Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

James 1:2-4
" My brethren, count it all as joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

This wonderful word has meant so much to our Kenyan family these last few weeks of 2016 and into the beginning of 2017.  

We have struggled through some trials but God is so faithful!  His presence brings our joy, no matter what is happening around us! He is here!!!!!

At the beginning of 2016 we were told it would be a year of great progress and abundance! It was definitely that and so many reading this blog were God's great instruments of this abundance and progress  through finances, encouraging visits and words and most of all the prayers that you have surrounded us with! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

We have counted it all as such joy! 

November brought us to our 6th closing ceremony for Shining Light Mission School.





This gave us the challenge of a 7 week break from school!

 In this 7 weeks we would enjoy Thanksgiving with our Aunties!


Several Birthdays!

Alex turned 4 October 30

















Felix turned 4 November 6



Mom Phyllis turned 60 November 15



Matthew turned 8 December 8


Enoch turned 8 December 8



Grandson Tekoa turned 8 December 12



Esther and Elizabeth turned 6




and our baby girl Dannon Grace Leister turned 18 Dec. 30!



Naomi is our New years baby she turned 7 Jan. 1 2017




Early November we harvested our Maize crop!  What a blessing to us here at Tumaini and we were able to bless several other ministries with bags too. We harvested 18 60kg bas off one acre!!! We gave away about half that, Praise God!






We are also enjoying the produce from our garden area out at the farm again blessings blessings!





I am blessed with great helpers too!



Right after Thanksgiving we went through a series of health issues, chicken pox, boils, flu exc.
Before Christmas Dad Horace went into major hernia surgery ( he asked me not to show pictures, darn). But as I said before God was faithful!




In the middle of December our wonderful friend Dave Munsie came back to Kenya for a visit and to put up the kids new play area out at the farm. A couple weeks later our friends the Lasseter's and Liz and Lidya came to help.






Ted from Open Arms was also there to help with the playground.






We have had a few set backs with the house but it is on it's way! Please pray this is still such a timing thing for us to be able to move.



The men first have to chip the stone to make it the right size for building after it is delivered from the quarry.



then they begin the interior walls which will be block and plastered, not stone.



Here is a line of stone wall, I love the different colors that will be in them. These walls will stay like this inside and out and we will varnish the inside of them for easy cleaning. The kids are sure it will look like a castle when it is finished!






Our Christmas Celebrations was so much fun! Dave brought quilt covers from the UK.  Thank you everyone for donating.







Our stockings were filled with all kinds of treats from friends and family even books from our friend Janice R.



Goodies bags from Dave and Linda!



and then a gift from each other and Dad and Mom!







Here is Brighton with his very special quilt cover from his friend Doug.



We were all so blessed with our new pjs all the way from Michigan and our friends from New Song Church.

Our festivities went right into the New Year with a gift of a huge Bouncy Castle monies donated from Vera from Bramall Baptist Manchester. Thank you Vera for Celebrating your Birthday with all of us in such a wonderful way. We were able to share this gift with so many, over 150 friends and neighbors came for fun and food.  We also had birthday cake with our 3 birthday girls that day too!











We had an awesome time with games and our friends!





We had a wonderful Tea Party with our friends too! Sorry no pictures here but many on fb.


To soon it was time to say goodbye! Thank you for being part of our lives for this time!

And now for school!


Shining Light Mission School ( ACE Kenya ) Picture 2017 (26 students)


Grade 4 Dama, Gabrial, Sarah, Jewel


Grade 3 Brenda, Matthew, Enoch, Reuben, Joyce and Debby


2nd Grade ( in back ) Naomi, Abby, ( in front ) Phoebe, Titus, Ruth


1st graders Joel, Olive and Boaz


Kindergarteners ACE readers ( in back ) Brighton, Elizabeth, ( in front ) Zuri, Thomas, Esther


Preschool Alex, Gael, Felix


I can not believe how big they have all gotten!  Goofy Dama, Sarah and Jewel!

We received a donation of new uniforms and badges for this year from some more friends from the UK. Thank you Mary and Doug and Judy and Johnathan & Kathern Bowyer for making the badges.

Our school is the #2 expense for us here at Tumaini. # 1 being housing and food. If you would like to help with our school we would be most appreciative. We need sponsors for each student $50 per month. At present we have 5 students sponsored. We also need sponsors for each teacher salary. We have 3 teachers right now but we need 4 for a special needs teacher for Brighton. Teachers salaries $150 per month.

God bless you all our family and friends who support our family and home! We could not this work with our you listening to God's heart and responding the way you do!

We will try our best to keep you updated with how things continue! So check back often! Also check out our fb Phyllis Leister and page Tumaini Children's Home

Love from all of us here at Tumaini

Horace, Phyllis and Dannon



















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