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Do Small Things with Great Love
Scenes from Summer Pilgrimage
Read an excerpt from the autobiography of Vinton Adika, a pastoral counselor at Holy Family Center. Vinton has led a most interesting life of sacrifice and commitment.
A few photos from the Summer 2012 Pilgrimage to Kenya. (You can see more photos of the trip by clicking on Photos on our Tree of Lives Facebook page.
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In August 2011, The Joy Children’s Home opened in Kenya. Later this month, the three “families” will move into their own quarters on the compound, following months of renovation. It is a time of celebration and also discernment for our next steps.
Our Joy Home is making a huge difference in the 20 young lives Christ has brought into our midst. Each life is being shaped eternally. What a privilege it is to be a part of this. Our first renovation of the property, so generously donated by a Christ-centered African couple, is about to be completed. TREE OF LIVES.ORG
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Issue No. 3 - August 2012
The Joy Children’s Home: One Year Later
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We will end up with three apartments in the smaller structure on the grounds, where each Mom will raise her eight to ten children as a true African Christian family. The costs for this initial renovation are fully paid for, mostly with funds from donors outside FPC. We now have the opportunity to renovate the main residence…that’s another 40 children coming into God’s Kingdom. The urgent challenge is to raise approximately $100,000 (including commitments) so we can take advantage of the existing work crews, equipment and materials that are on-site, in order to complete the renovations by year-end. To date, through the generous support of many of you, we have raised $57,000. To re-engage the work crews at a later date will significantly increase the cost and, more importantly, delay our touch with 40 abandoned and at-risk children.
Jim Wood, Senior Pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Norfolk, Virginia, spending some time on the lawn with the Joy Home kids earlier this month.
Given the short timeframe we have to work with, there is no way to raise these funds unless the Holy Spirit moves in the hearts and souls of our people. If the Lord is speaking to you about financially supporting the renovations to the Joy Home, please return your gift to: Tree of Lives, P.O. Box 11390, Norfolk, VA 23517. 1
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organization working with the homeless drug addicts in Mombasa and its environs. After a year, I
Studies. After seven years in seminary for priesthood formation, I could not continue for
got a scholarship and went to college in Nairobi for
personal reasons.
a diploma in Clinical Education and Pastoral Counseling. Still, during holidays, I would go back and work the streets for my personal upkeep.
In 2009, I joined Nazareth Hospital as a pastoral counselor. The experience in this healing ministry has been rich both in challenges and life
After completion of my studies, I joined a Mombasa diocese, working with HIV/AIDS patients and
transformation. The patients teach me a lot, not by what they say in words but what they undergo in
doing home visits. A year later, I entered seminary
illness. It’s amazing to see a smile and hear from
for priesthood formation and joined the Franciscan Friars Minor whose ministry was to the poor.
someone who has been in the hospital for more than a month say“Ni mapenzi ya mungu,” Swahili meaning,“It is God’s will”.
In the initial stages I went to Tanzania for one year,
The children taking advantage of the new youth library at Nazareth Hospital.
My name is Vinton Ohito Adika, born in Mombasa
doing the apostolate with the homeless in the streets of Mwanza. These were very rewarding experiences
Two months ago we began a youth library at Nazareth Hospital; I was assigned to oversee it with
for me, helping people achieve liberation from their
assistance from others. The library is to give the
“prisons” of unlived life, unused potentials and wasted strength. Through this transforming
opportunity of a place to learn and do homework for pupils who cannot access other study facilities.
experience, it was wonderful to realize that happiness is a by-product of the actualization of
The kids at the library gave me a new name TEACHER. I like it because Jesus was also referred
one’s constructive potentials.
to as teacher. Now I have one thing in common with
in 1974. As a young boy I served in the church as an altar boy since I had a passion towards priesthood. After high school, I joined a nongovernmental
Him. From the fields, I went back to class where I earned a degree in Philosophy and a diploma in Religious
Scenes from the June-July Summer Pilgrimage to Kenya 2
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