ELI leaders are key to the work of Empowering Lives.

From the beginning we have recognized that national leaders can impact their people and nation in powerful ways. Today I was able to arrange several meetings and it happened that at one point several of them were all here at the Ilula Training Center at the same time – so – we captured the moment in a photo. Julius Toroitich is our ELI Kenya director of Operations. Stephen Reech is ELI Sudan director – having just arrived recently from Sudan for strategy meetings. He needs our prayers as he is fighting a battle to overcome typhoid as well as stomach pains; Isaac is on our Kenya staff but has just returned from spending three months on assignment in Tanzania where he and our Tanzanian staff were able to provide Skills For Life Training to 6,581 needy farmers! He is very tired BUT very enthusiastic about the results of the trainings held and the potential that is ahead. This month Isaac will now turn his attention to farmers here in Kenya. “Above all…” Isaac shared, “We want these farmers to know that there is a God who cares about them”.

The Referendum Vote took place on Wednesday and the results were sent out yesterday. We thank God along with people from across the nation for a peaceful reaction to the results. The majority have voted YES and the nation now has a new constitution. Now the journey for Kenyan leadership is the implementation in a timely manner.

We are doing pretty well as a family. They boys have been attending a VBS program every day and most of our suitcases have been unpacked. We feel the embrace of our friends here and though we know that there are challenges in ministry we feel the peace God gives when you know that you are in the right place for the right reasons – ready to serve our great God and His mission on earth. Thank you again for your support and prayers as we move forward on this journey of empowering lives!

Don, Julius (Ky), Stephen (Sudan), Isaac (Tz)