December Update 2019



Hello from Nakuru, Kenya!

         So many experiences and stories could be told, it's hard to know where to start. We all hear of "orphans" and have compassion in our hearts...but I want to SHOUT from the roof tops the need for families. These babies are precious and perfect. They are a gift. ANYONE would, and should, be honored to call one of these babies, son or daughter. Sadly, very few see these gifts. Orphanages around the world are full of gifts, not just here in Kenya. Our babies needs here at Haven of Hope are very well cared for, but nothing replaces a healthy family. The enemy has been super crafty in blinding the community and painting children as burdens or unworthy. My heart breaks for the babies and also for those that are blind to the need. The current government setup does legally require orphanages here in Kenya. The foster and adoption program is set up very differently than the USA program. A child with any known living family can never be adopted, but the child can be placed in a loving foster family until adulthood. No subsidy or medical care is offered. An abandoned child with no known family can be adopted after the age of 6 months, but will remain in an orphanage until adopted. Children with medical needs will wait the longest. Currently, Kenya is closed to ALL adoptions, so the children are "stacking up!" Pray Kenya opens adoption in the year 2020 to Kenyan families. We don't anticipate international adoptions to open.

         Nick and I can't wait to be in the local church and communities, speaking and reflecting God's heart of adoption. We want to expose the beauty of caring for children in need. Our work visas are required to do this...praying they process quickly and are approved.

         Additional water collection tanks are in the ground and have collected hundreds of gallons of rainwater! Nick and Lizzy have spent lots of time learning Aquaponics systems. (Huge tanks of fish provide waste for plant food...the plants then filtrate the water back to healthy levels for the fish. Win-Win for all!) Nick has been planning for the plumbing and we hope to be growing 'maters in a month or two. If we can master the Aquaponics program, we could take this model to regions who are hungry due to weather conditions. Three of our current babies are from this "hungry region."

          Random tid-bits:
"Cereal spoons" in Kenya are all the size of soup spoons. My mother would not approve.
I haven't had a chocolate chip cookie in six weeks.
We are getting good at taking a "bird bath" to conserve water.
I enjoy placing all food scraps in the bucket for Ashley-the resident dairy cow.
We have Fellowship on Tuesdays and Bible study on Wednesdays. We are adding a trauma competent
module to each Wednesday Bible study hour. Plus, Nick meets with the men every morning for an hour study. The weather here is beautiful. It has rained every day for the last 2-3 weeks!
I still haven't found a stray cat to nab and claim.
After 5 weeks, our four boys have beds. We are so thankful! The fundi, aka furniture maker, delivered the twin beds on a motorcycle. I was impressed.
We live at the top of the hill! I love our gravel road. Many aunties live near and walk to work.
Turn over is very, very low. Most aunties have been here a very long time.

Thank you for being in our lives! We need each and every one of you.
Love,
The Rosenbaums



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