Dear Friends, Partners, and ROCK Ministries Family!

As ROCK Ministries continues forward with the vision of becoming “a source of hope, healing, and restoration for families through the knowledge of Christ’s deep love and the empowerment of education”, let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the “author and perfecter” of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Thank you for joining us on this faith adventure! God has provided such wonderful, God-fearing staff for Malava Christian Academy. This was a big concern when Teresa presented the idea five years ago of expanding the school one grade at a time. How can we find people with a missional heart? Through a combination of good networking, a positive reputation in the community, and a good interviewing process guided by the Holy Spirit, God has brought us amazing teachers! Teresa got the school connected with ACSI, Association of Christian Schools International, and this organization has provided training and accountability to a high standard of excellence that glorifies God. The teachers and staff are meeting on Wednesday afternoons for Bible study and joining together once a month on Sundays with their families to worship together with the ROCK Ministries children. They are becoming a dynamic team to which a 6th grade teacher will be added for the 2026 school year. If you
would like to sponsor one of the 23 staff for $220/month (or any monthly donation is a blessing), we have made up a prayer card for each staff member and would love to mail one to you! Set up your monthly donations up on the donation page of this website!

Speaking of 6th grade, we are out of room in the multi-purpose hall if we are to maintain space for its intended purpose as an assembly hall. It is now time for building the five-room structure to accommodate four classrooms and a staff lounge. $110,000 is needed by November so the structure can be completed for the start of the school year in January. You will find more information regarding the building project, and the ability to donate, at this link: www.newhorizonsfoundation.com/project/single-project/2713/. Just recently, Malava Christian Academy hosted a Children’s Rally for eight other schools in the area packing out the multi-purpose hall. 404 children were ministered to during a time of sharing the Gospel, praise and worship, small groups, sports, and snacks!

We are also very excited about starting back up the child sponsorship program, and we’ve made a prayer card for each one of the 16 children still under the care of ROCK Ministries. These children range in age from Levine, seven-years-old, to Moses, 24-years-old. $100/month covers every need including food, clothing, medical care, and tuition. The young adults are helped through trade school or university. We have enclosed a list of all the children under ROCK’s guardianship. Please pray about the possibility of sponsoring, praying for, and corresponding with a child or young adult. Please contact me through this website if God is calling you to this or if you have questions! Thank you so much!

Gratefully, Cindy

Dear Friends and Partners in Ministry,

How thankful we are for each of you and your partnership in this ministry through prayer and sacrificial giving! God continues to provide just what we need in His amazing timing. The first stanza of a hymn that has become my daily prayer says, “Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee. Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.” How we praise God for this amazing privilege of serving with you and growing together in our faith!

I recently turned 59 years old, the age Elaine was when she sold everything and left for Kenya with all her earthly possessions in two suitcases. Kyon and I are carrying on Mom’s calling to care for the orphan, widow, and broken-hearted by supporting the team on location in Malava, Kenya, through sharing the story of ROCK Ministries and inviting others to join us in this faith adventure. Teresa Boyani, leading the way as director, and our 23 staff members, are the hands and feet caring for the 16 orphans in the children’s home, the five young adults in trade schools, the 148 students at Malava Christian Academy, the 20 plus children from the community supported by the paying of their school fees, and countless families impacted. All of this is accomplished with a budget of $10,600/month. Because of your generosity and faith, we have met about 50% of this budget goal. Thank you so much!! Please help us share this opportunity with others by giving out this link to your friends and family: www.rockministriesinternational.com. We are also raising $110,000 for the school building which is needed by January 2026 to accommodate the addition of Class 6. This link shares about the need for a dedicated school building: www.newhorizonsfoundation.com/project/single-project/2713/. We have raised $4200 so far.

On May 8^th six of us will be flying from Alaska to Kenya to spend about two weeks at Malava. Beth Demick, Julianna Elam, Michael Sliwa, and Josh Hughes have been attending a young adult Bible study that we host in our home. Kyon and I are so excited to have these four join us on this trip!! We have prepared testimonies, devotionals, teachings, and worship to share during chapels, assemblies, evening devotional times in the dorms, and on Sunday mornings. Sports equipment, including soccer balls, has been purchased to use during recesses and physical education classes. A few of us will be assisting in the classrooms. All of us will be taking pictures, conducting interviews, and finding ways to share the beautiful stories of the staff and children!  Please join us in praying that there will be unity, that the love of Jesus will shine, that the joy of the Lord will be our strength, and that we will be a blessing. Our church here in Alaska, Church on the Rock, is donating the funds to purchase 50 Bibles for Malava Christian Academy. For local friends, mark your calendars for June 27^th at Band of Brothers, 6-9pm, to hear the stories gathered!

We have begun to create prayer cards for all the staff of ROCK Ministries International and for the children residing in the home. The staff were asked to give their job description, say what they enjoyed about the ministry, list the members of their family, and give their favorite Bible verse. Josephat George, overseeing animal husbandry, stated, “Working in a Christian ministry is a great privilege, as it allows me to: Be part of a supportive culture where people genuinely care for one another. Serve alongside team members who share faith-based values and moral principles. Know that my work aligns with my faith and serves a greater purpose. Experience a work environment that fosters trust, accountability, and encouragement. Receive spiritual support through prayer, counseling, and guidance during personal challenges.” So grateful to see what the Lord is doing not only in the lives of the children but in the lives of our staff as well!!

Thank you, dear friends! We are so grateful for your love, support, and prayers! Grace and peace, Kyon and Cindy

Dear Friends and Partners in Ministry😊

I was so encouraged upon receiving some of the favorite scriptures of our ROCK Ministries children. Gideon: What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Rom. 8:31) Jonathan: Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. (John 14:1) Franklin: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. (Prov. 3:1) These young men may have been abandoned by earthly biological parents but adopted into the family of God and co-heirs with Christ. Thank YOU for your prayers and financial gifts enabling them to be raised in an environment that speaks over them their true value!

Please pray for Peace Grace, one of the girls in grade 2, as she has just lost her father. The mother is a teacher in the public school and has been left with four children to raise. The ROCK Ministries staff were able to visit in the family home and attend the burial service. The staff and parents of students from Malava Christian Academy were able to contribute money to offset Peace’s term 1 expenses and to give the mother a small amount of support. We continue to see how ROCK Ministries is uniquely positioned to be a source of hope, healing, and restoration. So grateful!

Please also join us in prayer as there are two teacher positions that need to be filled immediately. Philip, the 5^th grade teacher, has found employment in a government school and needs a replacement, and Naomi, the 1^st grade teacher, will be going on maternity leave at the end of March and needs a temporary replacement. The goal of Malava Christian Academy is not simply to educate the next generation but to empower them through education to discover their God-given gifts and purpose! While interviewing potential teachers, we are looking for people who will be able to embrace this missional heart.

The upcoming trip to Kenya in May is gaining momentum as now four young adults will be joining us: Beth Demick, Josh Hughes, Michael Sliwa, and Julianna Elam. What an encouragement this is to us to have the next generation begin to show interest in this ministry begun over 24 years ago. Please pray that we will be able to listen to the Holy Spirit as we begin preparing our testimonies, devotionals (subjects requested include obedience, honesty, responsibility, and God’s love), music, games, skits… We want everything we do and say to be understood through the lens of God’s radical grace and mercy and not the bondage of legalism. Teresa has asked us to pray against idolatry, witchcraft, and immorality, and to pray that hearts will be prepared to receive the Good News of God’s love and favor! Thank you so much for partnering with us in this beautiful ministry!

Grace and peace, Kyon and Cindy

To our dear friends and faithful partners in ministry😊

Kyon and I want to take a moment to say “thank you”!! These last five years have been quite the journey of faith, haven’t they?? But have we not discovered that the Lord is truly good?? I think often of Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not on your own understanding…” God is daily revealing to us His desire for our TOTAL dependency on Him.

As we have passed through the confusion, frustration, and sense of inadequacy over the last five years to this place of fully embracing the “inheritance” God has given us through Kyon’s mom, Elaine, our excitement and confidence in what He has called us to has begun to grow. We realize that this ministry is going to continue far into the future, far beyond our lives, and will continue to be “a source of hope, healing, and restoration for families though the knowledge of Christ’s deep love and the empowerment of education” well into future generations.

There are so many wonderful ministries to contribute to. We are humbled that the Holy Spirit has nudged you to take this journey of faith with ROCK Ministries International! When we all see Jesus, we will say, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?” And our King is going to say to you and me, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these children of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:37-40)

Thank you ALL so much for your faithful prayers and generous financial contributions to fulfill the mission of “sharing the transforming love and favor of God with the children in our care by nurturing them and empowering them through education to discover their God-given gifts.” For so many years since ROCK’s founder, Elaine Yi, began this ministry, this vision has been accomplished through the children’s home. We see a young man like Gideon who was found abandoned in a hut at three-month’s old now in his final year of secondary school surrounded by a caring community as he is preparing to be launched into adulthood!

And now the reach of the ministry has been further extended through Malava Christian Academy accomplishing the long-term vision of “becoming a source of hope, healing, and restoration for the entire family…”  With 148 children in attendance this year, many families are being reached with the Good News of God’s amazing love through the school with its loving teachers, staff, and community! The children attending are from the local village and come from many different backgrounds to include broken and fragmented homes. What an opportunity you and I have to bring about transformation through the love of Christ!!

Kyon and I will be traveling to Kenya in May with two young adults from our small group here in Alaska, Beth Demick and Josh Hughes!! We are so excited to participate in the classrooms, assemblies, and recesses of Malava Christian Academy as well as bond with the children in the home during meals and devotional times. Kyon and I have been asked by Teresa to meet with the staff and share on the subjects of courtship, marriage, and parenting. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will guide the four of us as we prepare!

Many of you are sacrificially giving to accomplish this vision and mission, and all of you are praying!! We are so grateful!! If you would like to start giving financially, please note the instructions in the banner below😊Remember that New Horizons Foundation is the 501c3 covering for ROCK Ministries that will send you receipts; but every dime you give, minus a 5% admin fee, goes out to ROCK Ministries International in Kenya. Our monthly need is $10,600 to include salaries for 23 staff, expenses for 15 children under ROCK’s guardianship, tuition for five in vocational schools, sponsorship of about 20 other children from the community monitored by ROCK’s social worker, farm and office expenses, and miscellaneous needs (poultry project, lawn mower, photocopier, fencing). Kyon and I receive no funding from any donations given to ROCK. God has been so faithful to us, and we know He will prove His faithfulness to you as well.

Grace and peace, Kyon and Cindy

After much prayer over ROCK Ministries for the new year, Teresa was given the theme for 2025: Abiding in Christ to experience God’s glory! She was reading in Exodus 33 about Moses, who had already experienced the miracles surrounding the release of the Israelites from slavery, asking for God to show him His glory! Moses wanted to go deeper still in His relationship with God. God said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you.” May we be like Moses!!

The first week into the new year a miracle happened for Edwina, one of our ROCK children who has been in the children’s home since an infant. She was accepted into Ujima Trade School in Kisumu for a course in Hospitality! And guess where this trade school is located? In the very building that was used as ROCK’s first home when Elaine moved the ministry to Kenya around 2001!  What an amazing surprise. So many beautiful memories flooded Teresa’s mind as she drove onto the compound. There was no housing available for Edwina at the school, but the receptionist mentioned a staff member who had a few rooms available for rent. This staff member turned out to be one of the ushers at Teresa’s church! This is God once again doing “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine”! (Eph. 3:20)

Malava Christian Academy started on January 6^th with 147 students in attendance including three levels of preschool classes all the way up to Grade 5. Over the Christmas holiday, partitions had been built to prepare the Grade 5 classroom which maxed out the multi-purpose hall. Please pray for us this year as we raise funds for a school building to house four classrooms. Kyon and I will be traveling to Kenya in early May to take pictures and interview the staff and children hoping to better tell the story of the impact Malava Chistian Academy is making on this community in Kenya. We also hope to better explain the need for an actual structure after having made-do with the huts and multi-purpose hall these last five years. Please go to the ministry website below if you would like to donate towards the $110,000 building project, and don’t hesitate to reach out to us with questions

This year we have seven ROCK Ministries children in primary school, eight in secondary school, and five that we are supporting through vocational school. Moses has almost completed his course in building technology, Joshua will soon be taking an exam to see if he can advance to the next level of his food and beverage industry training, Tom continues to study agriculture, Molly continues in her course of hospitality and tourism, and Edwina is just starting her course in Hospitality (see photo with Teresa). As with all the children, our hope is to equip them for life as young adults. ROCK’s missional statement carries on from childhood to adulthood, “…to share the transforming love and favor of God with the children in our care by nurturing them and empowering them through education to discover their God-given gifts and purpose as contributing members of their communities and ambassadors of Christ’s love.” ROCK Ministries International is on mission with you through your generous financial support and frequent prayers. Thank you so much for your partnership! We together also sponsor a number of other needy children in the community expanding this influence!

Our staff are growing in unity and in number! Two new teachers were added this year with the addition of Grade 5. Please find the enclosed list of all the names of the staff and ROCK Ministries International children who we remain fully responsible for as guardians. Remember also in your prayers the many families impacted through the school and the 147 children in attendance.  We look forward to the near future as we begin a family strengthening program which will include training in animal husbandry, farming, and small business development. Your generous donations have already contributed towards the completion of a large stable that currently houses three cows providing milk for our school and children’s home and will also become a place for educating others. The maize grown on the land is now being milled on the property as well, thanks to a donation towards repairing the diesel operated milling machine. God is providing financially through you and expanding the ways the ministry can meet some of its own needs. In the future, we will be teaching families in need to do the same. An exciting year is ahead!! May we together abide in Christ and experience His glory on this earth.

Greetings in the name of Jesus! Thanking God for another chance to get in touch and testify of His goodness and mercy, His great love, faithfulness and compassion all through the year 2024, even as we remain with a couple of days to get to the end of the year.

Psalm 103 (“Bless the Lord O my soul! Forget not all His benefits!”) is what I am reflecting on as I thank God for the many things we have been able to accomplish in the year not in our strength but in the Lord’s. School is already closed and the kids are on holiday until the second week of January 2025. Thanking God for your support that ensured all the children in our care, both in the children’s home and others that we support as they stay with their families, were able to attend school uninterrupted as all their fees and supplies were taken care of by you through Rock Ministries International. This comprises of four of our young adults in college, seven in secondary school, and 15 in comprehensive school (initially referred to as primary school). Our education curriculum is phasing the old system (8-4-4/primary-secondary-college) off gradually and incorporating a new system known as the competence-based curriculum which should be launching Grade 9 in the new year within the primary school. Taking care of the 17 children in the home, ensuring their needs are taken care of (food, shelter, clothing, medical, and spiritual), has taken the hand and grace of God all through the year understanding it is a time when the economy globally is not that favorable. May God richly bless you for the kindness you have extended to these dear ones through the sacrificial giving that has ended up lighting their faces with smiles as they sing “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow” in the hope of Christ, as we nurture them both in the home and school in the love of God.

It has been a time of learning, praying, and fellowship for all the staff as we have had our monthly fellowships where we had Bible study sessions and sharing the Word. We have had testimonies of spiritual growth and God’s intervention in various situations within the family units to give peace hope, thus making us more rooted in Christ and growing to trust him more and more.

God made a way for us to purchase three cows and construct a modern stable unit that can house up to eight cows, courtesy of one of our donors. Thanks!!  We are now privileged to be milking one of the cows and looking forward to more. We will be launching our Grade 5 in the new year 2025, thanking God for these enlargements and praying the Jabez prayer that His hand continually rest upon Rock Ministries as His presence is more important than anything else. Hope you partner with us as we fundraise for the first school building as these classes are partitioned in the multi-purpose hall and it is now full.

It's been such a joy to belong to the Rock Ministries International family. This was in the mind of God even before it came to be in the physical. Amazing! Imagine how all of us are connected in this great work to share the love of God and impact a community in the remote part of Africa, especially as we share in the spreading of the Gospel, each one of us living in diverse countries and continents but united in Christ and for Christ. Let’s connect again in the new year, praying and trusting God for the school building and a chicken project for the home. We can’t forget to mention that God can do exceedingly, abundantly, above all we can ask or even imagine because He remains to be God! We are the sheep of His pasture. Happy holidays as you end the year strong in the power of His might. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! SHALOM!!

Yours faithfully,

Teresa Boyani (Director Rock Ministries,Kenya)

Hello Friends!

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on Me… to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” (Isaiah 61: 1-3) This prophecy was fulfilled through Jesus over 2000 years ago and experienced in our lives in these last two months. We hope and pray for all of you, our precious partners in this ministry of “nurturing, teaching, and empowering children with Christ’s love” and strengthening families, that you will experience a great joy this season!!

On October 22^nd Malava Christian Academy held their graduation ceremony as the kindergarten students celebrated moving up to primary school and all the other students celebrated their advancement to the next grade. This was a huge event with board member Pastor Musonye in attendance along with guest speaker Bishop Walter Mido of the Association of Christian Schools International. All the parents were there to witness the skits and music performed by each class. The end of the program marked the beginning of a two-month break for the students. The 2025 school year starts in January with the addition of Grade 5 to Malava Christian Academy. We will once again be accommodating this classroom in the multi-purpose hall, but November of 2025 the new classrooms will need to be built. Please consider partnering with us!

This week several of the teachers have gone with Teresa to attend the final training conducted by ACSI. Malava Christian Academy will be visited by the association in April of 2025 to be inspected and given a special accreditation. This is so exciting as ROCK Ministries continues the mission “to share the transforming love and favor of God with the children in our care by nurturing them and empowering them through education to discover their God-given gifts and purpose as contributing members of their communities and ambassadors of Christ’s love.” Continuing to expand the school all the way to Form 4 (Grade 12) will increase this missional opportunity. Phase one is the building of four classrooms to hold grades 5, 6, 7, and 8 for now (cost estimated at about $105,000) but will one day accommodate the preschool classrooms as a three-story building will be under construction to hold classrooms for Grades 1-12. An architect has already drawn up plans for this building which will also contain a library, lab rooms, and offices.

During the month of November, the teachers will be preparing for the upcoming year before they leave on holiday. We would like to continue the tradition that Mama Elaine started many years ago of blessing the staff with a Christmas bonus. This ends up being about an extra $1200 above our monthly budget to be distributed among the 20 staff. If you would like to contribute an extra donation for this, just do so on the donation page of this website.

Some of our ROCK Ministries International children residing in the children’s home will be traveling to spend the holiday with extended family. Please pray for safety as they travel and for good connections to be made with their families. It will be a little quieter on campus but a beautiful time to connect with the few ROCK children remaining in the home including Jonathan, our newest child recently rescued from his alcoholic father who had been beating him and threatening to kill him. He is so happy to be in a safe place and told Teresa recently that he is never going back. Please pray for his mental and emotional healing. Mark, the preschool teacher, is still living in the boys’ house and has brought great stability there. His heart for God and love for the children is evident. During November some children are sitting for exams and in December the ROCK secondary students will be able to attend camp again like they did last year.

Kyon and I would like to thank you so much for your prayers, cards, and emails since the September newsletter. Taiden’s memorial service was held on October 25^th and blessed all those who attended including Taiden’s family and friends, our Church on the Rock family, and many others. The Holy Spirit’s presence was experienced by many. This photo documents one of the many miracles as it was the first time in six years that the children were together with both of their biological parents. God is opening up new opportunities for us to share His “crown of beauty instead of ashes” with our family here in Alaska thanks to your prayers!

Grace and peace, Kyon and Cindy

Dear Friends and Partners in Ministry,

This letter will be a bit different, a little more personal. How we covet your prayers for our family, as well as for ROCK Ministries, as we partner together in this work that God has called us: to become a source of hope, healing, and restoration for families through the knowledge of Christ’s deep love… Our family has been walking this mission statement out in our own home while taking up the baton to help support ROCK Ministries as the “project managers” and fund raisers. We have become witnesses of the truth spoken
by Jesus to Paul in 2 Corinthians 1:9, “My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Recently we suffered a great personal loss. Our foster daughter, Taiden, ended her life on Wednesday morning, September 11th, just three days before our son’s wedding. I found her body and Kyon, along with my brother who wasvisiting for our son’s wedding, performed CPR until the paramedics arrived and confirmed her passing. In our deep grief we have been experiencing the supernatural peace of God as we have had to notify, and comfort, Taiden’s family. Most of them do not have a personal relationship with Christ, and we have experienced miracle upon miracle.

Even during the day of the wedding, the Lord’s presence was so evident as we grieved together our loss and celebrated the joining of Marshall and Abigail in marriage. Taiden was going to be a bridesmaid, so our daughter carried her bouquet down the aisle and placed it on a small table where she would have stood. It was an emotional, but joy-filled event, one that only God could have pulled off.

Taiden was technically our foster daughter; but in our hearts, she was our daughter. In fact, we were about to take guardianship with the possibility of eventually adopting her. As we entered into the world of foster care and adoption, we became keenly aware of the spiritual warfare keeping this family under the weight of alcohol and drug addiction. God began whittling away at our judgmental hearts and uniting us in love with those held in bondage by the lies of the enemy. We said “yes” to Mason in March of 2020 which was the exact same time Kyon and I became more involved with ROCK Ministries following Elaine’s diagnosis of dementia. Then on December 26th of 2022, Taiden (Mason’s biological sister) moved in with us. We don’t see it as a coincidence
that God was using our experiences with Mason, Taiden, and their family to unite our hearts to the mission and vision of ROCK Ministries in such a personal way. And this makes me think of all of YOU, our partners in prayer, in giving, and in spiritual warfare for these children in Kenya at ROCK Ministries International’s children’s home and school. We have such an opportunity here, together!!

Most of the children in ROCK’s home have experienced deep trauma, just like Taiden had experienced. As the staff come alongside them with the power and love of the Holy Spirit, they have the opportunity to experience His grace in their lives. Please join Kyon and me in renewing the commitment to PRAY for these children in the home, the dorm staff, as well as the students in the school, teachers, administrators, and support staff. Our recent traumatic loss has convicted us of the brevity of life and the need to live life with our eyes wide open and our hearts tuned to the Holy Spirit. When we get to Heaven, we will realize the impact of these prayers!!

We are so very thankful to all of ROCK’s donors and supporters who sacrificially pray and give! Some of you have done this for many, many years. It has been miraculous to see what God has accomplished through you. Thank you so much! If you have not yet partnered with us through giving financially, we invite you to prayerfully consider donating monthly towards the general fund and/or giving a one-time gift towards the building campaign. In January we will be adding grade five to Malava Christian Academy continuing our expansion of the school with the goal of reaching grade twelve (form four) in the upcoming years. We need a school
building to continue expanding. You can help us reach this amazing goal! Scan these two QR codes to find out more! In closing, we wanted to mention again how grateful we are for your partnership with us in this calling to care for these children, and their families, in Malava and the surrounding region. We look forward to all God has for the ministry in the future as we add to the ways we shine God’s light in Kenya through the children’s home, school, animal and farm projects, future bakery and clinic. Please pray for our family as we grieve our deep loss, and thank you for your prayers and financial donations on behalf ROCK Ministries!

Grace and peace, Kyon and Cindy Yi

Dear Friends and Partners in Ministry,

We are so full of joy as we have this opportunity to share with you what God is doing at ROCK Ministries through your love for Him and your trust in His faithfulness! God has provided through your donations THREE cows and a STABLE, once again providing above and beyond what we could ask or imagine!! Now we invite you to partner with us constructing the school building needed by January 2025. Read about this amazing opportunity here: www.newhorizonsfoundation.com/project/single-project/2713/ . Teresa, the ROCK director at Malava, has written this newsletter which will help to answer, “What real difference is ROCK making in the lives of the people we are reaching – and ultimately in the big picture of reaching the whole world for Christ?” (from The God Ask)

Thanking God for the August holiday season we are in, schools will resume on the 26^th of August 2024 for the last term in the academic calendar for the year 2024. The first week on holiday the high school students attended a camp organized by the Kenya Students Christian Fellowship, Kisumu region, and were taught on various issues touching on life skills, social life, spiritual matters, and also encouraging them on academic matters. Three of our primary school pupils (Gloria, Agnes, and James) attended school during the holiday to get extra help and individual attention to boost them in their weak areas. Two of the high school students were able to take advantage of the same holiday program attending classes in the sciences and math for one and half weeks.

Two teachers and I have been in training since last November with the Association of Christian Schools International. It’s holiday based, this means we have sessions when schools are on holiday. We are being taken through a program that ensures that administrators and teachers of Christian schools uphold and ensure the right values and environment within the school set up that will glorify God and evangelize Christ within the school and even to the surrounding community. Praying and looking forward to our school being assessed for the same, but there are standards we have to meet touching on the school vision and mission and Bible integration in our lessons even as we handle the normal curriculum. Each individual employee’s statement of faith will also be needed to be kept as a hard copy filed in the office.

Rock Ministries International is reaching children with the Gospel in both the school and children’s home by teaching the Word of God in the devotional programs for the children held daily before classes begin and in the evening in the boys’ and girls’ houses every day. The children are exposed to the Word of God, and Christian teachings and values, which they grow with and then impact their families, both siblings and parents, and even their friends. The parents also get a chance to hear the Word of God and receive biblical guidance for parenting whenever they visit the school during parents’ meetings and school events. During these times we get to share the love of Christ and counsel them through current challenges, teaching them the biblical approach in handling emerging issues.

We already have encouraging reports from parents and guardians about the children in our school having the confidence to share what they have learned in school and how they love their school, enjoying singing and praising God, and praying. This is evidence that the children are already practicing what they have learned. Through memory verses others get to hear the Word of God and even witness it through the narration of Bible stories which teach on moral behavior, responsibility, and discipline in obedience to God and authority. Some children remind their parents to acknowledge God by ensuring they pray before meals, when going to bed, and in the morning when they wake up thanking God for His mercy and provision. They create spiritual awareness within the family set up though still young. This will impact the community even as they grow to love Christ and serve him, and grow to fulfill the purpose of God on the planet earth. This is where teaching and discipling is effective to mentor future teachers and disciples.

As we share the love of Christ with the children, being able to teach and guide them in life is also another way of impacting the community. They observe us undertaking farming activities like planting vegetables, potatoes, maize, and beans; and they grow up knowing it is good to do something rather than to be idle in poverty. There are some things we can produce for our own consumption, and even sell when we produce in excess of what is needed, to cushion on hunger and lack. This exposes our children to a variety of life skills and sharpens their minds for innovative ideas which boost their thinking and approach to issues.

It’s so amazing to see the kids enroll in preschool at that tender age, go through the preschool years and join primary school growing in all areas from physical growth, social, emotional, academic knowledge, and even spiritual growth. These are the same children who will have the confidence to carry the Gospel having experienced God in their lives from childhood to adulthood. And these are the same children who can turn things around in the leadership of the country and beyond with the academic empowerment and knowledge of God. Praying and looking forward to a reformed community where God reigns and His presence is evident.

We have two of our children (James and Agnes) in 6^th grade who will be graduating to junior secondary school in January next year, then Levine and Faith graduating from preschool to 1^st grade at the end of October. Each of the children will be moving a level higher in January next year, so there is a lot of excitement knowing that this is their final term in the current classes they are in. Thank you for your prayers for these children!

Grace and peace,

Teresa, Kyon, and Cindy