NOTES FROM THE CHILDREN OF THE LOG CHURCH ORPHANAGE - MALVIN NYABUTO

Hello! My name is Malvin Nyabuto. I am in form four this year (the final year of high school). I joined Log Orphanage some months after my father and mother were brutally killed due to post-election violence here in our country Kenya! I thought my step mother will help me but she rejected me instead!!

Surely this orphanage has changed my life very much. Right now my life is full of hope and I am greatly delighted to God for the care and protection during my stay here. All my fear was gone from the day I joined this orphanage, and nothing to worry about now.

Before, it reached a time that I was thinking to commit suicide because I feared how I can be fed, where I can stay and who can provide for my necessities But God has always done everything for me in this log orphanage.

I can tell you that God has favored us in this home where we comfortably live with other orphans. We have become one big loving family because of the goodness of our God. I always find time to share positive ideas with these other children who we have been fostered together to be brothers and sisters. To be honest enough our future is promising!!

God bless all who have played a great role in making us feel worthy to live and to serve God through log orphanage Kisii Kenya. Amen

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From Pastor Joel:

Greetings from Log Church and Orphanage, with gratitude and thanksgiving we are humbled for say thanks to God for your love and help we receive from you. Once again thank you to all blog readers. Your help has made a smile on the face of these children, The help we received we distributed as we were directed by the overseas of the Kenya mission.

We are praying for the upcoming trip for Marquis family, and we request those want to join them feel welcome to eye witnesses the work in Kenya.

With the latest bank transfers, we able to clear the school of this term. Remaining was Ksh. 12,000, which we gave as an appreciation to orphanage workers.

School fees payments Ksh. 788,000

Matagaro Secondary total fees Ksh. 420,000

Rianyakwara Primary total fees Ksh. 210, 000

KIMAI DEB primary total fees Ksh. 158,000

Workers Ksh. 12,000

Builder Ksh. 400,000. (We still have a debt with the builder Ksh. 445,000)

Praise God see receipts attached, glory to God for such great provision for the clearing of debt and paying school fees. God bless you all for what you are doing.

We are humbled for the great work you are doing really you have helped the work here thank you, we welcome you all of willing heart who have heard the calling of the Spirit to support Kenya work feel welcome. Thank once again to all donors and Marquis family for taking us as a family, really may God increase you all.

(Deuteronomy 28:1-3) If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.

 All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God:

You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.

May the blessings of God follow you and accompany you all. Thank you. God bless you all.

We love you all.

Best regards Son Joel and Church Leadership.

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If you would like to help the children of the Log Church Orphanage of Kisii, Kenya, you may make your check out to “The Log Church” and write “Orphans” on the memo line.

Send it to:

 The Log Church

PO  Box 68

Tripoli Wisconsin 54564

We now need to pay a wire transfer fee with every payment, which amounts to $50 each time, but other than that, your donated money will be used only for purchasing food, clothing, schooling, and other necessities of living. We wait until we have $4000-$5000 before we make the bank transfer to make each transfer more economical. Nothing is held back or diverted for any other purpose. Thanks!

Receipts Below:

GETTING THE SMALL THINGS RIGHT - THE LOG CHURCH SERMON, JUNE 25

Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it.

What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of Me, and ashamed of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:34-38)

In our reading today, Jesus was explaining to his followers what it means to be true disciples. He used phrases such as “let him deny himself” and to “take up one’s cross.” What does he mean by these things?

Jesus then says, “Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s shall save it.”

When Jesus said these things to his disciples, he was actually preparing them for the fact that he was soon to be crucified. He told them, “The Son of Man must suffer many things. He must be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

But Jesus was doing more than preparing his followers for that particular event. He was also teaching them the way of a true disciple in this present life. He is talking about things to which you and I should also listen. He is speaking of a life of self-denial. After all, he also asks the rhetorical question, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Then Jesus says something that may be particularly disturbing: “For whoever is ashamed of Me, and ashamed of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

NOTES FROM THE CHILDREN OF THE LOG CHURCH ORPHANAGE - HAPPINESS NYABUTO

I am Happiness Nyabuto. I am one of the form four students (the graduating year of the secondary school) from Log Orphanage in Sengera Kisii-Kenya.

My life here in the orphanage has been wonderfully good! This is the best environment that I have ever lived! It is by the grace of God I found myself in such nice place!!

As a girl child my life was to be in a great danger outside this precious home. By this time the devil could have destroyed my life with bad company, which was the case of many my age in the community who lost hope of life when they were abandoned  or became orphans. Some entered into prostitution, others in drug addiction and others in habits of fighting.

I am sure this is where I could be this time too!! Thanks to the Lord for giving me an opportunity to be in Log Orphanage where I am given good care and all my basic needs are supplied. God bless everyone who works hard to improve our lives here in the Log orphanage Kenya. Amen.

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If you would like to help the children of the Log Church Orphanage of Kisii, Kenya, you may make your check out to “The Log Church” and write “Orphans” on the memo line.

Send it to:

 The Log Church

PO  Box 68

Tripoli Wisconsin 54564

We now need to pay a wire transfer fee with every payment, which amounts to $50 each time, but other than that, your donated money will be used only for purchasing food, clothing, schooling, and other necessities of living. We wait until we have $4000-$5000 before we make the bank transfer to make each transfer more economical. Nothing is held back or diverted for any other purpose. Thanks!

SEVEN BASKETS OF BLESSING - THE LOG CHURCH SERMON, JUNE 18

In reading about the miracles of Jesus, we should understand that the miracles that we have recorded for us in the Gospels are not the entirety of those that he did. Indeed, the Apostle John said that he supposed that if everything that Jesus did were to be recorded, “even the world itself could not contain the books.”

This being the case, I sometimes wonder why the gospel writers chose to include certain miracles and not others. They had many to choose from, but selected only a few. What was it that they were trying to communicate to us? Such is the case with me when I read the seventh chapter of Mark.

NOTES FROM THE CHILDREN OF THE LOG CHURCH ORPHANAGE

When people ask me how the orphanage is doing, I often do not know how to answer. We certainly do see God doing wonderful things, but there are difficult times as well. When talking with people who ask me about the welfare of the children, I usually do not want to tell of these difficult times. When I do, people become uncomfortable and quickly change the subject.

But the children have just come through another of those times. It has been more than two weeks since the orphanage ran out of food. I do not know whether or not the children had anything at all to eat in those two weeks. Sometimes a kindly person will bring some bananas or some kale, but very often there is nothing.

Praise God for the recent gifts sent to the Log church so that we were again able to send some help. There is now again food in the store room.

Please continue to pray. In feeding so many, the food quickly runs out. We also still have outstanding debts to the schools and to the builder.

But we thank God that these also will be met. God has been faithful all of these years, and we know that He will continue to be faithful.

One of the blessings that I have received since beginning this orphanage is to have benefited from the strong faith of both the staff and even the children. No matter how difficult the times are, I never have heard any words of discouragement—only faith that God will answer in his time.

Here is another word from one of the orphans:

My name is Brian Ombati. I have been brought up in Log Orphanage Kisii, Kenya since I was 8 years old. That was when my single mother died of liver cancer. I had no other relative and I had nowhere to turn.

But by the grace of God I was rescued by Pastor Joel to this children’s home! I give God all the Glory and honor that now I am in form four which is the last year in high school. It is by the grace of God I found myself in the caring hands here in the children’s home. I enjoy a very good company of other children and always feel at home. Whenever we meet in groups’ discussion, we always encourage each other. This gives me a lot of hope in the present and future. It is through the orphanage I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

I am extremely happy that this home has strengthened my spiritual muscle and has been a source of my joy always. I have learnt how to relate with all people and to love everyone. This is my fourth year in high school and I am very much thankful to the Lord for this far.

We are also dedicated in mentioning you before God every time we pray. It is our great concern that God will give you good health and make you prosperous in all ways.

Blessing to all who are uplifting us in prayers. Amen

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If you would like to help the children of the Log Church Orphanage of Kisii, Kenya, you may make your check out to “The Log Church” and write “Orphans” on the memo line.

Send it to:

 The Log Church

PO  Box 68

Tripoli Wisconsin 54564

We now need to pay a wire transfer fee with every payment, which amounts to $50 each time, but other than that, your donated money will be used only for purchasing food, clothing, schooling, and other necessities of living. We wait until we have $4000-$5000 before we make the bank transfer to make each transfer more economical. Nothing is held back or diverted for any other purpose. Thanks!

OF CAMELS AND NEEDLES - INHERITING ETERNAL LIFE: THE LOG CHURCH SERMON, JUNE 11

“What must I do to inherit eternal life?” This question was asked of Jesus one day. The man actually ran up to him to ask it, seemingly intent on receiving an answer.

The story is found in three of the gospels (Matthew 19:16-30; Mark 10:17-31; Luke 18:18-30). From the three accounts, we not only learn that his man was determined to receive an answer to his question, but also that he was a young man, that he was a ruler of some kind, and that he was rich.

“What must I do to inherit eternal life?” this rich young ruler asked.

Do you see anything as being fundamentally wrong with this question?

This was not the only time that this same question was asked of Jesus. He was asked the very same question at least once before (Luke 10:25). Besides this, Jesus spoke often of eternal life. It is understandable that this rich, young ruler, or any of us should be interested in learning about eternal life, but the premise of the question that this man asked seems wrong to me.

What seems wrong is this: this young man used two unrelated concepts in the same sentence. He asked what he had to do to receive an inheritance.

NOTES FROM THE LOG CHURCH ORPHANAGE CHILDREN - IBRAHIM ONDUSO

On our most recent trip to Kenya to visit the orphanage, I was struck by how much the children had grown in the years since we began the orphanage. I remember specifically seeing many of these children on my first visit, the oldest at that time being perhaps 11 or 12 years old. It was actually quite moving to me to see now how they had grown in those years, and how healthy they appear now.

This growth and health are not only physical, but also emotionally and spiritually. They have really become good kids—well behaved, friendly, and with goals in life that are admirable. And they have a well-grounded faith in God.

Four of our kids will be completing their schooling at the end of this year, graduating from high school. I asked them each to write a bit about how their life has been in the orphanage. There is much that they could say. I am sure that they will only say good things. They are such polite kids. But it has not all been easy.

For instance, even at this time, we are out of food again at the orphanage, the school administration is pressuring the orphanage staff for payment, as we have not had money to even pay one cent of this term’s fees. We also still have the outstanding debt for work done on our school building.

But we give thanks to God. He will provide. We do not know why we sometimes go through times like these, but in all these years, we have seen how God works. Thanks to many of you, through whom God works!

Here is from one of our graduates:

Hello! I am Ibrahim Onduso from the Log orphanage located in Kisii –Kenya.

I am glad to tell you that the Log Church USA has played  a great role in molding my life   to be whom I am now! Had it been not by God’s grace truly I could not imagine the miserable life I could be having! Your support has totally changed my life and I now see a bright future and hope.

My experience in the orphanage is with full of testimonies. Indeed, God has been so faithful in providing for our needs through your donations. If I was to remain outside there I would have been swallowed by the many difficulties of life. The enemy could have taken advantage of my miserable life and by this time he could have totally ruined my life with drug addiction and theft for survival like my age mates outside there!!

But today I thank GOD Almighty for His goodness that He led you to help our orphanage both financially and spiritually. My spiritual graph has really increased here in Log orphanage Kenya. I boldly confess that Jesus Christ has good plans for each child in this orphanage.

As for me, I am about to finish my form four level according to our Kenya education system. Happy to be in forth form which is the last course in High school. I am praying God to enable Join University and be helpful to the less fortune in the society as well.

God bless you and open doors of greatness for every donor and their families too. AMEN

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If you would like to help the children of the Log Church Orphanage of Kisii, Kenya, you may make your check out to “The Log Church” and write “Orphans” on the memo line.

Send it to:

 The Log Church

PO  Box 68

Tripoli Wisconsin 54564

We now need to pay a wire transfer fee with every payment, which amounts to $50 each time, but other than that, your donated money will be used only for purchasing food, clothing, schooling, and other necessities of living. We wait until we have $4000-$5000 before we make the bank transfer to make each transfer more economical. Nothing is held back or diverted for any other purpose. Thanks!

 

STUMBLING BLOCKS - THE LOG CHURCH SERMON, JUNE 4

It is an interesting term – stumbling block. I seriously doubt if anyone ever set out to purposefully make an actual stumbling block. You can’t go on YouTube for an instructional video of our to make one, and I am quite certain that none of us have ever seen an object that we would recognize specifically as a stumbling block. We have never walked through a museum looking at historic artifacts, and seen a display of a block of some sort with a little identifying placard that said “Stumbling Block,” explaining its use and origin.

Nevertheless, despite this lack of information, none of us have any difficulty knowing what is meant by the term. It is not difficult for us because all of us have stumbled over something or another at some time in our lives. We know what a stumbling block is.

Stumbling Blocks in the Bible

I believe that the expression stumbling block is strictly a Biblical term. I do not know of any other literature that uses this idiom. To be technical about it, the word block has been added by the translators in an attempt to clarify the meaning for us. The meaning, of course, is quite clear. It first appears in the book of Leviticus (19:14) where there is a prohibition of putting a stumbling block in the path of a blind man in order to trip him.