{"id":6660,"date":"2025-03-05T10:22:33","date_gmt":"2025-03-05T16:22:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/?p=6660"},"modified":"2025-03-05T10:26:48","modified_gmt":"2025-03-05T16:26:48","slug":"ross-newsletter-march-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/ross-newsletter-march-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Ross Newsletter: March 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Melanie's Moments<\/h1>\n

Sweet Ella<\/h4>\n
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Ella at KidsZone.<\/p><\/div>\n

I want to introduce you to Ella. Ella attended Kids\u2019 Church for the first time in February. Her mother dropped her off and stayed to talk to me about her sweet daughter. Ella was diagnosed with Autism and this was her first time attending our church. Her mother asked many questions: \u201cWill Ella be okay?\u201d, \u201cDo I need to stay with Ella?\u201d, \u201cWill Ella be included?\u201d. I\u2019m so thankful for Ella and that she came to KidsZone. I was able to tell her mother that Ella would be okay; it\u2019s her first time in a new place, let\u2019s let her explore. I encouraged the mother to go to church so she could be spiritually fed, and yes, Ella was included in all that we did. This encounter revealed to me part of God\u2019s plan for me coming to Kenya\u2014to create a loving environment in the church setting for those with disabilities and their families. Ella is one of God\u2019s Treasures, and her family needed a reminder that He has a purpose for their lives. We have had many families with children with disabilities attend KidsZone, and I\u2019m excited to see how God uses our church as a beacon of hope to families.<\/p>\n

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KidsZone at Church.<\/p><\/div>\n

Kris, The Artist<\/h4>\n

I met Kris at Heshima (the centre I go to each week) and saw his art. Kris went to college for eight years to study drawing. Pictured below is just one of his cards I purchased to support his family coming to Kenya to share ministry through their love of art. Kris is 38 years young and one of God\u2019s Treasures! He does have Down Syndrome, but that doesn\u2019t stop him from using his God-given talent to share with the world. Each year, his family creates a calendar from his drawings as a fundraiser for their ministry in Kenya.<\/p>\n

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Kris and his art.<\/p><\/div>\n

One Year<\/h4>\n

I have officially been living in Kenya for one year, 365 days of new adventures and putting my faith in the Lord. I read a quote recently that said, \u201cAs believers, we are to walk in the will of God and...leave 'footprints of peace' wherever we go\u201d (Larry Lea). My prayer is that wherever I have walked over the past year, footprints of peace and the love of Jesus have been left behind. I have learned so much about ministry and what ministry can look like in a different place. I\u2019m thankful for God\u2019s favor over my life and what I have been able to experience and embrace. It\u2019s only been one year, but it feels like a lifetime.<\/p>\n

Thank You<\/h4>\n

Thank you doesn\u2019t seem like the right words to express my gratitude for your encouragement, your prayers, and your financial support. I am a third of the way finished with my first term, and that is because of the partnership I have with each of you. I look forward to sharing more about how God uses me in my second year of Kenya.<\/p>\n

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Pictures from Melanie's first year in Kenya.<\/p><\/div>\n

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