The Hope Factory

We have continued to provide support to establish a self-sustaining community in western kenya, known as kiwanda cha tumaini, The swahili translation of The Hope Factory. This multi-faceted vision includes a farming operation on approximately 7.5 acres, situated on The river nzoia near mumias. It also includes a primary school, veritas christian academy, serving disadvantaged and orphaned children in mumias, western kenya. The school utiliizes a classical christian curriculum provided by The rafiki foundation. The school secured a 10-year lease on a compound containing three houses which were used for classrooms, office and kitchen. Four additional classrooms and latrines were built to accommodate The rapidly expanding student and teacher population. The Hope of africa school of theology is another facet of this vision, training pastors across east africa. The school of theology is served by professors and pastors from mombasa, eldoret, and nairobi, as well as pastors and teachers from The united states, and has been in existence since august 2016. The first class of students received their associates degrees in july from miami international theological seminary.

Our farm, consisting of approximately 7.5 acres on The river nzoia, continues to provide food for our teachers, students and families. We are in The planning stages of bringing in 3-phase electricity which will also be made available to adjacent neighbors. The pump on our solar-powered well pump failed, so this will provide a different form of energy to provide clean water for consumption and irrigation purposes. Plans and preparation are underway to develop a banana plantation under The direction of bukura agricultural college. This will give us a value added crop, with sweet potatoes inter-cropped among The trees. The outcome should be a huge step toward our goal of making kiwanda cha tumaini a self-supporting, financially stable entity.

The Hope Factory has continued to provide support for veritas christian academy (formerly known as The Hope of africa christian academy) in mumias, kakamega county, western kenya, offering a quality classical christian education for pre-primary through class 5. The required kenyan curriculum is supplemented with excellent resources provided by The rafiki foundation. The teaching staff is provided with continuing education and training, enabling each of them to reach The highest certification level desired. A trained and highly-skilled staff prepares and serves two nutritious meals each day, consisting of a well-balanced and varied menu, including fruit servings for each student and staff member. In addition to The school's academic focus, which includes swahili and english, daily bible study for teachers, students and staff includes hymn singing and devotionals. We hired a head teacher from The rafiki foundation whose job description includes on-going training of our teachers in The classical method. Additional teachers were hired who had been trained by rafiki. We moved into a new, spacious compound with a huge play yard, and built four new classrooms and four new latrines. Negotiations are underway to purchase The property. For now, we have a 10-year lease. We have expanded our focus to include support for valley view schools in nairobi, thereby offering our students a first-class high school boarding experience when they complete their primary education.

The Hope of africa school of theology began in august 2016 with The Hope of providing certificates for pastors from rural areas who would otherwise not be able to attend seminary. Since that time, we have brought highly acclaimed professors from urban areas in kenya and from The united states to teach these pastors and church leaders, providing free education, housing and meals. After joining hands with miami interenational theological seminary (mints) and offering The required courses, our students were shocked and amazed when they received not certificates but associates degrees in theological studies. This is an outcome none of us ever imagined! They were all admitted into The bachelor's progam at mints and our goal is to assist them in that endeavor.