Updates and Prayer Requests

Hello Everyone!

It has been so long since my last update but hopefully as you read this you will understand why!

Things have been extremely busy here in Cameroon and one of the biggest reasons is because I have a baby in the house!

Emmanuel aka Moose is 8 months old today and has been with me since April (off and on) He was kidnapped or sold from Nigeria and was placed in the custody of the orphanage pending child trafficking charges. He became ill and the orphanage asked me to keep him so that we can keep him safe and his medical needs would be well taken care of. A few months ago the orphanage asked me to keep him indefinitely while the case is being heard in court because he is thriving while in my care. The orphanage doesn't have the staff to adequately care for him and he would spend all day in a crib. When I took him, at 4 months old, he could not lift his head or turn over etc., he would only lie on his back and cry. Today, he is a healthy, happy boy who is lifting his head, has learned to sit up and loves to "dance." When we have our devotions in the morning he goes crazy for the music! I love him dearly and will seek to adopt him if his parents are not found and he is released for adoption by the Cameroon government. Please keep Emmanuel and everyone involved in his case in your prayers. 

Ministry Updates:

                                                             

Our Ministry name in Cameroon has changed and we are finally registered with the government as a legal ministry in Cameroon. Our new name is Daughters of Destiny International. We have the equivalent of a 501c3 in America. I'm thrilled! We will be changing things in America soon.

                                                                               

We started the restaurant portion of Destiny's Delights in April at a place in our neighboring beach town of Limbe. We began with selling meatballs, scotch eggs, burgers and cake. Unfortunately, the place was robbed shortly after we left one night so for the safety of my girls, I stopped sales there. We have been in negotiations with the Council of Limbe for another location that we will pursue after the rainy season is over.

Cake sales have been good, we were averaging 200 or so a week, but with the arrival of rainy season and the students from the University on break, things have slowed down tremendously. This is NOT a surprise. The rains are so heavy June-Aug that everything in the city slow down. I am sure that we will see a big change when students return to town and the rains have ceased.

The owner of a local ice cream shop that sells our cake is in the process of building the first "Mall" in Buea. She has asked if Destiny's Delights will manage the food court! We are still negotiating prices and space but I am excited about the possibilities. Will you be praying with us?

Our students and I went to the orphanage 3 days a week to help with the children and providing some basic medical help. We did this until June when we needed to prep more for KLA and when the kids finished school. We bathed the kids, fed them, helped prepare additional meals, swept, mopped and cleaned the mattresses in all of the dorms. We also passed out drugs and took many children to the hospital. We are desperately praying for the ability to hire a nurse full time (or 2 part time) to assist with the kids. This would cost about $200 per month. We are also looking for sponsors for vitamins, iron, and de-worm medication for the kids. This is $500 for a 3 month supply of all and transportation for someone to administer the meds.

Our Prison Outreach has changed and we now have permission to provide a non denominational church service for the Juvenile's that are incarcerated and anyone else who wishes to participate. We are working on a plan to minister more to the wardens within the prison as well. They have asked for this and so have our students. Through our partnership with Bethel Cameroon, we have trained students to work within the prison, hospital and orphanage. The fruit we are seeing from this partnership is AMAZING!  Please be praying with us as we begin the new Sunday Fellowship next week!

Our Kingdom Leadership Academy (also in partnership with Bethel Cameroon) started on July 11. 8 Graduates from BC are living in a dorm and we are providing Leadership training 10-4 Monday - Friday. This is true Discipleship. We are teaching them how to lead in the areas of Teaching/Administration, Worship and Outreach(Missions)/Community Development. In addition, all participants are being coached for their personal goals and receive counseling for their inner healing. The students have to "work" to pay for their training and they are providing the weekly baking for Destiny's Delights as part of their work. When they graduate in Sept. they will be eligible to work for Bethel and/or Daughters of Destiny in various capacities. We are excited to be part of raising up the next generation of leaders. I am teaching 2-3 days a week, it's challenging but good.

Personal updates and prayer requests:
My health is so much better. I am not experiencing the high levels of pain and fatigue and I am almost functioning at 100%. I still need more sleep than I used to but that may just be a part of getting older.

My father has been hospitalized a few times in a few weeks and I am a bit concerned about him. My family and I are trying to make plans for his future because he is not currently in a safe place. I would like to make an unexpected trip home to help care for him and decide what to do. The flight is about $3,000, would you be willing to help with financial assistance or airline miles? My church has raised about $1100 to help with this. I would plan to be in the US about a month unless his health dictates me being there longer and I would like to leave mid August. If you can donate, hit the donate button in the upper left hand corner of the blog or message me for where you can send a check.



Thanks as always for all of your prayers and support! I love and appreciate you!