In the last 16 years, I have had the opportunity to travel quite a bit, primarily because of my work with eduKenya. In that time of starting and leading eduKenya, I have seen God at work in big and small ways. As I pondered what to share in this end of year letter, the words of Lamentations 3:21-24, repeated over and over in my head “But this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness; “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”” (ESV) Those words are a wonderful encouragement, but even more so when taken in context. The words of lament, or deep expressions of grief and sorrow, present themselves in the book of Lamentations. The preceding words in Lamentations 3:1-20 share of deep suffering and affliction, to the point in verses 17 and 18, it says “my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, “My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the Lord.”
In the middle of what can at times feel like overwhelming misery in Mathare, we have constantly been reminded that the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end. In the past year we have had the privilege to be associated with young men and women who went from being forgotten and swallowed up by affliction, on the path to bitterness, to being restored by God’s mercies through people like you. We have seen the great faithfulness of God, because you have said in the midst of the lament, “But this I call to mind and therefore I have hope.” You are stepping into the laments of our broken world, and providing opportunities for others to see God’s goodness and faithfulness.
Young men and women at eduKenya have come into relationship with Jesus because of your prayers. Students have graduated from high school and completed their first years of nursing programs, film school, economics and catering at college and internship programs. They have become the first to finish primary school and then high school in the history of their families. You have told children and families that have never been encouraged to see themselves with significant worth, that they are children of God loved and cherished.
Your generous support pushing back against the darkness in the lament, will be matched up to $50,000 from now through the end of December 2021. I would like to thank each of you for the generosity you have shown, and invite you to continue to grow in your partnership with us as we say to the children and families of Mathare in the midst of the lament, “the steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
As you head into this season of giving thanks, and of remembering the greatest gift ever given, may the LORD be your portion, and therefore may you hope in Him.