It is hard to believe that a year has passed since we sent the first team to Toloha Village. All we knew at that point was the villagers needed water and we wanted to help!

Go to the village

God has done A LOT in just a year. We now have definite plans to pipe water in from a mountain stream with a budget of ~$170,000. We held a fundraising banquet and auction in November raising $35,000. In March we held our 2nd annual Water Walk and had over 150 participants from across the community raising $28,000! We’ve seen many individuals both young and old be moved by the story of Toloha. People across this community have caught the vision for Toloha and are passionately praying, working and fundraising for the people in the village.

With a year like that behind us, we cannot wait to see what God has in store this year as our second team boards a plane in less than a week to begin the journey to Toloha.

As most of you already know, Toloha Partnership is, in part, a water project.  And yes, we are bringing them clean water and most of our fundraising efforts (Water Walk and Banquet) are going toward a water pipeline.  But, the real heartbeat of Toloha Partnership goes deeper than water – our heart’s desire is not just to bring the people physical water but to tell them about Jesus.  This year as the team goes to Toloha they are still working to bring the villagers clean water BUT they are really focused on the people – on building relationships, listening to their stories, telling them about Jesus and casting vision for the future development of the village.  Our partnership with the village of Toloha is a long term partnership, not just a water project we do for a few years and then move on.

Our 2014 Vision Team will leave on the journey to Toloha this Saturday, June 28, 2014

Our 2014 Vision Team will leave on the journey to Toloha this Saturday, June 28, 2014

Over the past 2 months the vision/travel team has been meeting at least every other week to cast vision, pray, study, plan and fellowship.  This has been so valuable – the team has been walking through a video series of what poverty is through a Christian worldview and how to address it in a way that empowers the people and gives a hand up rather than a hand out.

001Toloha Vision Team 2014-1

On Saturday, friends, family and board members gathered for a feast of some African cuisine that we might be eating during our stay in Toloha, and then they covered us in prayer for our time there and for the people of Toloha.

On Saturday, friends, family and board members gathered for a feast of some African cuisine that we might be eating during our stay in Toloha, and then they covered us in prayer for our time there and for the people of Toloha.

With all of our current budget directed toward the water pipeline, each team member has raised their own financial support and thanks to the creativity of many, a ministry budget has also been raised. A separate team has been working diligently to figure out just how we can effectively share the truth of the Gospel with a people of a different language and culture.

Thanks to the ministry budget, the team now has access to many resources in Swahili that will help them to proclaim the Gospel!  We have solar powered MP3 players with the Bible and expository teaching in Swahili, we have Swahili tracts, we have the Jesus Film in Swahili and we have access to Bibles in Swahili.

Going to Toloha is pretty uncharted territory but God has been so faithful to confirm and to lead us to this point and we have no doubt that he will continue to do so.  We do not know what every minute or hour will hold as we go to Toloha, but we certainly know who holds each of those minutes and hours.  We are thrilled, and a little nervous, for what is ahead.  We would truly appreciate your prayers as we go. We will be posting a prayer list right here within the next few days. You can also fill out the form below to receive updates about the trip while we are there.

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