Kenya Support Letter

To our Beloved Brethren in Christ,

It is so amazing to see God’s hand in our lives even from before our birth! Can we share with you a story He’s writing in our home and offer you an invitation to be a part of it?

After our first baby was born, Kim was diagnosed with a genetic joint problem. We were very hesitant to have more children due to her constant pain and fatigue and the high chance the children would have of inheriting the condition. But in 1996, while listening to a sermon, Kim glanced down at Gen. 22, and the name Moriah jumped out at her as well as the words on the opposite page “The Lord Will Provide”. It was the story of Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son Isaac in the land of Moriah. He named the place where it occurred “The Lord Will Provide” as a testimony to God’s provision of the ram, foreshadowing the coming of the Lamb to save us all.

The Lord spoke to Kim’s heart and said, “You will have a child named Moriah…give her to Me and I will provide.” What did that mean? We assumed He meant that Kim would be provided with the strength and resources to be able to handle the birth and subsequent care so we should not fear another pregnancy. But the command to give her to Him haunted us…would Kim miscarry or would Moriah die young?

God did provide for us every step of the way, and when Moriah was five years old we caught a glimpse of what sacrificing her might mean. She started telling us that she was going to be a missionary when she grew up. She told us about dreams where she “married a brown boy and went to his country,” and had an “orphanage with a hundred children.”

Moriah’s aspirations have not wavered over the last five years. She’s jumped at opportunities to serve others and even went to Mexico for a short-term project. She devours missionary biographies and has developed a special relationship with a long-time Wycliffe Bible translator who attends our church. She’s a part of the Reach Out ministry that her sister started where girls and women come together to sew, quilt, and crochet items to donate to those in need. Her heart is open to what God would have for her, and she reads His Word daily, seeking His guidance.

This December, God is giving her an opportunity to travel to Kenya, Africa, with me to film the staff and students of Deaf Opportunity OutReach (DOOR) in order to create a DVD about the training center they operate in Nairobi. We also hope to visit the First Love orphanage nearby and maybe deliver some handmade Reach Out items.

We know that THE LORD WILL PROVIDE the funds necessary for us to go! He has already provided me with the equipment to further my dream of using photography and videography to advance God’s kingdom—now we just need $5,000 for travel expenses.

Here is how you can become involved with this exciting endeavor: first, please PRAY for us during both the preparation and actual time of the journey (Dec. 5-14). Second, as you consider your missions giving, think about how you might be able to help us financially as well*. We truly believe that this is an investment in the next generation of missionaries! According to Wycliffe, the translator who will begin work on the last unwritten language may be around ten years old right now. Moriah turns eleven in December. As she shares about her experiences after she gets back, we pray she’ll spread the enthusiasm to her peers so that they’ll catch a vision for possible future missions work as well.

We pray for God’s blessings on you and your family.

In Him,

Mark Newhouse

*Note: Praise God! We have received more money than we anticipate our expenses will be. All money over and above or expenses are going towards personal DVD players for the 20 Deaf pastors who will be taking the Bible in Sign Language (on DVD) back to their home countries when they leave the training center after the graduation celebration. Any money left after that will go towards cameras they can take in the field as they continue their translation work.