THE YEAR 2006

We can refer the year just ended as a year of unique blessing in the history of Grace School and its ministries. We started the year discouraged as we had no enough classrooms, offices and financially in the red. All these have taken a radical opposite turn. The year has ended on a very positive note.

We finished construction of the three remaining classrooms on third floor, partitioned a room to create offices and started construction of Kitchen/Dinning Hall which has reached up to the lintel.

Front View	Back View

This work required heavy capital outlay. We Thank God for 1st Presbyterian Church Knoxville which gave USD 11,000 and Pro Vision Foundation of Knoxville which gave USD 31,000. These gifts did not only put up the building only, but was a great inspiration and strength to our discouraged spirits. It also brought to live the scripture “the Lord shall never leave nor forsake you.”

 

STAFF

The staff has sacrificially continued to offer excellent service of teaching and care. When in class, they are wonderful teachers. During meals they are excellent waiters, servers and mothering the young ones. They pay home visitation and they are great encouragers. We can only give God the glory for the way He has given such love to minister to these needy and lovely children.

We have increased the staff due to increased work. Grace School has become not only a significant partner in Education delivery, but also as an employer helping in poverty reduction.

We take this opportunity to thank the family the Lord used to give a monetary Christmas gift to the teachers.

Miriam the School Accountant together with Teacher Jennifer are on maternity leave. The available staff has voluntarily agreed to take extra load for they understand that we are not financially able to employ people to relieve them.

Teachers Maggie and Stella serving meals to children.

CHURCH AND AIDS MINISTRY

CHURCH:

I have continued to minister as an interim Pastor of Community Presbyterian Church since May. On December 31st there was a congregation and the Search Committee surprisingly said that they have settled that I become the Church Minister. I accepted to become one on condition that it will be a period of three years. I will have attained an age which I will need to retire. I am perplexed at what the Lord is doing with me in the last days of my life. He is giving challenging and hard work. I am at Grace School where the work is in its formative stages. Community Presbyterian Church is also not an established Church and it is now that we are putting up a sanctuary. The Church is mostly made up poor people from the Community who cannot be able to support a Pastor financially. A good percentage are people living with AIDS and are not only looking for Spiritual nourishment, but also for material help. They look upon the Pastor as the source of their hope and livelihood. It is a difficult ministry, but the Lord has given the grace to do the work. We had a meal together for the first time at the Church on Christmas Eve.

CHILDREN ENJOYING CANDIES DURING CHRISTMAS MEAL

CPC MEMBERS DURING X-MASS MEAL
(the photo shows the CPC Sanctuary under construction)

A group of Churches and Individuals have come together figure out how they can effectively help Grace School to accomplish its work. This is by giving necessary guidelines as well as soliciting funds on behalf of Grace School. This team is coordinated by Ron Mayer of 1st Presbyterian Church. We thank God for the men and women in this group for their trust and love of what Grace School is doing in furthering the Kingdom of God.

Another team that has come to the help of our work is a Sunday School class of Central Baptist Church Bearden. There are twelve families that supports twelve of our most needy children by giving $ 20 a month.

Many people who have interacted with Grace School or only heard about our work have supported us in one way or another. Some have written encouraging letters which have lifted our spirits while others have given money. We receive such helps with gratitude to God who alone moves the hearts of his people to will and to do his purpose.

We thank God for the love of the word of God at CPC Church. There is notable growth in the depth of spirituality. We have not yet started discipleship class due to lack of a meeting room.

Two challenges face this church. Although the church has been inexistence for over 14 years, there is no permanent Sanctuary. The Lord is speaking to us through Haggai 2:4 and we have already put up the floor slab and determined to build a sanctuary that reflects the majesty of the God we worship.

Another challenge is the increasing number of people living with HIV/AIDS. This is because of the love and acceptance that they have received in the church. These people have formed a team called CPC Agape team. They do the visitation to the sick in the course of the week and we meet with the group leaders on Sunday for debriefing and word of encouragement from the scriptures.

Majority of the people in this group have no economic means of livelihood. There are economic activities that this team can undertake with very modest financial support.

If you feel that the Lord is speaking to you about this team write to CPC E-mail: cpclimuru@yahoo.com

FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR PERIOD SEP. – DEC., 2006:

 

		US $
Balance B/F from 2nd four months of 2006		(709.20)
INCOME:
Fees		3,284.00
International Support
Regular Gifts		3,804.00
Irregular Gifts		2,607.00
Kenyans (Boston)		857.00
Christmas Gift for Staff		1,200.00
RESUTING INCOME		11,752.00
Net income		11,042.80
LESS EXPENSES:
Salary		5,543.00
Feeding Program		1,071.00
Rent		286.00
Water and Electricity		277.00
Postage and Telephone		200.00
Trip		700.00
Party		500.00
HIV/AIDS support		150.00
Staff incidental support		200.00
Miscellaneous		200.00
Maintenance		150.00
Stationeries		250.00
Christmas gift		1,200.00
Medical		300.00
RESULTING EXPENSES		11,027.00
SURPLUS C/F		15.00
CAPITAL INCOME
Gift to buy office computer by Bethel Church		1118.00
Construction fund from Pro Vision Foundation		31,000.00
Gift for building		50.00
CAPITAL INCOME		32,168.00
CAPITAL EXPENDITURES
Purchase of office computer		1,118.00
Construction		30,465.00
RESULTING CAPITAL EXPENDITURES		31,583.00
SURPLUS BALENCE C/F		585.00

CONCLUSION

The year had started on a very pessimistic and discouraged note, but ended on an optimistic and encouraging note. We give glory to God for all this for he is the source of all comforts.

PRAISES:

• When the year started with drought and food shortage, the Lord supplied through his people and the children of Grace School always got a hot lunch.

• Three of our teachers Miriam, Eunice and Jennifer had safe delivery. Mortality rate during delivery is high and we do not take it for granted that these three dear ones had safe delivery.

• We praise God for the ETFOGS team. They have taken a very difficult task to speak on our behalf on an environment that projects in Africa are looked with suspicion.

• We thank God for the hard work of teachers and the fact that they have never failed to receive their little Support on time. We thank God for the family that gave financial Christmas gift to the teachers.

• Special thanks to all of you who pray and support us. In particular we would like to thank the man of God who wrote a proposal on our behalf to Pro Vision Foundation and we received the $31,000.00 for construction.

PRAYERS:

• We pray for health of the children, staff and families and also for our Partners. Our special prayers to Rev. marc Sherrod, his family and the entire Bethel Church fraternity as Marc await divine intervention on his sickness.

• We pray for continued financial support from our old Partners as well as new ones to overcome our monthly deficit.

• We need funds to buy Text books for children

• Funds to complete the Kitchen Dinning/Hall

• Funds for a School Van.

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