Joyful Additions

Dear Beloved,

It has been a while since we have last updated you on the progress of our ministry. Hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day. Much has happened and there is much we want to share with you for your encouragement and joy.

Newest Additions to Our Family We have two new additions to our Beloved Rehoboth family. Allow us to introduce you to Judy and Veronica. Although both girls lost their parents to AIDS, both girls are HIV negative.

Judy Wanjiku is an 11-year-old girl in fourth grade. In the past four years, Judy has lost both of her parents to AIDS. Since that time, Judy and her three siblings have been scattered to different families. Judy’s older sister and older brother are living with a nearby relative while Judy and her younger sister lived with their grandmother. However, her grandmother could not handle the burden of raising them. Therefore, the Beloved Rehoboth family took Judy into their home. The Rehoboth family plans on adding Judy’s younger sister (who is currently only four years old) into the family in the next couple of years. Judy has adjusted well into the Beloved Rehoboth family dynamics, and she has built close friendships with her sisters and brothers.

Veronica Wambui is a 10-year-old girl in fourth grade. When Veronica was only 2 years old, her single mother passed away from AIDS. Veronica has since lived with her grandmother. However, after eight years of caring for her granddaughter, Veronica’s grandmother could no longer provide adequate care for Veronica. The Beloved Rehoboth family learned about Veronica’s predicament because she and her grandmother live in their neighborhood. In fact, Veronica already attends the elementary school with several of the Beloved Rehoboth children. Therefore, we anticipate—but nevertheless pray for—a smooth transition for Veronica and her new family.

Progress of the Children We have created Facebook milestone entries for each of the children in our home. Please scroll through Beloved’s Facebook timeline to read short summaries of their life stories. In a short while, we will also post their biographies onto our website,www.belovedinternational.org. Please stay tuned.

In the interim, we wanted to give you an update as to how some of our children are progressing and adjusting to their new lives. Please keep these children and their specific needs in your prayers:

Joseph: Joseph was adopted into our family in March 2012. Although he is socially well adjusted—establishing good relationships with his siblings and obeying his parents in doing his chores—he is struggling in school. Joseph has not fully adjusted to the rigors of fourth grade.

Brian: Brian is still adjusting to his new home. He is getting along with others, and especially with his siblings. He is showing more of his energetic personality, and Pastor Stephen believes that Brian will one day make a fine actor. However, Brian (who is nearly 8 years old) still struggles with bed-wetting. This problem can be attributed to some of the trauma he suffered earlier on in his life—as he had to live in the streets for a period of time, begging for scraps of food.

Jane: Pastor Stephen is encouraged with Jane’s personality. She is a caring girl that regularly shows love to others and rarely gets upset with her siblings. Although her hygiene and personal grooming habits need to improve, Jane is a happy and obedient girl that brings much joy to her parents. Pastor Stephen said that Jane is the kind of girl who can be put in any situation and still have a smile on her face.

Wilson: Wilson had some attitude problems in school because he regularly talked back to authority figures. However, Wilson’s attitude has progressed and he is eager to follow directions and to do his chores without complaining. He is also now able to take correction and discipline with a positive attitude.

Clinton: Clinton was brought into our home in October 2011. For many months, he was withdrawn and quiet, and he rarely interacted with his siblings. He has serious abandonment issues stemming from being left for dead in a storage shed by his father after his mother passed away from AIDS. Although Clinton has made some improvement—thanks to the aid of his youngest brother, Barnabas—he still goes through bouts where he does not talk or smile. He is now in kindergarten and is having some difficulty making that adjustment.

Barnabas: Barnabas, the youngest child in the Beloved Rehoboth family, is excited to start kindergarten next year. He recently had health problems with regards to inflamed tonsils, but he has received medical care and is doing better.

Bracelets: We have a limited number of Beloved bracelets that are going on sale for $20. They will be sold in three different types of metals: gold, silver, and rose gold. If you are interested in ordering bracelets, either for yourself or for that special girl, please contact us at info@belovedinternational.org.

We also have limited supplies of Beloved T-shirts. You can find several styles on our website, or you can contact Angie Lee for more information.

Prayer Requests New Family Home: Beloved is looking into starting up a second family home in Kenya. First, thank you for your continued support, which makes ideas about this expansion possible. Second, please pray for wisdom and guidance for the directors of Beloved International (Peter and Catalina) and for the director of Beloved Kenya (Pastor Stephen). We are in need of God’s hand to guide us every step of the way.

Pastor Stephen and Mama Jane: Pastor Stephen and Mama Jane are currently raising 18 children in Beloved Rehoboth, with four new children (Joseph, Clinton, Judy and Veronica) added to the home in 2012 alone. Please pray that God would continue to give Stephen and Jane strength in their ministry. If you have any words of encouragement you want to give to these parents, please send them to Mitchell Kim at mitchell.kim@belovedinternational.org with the following subject line: “Encouragements for Stephen and Jane.”

Beloved @ UC Irvine Beloved is starting up a college chapter at UC Irvine. There are currently three college students eager to spread the word of our ministry on their campus. Please pray for our college students as they take up this ministry.

Teacher's Strike There is currently a teacher's strike at the school the children of Beloved Rehoboth attend. Therefore, the children are currently unable to attend their classes. Please pray for a quick resolution to this strike so that the children can once again resume their education.