolled up scarf around the circle.   When the music stopped, the person who held the scarf had to sing a song or dance.   It was a riot.   The laughter of these people, most of whom are neglected by their families and seldom feel joy, brought tears to my eyes.

 

The sight of one man dancing was especially moving.   This man, whose name is Shankar, is not able to stand.   He cannot get out of a crouched position like a catcher behind the plate in baseball.   When Shankar walks, he walks in this same position, almost dragging his bottom against the ground.   One time the music stopped and he was caught holding the rolled up scarf.   He immediately began to dance staying in his crouched position moving his legs and waving his arms as the group sang a Nepali song and clapped their hands.  Below is a picture of Shankar sitting on his modified tricycle which he can operate with one hand as he steers with the other.   I snapped this photo on our way back to the children's home from the church following the program.

 

 

 

The senior project has brought a lot of joy to many of the elderly.    Some have been given the gift of sight as a result of Prakash taking them to an eye clinic and arranging free cataract surgery and some have decided to accept the greatest gift of all - faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.  The former have received the physical gift of being able to see clearly.   The latter, the gift of being rescued from their spiritual blindness and responding to the light of the gospel. 

 

Shankar is one who is getting more and more interested in knowing about Jesus.   When Prakash first met him, he said that there is no way that he would go near a church.    Prakash just loved him and one day went to his home and fixed up some broken walls in his mud hut.   Shankar then decided it might not be so bad going to the church for the senior fellowship and now he is actually coming to church on Saturday morning!  Please pray with us that one day Shankar will put his faith in Christ.

 

Shankar enjoying his Christmas gift ( a Nepali quilt) given by our team.

 

Another senior that I would like to tell you about is named Dhanshari Kumal.   Dhanshari was one of the first to receive cataract surgery.   In her case, both eyes had cataracts and she could not see at all.   I had written about her situation in a July update.   Anyway, Dhanshari can now see well.   However, she was suffering because her family did not like the fact that she was a Christian and were giving her only dried out rice to eat and were very mean to her.   Prakash learned of her fate and asked if we could take care of her.   I asked him and Manoj (a deacon) to go and speak to the family.   If it was ok with them, we would take her into the parsonage.   It was ok and now the first First Love Senior Home is in operation in Nepal!

 

Dhanshari Kumal

 

Since Pastor Arjun and family moved out of the parsonage to the children's home in Parshadhap and now to Kathmandu, Jamuna, a young widow, who works with the women of the church, has been living there in one of the two bedrooms.   The living room has been used as a Sunday School room (it is called "Sunday School" even thought they meet on Saturday) and the other bedroom as a church office.   After speaking with Arjun and Manoj I decided to give some funds to paint and fix up the building to make it suitable for more elderly women.   We will later work on raising some funds to build a gazebo or some other inexpensive structure on the property for the Sunday School and a small room for the office.   I would like to use the whole parsonage for the senior home so we can help more older widows.  Jamuna is thrilled to head up this new ministry.

 

Dhanshari on her new bed

 

Somewhere around 30 seniors now gather each week for fellowship at the church.   Several of them have put their faith in Jesus and more are sure to follow as they see love in action though our staff in Nepal.   

 

Thank you for your prayers and your sacrifice which allows us to continue to help more and more of what the world considers "the least of these" experience real love.

 

 

Love, 

 

Your brother and sister,

 

Bob (and Bobbie) Clinton