Heart Wrenching Change

As some of you may know we have had many changes at Grace Family. 

Heart wrenching changes that have made us just trust in God 

even when we don't understand it all....

Heart wrenching- When Mercy's mom got custody of her through the court. It was really hard to see Mercy Jerop go back to live with her mother who was the one who abandoned her on our road in the first place. Somehow the police report was changed to say that it was who father who had not had any contact with her... was the one who abandoned her. It was one of those times that it pulled at those heartstrings a mama has... maybe Mercy's mom has changed and she truly wants to care for her daughter. Maybe this is God's way of saying it is okay to let go, she is in my care not matter where she is, it is going to hurt and challenge us but we will make it through. So Mercy went to live with her Mom the beginning of Sept. 2017. We tried to contact her mom to see how Mercy was doing but her mom avoided our calls and did no want us to meet with Mercy. Our daughter, Lily, was heartbroken and wondering why God would take away her best friend? She would pray at night and pray Mercy was safe. There were some dreams that I would even wake up from having an urgency to pray for Mercy.

Now it is the end of February and Mercy has been back with us a month and going to our school-Grace Family Educational Centre. Mercy's mother contacted us toward the end of January realizing that Mercy was missing here too much and wanting her to get a quality education along with her brother Ian. We know God was asking us to trust in His perfect plan. We were overjoyed to hear Mercy would be attending school and staying with Grace family during the school terms since her home is too far to travel everyday. We surprised Lily and said someone was at the gate to see her. Lily hugged Mercy real tight and they have been inseparable ever since. And Mercy told us when she came back that her mom named her Joy when she was born... not Mercy... the trauma of being abandoned must have made her make up a new name for herself. So Mercy-now Joy has asked us and the teachers at school to call her Joy... it has been a hard to remember that as we have always called her Mercy.

Mercy with her gifts from Kogo Donna

Also in 2017 Victor Kiplagat, Dan Kibet and Alex Komen went back to live with their father, Francis Kemboi who used to be our cook. Dan and Alex are in high school and were always giving us such a hard time complaining about the work and arguing with the caregivers and not working hard in school. Kemboi their father was using us to just care for his children so he would not have any stresses in life. We had allowed Kemboi to bring his whole family here because he was a single father who was working at our property and here late sometimes. So we invited the whole family to stay here and when it did not work out for Kemboi to work here any longer we thought it best that we continue to sponsor his daughter, Naomi and not the rest because he had always sent her to her grandmothers to work and not get a good schooling. So Naomi is still with us and in her first year of high school.

Alex

Dan (Duncan)

Victor Kiplagat

Brenda Kiptoo went to live with her mother this past year.  We know that she was well loved by all the visitors because she was sociable and loved to make everyone feel welcome. It was a hard decision to have Brenda to go back to live with her mother. Ever since we moved back in 2016 Brenda has challenged everyone around her from the caregivers, us and the children of Grace family. She is a teenager, yes, but she also had this attitude of superiority of whoever she came in contact with no matter what age. She had younger kids doing chores for her and threatening them if they did not listen. She would complain to the caregivers that "I would not have to do this work at home"! So we said, "Brenda you may go home. You are always comparing here to home and fighting us on every single request... so you may go live with your mom and sisters and we will help you to pay school fees and whatever your mother needs." It has been good for Brenda to go home, she got better grades in school, she worked harder in studying and she just needed to be with her mom. Brenda just started her first year of high school which we are thankful her sponsors are supporting her in that! We are thankful that God directed Brenda to where she needs to be. Please pray she will continue to work hard in school and search out what the Lord has purposed her to be. 

It has been hard to talk about all of these changes going on at Grace family because we as humans do not understand what God is working in all of this. We have had to cling to God's Word and His Truths through this painful change. Thank you for your understanding, encouragement and prayers.