*UPDATE 01-August 2022

We wish to say a massive thanks to Liz for her amazing efforts in July and for raising awareness to assist many more homes being built in the Vispa community!! We are delighted that Karen, Jane and John (all pictured) have agreed to take up the challenge and will run, walk or bike 10km per day this August. Thank you again for your generous donations and blessings to Karen, Jane and John for the month of August!!

*UPDATE 30-June 2022.

Thank God that support has continued throughout June and we are delighted that Liz is taking on the challenge in July (see below 'updates' section). We will give a final update in September, before we visit Kisumu.

*UPDATE 31-May 2022

Thank God that support has been generously provided to complete and restore 10 homes as of the end of May 2022 in the Vispa Community! See below 'updates' section for continued efforts in June for more homes!

My name is Gillian Hayburn and my husband Colin and I , along with an excellent and faithful team of volunteers , manage a local charity called Friends of Vispa which partner with a school, orphanage and community outreach programme in Kisumu , Kenya called Vispa that supports widows and orphans in extreme need.

I would like to share some thoughts and an idea that has been on my heart . I would be grateful for your prayers , and also maybe even consider getting involved if it suited.

When Colin came home from a recent trip to Kisumu he told me about being invited by a mother , named Sarah, to her home which housed 5 people including 3 children who attend Vispa primary school . The house was tiny , made of mud and sticks , and was leaking from the roof and walls due to recent heavy rain and flooding (please see pictures of Sarah and her home).

We thought about that loving mother praying over those children each morning and evening , to the same God we pray to in the warm comfort of our own homes, while that mother sought to provide shelter to her children while water leaked into that small room . That image has stayed with us. Home is sacred , and it is special to all children , and it should be a haven.

So I decided that I would walk , jog or cycle 10 k every day in May to raise awareness of our target which is to try and build 20 new homes for widows this year . Each new home costs around £2000. I would love it if we could raise enough funding to help support one new home each month.

Perhaps then after May , someone else might be interested in doing the same for a month after May , helping with our target.

If you are interested in hearing more detail please get in touch.

Thank you and bless you,

Gillian 

Friends of Vispa