Correspondence

April 2025

Michael Gitau's Testimony

In 2012, I was working at a Hotel in Thika- Kenya , where I met Pastor Daniel Pollard. He was a man of God, always carrying the word of God with him and spoke about faith, hope, and salvation. In that same year, together with Pastor Denis Mullet, they prayed for me and I gave my life to Christ.

For a time, things were steady, but life always has a way of testing one’s faith, and two years later, I lost my job at the Hotel. The world around me darkened as I struggled to stay afloat. Amid the chaos, I lost touch with Pastor Daniel, my spiritual father and then, one by one, I lost everything else.

The next eight years were brutal. I was drained emotionally, financially, and spiritually. The weight of survival crushed me, and no matter how hard I fought, life kept pushing me deeper into despair. I lost my family. The people I loved drifted away as my hardships mounted. I stopped going to church and the very faith that had once uplifted me now felt like a distant memory. I reached the lowest point, alone, broken, and utterly defeated.

In late 2022, something happened within me. I attended a church event, a wedding, and as I listened at the preacher talking to the couple, a question lingered in my soul. I asked myself “how did I get here?” That night, I couldn’t shake the thought. I reflected on my life, on the dreams I once had, on the faith I had abandoned, and in a moment of raw honesty, I whispered to God and said, “please remember me”. And He did.

The first sign of His mercy came when my children returned to me. It was a small victory, but it meant everything. With them back in my life, I had a reason to fight again. I took on whatever work I could find, small, menial jobs just to put food on the table.

One chilly morning, as I was lighting up firewood to prepare tea for my children, my phone rang. It was an American number that I didn’t recognize first. I answered, and on the other end, a familiar voice said, “Michael, is this really you?” It was Pastor Daniel Pollard.

Ten years had passed since we last spoke, but in that instant, I knew that this was God’s answer to my request. We arranged a meeting at Ananas Mall in Makongeni , Thika and I told Pastor Daniel everything. Every hardship, every tear, every loss. And with emotion, he didn’t just listen, he acted.

The first thing that he did was buy me a good phone- one that I still use to date to ensure that I could stay connected, receive his daily encouragement, and read the Word of God. Then, he helped me secure a job at Maxland Hotel, where I work to this day. He didn’t stop there. He met my three children whom I had been raising alone and sought help from his church and together with His Glory Ministries , secured sponsorships for their education.

God had lifted me from the pit I thought would bury me. And as peace began to settle in my heart, I looked back at my life and saw something I had buried under years of hardship, my gift.

You see, I was once a writer. A storyteller. Before life pulled me under, I wrote plays and stories that spoke of struggle, hope, and resilience. And now, with God restoring what was lost, I knew it was time to write again. I recently completed my novel titled “The Mama King” . It is more than just a story, it is a reflection of the society that I live in in Kenya, of patience, of people battling greed and of the working class struggling against oppression. But more than that, it is proof that no matter how far we fall, God can restore us.

Today, I share this testimony because I believe in the power of faith and in the beauty of second chances. If my story moves you, I ask for your support. Please purchase my book, not just as a reader, but as someone who believes in God’s redemption and purpose for us. My hope is that this book will not only help sustain my family but will allow me to give back to God’s work. Your support means the world to me. May my journey remind you that no matter how lost you feel, God never forgets His own.

Update on Abbat and Pelekech

Abbat

Abbat village continues to thrive with an atmosphere filled with praise and worship. The children are progressing rapidly in their studies, demonstrating impressive proficiency in both English and Kiswahili in a remarkably short time. Our two dedicated teachers have proven themselves to be exceptional, earning high praise compared to others. As communicated in our recent update from lolemu, Abbat will be extending its school calendar to only one week instead of the government-mandated three weeks. This adjustment aims to ensure that the children have access to food and can efficiently catch up with the school syllabus. We kindly request your prayers for the timely provision of an additional teacher and for divine intervention in resolving the ongoing water issue.

Pelekech

Pelekech has undergone significant growth, evolving into a remarkable center with two additional classes nearing completion. What initially started as a modest initiative has transformed into a magnificent establishment, showcasing God’s faithfulness. However, Pelekech has encountered a minor setback as our compassionate teacher, Peterson, has been offered employment by an NGO, presumably offering better terms. We earnestly pray for compassion as they seek a replacement for Peterson, hoping to find an equally committed teacher. Meanwhile, our other teachers continue to excel, with Teacher Esther assuming overall leadership responsibilities in anticipation of the arrival of another teacher. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering prayers and support.

Thank you for being part of our journey.

14th Dec 2023

I hope you are well!

I wanted to take a moment and send this update to you tonight.

Most of you know that in February this year I went to Kenya, Africa to help with some mission work there with an organization called His Glory Ministries (HGM). In September, I was able to go again and Lord Willing, we are hoping for and planning a trip back to Kenya in February 2024! By saying that, I don’t want you to think that I would think I am anyone special for doing this but rather I would want you to know that I feel God has a calling on each of our lives and He uses each one in a unique way to make a difference no matter where we are at in life! All for His Glory!!! I can truly say I came home with a new perspective on life! We are so blessed here in the States… So blessed. Unfortunately, many of us do not even realize the endless blessings that God has dumped on our lives and probably most, shamefully like myself, often take our blessings here for granted.

After I returned home, I have thought a lot about this situation and what I experienced while I was there…. This question kept haunting me… Why would God bless us, here in the States, so abundantly while the people in these 3rd world countries suffer so much? What did we/I do to deserve even one of these blessings? Why us Lord?

After pondering on this for several weeks the answer was revealed to me… We did absolutely nothing to deserve this! We have been blessed and are in our current state of abundance so we can help others! How blind could I be!?! I have spent so much time here on earth “building my own kingdom” instead of promoting and helping God my own kingdom” instead of promoting and helping God further His Kingdom that it is unbelievable! Lord help us all! Dear brothers, hear me out here… I am not a person who feels or even thinks for one single minute that all of our “mission work” needs to be in some foreign country thousands of miles away! If you know me personally, you know I don’t feel this way at all!

However, I feel like we can ALL make a difference where we are called! There are many good and proper ways to help here at home… I am sure, and I say this with absolutely no doubt, that you are already actively involved with something that can be considered a charitable cause…. In fact, I see many of you already doing great things with the blessings and gifts God has given you! What an awesome thing to see! The point I am trying to make is this…. I ask myself first… Am I giving until it hurts? Am I giving conditionally or is it 100% unconditional? Do I really care about who I am giving to or helping,… or is it for the wrong reason? Am I expecting a blessing from God when I give? Sadly, I have often been on the wrong page with many of these questions. I thank God for recently opening my eyes to this and I am excited about the work He has done in our lives! All Glory to Him!

Psalm 139:14 “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.”

This work in Kenya…. Short version of the story here…. We are actively collecting funding to continue construction of a new school. When we first put together the estimated budget with previous numbers from the 1st school, we were looking at a finished project of approximately $22-25,000.. Unfortunately, after getting several quotes from different local contractors, we were disappointed to find out the prices on materials, labor, and transport all went up from what we thought originally so our proposed budget of $22-25k was no longer a reality… However, we know and believe God can provide for this cause! Construction started on the week of December the 4th. This school is in an area of lots of poverty… It’s almost unbearable to see some of these situations that I have seen…. These people have so little… No school, no church building, live in small huts constructed of anything they can find, no running water, can’t read or write, hardly any food and the list goes on and on… How awesome would it be to see these children be able to read the Word of God on their own and to receive an education so hopefully at least a few of them could return and help their own people??

I humbly ask that this Christmas and with the season of giving up on us that you would consider two things for me as a friend…..

1 – I request that you remember us in your daily prayers and please ask God to give us wisdom in all matters as we continue forward in Kenya! Your prayer support is a major need!

2 – Even though this would not be required, if you feel led to help in any way regardless of what that may be, please let the Lord be your guide in this… If you wish to make a donation, all of us at HGM and the people in Kenya, would be so grateful! The info on how to do a donation is on the 2nd page of the newsletter on the bottom left. Feel free to get it to me personally, use the mailing address, or visit the website if you wish… Questions? Call me directly at the number below..

Final thoughts… Let me leave you with this… Please don’t leave the current places you are already helping in a bad position by shifting anything in this direction of this particular need if you are being called to help there.. I am only asking that you would consider this great need and if the Lord leads you to help in any way I trust you will follow his urging and be obedient to Him no matter where he leads and calls you and your family!

John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments”

A few more verses from 1st John…

1Jn 5:1 “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves Him who is begotten of Him.”

1Jn 5:2 “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.”

1Jn 5:3 “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”

And here is a link to some of my favorite photos from both of our trips to Kenya. https://photos.app.goo.gl/N1rMsBY4DorWEzP67

Feel free to forward this message to anyone that may be willing to help! A friend once shared this with me… No one can help everyone…. But everyone can help someone… How true this is!

One more thing… If you do choose to help this cause and you wish to mail a check, please put the following in the memo section of the check “Missions in Kenya – Abaat School” This will help us direct the funds in that direction!

Let us remember the Reason for the season!

With much love!

– JR & Sarah Graber & Family

Your input is valued and utilized in our journey toward reaching and helping more.