Partners and Friends,

It is difficult to believe that we are already 3 months into 2024!  Things here in Nairobi are going well.  The weather has been beautiful and we are so grateful for this place that we get to call home.

It has been a busy start to the year, but wonderful in so many ways.  The next few months are going to slow down a bit, which is welcome news for our family. 

The kids are doing well.  Sophie has just started her last quarter of MS!  She is quickly approaching High School, which we can’t quite believe.  In recent months she starred in the MS Play, Stuart Little, as a Narrator, and she has just started volleyball season.  She is also continuing to take piano lessons, voice lessons, and lead on the MS Worship team.  One of the major projects for 8^th Grade is called the 20% project, where students spend 20% of their time learning a new skill.  She decided to learn guitar, and to write a song on the piano and guitar.  We are realizing she has a gift for song writing, and it is amazing to see her develop these new skills. 

Ethan is looking forward to finishing his 6^th Grade year.  In recent months, he played Basketball for the MS B Team, and they had an undefeated season!  He has really developed a love of BBall, but soccer will always be his preferred sport.  This season he is trying out for rugby, which will be a new sport for him.  We just pray that he doesn’t suffer any major injuries! He is continuing to play the drums, and has also started playing the piano by ear and creating songs. He recently found out that one of his very closest friends since pre-school will be leaving Kenya next school year, which is very difficult for him. Sadly, this is a fairly normal occurrence as International Schools tend to be transient places. Both kids have had to say goodbye to close friends so many times, and it never gets easier.

Over Rosslyn’s Spring Break, Jamie took both Sophie and Ethan on a Mt. Kenya trek.  They both made it to the top of Pt. Lenana (16,500ft!), which is an amazing accomplishment.  We have had them hiking since they were old enough to walk (actually before they could walk if you count the hikes on Jamie’s back), so it is good to see that they both have developed an aptitude and a love of it.  This hike can be challenging and exhausting, especially with the altitude, but they kept saying how happy they were and how much they loved it. 

We were also grateful that Jessica’s parents were able to visit us for a couple of weeks in February.  They were able to see Sophie’s play, see her lead worship, and attend several of Ethan’s basketball games.  It is always good to be with family, and extremely special to be able to share our lives here with them.

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Projects and Ministry Updates

St. Joyuna, Ruai

The classrooms at St. Joyuna are (mostly) complete!  The students started using the 2^nd floor classes in January, and all of the finishings (painting, windows, doors) was finished in February.  It is a beautiful set of classes, and one that the school is extremely proud of. 

The next phase that we are working on is to install solar power throughout the building.  Electricity can be both unreliable and very expensive in this area, so we have decided to install solar panels on the roof to ensure that these classrooms always have power and that learning is never inhibited due to a lack of electricity.

The water kiosk project is continuing to do well. It is a good source of small income, as well as a benefit to the surrounding community.

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Smile Star’d, Njoro

Smile Star’d continues to make an incredible impact in the community, and throughout Kenya.  Not only have they reached over 85,000 girls facing period poverty, and educated over 40,000 boys, but they also employ 20 mothers, providing much needed income to support their families.  In recent months they have expanded their efforts to not only create reusable sanitary pad kits, but also to produce reusable diapers for both babies and adults.  These are meeting a huge needs for families that can not afford disposable diapers, for children’s home and newborn centers, and especially for children and adults with special needs. 

We were recently able to assist them with new equipment and needed items, as well as a project to finish the outdoor area with cabro, which has made a much cleaner and beautiful space for the enterprise.

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Tana River Projects

There is a great opportunity in the community of Ramada to partner with Bocha and Hadija Hussein to provide a new modern school building.  They have been working with a local government school in this area, but they have realized they need to start a private, Christian school. 

The community has provided the land to Bocha, and a new building was started last year by World Vision.  Unfortunately, there was a conflict with the building contractor, so World Vision has decided to pull out of the project.  So now the building is sitting, uncompleted.  We now have the opportunity to step in and assist in finishing the project, using a new construction team.  It is a large project, but we are excited about the potential.  This school would be an incredible resource for the community, and would give Bocha and Hadija the freedom to provide a high quality, Christian education, and to hire teachers that are aligned.  Hadija is already working with students from the community, and we have a daily feeding program already in place. 

If you are interested in supporting this project, you can do so here:  Dunning Ministry Account (Please use Ministry Option further down the page.)

If you would like more specific details about the need, please feel free to reach out.

Earlier in the year, this community was once again devastated by flooding. Many of the communities that we work with had to relocate to temporary displacement camps. During this time we were able to partner with Bocha to provide much needed food relief. Fortunately, the water has receded and the communities have returned home and have resumed their farming activities.

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Heri Ministries

One of our partners, Lucy Chengo of Heri Ministries, does incredible work working with young girls and woman in the coastal area of Malindi.  Her primary focus is to assist young girls that have been victims of child marriage and abuse, and those that have converted to Christianity.  She provides housing education and skills training.  Due to inflation and the weak economy, the price of basic goods has skyrocketed recently, so we were able to step in and assist Heri with much needed food relief.

Lucy also does work in surrounding villages and communities.  In recent months she has come in contact with many families from underprivileged areas that attend local IPHC churches that she works with.  These families are unable to send their children to school because of school fees.  We are grateful that we have been able to come alongside her to help support these families by sending their children to school.  This is only possible because of the generosity of you, our partners and donors.

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Christmas Spirit 2023

We had a great Christmas Spirit project in December.  Thanks to your generosity and a generous contribution from People to People Ministries, we were able to bless over 500 children with a Christmas gift and celebration!  This is a summary of what we were able to do:

• Hosanna Children’s Home: New school shoes for 50 children
• Huruma Children’s Home: New school uniforms for 49 children
• St. Joyuna Academy: New backpacks with relief food inside for 230 children
• Emmanuel Prep. School: New textbooks for over 100 students.
• Nakuru CMD: New school uniforms for 42 children
• Pastor’s Children: Monetary gift to 75 Pastor’s Children
• Outreach Children:  Food gifts and school supplies for 6 children

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Service Learning at Rosslyn

Jamie’s part-time role at Rosslyn Academy (as Service-Learning Coordinator) has continued to develop and continues to open many doors for ministry and work throughout Kenya.

In December, Jamie led the Rosslyn Christmas Project. Over a 4-week period, the Rosslyn community came together to raise over $16,000 to bless 4 very deserving partner organizations in Kenya!

In the last several months he has been able to coordinate 25 different student service trips, ranging for 1-5 days in length for students ranging from 1st-12th Grade..  Through these experiences students have had the opportunity to immerse in cultural learning, service opportunities, relationship formation, spiritual formation and adventure.  It is incredible to see how these experiences impact both the students and the communities that they are able to partner with. These experiences have tremendous impacts on these students, but through the relational model that is being established, they also have huge benefits for our partner communities.

Jamie also had the opportunity to take 8 HS Student leaders to Accra, Ghana, for a Global Issues Service Summit hosting by AISA.  This was a great opportunity for these student leaders to grow in their awareness of global issues, develop their leadership skills, and to more deeply discover their unique giftings and abilities.

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Prayer Requests

• For the millions of people in Kenya facing rising costs of basic goods, food insecurity and the uncertainty of what is to come.
• For the Nation of Kenya, and the individuals, ministries, communities and churches that we have partnerships with.
• That we would love God and others as He loves us, and that we will be faithful in all the areas that we are being called.
• For continued direction and wisdom in our work.
• For our marriage to grow stronger every day.
• For Sophie and Ethan…that they will feel a meaningful connection to our ministry and that they both will grow to love and follow Jesus.
• For our extended families as they live life without having us and the kids nearby.
• For good health, safety and protection.

Can we pray for you?  Please send us your requests at dunningsinkenya@gmail.com.

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We love and appreciate you all!  Your support, prayers, and encouragement mean everything to us.  Thank you for partnering with us. 

Grace and Peace, 

Jamie, Jessica, Sophie and Ethan

Partners and Friends,

It is hard to believe that it is already October. Time is going by so quickly, and we feel like every week melts into the next one. Since Kenya is on the Equator, we don’t really have seasons (other than rain seasons, or slightly cooler portions of the year), but each October the Jacaranda trees all around Nairobi blossom their light purple flowers, and these flowers fall to the ground leaving a carpet of purple. So, even though it is very different, we have our version of Fall….just replace the orange and yellow leaves falling with purple flowers. It is one of our favorite times of the year in Nairobi.

Since our last update, we have traveled to the States for 2 months, which was a great time with friends and family. We returned to Kenya in early August. In family news, Sophie started 8th Grade and Ethan entered 6th Grade! It feels odd to have both kids in MS now, and to know that Elementary days are officially behind us.

Sophie is continuing to grow in her leadership and giftings. She is serving on the Student Leadership Team at school, sings on the Middle School Worship Team, plays basketball for the MS A Team, and just found out that she got a part in the MS play, Stuart Little. She is still enjoying playing piano and is really developing her ability to sing and lead songs from the piano. In her spare time (there isn’t much!) she stays fairly busy babysitting and enjoys having a bit of pocket money.

Ethan is loving being in MS. It was a bit of an adjustment from ES to MS, but he has settled in and is doing really well. He earned a starting spot on the MS B soccer team, and has played really well this season. He is still playing drums, and he just informed us that he signed up for the school talent show. He was going to try out for drums for the MS worship team, but when he found out that they practiced during Wednesday lunches, he backed out because “Wednesday lunch is the only day that 6th Graders get the Soccer Field to ourselves!” 🙂 He couldn’t imagine choosing to give up a chance to play soccer with his friends. So, he said that he will do worship team next year, because “7th Graders get the Futsal field on Thursday, so there won’t be a conflict.”

With the kids both growing in their musical talent, we have had a few opportunities recently to lead worship together.

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Project and Ministry Update

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St. Joyuna Classroom Building

In August, we decided that the classroom building at St. Joyuna wasn’t quite finished. The first level was built last year with the intention of adding a second level in the future. Due to the incredible generosity of partners, we were able to begin the construction of the second level much sooner than anticipated! This second level will add space for a science lab, a meeting hall, and additional classrooms. The construction is almost complete, and then the entire building will receive a fresh coat of paint. We are very excited for what this building is going to provide for this school.

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Tana River Project Updates

The Agriculture/Irrigation Projects in Tana River are continuing to do well. We recently expanded the Gardeni project by adding a second well and irrigation system, doubling the size of the farm. These projects continue to provide food, income and livelihoods for these communities.

Another initiative that our partners, Bocha and Hadija, have started is a feeding program at a local school in a community called Ramada. We have partnered with them to provide the daily meals for the children. A door has also opened for them to build a permanent building for the school. The community has been so grateful that they donated a large piece of land for the school to be built on, and a local NGO agreed to fully fund the building!

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Smile Star’d – Days 4 Girls

Things at Smile Star’d are continuing to do well. The enterprise is growing, and they have now provided education and reusable sanitary pad kits to 82,000 girls in Kenya! This ministry is incredibly impactful for young girls in Kenya, because it breaks down the stigma that exists around menstruation, as well as provides girls with resources that will keep them in school. It also employs 25 people (mostly single mothers) providing them with a regular and consistent income.

One of our partner churches, Rehobeth PH Church, made a donation to this project in honor of the late Mrs. Patsy Jackson. Mrs. Patsy was the Mother of Rehobeth’s pastor, Martin Jackson, and she was a member of my (Jamie) childhood church, Culbreth, in Falcon, NC. I have known Mrs. Patsy my entire life, and I have always loved and respected her greatly. She was an incredible woman that loved and lived for Jesus. She recently passed away, so Rehobeth decided to support this project in her honor and memory, which made this project even more significant to me. We were able to use the funds to repair the floor of the sewing room, provide the seamstresses with more comfortable chairs, and add cabro and drainage to the area outside the sewing centre that would flood when it rained (this is project is ongoing, but nearly complete). Rehobeth also made a contribution for another ministry that works with young women, Heri Ministries, in Mrs. Patsy’s honor.

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Heri Ministries

Our partner, Lucy Chengo, runs an incredible ministry in Malindi called Heri (Happy) Ministries. She takes in girls and young women that have been rescued from poverty, child marriage, as well as converts to Christianity. She provides them a place to stay, discipleship, and skills training. They are taught sewing and hair-styling so that they can earn an income and sustain themselves. Heri has recently added an incredible new building to house their operations, and we have been able to assist with a variety of things over the years. With the funds given in honor of Mrs. Patsy Jackson, we were able to provide 4 new sewing machines and other needed items for the ministry. This is an incredible ministry and we have been connected with Lucy since our second trip to Kenya in 2007!

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Service Learning at Rosslyn Academy

Jamie’s part-time role at Rosslyn Academy (as Service-Learning Coordinator) has continued to develop.  This role has opened many doors for ministry and work throughout Kenya.

In the last several months he has been able to coordinate several different student service trips for students in ES, MS and HS, ranging from 1-3 days in length.  Through these experiences students have had the opportunity to immerse in cultural learning, service opportunities, relationship formation, spiritual formation and adventure.  These trips have included tree planting initiatives in Karura Forest, working with Alice and the team at Smile Star’d, visiting Lucy and Heri Ministries, a community basketball tournament/service event in Malindi, a ministry trip to a local church in Kariobangi, and Cultural Field Studies Trips for 180 MS students to 3 different locations in Kenya (one location for each grade, 6th-8th). Sophie and Ethan participated in the MS CFS trips, which were 3 days in length. Sophie went up Mt. Suswa and worked with the Masai Community there, as well as assisted with building a steam harvesting water system for the community. Ethan was able to travel to Nakuru and learn about the impact of Agriculture on Kenyan communities, specifically the growing and harvesting or Pyrethrum. They both had an incredible time.

Between now and May, Jamie will be able to coordinate an additional 30+ service opportunities for Rosslyn students from KG-12th Grade. Some of these will be day-trips, and some will be week-long trips. These experiences have tremendous impacts on these students, but through the relational model that is being established, they also have huge benefits for our partner communities.

Jamie will also oversee Rosslyn’s Christmas Project (not to be confused with our Christmas Spirit Project) which provides support to several partner programs and ministries in Kenya. Speaking of Christmas……

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Christmas is Coming!

Our annual Christmas Project is upon us.  This year we will be conducting 5 Christmas parties at partner programs that will feed hundreds of people, provide gifts for nearly 500 children, and assist with classroom building renovations.  

This year’s gifts will be:

• Hosanna Children’s Home: New school shoes for 50 children
• Huruma Children’s Home: New school uniforms for 49 children
• St. Joyuna Academy: New backpacks with relief food inside for 230 children
• Emmanuel Prep. School: New textbooks for students.
• Nakuru CMD: New school uniforms for 42 children
• Pastor’s Children: Monetary gift to 75 Pastor’s Children
• Outreach Children:  Gifts for 6 Outreach children (*Gift to be determined)

If you would like to make a contribution to this effort it will be greatly appreciated!  You can do so here: https://give.iphc.org/missionary/james-and-jessica-dunning (choose “Dunning Jamie Ministry” in drop down menu.)

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Prayer Requests

• For the millions of people in Kenya facing rising costs of goods, drought, food insecurity and the uncertainty of what is to come.
• For the Nation of Kenya, and the individuals, ministries, communities and churches that we have partnerships with.
• That we would love God and others as He loves us, and that we will be faithful in all the areas that we are being called.
• For continued direction and wisdom in our work.
• For our marriage to grow stronger every day.
• For Sophie and Ethan…that they will feel a meaningful connection to our ministry and that they both will grow to love and follow Jesus.
• For our extended families as they live life without having us and the kids nearby.
• For good health, safety and protection.

Can we pray for you?  Please send us your requests at dunningsinkenya@gmail.com.

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We love and appreciate you all!  Your support, prayers, and encouragement mean everything to us.  Thank you for partnering with us. 

Grace and Peace, 

Jamie, Jessica, Sophie and Ethan

Partners and Friends,

We have just wrapped an exciting and busy season here in Nairobi, and we are preparing for a short furlough in the States!  We will be home for most of June and July, and are looking forward to being with family and friends for the first time in 2 years.  We will predominantly be with family in NC and SC during this time, but will be traveling a bit as well.  Because of the kid’s school and our work schedule, we are only able to come for 8 weeks, but we would love to connect if possible.  Please reach out and let us know if you are interested in connecting. 

As a family, we have had many big milestones and events in recent weeks: we have celebrated our 18^th Wedding Anniversary (March 26), Ethan’s 11^th Birthday (April 26^th), Sophie’s 13^th Birthday (June 11, but celebrated early with friends here), Ethan’s 5^th Grade Promotion (He is a rising Middle Schooler!), Awards ceremonies, choir concerts, sports tournaments, plays, and piano/drum recitals.  It has been a full, but exciting time for all us.  Here are a few (or more than a few) pics from the last couple of months.

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Project and Ministry Update

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Tana River Irrigation and Agriculture Projects

Our work in Tana River with our partner, Bocha Hussein, has continued to grow.  In recent months we were able to expand the irrigation/agriculture project in Gardeni to 25 acres!  The women that manage the project have been so successful expanding the shamba, but the initial well wasn’t providing enough water for the large amount of crops they were producing.   So, we were able to dig an additional well and construct a tank tower on the opposite side of the farm.  With this additional water source, they are able to sustain their growing operation.  This project continues to provide food and income for the entire community, especially the children and the most vulnerable.  Even in the middle of extreme drought, they have been able to continue producing food. 

Mosquito Net in Tana River Communities

This area has been facing an increase in Malaria cases in recent months.  We were able to conduct a mosquito net distribution for 430 families, as a part of a People to People initiative.  Our prayer is that these nets will mitigate the risk of contracting malaria for these families.

Relief Distributions

Fortunately, the rains finally came in April, and have been fairly steady.  The rain was much needed after the long and extreme drought that the entire nation had been facing, one of the worst in decades.  We are praying that the rains will continue.

In the height of the drought, in partnership with Rosslyn Academy, I was able to coordinate relief distributions of nearly 7 tons of food to 1,000 households in 7 different communities around Kenya.  Each household received a combination of maize, beans and rice.  Many communities were suffering from food insecurity earlier in the year, so we were grateful to be in a position to stand with these communities in a small way.  Rosslyn students and staff (including Sophie and Ethan) were able to assist with these distributions.

Service-Learning at Rosslyn Academy

Jamie’s part-time role at Rosslyn Academy (as Service-Learning Coordinator) has continued to develop.  This role has opened many doors for ministry and work throughout Kenya.

In the last several months he has been able to coordinate 23 different student service trips, ranging for 1-5 days in length.  Through these experiences students have had the opportunity to immerse in cultural learning, service opportunities, relationship formation, spiritual formation and adventure.  It is incredible to see how these experiences impact both the students and the communities that they are able to partner with. 

PtoP Updates

Over the last two months, we have been able to do updates on the 250 kids in the People to People Child Sponsorship Program.  This is always a big job, but so rewarding to see the impact that this program is having on children and families.  There are 75 pastor’s children in the program, and the rest are children at our partner schools and children’s homes.  PtoP sponsorship helps families and staff to pay schools fees and provide supplemental food for children.

PWF Development and Relief Summit

In April, Bocha was able to join me at the Annual PWF Relief and Development Summit.  This year it was hosted in Kenya, just outside of Nairobi, so it was extremely convenient.  This is the 3^rd summit that I have attended, and it is always encouraging to be surrounded by other practitioners and missionaries and to encourage and learn from one another.

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Prayer Requests

• For the millions of people in Kenya facing drought, food insecurity and the uncertainty of what is to come.
• For the Nation of Kenya, and the individuals, ministries, communities and churches that we have partnerships with.
• That we would love God and others as He loves us, and that we will be faithful in all the areas that we are being called.
• For continued direction and wisdom in our work.
• For our marriage to grow stronger every day.
• For Sophie and Ethan…that they will feel a meaningful connection to our ministry and that they both will grow to love and follow Jesus.
• For our extended families as they live life without having us and the kids nearby.
• For good health, safety and protection.

Can we pray for you?  Please send us your requests at dunningsinkenya@gmail.com.

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We love and appreciate you all!  Your support, prayers, and encouragement mean everything to us.  Thank you for partnering with us. 

Grace and Peace, 

Jamie, Jessica, Sophie and Ethan

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Partners and Friends,

Greetings from Nairobi!  We are doing well on this side of the world.  We hope that you all are well, and that our Stateside friends had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.  The holiday season is always bittersweet for us.  It is an incredible and full season for our family and ministry, but it is especially difficult to be away from our families during the holidays.  That being said, we are so grateful for our lives here. 

The past several months have brought about several changes for our family.  Jamie has officially taken on a part-time position as Service-Learning Coordinator at Rosslyn Academy, which allows him to create opportunities for students and staff of the school, from all grade levels, to engage in service and relational building opportunities with partner programs, communities, and ministries all over Kenya.  It has integrated beautifully with our missions’ work.

Jessica has taken on several new roles at Rosslyn this school. Her official title is the Director of Communications and Admissions. She is excited for the addition of Admissions to her role as she loved her time in Admissions at Emmanuel College before we moved to Kenya. This will be an area for growth as well as an area to use a skill set that she hasn’t had the opportunity to tap into for a while.

Sophie is loving her Middle School life, and strives to be involved in nearly everything…maybe too much.  As a 7^th Grader she is on the MS Worship Team, the MS Student Leadership Team, the MS Basketball Team, Imago Dei Choir, and she recently was selected to play a major role in the MS play, “Camelot and Camelittle,” which will be in February.  In addition to all of these school commitments, she regularly teaches Sunday School (planning her on lessons from scratch), has started baby-sitting a few times a month, and continues to take piano lessons. She is extremely busy, but not to worry, she always finds time to hang with friends, watch plenty of Netflix/YouTube, and play with Axel (the dog).

Ethan is halfway through his 5^th Grade year, which is hard to believe.  They both will be in MS next year!  We think he likes school, but the only updates we ever get are the scores and highlights of that day’s soccer matches at recess.  🙂 He is always moving…..playing soccer, basketball, running, riding his bike, hiking, skateboarding, chasing Axel (or being chased)….it is rare to find him being sedentary.  He also loves playing drums and is continuing to take lessons.  His ES Christmas concert is coming up, and he was chosen to play a percussion part during one song, which he is very excited about. 

A few months ago, we moved to a new house on Rosslyn’s campus.  This is our 5^th house in 8 years (two were sold so we were forced to abruptly move), and may be our favorite.  Being located on campus has made our lives much easier to navigate, especially when Jamie is traveling, since we only have one vehicle.  Jessica and the kids can easily walk to class and work, and everyone can return home at any point when their activities are finished.  Also, with the cost of fuel skyrocketing over the last year, it has been a blessing to cut our mileage considerably.  This house is the perfect little cottage for our family, with an amazing back porch (where we spend most of our time), and a nice yard for Axel. We were also very happy to christen our new home with a visit from Jessica’s parents and sister! It’s always great to host family and share our life here with them.

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Project and Ministry Update

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St. Joyuna Classroom Project

The 5-Classroom Building Project is finally complete!  We had the official dedication last week and the entire community came to celebrate the opening.  This addition is such an improvement for the learning environment of the students at this school.

People to People Updates

We have nearly 250 children in the People to People child sponsorship program, which requires quite a bit of oversight.  Luckily, we often make updates a family affair.  A few months ago we all went to Kanja to do child updates at Emmanuel Prep. School. Sophie and Ethan have become incredible helpers with this process.

Christmas is Coming!

Our annual Christmas Project is upon us, and we have already started celebrating!  This year we will be conducting 5 Christmas parties at partner programs that will feed hundreds of people, provide gifts for nearly 500 children, and assist with classroom building renovations.  

This year’s gifts will be:

• Hosanna Children’s Home: New school shoes for 50 children
• Huruma Children’s Home: New school shoes for 49 children
• St. Joyuna Academy: New backpacks with relief food inside for 248 children
• Emmanuel Prep. School: Plastering of classrooms and renovations, as well as a celebratory meal
• Nakuru CMD: New school shoes for 46 children
• Pastor’s Children: Monetary gift to 75 Pastor’s Children
• Outreach Children:  Gifts for 6 Outreach children (*Gift to be determined)

If you would like to make a contribution to this effort it will be greatly appreciated!  You can do so here: https://give.iphc.org/missionary/james-and-jessica-dunning (choose “Dunning Jamie Ministry” in drop down menu.)

Because the students will be releasing for the holidays with students going to stay with their families and/or caretakers, we celebrated with St. Joyuna and Huruma last week. 

Hosanna Children’s Home Water Treatment Plant

We were able to help install a new water treatment facility at Hosanna.  Many of the children were dealing with stomach and other issues, so a water survey was conducted.  It found that the water quality did not meet appropriate standards.  With this new water treatment facility, the children are guaranteed the cleanest water possible!

Rwanda Trip

In September, Jamie had the opportunity to visti Kigali, Rwanda, to learn about the work and ministry of Clement Muneza.  There are several initiatives that are ongoing in Rwanda that we are planning to come alongside and support.  These include micro-businesses, feeding programs, and People to People Child Sponsorship.

One of these is a Sewing Project that is run by Clement.  This is a Micro-Business initiative that is empowering single mothers to transition towards a better life for themselves and their children. Through practical training and Christian discipleship, they are able to generate income to feed their families, pay school fees, and provide a service to the community.

Bogoria Scouting Trip

Ethan joined me on a scouting trip to visit a few ministry projects in the Bogoria/Baringo area.  We took the opportunity to visit Lake Bogoria for the first time.  We were blown away by the beauty of the landscape, and especially by the natural hot springs around the lake.

Trip to the US

It was a fairly spontaneous decision, but Jamie was able to go back home in August for 1 week to visit his parents and to attend General Conference in Florida.  It was a quick trip, but always a blessing to be able to see family and connect with friends and partners….and eat way too much food.

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Prayer Requests

• For the millions of people in Kenya facing drought, food insecurity and the uncertainty of what is to come.
• For the Nation of Kenya, and the individuals, ministries, communities and churches that we have partnerships with.
• That we would love God and others as He loves us, and that we will be faithful in all the areas that we are being called.
• For continued direction and wisdom in our work.
• For our marriage to grow stronger every day.
• For Sophie and Ethan…that they will feel a meaningful connection to our ministry and that they both will grow to love and follow Jesus.
• For our extended families as they live life without having us and the kids nearby.
• For good health, safety and protection.

Can we pray for you?  Please send us your requests at dunningsinkenya@gmail.com.

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We love and appreciate you all!  Your support, prayers, and encouragement mean everything to us.  Thank you for partnering with us. 

Grace and Peace, 

Jamie, Jessica, Sophie and Ethan

Partners and Friends,

Greetings from Nairobi! We are well and finally enjoying some rain here in Kenya and it is very welcome (we have been in quite a drought). Things have been going well for us, though our 2022 got off to an unfortunate start. Just after Christmas, Jessica and I tested positive for Covid. We had mild cases, but it did mean that the majority of the kids Christmas break was spent in isolation (luckily they avoided getting it again). The kids were so worried because part of their Christmas gift was a trip to the Masai Mara to go on a proper safari, and our isolation period could have run into those dates. Fortunately, after 8 days, we tested negative and we came out of quarantine just in time to go! The kids loved it and they got to see so many amazing Kenyan animals. Since we have lived in Kenya for 14 years, we think of this as something we have done many times, but we realized that since we hadn’t done one in several years the kids didn’t have strong memories of a “proper” safari (when you are in the official safari vehicles and stay at the lodge). It ended being the perfect way to end a break and kick off the New Year.

The biggest recent news in our family is that we have added a new member! Meet Axel, our 3-month old Rhodesian Ridgeback that Sophie and Ethan have been hoping and praying for for months (years for a dog, but months for Axel). We have had him just over a week and he is already an integral member of our family!

Update from Sophie: Things have been going well for me. I am still on the worship team at school, and I am on the Student Leadership Team for Middle School. We help plan activities and events at school. I was also in the Middle School play (The Enchanted Book Shop) and played as the Wicked Witch and was the Student Director. I am still playing piano, and I am very excited about my recital on May 19. I also have a new hobby, photography. I got a new camera for Christmas, and I love taking photos.

Update from Ethan: My favorite things to do are still soccer, basketball and skateboarding. Recently I went on a field trip and we hiked Mt. Longonot, which is a dormant volcano. In January, we had Sports Day and I won 5 ribbons! I am also still playing drums and I have a recital in a few weeks. I also was chosen to play mallets in my school concert.

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Project and Ministry Updates

St. Joyuna Academy, Ruai

We have had an ongoing partnership with this school (formerly Calvary Christian School) since 2009! Over the years we have seen much growth for this school and church. The school now has around 230 students that receive a Christ-centered education and two meals every day. We have also been able to invest in two successful income-generating activities (Chicken Project and Water Kiosk).

In the last few months we have been constructing a new classroom structure to accommodate the growing student body. The project is on-going and is in it’s final stage. We have made a lot of progress, but are raising funds to finish the project (if you would like to support this project you can do so here: https://give.iphc.org/missionary/james-and-jessica-dunning, choose “Dunning Ministry” in drop down menu).

We were also able to provide dozens of tree saplings to the students to meet the new Kenyan Curriculum Standards. The students in Class 4 are required to plant the trees, tend them, and harvest the fruit. The passion fruit and avocado trees we provided will meet this need, but also supplement the school feeding program with nutritious fruits!

Hosanna Children’s Home Dairy Project

The dairy project at Hosanna continues to grow! The new Cow Shed has been completed and was commissioned towards the end of last year. It is a nice modern space that includes feeding areas, storage rooms, and a room for the caretaker.

The herd now has 10 heifers and 2 bulls. 7 are producing milk and they are getting around 100 liters per day! Unfortunately, one calf that was born in February passed away. It was the first loss of the project, which was difficult. But we are grateful for how well the project is doing overall.

Tana River Delta Projects

The work in the communities of Tana River Delta through out partnership with Bocha Hussein is continuing to go well. In the last several months the irrigation/farming project in Mtampani has been completed and they are producing crops in a dry and parched region, the water project in Ramada is providing much needed relief to many people from several communities, another water project in Karach Dera has been completed, and we have helped conduct several relief distributions.

Sadly, the drought in Kenya has continued to be a major issue over the last several months and people in this region are feeling the effects greatly. That coupled with the impact of world events on the price of goods and fuel, as well as the on-going effects and economic impact of the Covid pandemic has left many people without access to adequate food. As of March, over 3.1 million Kenyans were facing food shortages and insecurity, with the number projected to increase to 3.5 million by May. The events in Ukraine are also expected to have a considerable impact moving forward, as approximately 45% of Kenya’s grain is imported from Ukraine/Russia. Because of this, things are expected to get even worse, but we are praying for Divine intervention and that we will be in a position to respond as much as we can to these needs. Fortunately, the rains have started. Though late, we are praying it will be adequate and even make up for the recent lack of rain and failed rainy seasons and will help alleviate some of the suffering that people are facing.

Thank you for your support which helps us respond in these situations.

People to People Child Sponsorship Updates

Starting in March, we always began our annual PtoP Child Sponsorship Update process. We currently have 196 children in the program, so the update process requires a lot of time and travel, but it is always great to have 1-on-1 time to connect with the kids face to face. (Thanks to Chris Dunlap for the high quality photos….I think it is obvious which 2 are the high quality ones).

Micro-Business Seminar at East Africa Bible College

Jamie had the opportunity to conduct a 2-day seminar with the students of EABC in March. The training went well, and we are excited to see how these future pastors and leaders use business as a way to sustain their ministry, churches, projects and families.

Rosslyn Academy Cultural Field Studies

CFS is a program at Rosslyn Academy that gives students an opportunity to learn from the culture and experiences of the greater Kenyan Community. It is also a time for them to serve and build relationship with different communities, programs and ministries. Jessica has always helped plan this event and I have often assisted by hosting a site. However, with Jamie stepping into the part-time Service Learning Coordinator role, we are now planning this event together. For the HS, this typically entails sending 16 different groups of students to various locations across the country. The students engage in cultural experiences, service initiatives and intentional reflection and devotional activities. This a great program that offers mutual benefit for the students as well as the communities and programs being partnered with. Through CFS trip and service days, the students were able to plant over 400 trees at partner organizations, clean school grounds, conduct community and forest litter clean-up, paint rooms, visit local churches, engage in ministry, provide funds for new classrooms, conduct relief distributions, pack and distribute 500 menstrual kits, participate in home visits, and interact with and play with children across the country. They were also able to experience the beauty of this country and learn from the amazing work and ministry of people and organizations all over Kenya, not to mention learning about the culture and customs of this incredibly diverse country. Unfortunately, since it is only a 5-day experience and the sites are separated by hundreds of miles, we were not able to visit all of the sites while the teams were there, but I was able to visit 4 of the 7. It is amazing to see the impact that communities have on these students and the impact the team has on the communities. It is a truly a beautiful picture of mutual and relational service and Christ-like love.

Jamie also helped coordinate the 8th grade CFS experience. I had the chance to help lead a group of 50 8th Graders on a 3-day trip up Mt. Suswa. I coordinated the logistics with the local community and the team was able to help install a water harvesting system that harnesses the steam from natural steam vents (Mt. Suswa is a dormant volcano) and stores the water as it cools. The students also earned about the Masai community and culture, hiked to the summit and explored the volcanic caves, and had meaningful opportunities to identify Christ’s work within themselves, the host community, others and creation. Grateful to be a part of coordinating and leading this experience.

Mt. Suswa Relief Distribution

Another area greatly impacted by the recent drought are communities in Kajiado and Narok counties. In January, I was able to coordinate a relief distribution around the Mt. Suswa area on behalf of Rosslyn.

Prayer Requests

• For the millions of people facing food insecurity and the uncertainty of what is to come.
• For the Nation of Kenya, and the individuals, ministries, communities and churches that we have partnerships with.
• That we would love God and others as He loves us, and that we will be faithful in all the areas that we are being called.
• For continued direction and wisdom in our work.
• For our marriage to grow stronger every day.
• For Sophie and Ethan…that they will feel a meaningful connection to our ministry and that they both will grow to love and follow Jesus.
• For our extended families as they live life without having us and the kids nearby.
• For good health, safety and protection.

Can we pray for you?  Please send us your requests at dunningsinkenya@gmail.com.

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We love and appreciate you all!  Your support, prayers, and encouragement mean everything to us.  Thank you for partnering with us. 

Grace and Peace, 

Jamie, Jessica, Sophie and Ethan

Partners and Friends,

Greetings from Nairobi.  We returned to Kenya in late July after 10 weeks in the States.  We are always grateful for the chance to get home, be with family, and to connect with so many of you.  Though, this trip wasn’t without its challenges.  My extended family contracted Covid while we were home, and Sophie and Ethan both tested positive.  Fortunately, both kids had mild cases, but we still lost some of our time as we needed to isolate and quarantine with them.  My extended family wasn’t as fortunate, as several had very serious battles with the disease.  We are grateful that we were able to be there to support and care for them and that everyone has recovered, though some are still facing some extended effects.  Please pray for them.  At the time, Jessica and I had just received our second vaccine dose so, fortunately, we were able to avoid contracting it.

Despite the challenges that this created, we still had incredible times connecting with our families and were able to visit many churches and partners, though there is never enough time to visit as many as we would like.

Since our return to Kenya, we have hit the ground running and we have many exciting developments to share with you.

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Update from Jamie:  In addition to serving as the People to People Coordinator for East Africa and our Development and Relief work through our network of partners, Jamie has agreed to give a portion of time developing a Service Learning program at Rosslyn Academy.  This is a great opportunity to connect Rosslyn students and community with opportunities to build relationship, serve and learn from ministries and organizations throughout Kenya, while also providing similar benefits to these communities.

Update from Jessica: Things are going well in my role at Rosslyn Academy.  The school year started off quite busy in one of my roles as the Transition Coordinator.  We onboarded 27 new staff members this school year.  It was a joy to welcome so many new wonderful staff members, but also a lot to navigate logistically.  Following this the school year kicked into high gear, with many of our annual events returning after a hiatus due to Covid.  Covid continues to limit us in some ways as a school, but we are experiencing more normalcy in our operations than we did last year.  My job at Rosslyn is multi-faceted, but I enjoy the diversity and challenges that each new month brings.

Update from Sophie: I am in the 6th grade now, so I am in Middle School! It was a big change for me at first, but now I have gotten used to it and I really like it. It gives me a lot of fun opportunities. I sing on the MS Worship Team and I am in the 6th grade choir. I also play on the 6th grade basketball team every Tuesday-Thursday. I still play piano and I am learning to play chords and transpose songs. Another great thing about MS is clubs. I am in the photography club and I have realized that I love taking pictures! Recently we went camping at Ol Pejeta. It was a cool experience because Elephants came to our camp! We also saw many other animals like rhino, giraffe, gazelle, impala, and lost of buffalos.

Update from Ethan: I am in the 4th grade now. I really like my teachers and I have good friends in my class. I play soccer intramurals on Monday, but it will soon change to basketball. I also take drum lessons on Mondays. On Saturday I do Ambassadors soccer. One thing that I have recently been enjoying is skateboarding. My friend’s Dad built some ramps for us to use, and there is a cool skatepark in Nairobi now. Our family camped at Ol Pejeta and we got to pet a rhino named Baraka!

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Annual Christmas Project

Each year we provide gifts and celebratory meals for the children and staff of our partner feeding programs.  We are in the process of planning for this year’s project and ironing out the details.  This is a major project for us each year and requires a considerable amount of funds (typically between $6,500 – $8,000).  If you are interested in assisting with this project, you can make a contribution here: https://give.iphc.org/missionary/james-and-jessica-dunning (use the Dunning Jamie Ministry tab).

We greatly appreciate it!  You can see the update on last year’s project here: https://dunningsinkenya.com/2021/01/05/christmas-project-2020-recap/

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Project and Ministry Updates

Smile Star’d Days 4 Girls Enterprise

The Smile Star’d Enterprise is continuing to grow, now employing 26 people!  They continue to make reusable sanitary pad kits for young girls, and they have also started making masks, rain jackets, and school uniforms.  This enterprise is self-sustained and predominantly supported by other organizations (Days 4 Girls, DoTerra), but we have been partnering with the Director, Alice, for many years on a variety of projects and programs.  We have been able to assist this enterprise with micro-loans, orders, and, most recently, with a building expansion to accommodate the growing enterprise.

Hosanna Dairy Project Expansion

The Dairy Project has continued to expand and grow, now boasting a heard of 10 cows!  This growth led to the need for a new, modern shed and feeding area.  This project is nearing completion and we will have an official dedication in the coming weeks. We are grateful for the success of this project that continues to provide for all of the children’s dairy needs, as well as generates income for the home. 

Mtampani Irrigation/Agriculture Project

The 6^th Village Irrigation/Agriculture project in Tana River was recently completed!  This is in a small community called Mtampani.  This project will provide a reliable water source, the ability to produce food for the community, the dignity and purpose that comes through meaningful work, and open doors for Grace (community leader) and Bocha (our partner and colleague) to share their faith and love with the community.  Jamie will be visiting the site in the coming weeks.

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Ramada Water Project

The community of Ramada (not the hotel) is located close enough to town that they receive municipal water, however, the water is unreliable.  We were able to provide a large storage tank so that the community can take advantage of the water when it is available and have access when it isn’t.  Like our other community initiatives, this project is giving individuals a constant source of water, while opening tremendous relational doors for us and our partners.

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Western Kenya Trip

Last week, Jamie was able to take a long road trip around Western Kenya, visiting many of our partners and programs.  So much of this relational aspect of our ministry suffered due to the Covid Pandemic restrictions, so it is truly a gift to see the return of a bit of normalcy.  It is a gift and a blessing to be able to drive around this beautiful country, to sit and share a meal or cup of tea, to encourage one another, and to celebrate and dream together.

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PWF Development and Relief Summit in Finland

Jamie had the opportunity to travel to Helsinki, Finland, for the 2^nd PWF Development and Relief Partners Summit.  It was a great opportunity to grow and learn from other practitioners and organizations and to prayerful consider how our agencies can better network and support one another.  The first summit was in OKC in January 2020. 

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Prayer Requests

• For the country of Kenya, and all nations that lack adequate access, to gain greater access to Covid vaccines.
• That we would love God and others as He loves us, and that we will be faithful in all the areas that we are being called.
• For continued direction and wisdom in our work.
• For our marriage to grow stronger every day.
• For Sophie and Ethan…that they will feel a meaningful connection to our ministry and that they both will grow to love and follow Jesus.
• For the Nation of Kenya, and the individuals, ministries, communities and churches that we have partnerships with.
• For our extended families as they live life without having us and the kids nearby.
• For good health, safety and protection.

Can we pray for you?  Please send us your requests at dunningsinkenya@gmail.com.

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We love and appreciate you all!  Your support, prayers, and encouragement mean everything to us.  Thank you for partnering with us. 

Grace and Peace, 

Jamie, Jessica, Sophie and Ethan

Partners and Friends,

We pray that you all are well. We are well, but we feel like we have entered bit of a time warp! Kenya’s fight against Covid has been going well, and in many ways better than most other places around the world. However, with the emergence of new variants, Kenya’s cases are rising and hospital wards have been filling up. In an effort to combat this, Kenya has returned to the same lock-down measures we were facing in March of last year, with a few differences. Schools are closed, restaurants are only open for take away services, no travel into or out of the lock-down zone (Nairobi and surrounding counties), and there is an 8:00pm curfew. One positive is that we are well equipped and familiar with how to function in this situation. We have had a lot of practice! Also, many of our projects and partners are within the lock-down zone, so we’ve been able to continue visiting. Unfortunately, Jamie did have to postpone several trips to locations outside the lock-down zone. Most of these were partnerships he hasn’t been able to visit in over a year, which is difficult, because we were finally at a point that some sense of normalcy had returned, so he had several trips planned. So it goes. Fortunately, the current measures seem to be helping. Only 4 weeks in and we are already seeing a significant drop in cases, deaths and infection rate. That being said, these types of measures always have negative impacts on livelihoods, especially those that are the most vulnerable (more on this below).

The kids are troopers and are doing an amazing job navigating on-line learning and being flexible with our every shifting schedules. They are adaptable and able to adjust to nearly any situation. Though, like many kids around the globe, they do miss friends and are grieving the loss of social experiences and school events and activities.

One good piece of news on the fight against Covid is that Kenya has started the vaccination roll out! Unfortunately, as with many things in our world, it is exposing the drastic divide between the rich and the poor in this country. Many people are finding it very difficult to gain access, and the current vaccination plan doesn’t have the majority of the population having access for years. We are praying that Kenya’s access to vaccines increases through COVAX, and that manufacturing and distribution continues to improve.

Speaking of vaccinations….we are coming to the States for a couple of months this summer! This is a regularly scheduled furlough, however, with travel restrictions and complications and the kids modified school schedule (before going back on-line), we hadn’t known for certain if we would be able to travel home this year. However, with the kids going back on-line and their ability to school from anywhere, and with us having access to vaccination this summer, we decided that it would be possible to come home. So we made a fairly sudden decision to come in mid-May! We have a lot to do to be in a position to leave for the summer, but we have time to get everything in order. We know international travel in the time of Covid is going to be a bit more tedious, but we are so excited that we will get to see family, partners, and friends for the first time in 2 years! Unfortunately, we will only be home for a little over two months, so we won’t be able to travel to as many churches as we would like. But we are going to try to get to as many as we can in this short period. We will be reaching out to pastors, missions directors and churches within the week. We are also working on an update video that we will send to all of our churches and partners that we are unable to visit.

As always, here are a few family shots from the last few months. Fortunately, (before things locked-down again) we were able to go camping in Samburu National Reserve a few months ago (this is a reserve we’ve always wanted to visit, but had never made happen), and take a trip to the Coast over the kids Spring Break (things locked down while we were away, so fortunately we got back in to Nairobi!). In February, Sophie also performed in the school talent show in front of hundreds of people. We were so proud of her. We’ve also had many wonderful weekend hikes in Karura Forest the last few months. Looking at these photos reminds us that even with this difficult season, and current lock-down, we are so grateful that we have had pockets to “get out” and enjoy this beautiful country.

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Ministry and Project Updates

Relief Distribution

A fairly constant area of focus for us this past year has been relief.  Due to Kenya’s Covid lock-downs in 2020 and 2021, many people have lost income and consistent work.  So many people in Kenya work in the informal sector.  When the economy is disrupted, or the flow of commerce is negatively affected, opportunities for employment are scarce.  In addition, with schools, churches, and restaurants being closed for much of 2020 and now again for this past month, many teachers, pastors, and workers in the service industry have suffered greatly.  The result is that relief distributions to partner communities have become a fairly regular occurrence. 

In addition to the effects of the pandemic, Kenya has also been devastated by environmental disasters that have destroyed livelihoods.  Flooding has become a yearly event (sometimes twice a year) in the Tana River Delta, and over the last year locust invasions have infested cropland throughout the country.  We are not in a position to scratch the surface of helping to meet the needs that these types of events create.  However, we are grateful that, in partnership with incredible partners within these communities, we have been able to respond through food aid and relief.

Please keep the people of Kenya in your prayers, especially those that reside in informal settlements, rural areas that depend on agriculture, and those in extremely remote areas that lack development and infrastructure.

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Smile Star’d-Days 4 Girls Enterprise

Smile Star’d-Days 4 Girls Enterprise is an amazing organization started by our partner, Alice Mwangi. The enterprise creates sustainable, reusable sanitary pad kids for young girls in order to help them stay in school. They also provide education on feminine hygiene in local schools. In order to meet this demand, local women are hired and trained as seamstresses. This has the added benefit of providing these women, and their families, with dependable and consistent work. The enterprise started a little over 2 years ago with 4 seamstresses, but has quickly grown to employ 10 women, as well as a team of educational trainers and facilitators. This growth led to a great problem….the building they had was not large enough for all 10 women to work comfortably. We are happy to report that a new building is nearly complete! It will provide a more spacious workspace, as well as additional storage and work rooms. We are very excited about this development!

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Tana River Irrigation/Agriculture Projects

We are excited to report that the 5^th Community Irrigation/Agriculture project in Tana River has been completed!  This project is in a community called Bandi, a community we have had a long relationship with through disaster relief and food aid.  It was delayed due to heavy rains earlier in the year, but now the work is completed and the farm is already producing food for the community (pictured below).  If you would like to read specific details about each of these projects and how they are impacting these communities, you can read about them here: https://dunningsinkenya.com/2021/04/21/an-update-on-tana-river-projects/

We are currently working with our partner, Bocha, on plans to do yet another project in a community called Mtampani.  This project will be managed by Grace, a tremendous leader in her community.  She has a heart to help meet the needs in her community as well as a desire to share the love of Christ with them.  This project will serve as catalyst for each of these desires!

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CFS: Rosslyn Cultural Field Studies

In March, I was able to take a group of seniors from Rosslyn Academy on a Cultural Field Studies trip to Ormanie Suswa.  Each year Rosslyn sends 16 groups of HS students to different locations all over Kenya for cultural learning and service.  This a huge initiative that Jessica coordinates and plans each year.  As of February, Jamie has also agreed to volunteer a bit of time each week to Rosslyn as their Service Learning Coordinator.  This involves finding opportunities to connect Rosslyn students and staff with service opportunities throughout Nairobi and Kenya.  Part of this involves assisting Jess with coordinating CFS, so this is now something that we will do together.

Due to Covid, most of this year’s trips had to be cancelled, but we were still able to offer the Seniors an opportunity.  Making sure that the teams were responsible and safe (for themselves and the host communities) during Covid required a lot of extra planning and logistics.  Ensuring all activities were outdoors, modified sleeping arrangements, washing stations, providing masks, transportation adjustments, Covid tests for 70 participants before and after the trip.….it was a lot to manage.  However, to give these students this opportunity after a year of losses made it worth it.  Not to mention, the benefit to the communities.  They were all grateful for the opportunity to host the students. 

Jamie also hosted a site in Ormanie Suswa, and Ethan joined the team as well.  The team was immersed in Masai culture.  They learned to slaughter a goat, build fire traditionally, night hunt with nothing but flashlights and sticks (successfully!), and even track wild elephants.  They also ministered in the local church and assisted the community with rebuilding the barrier fence around the community dam that was trampled by elephants.  It was a great experience for the students and community, especially after a year of social isolation and distance. 

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Odhole Elevated Pit Latrine Project

We were able to provide another elevated pit latrine in the community of Odhole.  The elders of the community requested these last year because the community does not have enough latrines for the population of the community, and the ones that exist often flood during rainy season.  This leads to sickness and disease.  This is the 3^rd one we have been able to provide.  We hope to continue providing them at different locations throughout the community.  This effort not only improves sanitation and dignity among the community, but it also serves as an opportunity to continue building relationships and establish trust with the elders and leadership.  This, along with other relief and sustainability efforts we have conducted in Odhole, further empower the team of local missionaries that reside there to work and minister.

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Hosanna Dairy Project

This Hosanna Dairy Project continues to grow and improve.  Currently there are 6 heifers and 4 calves with two more on the way!  The project is growing so quickly that we are now making plans to build another cow shed/feeding area to house the expanding herd. 

They are currently producing around 70 liters of milk a day!  Around 20-25 liters of this are consumed by the children and staff each day, and the remaining is sold at around $0.40 a liter.  The income generated, in addition the savings from eliminating the need to purchase milk for consumption, is making a huge difference. 

This project is one incredible example of our desire to see our partner programs empowered through self-sustainability initiatives!  The ministry of this home is so important, as very real needs are met, and the love of Christ is shown to these children and community on a daily basis.  This dairy project serves as a catalyst for helping make that ministry continue and thrive.

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St Joyuna Chicken Project

Another great example of a successful sustainability project (and micro-finance loan initiative) is the chicken project at St. Joyuna Christian school.  The project was started with a gift of 200 broilers, feed, feeders, etc., but it was expanded through a micro-finance loan we were able to offer.  The project now has 400-450 broilers at a time, groups of 200-250 purchased 3-4 weeks apart.  This ensures that 200 chickens are ready to sale every 3-4 weeks, while the newest brood are growing. 

These funds help sustain the feeding program and meet the financial obligations of the school.  A few pics of the current brood (as of April) are below!

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Prayer Requests

• For the country of Kenya, and all nations that lack adequate access, to gain greater access to Covid vaccines.
• For safety and protection as we travel to the States for a couple of months this summer.
• That we would love God and others as He loves us, and that we will be faithful in all the areas that we are being called.
• For continued direction and wisdom in our work.
• For our marriage to grow stronger every day.
• For Sophie and Ethan…that they will feel a meaningful connection to our ministry and that they both will grow to love and follow Jesus.
• For the Nation of Kenya, and the individuals, ministries, communities and churches that we have partnerships with.
• For our extended families as they live life without having us and the kids nearby.
• For good health, safety and protection.

Can we pray for you?  Please send us your requests at dunningsinkenya@gmail.com.

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We love and appreciate you all!  Your support, prayers, and encouragement mean everything to us.  Thank you for partnering with us. 

Grace and Peace, 

Jamie, Jessica, Sophie and Ethan

As you know, we have had the opportunity to start 5 different irrigation/agriculture projects in partner communities throughout Tana River Delta over the last several years. These communities are fairly isolated and frequently suffer from a cycle of extreme drought/flooding. Our partner, Bocha Huessin, lives and works in this area, sharing the love of Christ and finding ways to advocate for, and assist, these communities. Through our partnership with Bocha, we have been conducting relief distributions in this region for many years, however, we wanted to find a way to invest in the community in ways that provide meaningful work, food security, access to water, and dignity. These projects do just that. To be clear, we are only a part of the success of these projects. Bocha’s commitment and dedication to these projects and people is impeccable. Below is an update of how each project is currently doing. In addition to these benefits, these projects also open the door for deeper relationships and opportunity to share the love of Christ. We are also planning a 6th project in a community called Mtampani within the year!

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Gardeni

The project in Gardeni is being managed by a woman named Fatuma and her team of 10 other women. They primarily use the project to grow tomatoes, kale, spinach, and lentils. As a committee, they have decided to sale all of the produce they harvest, set a portion of money aside for future plating, and divide the remaining income between the other households (52) within the community. The men in this community were not as interested in the project, so Fatuma and her team took ownership. This is a project that blesses the entire community. It empowers these women with dignified work, and also gives them to means to bless and serve their community. The recent floods were extremely high and water covered the farm, but fortunately, they had just harvested. They have since returned and replanted.

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Vumbwe

This project is managed by a Christian woman named Halima. She uses the farming project to generate income, provide relief to the community, and as an avenue to disciple woman that work on the farm. They primarily grow kale, spinach and tomatoes, and also distribute the produce to the most vulnerable members of the community. They have also saved money and purchased goats and are now doing goat farming as well!

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Peponi

This is the first project we ever started. It has been going for 4 years now! It has faced difficulties over the years, but continues to overcome these challenges to be a regular source of food for the community. It is managed by a local Pastor, Noah, and his family. However, there isa possibility it will be handed over to the community for management. They have just planted tomato, kale, and okra seeds in seed beds, and will transplant them in the coming month.

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Odhole

This project was started a few years ago, and it has had major challenges. Shortly after completion a hired tractor accidentally damaged most of the irrigation lines, which have not been able to be repaired. Even with that, the water in the well and tank is abundant, so they are still able to farm the 5-acre plot. This project is managed by Charles, Lucy, and a local missionary team that resides in the village. They predominantly grow maize and lentils. The crops are sold to generate income to help sustain the team that resides there, and the reaming supplement the local school feeding program and is distributed among the most vulnerable within the community.

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Bandi

This is our most recent project. Unfortunately, just as the construction was starting, the floods came and delayed progress. However, at this point, they have returned to their homes, construction has finished, they have planted, and crops are growing. This project is managed by a group of young adults that have trouble finding meaningful employment. They are using this project as an income generating activity, as well as to provide a portion of each harvest to the most vulnerable members of the community.

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Mtampani

This is our next project site! This project will be managed a female leader and elder in the community named Maria. She is an incredible woman with a tremendous faith in the Lord and a passion for her community. This project will help to provide a reliable food source for this community, and well as meaningful work and employment!

If you are interested in supporting this project, you can do so in the following ways:

To give on-line go to:

Use this link: Dunning Ministry Account (choose “Dunning Jamie Ministry” Option further down on the page.)

To send donations by mail:

• World Missions Ministries
• PO Box 12609
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73157
• Attention: James/Jessica Dunning
• Ministry Account #11521M