Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Leaving for Kenya Next Month!
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| Happy Life 2016 |
Returning to Happy Life in 3 weeks!
Our team will be leaving on September 5th to volunteer for 10 days at Happy Life Children's Home...I can't wait to return once again and love on all those precious babies!
We've collected suitcases full of donations to take with us and are raising funds to purchase needed items while in Kenya. Thanks to the generosity of the Missions Department at Woodlands Church, I will have a suitcase full of shoes, diapers and baby wipes to bring along with me to bless the children at Happy Life.
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| Donations from Woodlands Church Missions Department |
I'm looking forward to seeing little Jesse Kay, my sponsored child. He was one of the precious babies we met on our last visit. I'm praying for a very special family to adopt him and give him a forever home.
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| Jesse Kay 2016 |
I am so grateful for all those who have partnered with me and the support I've received to help cover the cost of my trip!
If you would like to make a donation to help purchase needed items for Happy Life, please make your check payable to Happy Life Children's Home and mail no later than August 25th to:
Cindy Gross
21031 Gold Candlestick Dr.
Hockley, TX 77447
Thank you for your prayers and support as we GO and be the hands and feet of Jesus...and a blessing to the staff and children at Happy Life!
Blessings!
Cindy
Monday, May 29, 2017
Africa Update
Our team leaves for Kenya in just 3 months!
Our team keeps growing…and there are now 11 of us going on
this mission trip in September, our largest team yet! We are
busy preparing and raising funds for our trip, and are all looking forward to
an awesome time serving and being the Lord’s hands and feet to the staff and all the children at HappyLife!
We had a lovely visit this month
from Peter and Faith Ndungu, the Kenyan Directors of HappyLife Children’s Home in Nairobi Texas to met with local churches and develop new relationships, and raise awareness and support for their ministry to the abandoned children of Kenya . I had the privilege of connecting them with our Missions pastor at Woodlands Church while they were here in the Houston
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| Visit from HappyLife Directors, Peter and Faith Ndungu |
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| Meeting with Missions pastor at Woodlands Church |
One of our Team Leaders, hosted a fundraising dinner for HappyLife at her home. Peter and Faith had the opportunity to share about their ministry and Child Sponsorship Program, and the new Pediatric Hospital they are building adjacent to the Children’s Home in the community of Roysambu just outside of Nairobi
It was a great evening for all!
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| Peter, Faith with Julie & Schelley, our Team Leaders and Dinner Hosts |
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| With Peter and Faith at Benefit Dinner |
I want to thank everyone who has donated toward my trip! My airline ticket and ground transportation fees have been paid for through your generous donations!
*I still need approximately $650 to
cover the remainder of my costs for this trip. Any funds received over and above this
amount will go toward purchasing needed clothing and supplies for the
Children’s home.
If you would like to partner with me on this mission trip through your financial support, please
make your tax-deductible donation check out to HappyLife Children’s Home, with
my name in the memo line, and mail your
check to me by June 10th to:
Cindy Gross
Spring, TX 77388
I am so grateful for your prayers
and support as I prepare for this mission trip! I can't wait to go love on all those precious babies again!!
Love and
blessings,
Cindy
Volunteer at Happy Life
By Sara Kamini, Happy
Life Administrator
“I recently
sat with a couple that has always wanted to come and visit us but said they
could not because they thought we charge a fee, it honestly broke my heart.” “There
is so much to do at Happy Life that money cannot buy…holding a baby, loving
on them, talking to our teenagers, and now that our school is becoming bigger,
we need counselors who can volunteer their services.” “We
need all the help we can get and everybody is welcome to visit as often as they
like.”
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| HappyLife 2016 |
Monday, January 16, 2017
Kenya 2017
Returning to Happy Life this year!
I'm thrilled to share the news that we are returning to Kenya to serve at Happy Life Children's Home this September! Our team will be traveling from Houston to Nairobi on September 5th and will spend 10 days volunteering at Happy Life, helping feed and care for all the precious orphans there. We also plan to visit the children at Happy Life Christian School in Juja again this year and take the children on another field trip. It's such a blessing and privilege to come alongside Happy Life's loving and dedicated staff and give these precious children a little extra love and attention!
Our Team at Happy Life in 2016...
We will be collecting donations of clothing, shoes, and supplies to take along with us for the children, along with cash donations to purchase items locally in Nairobi for the Children's Home and School. Last year we brought extra suitcases filled with over 600 lbs of donations, and we hope to be able to bring as much again this year and bless the children and staff at Happy Life!
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| 2016 Donations |
I'm so excited for this opportunity to return once again and love on all the precious children at Happy Life!
I'm raising funds to cover the cost of this mission trip. The cost including airfare, visa, transportation, accommodation, meals and expenses will be approximately $1,750.00. My goal is to have my airline ticket covered and fees to Happy Life paid by the beginning of March.
If you would like to partner with me by giving a tax-deductible donation, please make your check payable to Happy Life Children's Home with my name in the memo line, or make your check payable to me, and mail checks to:
Cindy Gross
4018 Coltwood Dr.
Spring, TX 77388
I am so grateful to everyone who has partnered with me as I've served with this wonderful organization over the past two years, and would be SO blessed to have you partner with me this year to help make this trip possible!
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| Happy Life 2016 |
To learn more about Happy Life and the difference they
are making in these orphaned children's lives....
check out their website @ happylifechildrenshome.com
means caring for orphans and widows in their distress."
~James 1:27~
Saturday, August 13, 2016
Wonderful Visit to Happy Life!
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| Visit to Happy Life - July 2016 |
It was another great trip to Happy Life Children's Home in Nairobi, Kenya! I traveled solo this year, and after arriving in Kenya, joined my friend Julie and an amazing team of 6 other women from Texas. We had a wonderful time serving together and loving on all the precious children at Happy Life!
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| Our Team Jeanette, Emily, Schelley, Julie Lindsay, Cindi, Cheryl, Cindy |
It was such a blessing to return and see friends and familiar faces from last year, and also meet new friends and all the precious children that have joined the Happy Life family over the past year!
One of the highlights of this trip was seeing little Eric, the abandoned baby we helped pick up from the hospital and bring to Happy Life last year. He's happy and thriving, and is such a sweet-natured little guy!
I was so thrilled to hear the news since returning home that Eric was adopted into a forever family this month!
I was so thrilled to hear the news since returning home that Eric was adopted into a forever family this month!
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| Picking up baby Eric from the hospital last year |
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| Little Eric |
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| Holding little Eric again during this visit |
There were 24 precious new babies in the infant nursery this year, and I treasured every opportunity to hold, feed, and love on each one of them...even at the 5am feedings!
It was such a joy and privilege to work alongside the wonderful Kenyan Mothers who lovingly take care of all the babies for 12-hour shifts, and also the older Happy Life children who assist the mothers each day and the other volunteers that come to help out from the local University, and from all around the world.
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| Julie and Mother Margaret |
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| Mother Jane |
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| Mother Ann |
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| Me, Emily, and big sister Leah helping with feeding time |
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| Big brother Freddy helping out with the babies |
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| Volunteers from Iceland |
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| Volunteers from the local University |
Our team was able to bless Happy Life again this year by bringing extra suitcases full of clothing, shoes, diapers, wipes, school supplies, musical instruments and more....thanks to all the generous donations from our supporters and the Missions Department at Woodlands Church! We also purchased nursery supplies while in Kenya, along with a new refrigerator, water filters, a copy machine, paint and other items for the school with the many generous cash donations we received!!
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| This year's Donations |
One of the greatest joys of this trip was seeing sweet little Gideon again, the precious little guy that captured my heart last year. He is getting weekly physical therapy and being treated for a heart condition and the malnutrition he came to Happy Life with...and is now growing and thriving! We had a sweet time together...and also had fun taking some selfies.
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| Little Gideon |
We visited Happy Life's Juja Farm Center School again this year, and had a great time playing with the children, watching a presentation they put on for us, and celebrating one of the staff's birthday with the children.
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| Children's Presentation |
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| Enjoying time with the children |
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| Celebrating Pastor Peter's Birthday |
Two women from our team, who have a background in education, had a special time staying at the Juja Farm Center School to help teach classes for a couple days .
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| Cheryl with her Happy Life class |
It was exciting to watch construction of the new Medical Center that is currently in progress onsite at Happy Life! The Jesse Kay Medical Center is projected to be completed late next year, and will serve the children at Happy Life and also the local community of Roysambu.
We enjoyed visiting with Happy Life's Kenyan Directors, Bishop Peter and Faith Ndnugu again this year, and attending one of their dynamic Kenyan worship services at Overcoming Faith Church. We also had the pleasure of meeting Happy Life's U.S. Directors, Pastor Jim and Sharon Powell, while they were in Kenya on one of their annual visits to Happy Life.
It was a special treat having the opportunity to spend time with these two wonderful couples and co-founders of Happy Life Children's Home, and getting to know their beautiful hearts and dedication to Happy Life and the orphaned children of Nairobi!
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| Saying farewell to Pastor Jim & Sharon Powell and Bishop Peter & Faith Ndnugu |
I am so thankful to everyone that partnered with me and helped make this trip possible, and look forward to returning to serve with this wonderful organization again next year!!
"PROVIDING THE ABANDONED CHILDREN OF KENYA
A HOME AND A HOPE FOR ADOPTION"
To learn more about Happy Life Children's Home, visit their website at: happylifechildrenshome.com or visit happylifekenya.blogspot.com for news and updates.
Sponsor A Child...
Follow this link for information about sponsoring a child:
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,
plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future"
~Jeremiah 29:11~
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