The Rogers' Family Neighborhood

We thank God for the many friends who have come together to strengthen the work of Empowering Lives! Jim Mann of North Hills Church (So. Calif.) is today finishing up a pastors training workshop at our ELI Training Center in Ilula, Kenya.

As a family we are traveling with Dick and Ellie Bossard (Amy’s parents) as they begin the journey back to the USA. Today we passed through Nakuru National Park. God blessed us with great weather and beautiful displays of His creation.

Don will be heading to Sudan sometime in February but this weekend two of our Kenyan directors will be going to work with our staff in Bor, Sudan for three weeks. Please pray as this is an important time for setting clear goals, training of staff, strengthening our CLASS SPONSORSHIP program at our school in Kolmarek, and trainings for pastors and youth. Please note that January 9th is a countrywide vote that will change the course of the nation. Pray for Sudan.

Seeing the children from our ELI Children’s Home in Ilula, Kenya perform today for over 400 people was very moving. They were fantastic as they shared scripture – song – dance during the graduation ceremony for Samro School (Where our 96 orphans attend). Ten more of the children are graduating from 8th grade and will soon be head off to High School (making a total of 19 of our Ilula kids in HS in 2011). It’s wonderful to see how God has transformed these little lives into young men and women that we are all so proud of.

Today we have traveled from morning to evening visiting various sites where ELI has partnered with needy friends in villages around our Kipkaren Training Center.  Our last stop was in Matunda where a group of about 23 people have invited ELI staff to partner and train their group in agriculture and poultry.  ABOVE are photos of Isaac Ruto as he trains and motivates people to break the cycle of poverty in their homes and their village.