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“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the dry wasteland.”
– Isaiah 43:19

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Jambo (hello)

It has been a little over three months since we have arrived back in Kenya. It seems like a lifetime. There is a lot going on and so much to tell that we could write a book, but instead, we will try to fit it all into a quick newsletter.

Dream Center

It’s hard to believe that it was only one year ago this week that we signed our ten year lease for the Dream Center!

Every room, every day, and every way continues to be filled to overflowing. When we prayed for the Dream Center to be filled with love and life, we had no idea how God would answer this. Some days we think, “OK God, You can stop now.” We may or may not be kidding!

The more time we spend with the children God has sent us, the more we learn their stories. The Dream Center is truly a river in a desert and a light in a dark place. I will share one of their stories later.

Feeding 500 Program

This program is needed now more than ever. Because of drought issues, the after effects of the pandemic, and the Ukraine war prices, everything has skyrocketed 20% to 50%. We know the whole world has been affected by these times. Many places in our world, like Kenya, have an income of $3 to $5 a day. What has been barely surviving has impacted Kenyans in a way that has left 3 to 4 million people in need of food assistance.

At the Dream Center, we are all about empowering the community. But how can you empower someone who is starving? This is our challenge.

It is hard to imagine a child going days without eating, but it is a regular occurrence. We are thankful for all the provision this past year. It has allowed us to continue without cutting back on a hot meal for all 500 children every Saturday. It brings us great joy to be this “City on a Hill” that is full of laughter, singing, playing, and eating. We pray you will be blessed by it as well, because you are part of this story God is writing.

Gently Led

Our parenting class is an important ministry at the Dream Center. It is a day of teaching and learning. It’s a day of blessing these mothers with gifts and the love of Jesus, for them and their babies. 

We have become even more determined to educate people, especially after learning of all the babies that have died, even in our area, from malnutrition and lack of education. One of the lessons we educate against is the belief that when a newborn has a cough, they will do a home removal of the the uvula (skin that hangs down in the back of the throat). Some mothers, even after being taught, are so fearful and desperate when their babies get sick, that they will lose their baby to this horrific practice. Thankfully many of the mothers do listen after being taught.

If you would like to give towards a care package for one baby, it is $25. The entire day of training, food, care packages, and worship for 35 mothers is $800 every 3 months. As we look at our budget for “Gently Led”, it seems like a lot. But if it saves the life of one baby, it is worth it!

Care packages consist of a mosquito net, baby clothes, diapers, maize flour, lotion, tea and sugar, and a crocheted hat.

Wayne

Wayne has been busy preparing “Bible Study” teaching four days a week, plus a finance class. He is preparing all the sponsored kids for school. In Kenya, this is not an easy task. We currently have seventeen children attending school. Sixteen of them have sponsors. If you are interested in sponsoring a child, message us for information. 

One of the things God has pressed on Wayne’s heart is using the Dream Center to educate pastors. There is a huge need here.

Last month, Calvary Mombasa led their first conference at the Dream Center. For two weeks, we housed ten carefully chosen young adults from all over Kenya. They were trained on how to share the gospel with Muslims in hostile areas. During training, they had the chance to do this, and some of those they shared with surrendered their lives to Jesus!

Wayne is also going to begin our first training for men. He will do a woodworking class, which will start in two weeks. It will be a learning time for him as well, because building is very different here in Kenya.

Haven

Haven started school at the Center with another Kenyan homeschool family, and this has been a huge blessing. Also, Haven got braces. She has been waiting for this for so long, and she is so excited. This is bittersweet. Even though she wants straight teeth, we all agree we will miss her little gap.

Tammy

Wayne and I went to Nairobi to try to get our missionary permit. It was a failure. But we decided to not waste a trip and stayed an extra day. We went zip-lining. I have some height phobia and was terrified, but I did it! It was nice to get away from all the wildness of ministry and just enjoy God’s artistic creations.

Family 

Our daughter, Willow, will be coming to help at the Dream Center next month. She will be staying three months and leading some camps. Sometime in August, a team will join her.

Our other daughter Amber, along with our grandchildren, will be joining Willow for a month. We love visiting our family state side, but there is something special about having your family here serving together. It’s like all the things you love, in one place. We are praying for our oldest daughter to join us one day. Our hearts are so full as we prepare for their visit!

The picture above was the last time we served together, which was nine years ago.

Dream Center Tutoring

One of our first dreams for the Center was to provide a safe place for children to learn. The children we have chosen for the program are the most vulnerable and unable to attend school. Here are just some of the reasons why they don’t go to school.

1. There is no money to send them to school.
2. They are needed to watch the small children while their parents work.
3. They need to work, to provide money for their family, some even as young as 5 years old do small jobs like washing clothes.
4. Some have learning disabilities.

Our classes run all day, several days a week. We have seen their progress in many areas, like social, spiritual, and educational. Sometimes the children show up at 7am, even though the doors do not open until 7:30 and classes do not begin until 10am! And since classes are over at 4pm, these children end up being here all day.

As we have gotten to know them intimately, we learn their stories. J, who is 12, was sent by her mother to earn money by watching children in the village. Her guardian we believe to be a prostitute. She has never gone to school and is extremely shy. Earlier this month, she was found late at night walking the streets in clothes similar to prostitutes. We took her to the clothes closet and gave her four new outfits. We talked about how dangerous it was to be out at night.

We are praying for J and a way forward for her. Scripture cries out to us, and we remember we are to “Rescue the weak and needy, and deliver out of the hand of the wicked.” But God hasn’t yet shown us how. So we pray He will provide a way for J. He has done it before, so we keep praying that He will do it again.

Future

We are thankful for what God has done this past year. We feel content, but we are also believing God for a new thing. We will wait until He shows us the next step and it is clear to us.

Here are some things we are praying about. 

1. We are praying about starting a second Center in another area. The Dream Center has been so fruitful, so why not reproduce it in a new area?
2. Our Dream Center is so overflowing with children that there isn’t room for the adult programs, like training to start new businesses, men’s and women’s Bible studies, teaching reading, etc. It is a juggling act to do all we feel called to do.
3. We have been praying about a piece of property that is in a rural, tropical area that is about an hour and a half away, and where land is inexpensive, for now at least. It is overflowing with every fruit tree you can think of. We would like to purchase 10 acres. The land would be a perfect place for growing gardens and making honey, a place filled with animals that could provide wool, milk, eggs, etc. But most of all, it would be a place to “Be still and know He is God.” This property would be for Kenyans, and Americans, who are in need of rest and healing. It would be a place to serve and be served.

Please pray that we hear God’s voice clearly, and that He would go before us and make the crooked roads straight.

Conclusion

Perhaps as you read our newsletter, it felt a bit somber. The truth is, life here is full of immense joy and spiritual highs. But along with that, the lows can be really low. It can be hard, but we wouldn’t trade it for anything. 

Thank you for journeying with us. Thank you for how you have encouraged and prayed for us. We thank God every time we remember you.

If you are interested in joining us in person, for a short term, or a longer mission trip, feel free to message us for more information. 

We are currently looking for a few interns to volunteer for 3 months, and to stay at the Dream Center. Areas of need are tutoring, bible study, music, art, photography, first aid, and media.

“And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.” -1 Thessalonians 3:13

~ The Andrus Family