The Rogers' Family Neighborhood

Help us make a difference! View this link to bless a mother in a unique way this year.

http://www.empoweringlives.org/blog/2012/05/celebrate-and-help-mothers-in-kenya/

Kids at the ELI children’s home in Kenya enjoy a few more days off before school starts again.

We stopped into a restaurant near Iten, Kenya and my son Nathaniel said “Hey dad, I think I can beat this guy in a staring contest!!” Guess who won : – )

“I am the resurrection and the life – he who believes in me will live…”

Jesus – John 11:25

Some day in heaven I want to meet and talk with Lazarus! What was he thinking after his resurrection? We know that people were astounded at the miracle (John 11). Lazarus was not only alive again but in good health – a second chance – a new beginning – a powerful testimony that he could share over and over again for the rest of his life. From death to life – Amazing!

I recently visited Samuel Cheserem near the Kerio Valley here in Kenya. There is life today that was not there before. After a life of rejecting God – his family rejected him – and his choice for alcohol was bringing death to his own life, his barren property, and his empty home and heart. Death had captured his soul and even his grown son declared that “This man is no longer my father!”

Through a miracle of connections and life changing choices – Samuel has come out and into a new chapter of living. He found that God still held a place in His heart for him and ELI had the privilege of being present when Samuel gave his dying heart to our resurrected Lord. Samuel stayed at our training center until he could stand on his own feet and be determined to live addicted to Christ alone. He began to learn new ways at the Skills for Life center and today not only is his life transformed but his property as well. Before reaching his simple house you will walk past a garden of Kale, two dairy cows, a plot of cabbage, strategic terraces to control soil erosion and he will proudly open the door of his greenhouse for you to enter into an Eden of growing tomatoes that he now sells to support his life, church, and family.

Life produces life – and Samuels life time friend and former drinking buddy has followed Samuel’s way out of the tomb. His name is Cheriut and he has also found new life in Christ and a new energy to work and apply ideas that he is learning now from Samuel. Praise God! Today Cheriut’s brother is also seeing the new life and has told them both – “Don’t leave me here in this darkness – I want this light and life you have found.” A chain of transformation – leading to new life.

In a world where media often highlights the dark side of life – I celebrate with you that our God is a giver of life. He offers a way out of the grip of darkness to bring us all hope for now and eternity. We thank God for your prayers – for your encouragement – and together we celebrate the life and empowerment that our resurrected Lord makes available to ALL who will believe.

“If you believe, you will see the glory of God.” John 11:40

May the light of His life fill you with His joy, peace, and purpose.

Believing and seeing,

Don and Amy

http:// empoweringlives.org

Josh gave a brief but great "hello" to the church before I preached last Sunday from 2Kings chapter 4

This year holds so many opportunities to help empower the needy here in Africa. Your prayers and support are so vital to this journey and we thank God for each of you as you stand with us in the ministry. This week we move forward – grafting passion fruit seedlings as well as putting some final touches on an experimental style of egg incubator that Don is developing. Do you have any experience with hatching and raising chicks?

15 women – worshiping with all their hearts tonight in the ELI Kenya training Center hall. It has been three days – three special days – away from their village and surrounded by people from our staff who have helped to facilitate times of healing, sharing, knowledge, and spiritual encouragement. These are women whose husbands had spent most of their days – or years more committed to their drinking than to their families. We have invested great amounts of care, and prayer to see many men recover from their addictions and step into a relationship with Christ. This week we focused all of our attention on their wives. Strengthening their spirits and providing moments of much needed rest. We are blessed by their amazing insights and open sharing. May God strengthen and guide them as they return to their villages and husbands tomorrow.

Happy New Year!!! Already 2012 here and so far it’s been a great year. 🙂

As we begin our travel back to Kenya tomorrow _ Thursday. Thank you!