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.
Project and Ministry Update
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.
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!
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.
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!
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……
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.)
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.
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
THE DUNNINGS IN KENYA 