Greetings from very warm Kenya!!
   It is very hard for us to imagine it is only a few days until Christmas. This season we have been looking at the miracle of the virgin birth, and along with that  the meaning of the family make-up of Jesus. What a man Joseph was to "adopt" Jesus for his own son. What a picture that is for us. When I look at Hope, I see our third daughter. I do not see and abandoned or orphaned child. I love her as I love all of our children, no difference.
   I have to think that this is the way God looks at each one of us, there is no difference, He just loves us and wants us in His family. I pray that this Christmas season would be special in the fact that each of us realize that we have a Savior that loved us so much, He came to be with us. He came to live with an adoptive father. We have a Father in heaven that looks at each one of us as precious, unique and worthy of loving and fighting for.
   We are looking forward to getting back to the States for a few weeks and connecting with family and friends. We will be speaking at several venues, we hope to see many of you there. We will be at NMC on the 28th of December. We have many things to share, it has been a very busy year, and next year looks to be even better.
   Before we leave for the States at the end of the week, we will have 4 adoptions take place. What a wonderful end to the year to have four of our kids get forever families. Who could ask for a greater Christmas gift?
   We will be posting those events in the coming days
Be blessed, have a blessed Christmas!!

Dan, Dana, Carson, and Hope

Speaking Engagements and More

     We have been keeping pretty busy here at the Baby Centre.  We've had about 20 children join us within the last 2 months.  All of them are adjusting very well.

Joshua

     Joshua continues to heal from his surgery and has such a wonderful attitude!  He is such a happy little guy and he's been through so much.

Dan speaking at Good Shepherd AGC

Catherine speaking at Good Shepherd AGC

     This past weekend we went to speak at Good Shepherd Church in Nairobi.  It was a good time of fellowship and of updating the church on the Baby Centre and it's current needs.  Many of the packets were taken and donations pledged.

  

Emmanuel speaking at Good Shepherd AGC

Hope also had to have her turn at Good Shepherd AGC.
But she choose to practice with the Worship Team.
She was singing "Jesus Loves Me."

     We love going and speaking about the Baby Centre and everything that is happening here.   We will be heading to multiple locations the first week of December to speak at all the AGC Regional Meetings.  This is a great time to connect with many people at one time.  

     Our 2015 Baby Centre Calendar is in the process of being printed at this moment.  We hope to have it completed within a few weeks.  If you are interested in a calendar please let us know and we will tell you how you can get one.  We also plan to bring with us a new Baby Centre brochure.  We've needed an informative brochure for a long time and will be glad to finally have this tool that we can use to inform people all over about the AGC Baby Centre and it's purpose.

     We will be traveling to the states in late December and will be available for speaking engagements.  If you are interested in having us come and update your church/class, or would like to hear about the Baby Centre for the first time we loved to come and share.  We will not be back in the states for long so let us know early enough that we can schedule you in.

     Dana will have a PET scan and Dr. appt. when we are there.  That is actually the reason for our trip back.   But we love to take advantage of the time to see as many of you as we can.

Blessings,

D&D

What's on the Horizon??

     Greetings from Kenya!  In August we passed our two year mark here in country at the Baby Centre.  It has been a very eventful two years.  We wanted to update you on what God has done and is continuing to do in our lives and all those connected to the Baby Centre.  We can never stop praising God for His miraculous touch in Dana's life.  We have had front row seats as it were to a modern day miracle.  We believe that this is an affirmation that we are not yet done with our mission here.

Hope

     The original timeline was that we were to come in August, 2012, and return to the states in August, 2014.  Also, most everyone knows Hope's story in that through a set of what we believe to be God-directed circumstances we were blessed to become Hope's guardians on our way to becoming her parents.  As with many things here in Kenya, that path has not been a clear or straight one.  Because of changes in Kenya law and in the interpretation of requirements, we are not exactly sure of the date that we can actually finalize Hope's paperwork.  Some would say we can begin by the 1st of March, while others would say wait until August to begin.  We will continue to monitor this with our contacts in the government and with the Adoption Society.

Emmanuel & Millicent will be married
in December of this year.

     The current plan is sometime early next year we will seek the Baby Centre Board's permission to install Emmanuel as Director of the Baby Centre.  When that happens, Dan will assume Emmanuel's current position as Business Manager in order to train a replacement for this position, and that way will still be here in order to consult Emmanuel in the Director position until he gets acclimated.  Dana will continue with her role as Hospitality Coordinator and begin to look at who would be best suited for this position in order to train and hand it over to the correct person.  Our hope is that these things, as well as Hope's adoption, will be completed before the end of 2015.
     With all of this said, there are things that need to take place in order for us to continue our work here.  As of January 1, 2015, we will be moved up to Career Missionary status with WGM and no longer be Missionary Disciples.  This requires us to raise more support.  Plus, we have also had to raise additional support for Dana's medical trips (every 6 months) for her PET scans.  When we originally left the states in 2012 our support was pledged at 100%.  We have had many very faithful team members that have supported us very well.  Unfortunately, as is common with many ministries, about 20% of those that had pledged have had to decline to give towards that pledge.
  We need to raise a considerable amount of new support to keep us on the field for 12 more months, pay for two return trips to the USA for Dana's PET scans and clear the current deficit in our account that has resulted from the shortfall in giving.  This amount is in addition to those who are currently giving monthly.  We trust in God for everything, He has been so very gracious to us and has provided everything we have needed through many generous people who are a part of this ministry.  We are very privileged and honored to be a part of a ministry that has not only greatly impacted the lives of almost 300 babies now, but it has impacted a community and even a country in showing Christ's love through caring for the children that had been looked over in the past.
     Thank you for your prayers, your time and your financial support for this ministry and our family.  We can never adequately convey the impact that the Baby Centre has had and the part that each one of you have played.  I don't believe any of us will get to see all of the fruits of this ministry until we are with Jesus.

Blessings and many, many thanks!

D&D & family

Lots of Things Happening at the Baby Centre

   We have welcomed so many new little faces to the Baby Centre recently.  We are up to 18 babies in Wing A!  It is wonderful, and busy, to have such a full house.

Asher

Joy

Allan

Sarah

Tamara

Jeremiah

Victoria

Brian

Nehemiah

Mark our newest arrival

Babies, babies everywhere and this is just some of them!

   There have also been a number of children adopted!  With another one going home tomorrow.  We continue to be amazed at what God is doing here.

Amos and his new family.

Baraka and his new mommy and daddy.

Emmanuel and his new mommy.

Kathleen and her new mommy

Mercy and part of her new family.

Noelle and part of her new family.

   We are getting ready for the Board Meeting coming up in two weeks.  Please pray for the meeting and all the Board members.  There is much to be accomplished at this meeting:  the budget for the next year,  approval of the updated Employee Handbook, approval of the Child Care Policy Manual, and much more.

Amalo AGC

   This past Sunday we were invited to go and speak at Amalo AGC.  It was an area meeting so there were so many people we had to hold it outside.
   They wanted us to speak about the Baby Centre, about tithing, and hear from Dana because many in this area were praying for her when she was in the hospital and thereafter.

Amalo AGC

   We did get some wonderful news Monday as we received the travel order from the court for Hope so that we will be able to travel back to the states with her when Dana needs to come back for her next PET scan, etc.  Now we just need to get her Visa.

   Thank you for all the prayers and support of us and the Baby Centre!

Blessings,

D&D

Pray for Joshua George

Dear Baby Centre Friends,

   As a normal practice here at the Baby Centre, we do not intentionally take children with special needs because we are not equipped for that. However, from time to time, God blesses us with a child that needs some very special care. Our Joshua George is one of these children. He has been here with us at the Baby Centre for more than a year now waiting for the right time to act on his behalf. He is a wonderful young boy, now 3 years and two months old that was abandoned in the Nakuru area. Joshua has a Club foot on his left side and on his right side, his leg below the knee never formed. On the 15th of this September, we will be taking Joshua to Kijabe Hospital and the Surgeons from CURE International will perform a procedure to fix the club foot, and we will amputate the right leg at the knee. Joshua will then be fit with a prosthetic after 12 weeks of healing. He will return here to the Baby Centre to recover and then to start the process of rehabilitation and learning to walk.

   Please pray for Joshua as we prepare him for this difficult journey. Pray for the medical team at Kijabe. Pray for our team here at the Baby Centre as we prepare to receive him back here after approximately a week in the hospital.

   We thank God for the donors that have already contributed for the cost of the surgery. We have enough funds for the surgery. We do need additional funds to pay for the post-op care and his rehab. He will require his own caregiver for 12 weeks.

   If you would like to help, or have any questions concerning Joshua, please contact me at director@agcbabycenter.org.

   This has been a very difficult decision, and we believe that this is in the very best interest of Joshua. Thank you for your prayers, thank you for your support.

Blessings,
D&D

The Goats Have Arrived!

     We have goats!!  We are so pleased to finally have our goats at the Baby Centre!  We currently have 6; 1 male and 5 female.  We are excited to begin the process of harvesting the goats milk, making goat yogurt, etc.  They seem to like their new pen.

     This month we had to say good-bye to a dear friend.  April Hershberger's term was up and she had to return to the United States.  April had been here for 2 years and her main focus was helping the staff with Childhood Development.  We will miss April very much as she had become a part of our family.

Tutaonana tena April!

Michael J.

     Over the past few months we have received some beautiful new additions to our Baby Centre family.

     Please remember to pray for each of these little ones as they continue to adjust to life here at the Baby Centre.  Also begin praying for Mom's & Dad's for them.  They are all so sweet and doing very, very well.

April J.

Baruch E.

Eli S.

Twins -- Boaz S. & Enoch Z.

George G.

Matthias J.

Noah J.

     Aren't they all just adorable!!

     Over the last couple of months we've also had a lot of adoptions.  We've had 8 kids go home with their forever families over the last two months!!  PTL!

     On a personal note we have a couple of announcements to make.  Some of you will already know about these.

Nathan & Tiffany

     Our oldest son, Nathan is now engaged and due to be married to Tiffany Lilly in May next year!  We are very happy for them.  Tiffany and her daughter Audrey are a blessing to our family.


     As some of you know, our daughter Talia joined us for the "summer".  It was so nice to have her

Bryson & Talia

here with us.  And as you can imagine, it was so difficult for all of us when it came time for her to go back to her life in the states.  After she arrived back in the states, her boyfriend, Bryson Bauer proposed to her!  So we are very excited that there will be a wedding sometime in the not to far off future.  Not only that but Talia will graduate from Bethel this next May!!

     Dan and I also made a medical trip back to the states for 10 days in July.  I had to get another PET scan and injection and see my medical oncologist.  We had a great report!  And the disease continues to leave the bones!  Another PTL!!

     We also have more wonderful news to announce!  On August 24th, not only was it Dana's birthday, but our granddaughter Elisabeth and Dan's father both were baptized!  What a wonderful celebration!  We are so blessed by the news of both of these, although it is bittersweet that we are not able to be there to celebrate with them.  But we know that our Lord and Savior is celebrating Lissie's and Dad's public commitment to living for the Him!

   We also have been blessed with Melody Dearmon coming to serve with us here at the Baby Centre for the next several months. She is working on helping us with the Caregiver Staff development. She is also just a joy to have around.

   We thank you all for your prayer and financial support. You are all a blessing to us!

   Blessings,

   D & D

A year ago…and now!

WOW! One year ago today, Dana and I were in our car headed to Nairobi Hospital's Emergency Room, Dana was paralyzed from the middle of her chest down. The first picture below is a picture I took in her hospital room the day before she went under emergency surgery to remove tumors in her spinal column that had totally blocked her spinal cord. The spinal cord had been totally compressed for more than 4 days before the surgery could be attempted.
















This picture was taken today the 28th of June. Here is Dana walking outside and playing disc golf here in our yard at the Baby Centre.



    The emotions have been all over the place this week, recounting what took place a year ago. We have been and continue to be so thankful for the divine touch to Dana's body. We know that God was with us throughout, He never left our side. We felt His presence even in the hours of the unknown ahead. We didn't know at any stage if this would be it, or would she continue to recover more and more? God has touched her body in a mighty way!! And we are so thankful for all of the wonderful care that she received everywhere she went. Many said along the way, that she would not recover, but Jesus is the only one who gets to decide that. We are grateful for every day that we have, none of us are guaranteed tomorrow.
   We will be back in the States in July for Dana's bi-annual check-up. We are believing that God is not done yet, He continues to touch and heal her body each day.
   Thank you so very much to all that have prayed for Dana and the rest of the family. It is great to see her walk into a room of people that had been praying for her, and to see their faces, for they truly have seen a modern day miracle of God.

Blessings, and much more to come!

D&D

Grain Bin and More...

   
     Here is a look at what our new grain bin looks like.  It was just stood up on its legs today. (this is a few weeks ago)  
     As previously posted we already have the grain to put into it and fill it up so this is a real blessing!
     Thank you to everyone that helped by getting it here and erecting it.

Mercy Grace

Naomi

Angel

     We have been very busy with Babies coming and going.  Little Mercy was collected by Irene and Dan at the Central Police Station in Nakuru. She had been on her own for some time. She is now adjusting well to being here and we are certain God will provide loving parents for her.

     These two beautiful girls were picked up from somewhere in Naivasha.  We were called because they too had been abandoned.  They are very beautiful and now both are thriving.

Purity

     Purity and Esther are sisters and we collected them from the Nakuru police station.  Talia was able to come with me along with Irene.  The girls were in rough shape and it appeared that Esther had been run over by a motorbike.  Both girls have been looked over very well and are doing wonderful adjusting as you can see in Purity's smile.

Esther

Millicent with her new mommy

Naomi with her new family

     We have also had several new families formed and some very happy Mamas.  Millicent and Naomi came to the Baby Centre the same day a year ago and they left the Baby Centre within a week of each other.  God is so good!!!!

In-country Team

     We have also had many teams over the last two months.  Many in-country teams as well as over-seas teams.

Nappanee Missionary Church Youth Team

Liam Karl

    Back to more babies coming in.  Liam came at two days old and was found in the back seat of a Matatu.  He has awesome hair!!!



Hadassah Rose



Micah Abram

     Hadassah also came to us at just 3 days old from right here in Nakuru.








     On a Friday night at about 9:00PM, we got a call from the Police Station that they had an abandoned baby boy of about three months.  Dana, Carson and I went into town to pick him from the Central Police Station.  He is actually about 10 months old (they are not very good at guessing).  He has had a very rough start to life, but is doing very well.  For those who know Robert our nurse here at the Baby Centre, he looks just like him!!

Carson's 16th Birthday!!

    We celebrated Carson's 16th birthday on May 24th.  Although he turned 16, when asked if he wanted to start learning to drive he said, "Here in Kenya?? No thank you."















     We have had many visitors over the last two months.  We had Verle and Marcia Hochstetler, we had Tommy and Laverne Anderson and team from Northern and Southern Ireland, some of the Bethel Medical Team and several VIAs.  So far this year we have had 8 VIA's, 3 international teams, and more in-country teams than I can count.

     Dana continues to do very well and is walking with no help most of the time now.  She is practicing walking outside on the rocks and uneven ground.  One day very soon she will be able to walk all over without any help!  We praise the Lord for this answered prayer!

     We are very thankful that God has blessed us with the honor of serving Him in this ministry.

Blessings,

D&D