Into Abbas Arms Foundation

*Our Work*
Into Abba's Arms works to change the lives of orphans in Africa by bringing them the love of Christ. Our work focuses in these areas: To provide a loving home environment for orphans who are left with no parents or families. To reach out to our surrounding community in the name of Christ. To take mission teams from the US to minister the our orphans, the surrounding community and other orphanages struggling to provide for their orphans. Into Abba's Arms is also reaching out to the community. We provide fresh clean water two days per week to approximately 300 people. Women and children come with their water jugs and stand for hours to fill them. This has drastically changed the health of the community. IAA also provides a Children's Church service every Sunday were we now have approximately 150 children attending. The community children are learning scripture and stories from the Bible. After church the children of the community are allowed to stay and play on our basketball court and swing set. We have given out clothes, shoes and other necessities to the community on a regular basis. Our children know that if they receive a new piece of clothing that they are to go and pick something out of their drawer and give it away to someone in need. When visitors from the US stay at our home we invite the community and provide various seminars, training and other educational information. If there is a neighbor in need we will give of our abundance. During Christmas our children make up bags of goods to take and give out to the needy in the community. Kinangop Orphanage We prefer to call the orphanage in Kinangop a home because it not only provides for the children's physical needs but also for their emotional and spiritual needs. This is achieved by creating a nurturing, home environment where there is one house mom for every ten children. It is our vision to someday provide a home for 75 children. The vision for IAA also includes helping the community in three main ways. First, we provide the community with access to clean water. Second, we will open a clinic on the site which is available to everyone. Third, this facility will be a free training and spiritual center for the staff, personnel, and house parents of the locally operated orphanages in the country. Here is a timeline showing our progress: December 2000: The Lord has blessed us with land donated to the foundation and provisions to drill a water well. March 2002: The first two Into Abba's Arms homes are under construction. Trees (for future fire wood) and vegetables have been planted. Water is pumping from the water well and our generator has been installed and is running great. The next building will be the kitchen. June 2003: The kitchen was built and the first dorm was furnished in plenty of time to receive our first ten orphans. What a joyous day. It required a lot of faith on our part, so we named the first dorm Faith House. Now we will prepare the second dorm to receive the next ten children later this year. 2005: The church building started. Don Isgitt traveled to Kenya and mapped out a location, hired the locals and began to prepare for the foundation. In a few weeks time the foundation was poured and set. Donna, our US volunteer, made sure to place a Bible under the first cornerstone that was placed to symbolize that our church is built on the true cornerstone--(Jesus Christ) 2006 - 2007: The container was shipped with an abundance of blessings. We gave away boxes and boxes of shoes and clothes to other orphanages and many people in the community. There was also furniture for our dorms, kitchen supplies, garden tools, building tools, bedding, toys and lots of books. Now the container is being turned into a Library / Study Hall for the children. 2007 Construction of the New Baby Dorm: Our new dorm construction started in June. It will be approximately 5,000 sq. ft. It will be large enough to house 10 new babies, our 8 girls, 3 Kenyan employees and 2 of our US volunteers. 2007 September/October--Laundry Facility and Basketball Court We completed our new laundry facility. It's such a blessing to have a place to get out of the rain and cold while doing laundry. Our basketball court was completed and our children now have a large concrete place to do lots of activities, but they need some lessons in basketball---Matt Bullard---it's time for you to go and teach them. November 2007 Children Baptized The most exciting event of the year was when the WoodsEdge team visited IAA and Pastor Kevin Henson Baptized 6 of our children (Maggie, John, Simon, Kelvin, Josephat and Moses) as well as 6 children from the community. The team also spent time with us in praise and worship and Pastor Tim Martin gave his testimony. December 2007---Electrical Lines installed---Yea we have electricity!! We prayed for electricity for many years. God was faithful to answer our prayers. After reading scripture one morning Jane clearly felt in her heart that the Lord was telling her not to charge shillings for the community to collect their jugs of water. We had been told when the well was done that we needed to charge just a small amount to keep the crowds down and to pay for the generator fuel to pump the water. So -- Jane called Christine (our Kenyan Administrator) and told her to stop charging for the water. Several months went by and Christine continued to ask if she could start to charge for the water. Jane continued to tell her, "No, I haven't heard from the Lord." One day we heard there might be a possibility of getting electricity, but when we inquired about it we were told it would cost us an unbelievable amount of money. Nothing we could afford. Then Donna (US volunteer) and Christine heard of a meeting in the village where they were to discuss the electricity that might be coming to the area in the future. When they arrived they found that we were not even on the list to receive electricity. During the meeting Donna asked what we had to do to be able to get electricity and the lady started to tell her who would qualify. One of the things she said was that you had to be a public company. Donna then asked, "What is a public company? The lady started to explain that it was someone who gives away free water, etc.., etc.." Donna was excited to say, "We give away free water!" So--from that we were put at the top of the list and were the first one's in the community to have electricity. The big transformer box was put up right by our gate and now other people in the community have been able to have electricity as well. God is good! Obedience and listening to His direction always comes with a blessing. January 2008 -All progress and work at IAA came to a halt due to the riots. It is very fearful times in Kenya. Many people have been killed and displaced from their homes. We had to evacuate our children after hearing threats from gangs nearby. We are trusting for the Lords protection. February 2008 -Construction on the dorm has started up again, but it seems the cost of materials has gone up in Kenya. We are trusting that the Lord will provide! September 2008 The New Dorm is making process. The top floor has been added and construction is going well. We are expected to finish in a few months October 2008 --purchased the new land to the side of us. New garden started. November 2008 Construction halted again! Due to Hurricane Ike hitting the majority of our donors as well as the financial crisis of the nation, we at Into Abba’s Arms are refocusing our direction. We have made a decision to focus primarily on supporting the children we have and to stop IAA funds towards finishing the baby dorm for now. It makes us sad to think of all the children still orphaned that will not be helped, but we also know that when things get tight we must prioritize and care for our own first. I know that is also the thoughts of many of you that are going thru a lot of change in your own lives and making sure your family is cared for in the future. 2008 Early August---community came out to help repair the road to IAA The communities hands and feet. Our road has continually been a problem and during the rainy season is almost impossible. Deep holes are formed which make it difficult traveling without causing damage to our vehicles. Considering we travel down this almost mile road at least 6 times per day, we had to do something. After purchasing several loads of stones we commissioned the community to join in on the work. They gladly came and worked together to fill the holes. WE ARE BECOMING A COMMUNITY IN UNITY April 2009 New Dorm Completed IAA'S beautiful new dorm is now complete. We are so excited--especially to receive more children. We also want you to know that we have lots of space for volunteers and visitors now. YOU ARE WELCOME!!!! 2009 May---Big potato harvest 2009 Early August---Chicken Coop built; Cow shed built; storage room moved to land 2009 August-- Container turned into Library for the children Support for Local African Orphanages To see more pictures and to read more information about our Life Center, click on one of the following: Meet Our Kids Photo Gallery Monthly Operations As a tithe of the ministry, Into Abba's Arms is presently ministering to and supporting local orphanages all over Kenya. Because of the overwhelming number of homeless children due to AIDS, Malaria, and tribal clashes, there will never be enough loving homes for these children. Many of the orphanages that are run by the local people are suffering from lack of support. They are barely able to feed the children, much less clothe them and send them to school. As we take teams of medical professionals, ministers, and lay people to visit these homes, we are able to provide physically and spiritually for their needs. We have provided funds for a new roof, a pediatric surgery, and a concrete floor as well as for food, clothing, medicine, and other necessities. We have also taken trunks full of clothing, medicine, school supplies, toys, and books that have been donated by churches, friends, businesses, and organizations, all in the name of Jesus. Many children have come to know Christ by experiencing the love He sends through us.