springs ministries

springs - restoring hope

SPRINGS MINISTRIES

DECEMBER 2010 - NEWS/PRAYER LETTER

Dear praying friend (s),
“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbour for his good to build him up” (Romans 15:1-2)
………. “God who has called you into fellowship with His son Jesus Christ our Lord is faithful” (1Cor. 1:9)

When the expert of the law asked Jesus who his neighbour was, he narrated the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:29-37. After giving an answer that, that the man who had mercy on the wounded man was the neighbour he was told “to go and do likewise”.

“Doing likewise” to our wounded neighbours, sisters, brothers, or any other needy person is not very easy these days. The above scripture says that we need to do this for our own good.

In these days we are living in, things are hard and I believe these are the days that the just have to live by faith. Everybody is so keen on their spending, even those who were outgoing in their expenditures are being very careful.

As things become hard, the number of the needy people and their needs are also increasing. Very many people are now betraying the vows they made to help the needy people. Those who had left at one time their comfort zones are secretly slipping back because if they “overspend” they may run into trouble of not meeting their needs.

It is even very difficult for those who want to help, they may not understand.

For you to give now you have to sacrifice a lot. The kind of sacrifice “at your own expense”. But in all those, however, hard it may be, thank God we still have the Good Samaritans who are willing to stop and stoop to help.

The Springs Ministries has come this far because of well-wishers who are our good Samaritans. These people both within and without have made us to be what we are. Sometimes the level of lack we have had, makes us lie down by the wayside as the wounded man who was helped by the Good Samaritan.

When all the people who matter in the society passed this wounded person, a less known person came by and stopped.

• He dared to stop, stoop and decided to do something.
• He used his time, resources and suspended everything else for the sake of this wounded person.
• He used what he had kept for his use on the journey to give first Aid to this person.
• He used his donkey to carry this wounded person.
• He took him to an Inn for special care.
• He followed up on the progress of this person and paid all the bills.

This is a life of sacrifice unto us who are involved in the humanitarian activities; we have to continue to stop and to stoop (if possibly very low) for the sake of the wounded, neglected, abandoned and homeless.

We have to many times use our own resources even up to using up what we have kept for ourselves.

We have to use our horses (vehicles) to get take these needy people to a safe haven (inn) and make sure that these wounds are healed.

We have to keep on following them up and make sure we pay all the bills (vows we made that we shall take care of them)

This year Springs Ministries is 15 (fifteen years) and we can say that the God who called us into this ministry of reconciliation is faithful. It has indeed been a very hard year in all aspects but we still rejoice in the Lord at all times because the joy of the Lord is our strength.

When organizations and people go through financial challenges, even those who were once very faithful tend to waver and most of the times take off.

The taking off may be literal or just being there but not “getting involved” it is like hanging around until some “good” is seen. Thank God that these are the days that “the just have to live by faith”. Life has to go on and once we put our hands on the plough, we have to look ahead and not look back.

This encourages us to hold on even in the midst of many challenges. We are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed but of those who believe and are saved. (Heb. 10:39) for if we shrink back, God will not be pleased with us. This is not the time to throw away our confidence for it will be richly rewarded in God’s time.

Widows Programme

Many of our programmes have been very low. The widows’ programme was not active at all but still the community leaders have been on with their work at their community levels.

Empowerment Class

The Girls’ Empowerment class has been going on very well. The production level has increased. Those who have passed through this class and have the Government Trade Test grades have got employment in other places. This pleases our hearts and we are encouraged. This year we have candidates and we pray that they pass. The volunteering instructors have also been very consistent. We thank God for this.

Sometimes back in the course of this year, some of our friends from the U.K. took several of our African Traditional crafts to sell for us in their churches in the U.K. This was a great boost to us and especially the girls to realize that what they make can be sold abroad.
Orphans Programme

This year, we had many orphans doing their final exams at various levels. This was good to us but the amount of money that was needed for school fees was worrying. This was a major challenge to us. We dragged ourselves with payment of school and college fees that some of them did their exams before we completed paying their fees. This means that we are in debts. Trust with us to be able to pay these debts before the year ends so that they will be able to get their results.

Orphanage

We thank God for our friends in the U.K who have tirelessly given funds to support the children and the work at the orphanage. The children have been catered for and this year they have been very strong and healthy.
One of the orphans we supported came back to help them with their school work and spiritual walk. He is training as a teacher (we are responsible for this) in a nearby college. We thank God for this. It is a good boost for the children.
We need your prayers for the issue of water. The villagers recently vandalized our line of water and broke many pipes. This has made us to lack water for a while. We are looking into ways on how we can sort out this problem. We still need to continue with the work of building to complete the dinning hall. So much progress has been done. For the whole of this year we have been using it. We need to work on the floor and the upper part (Assembly Hall). Trust with us. Thank God for our friends who committed themselves to help in this.

Office News

I thank God for His care upon me. I marked my 50th birthday in July. I am asking God to give me direction for this next session of life I am getting into. I need God’s leading in many areas of my life.

Our Board of Management has not been very active. Many members of this Board have been having their own issues that made them not to be active in their commitment to serve Springs Ministries. We thank God for our international trustees who have been working very hard to raise funds to help us. Pray that God would encourage them in every way possible.

An Award

We have been privileged to get A Good Samaritan Award for the humanitarian activities we have been doing for the past 15 years. This was the climax of the silent celebration we had to mark the 15th anniversary of Springs Ministries. I have produced a book to this effect.

Praise & Prayer

Do please praise God and pray with us for the following: -

Praise God

For His continued faithfulness to us in many ways
For the work that has been done in the dinning hall/kitchen.
For helping of our children to attain levels of Education they have got and even enabling others to continue.
For taking good care of me as I lead this ministry and providing for my needs.
For all friends both within and without for all kinds of support we have gotten from them.
For our International Trustees who have been standing with us in many ways.

Pray with us

That God may encourage those who volunteer their services to us
For our Board of Management to be committed to their obligation for this ministry.
For the financial provision to enable us to meet the needs and activities we are yet to accomplish
For the completion of the upper part of the dinning hall and the acquisition of the development plot for the proposed Boys’ center
For me as I lead this organization and seeking God for the direction of my life and for this organization.

Note:
Friend we thank you for always being there for us for better and for worse. “Friends in the Lord always care”

God’s blessings in His vineyard

Margaret Auma (Ms.)
Executive Director – Springs Ministries.

Office Address:

p.o.box 3427

kisumu

kenya

40100