Servant Leadership

One of the things that makes New Hope Initiative so successful is the amazing local leadership that we have managing our many projects. This is the point where so many other mission efforts break down with a lack of leadership, integrity, and accountability from the local staff. However we are so pleased to tell you that it is not the case with New Hope Initiative. Our local staff is comprised of committed, skilled, caring men and women of strong Christian character and integrity. One sterling example of this is Pastor Francis Rogers who is the Director of our orphanage in Sierra Leone West Africa. Pastor Francis consistently makes large personal sacrifices in his own life so that the orphans can receive better care. He regularly eschews personal comfort so the children he loves will have the things they need. Our local staff around the world are also extremely hard working individuals and again Pastor Francis is a perfect example of this. He is never afraid to get his work clothes on and do the things necessary to help the ministry progress. In this picture he has taken off the "pastor" outfit and is making bricks that can be sold to supplement the children's care.

We are so thankful for our local leaders and their staff who sacrifice daily to show the love of Christ to those they have responsibility over. We love our local leaders like Pastor Francis Rogers!

Meet Madam Francisco

This lady has become a very bright spot in my life and work here in Kenya. Everyday that I walk into the New Hope Kibera compound, she lights up with a big smile and greets me. She always compliments me and makes me feel like a celebrity just walked up, and I am the celebrity. I have come to adore her, trust her and laugh with her often. Madame Francisco Mutunga is the Deputy Head Teacher at New Hope Academy in Kibera. I like to tell everyone, she runs the place. And, while many people come together to accomplish our work, Madame Mutunga is the solid cornerstone that holds it all together. She is loyal, hard working, bright, and has a deep integrity. She loves her family and has made the New Hope family part of her own.

I sat down with her to talk about her work and views on leadership. I love her concise yet thoughtful responses to my questions.

Q: How long have you worked at New Hope Academy and what position did you start in?

I have worked here at the school since 2006. I started as a teacher, teaching math, Kiswahili, science and CRE to Class 4, 5, & 6.

Q: What was the school like then?

Terrible. Unexplainable.

Q: Why did you become a teacher?

First of all, I wanted to work with children and mentor them. Secondly, in the teaching profession, as you do the work you can learn more. That was appealing to me - to continue learning while working.

Q: Now, that you are in administration at the school, do you miss teaching?

Yes, I miss it, so now I try to find time to be in the classroom as much as possible. I teach science, to Class 4 and math to Class 5.

Q: Who has been the most influential leader in your life and why?

When I was young, my father died, so my uncle took care of me. My aunt (his wife) became very influential in my life. She taught me the realities of life and many things that have helped me in my life.

Also, Head Teacher, Festus, has influenced me and taught me many things in leadership and real life situations.

Q: How do you define leadership?

Leadership is the ability to direct and involve yourself and others in planning and doing certain things.

Q: What are your hopes and dreams for the students of NHA?

Many of our students come from poor families who stay within the slum all their lives. My hope is that God would help them learn and get a good future and help their families leave the slum and get a better life than they have

By Lauren Allgood - NHI Kenya Leadership Director

Kibera Clinic

One of the great new events for 2015 is the opening of our New Hope Initiative Clinic in the Nairobi, Kenya neighborhood of Kibera. We have had for many years a makeshift nursing station at our Kibera School, however, we recently were privileged to open our first dedicated clinic building to meet the medical needs of the people of Kibera. Without question one of the greatest needs in this slum is medical treatment for the massive number of people who live in that community. We are so pleased to be taking the first step towards meeting this need as our clinic becomes fully operational. The clinic is currently being staffed by a very competent nurse named Olive and we have a dream of this facility one day being the finest full service medical facility in Kibera. We have room for expansion and believe by faith that God will raise up a great facility in this place.

It Is Always Worth It

Saturday was one of the toughest days our family has ever experienced. My wife Karen and our children Kyle and Kelsey arrived in Nairobi from Sierra Leone after having gone to make application to adopt a precious little orphan by the name of Brian. The week in Sierra Leone had been a challenge, but was seemingly successful and the adoption process is moving steadily ahead with hopefully about 6 months to go. They arrived at the Nairobi airport to be reunited with me and Beckett our grandson, who I had traveled ahead with (I know I am a brave grandpa), and to continue our work in Kenya and Tanzania.

However, after arrival in Nairobi they were turned away at the airport due to unfounded Ebola concerns. They were then locked in a small room for 16 hours. It was a very frustrating, confusing, and challenging day as we fought to keep them there. We fought to have them sent back home to Texas instead of back to Sierra Leone as the authorities desired. And we fought to allow them to take Beckett with them which at first was denied. Sadly this strange story did not have a happy ending. They were deported later that night, although they were allowed to take Beckett with them and they were allowed to return home. This was a crushing defeat for our family and emotionally and physically very exhausting (they were traveling or detained for 70 straight hours).

As I was dejectedly leaving the airport after the 15 hour ordeal I heard a strange noise. Tollowing a disorientated moment, I realized my phone was playing a song from my iTunes list. I want to preface this story by explaining that although I am a person of faith I also am a very pragmatic person by nature and I often scoff (to myself) at people's so called "miracle" moments. But as I walked in the rain through the Nairobi airport parking lot, inexplicably, without even removing it from my pocket my phone began to play a song and as I strained to hear the word I soon recognized it as a song called "Orphans of God" by Avalon. I did not even know the song was on my iTunes, it must have been left over from a presentation we did 7-8 years ago. I have never even one time played that song on my phone. But in my moment of discouragement I heard these words:

So often abandoned by life's circumstances Come you unwanted and find affection If grace exists, then grace was made for lives like this There are no strangers, there are no outcasts, there are no orphans of God

- Orphans of God, by Avalon

I was powerfully reminded in that moment that doing good can sometimes be challenging and difficult. I was powerfully reminded in that moment that rescuing the hurting, the hopeless, the orphaned, and the outcast can at times be painful, but IT IS ALWAYS WORTH IT. For the little Brians of Sierra Leone as well as for the children of East Africa, India, and Nicaragua where we work, we cannot allow discouragement to defeat us. God was faithful in my very dark moment to wonderfully and perhaps miraculously remind me of why we do what we do and why we can never quit. If you are discouraged today, in some good work you are engaged in, I hope my story will lift your spirits. Don't quit!

Sandy Baird - New Hope Initiative Director

Penda Project Grows

Our incredibly successful scholarship program takes young people from our Kibera Primary School and helps them to further their education into secondary school, college, and university. Here is the record of 5 years of amazing growth.

• From 14 to 121 high school students
• From 14 to 41 students yearly that pass their entrance exam
• From 1 to 15 college students
• From no sponsors to 89 sponsors from 17 different states.
• From a staff of 2 to a staff of 7
• From a yearly budget of $4,200 to a yearly budget of $70,000

This incredible record of growth in such a short period of time presents incredible challenges as well. We now have 41 brand new high school freshman who are in need of a scholarship in order to attend secondary school in 2015. We have allowed these young people to enter school in a bold step of faith and we are searching for new sponsors who will commit to $30 or $50 dollars per month to cover the cost of either day school or boarding school for one of these wonderful young people. This is one of the very best investments you could ever make, literally giving these young people a chance for a future.

If you are interested in sponsoring a specific student please visit www.kiberapendaproject.com or email Kelsey Baird at kelsey@kiberapendaproject.com