News Archive 2014

Happy New Year!

Over the past years, we have been blessed to have Dave and Lib Gillam as generous supporters of OFA. With Dave's recent passing, OFA-USA has received donations in his honor. The funding was transferred to our partner COCED in Kenya. OFA-USA is paying the past due school fees, next term school fees, uniform, shoes and books for a 15-year-old orphan, Ibrahim Khayuli Amboka. He is an amazing young man. He was abandoned by both parents as an infant and raised by his elderly grandmother. He is working before and after school so they can eat, and he has been ranked first in his class! It is a privilege to help him continue his studies. He is ambitious and would like to be a doctor, lawyer or pilot.

Prayer Request
All of our kids across the African continent will be starting school again this month. Please pray for funds to come in so we can assist them in paying for school fees, uniform, books and school supplies. It is quite expensive to attend school on the African continent.

This past January, all of our kids across the African continent started back to school. By February, some of the children and youth in Uganda had not yet paid their fees, yet were still in school. A donation came in from Church of the Apostles which helped to pay the first term fees of several of the students attending a Christian boarding school. This gift came right on time, preventing students from being sent home. One of those students is Joshua Onyango who is picture here.

Please pray for our children and youth to have all of their educational needs met, to study diligently and to be successful students.

This March, OFA-International has been continuing to assist our children and youth in paying for school fees. Many of the schools are boarding schools and the fees can be expensive. OFA-UK was able to provide funding for children and youth in Uganda and for two students in Kenya. The students in Kenya are: Lavine Akinyi (Ahero Girls Secondary School) and Kimberly Sella (Rae Girls Secondary School).

Beginning in April, a generous friend will start sponsoring many additional children in Kenya, Uganda and Sierra Leone. Currently, we only have about 14% of our over 800 children and youth sponsored. We would like to request that everyone pray with us for additional sponsors. Here are two of the children in Uganda that will be sponsored this month by our generous friend: Mary Akoth and Alex Kasule. Click the buttons to read their bios: Alex  Mary 

As a result of a tragic accident in 2012, Nancy of Kenya had part of her right leg amputated. One of the world's premier providers of orthostic and prosthetic patient care services here in the USA has graciously offered to provide Nancy with all of the necessary medical treatment and a new prosthetic leg. Nancy, accompanied by Judith--one of OFA's partners, came to the US this month to receive this treatment.

During their short stay, many specialists were involved with Nancy's care and the fitting of her prosthetic leg. The results were highly successful. Nancy smiled from ear-to-ear and cried tears of joy when she was able to walk without her crutch and without a limp! She said that she felt "so light" and that she could "do anything now". The greatest testimony of all is that Nancy committed her life to Christ while at church in North Carolina.

Nancy danced at a party that was held in her honor before leaving Washington, D.C. OFA would like to thank all of our friends who prayed for Nancy, especially Margaret Doubleday, who donated a brand new, large suitcase, Katherine Sandifer for donating a water filter, and Charlie and Carolyn Baldwin for donating a DELL laptop for our partner in Kenya. We were also able to fill four large suitcases, each weighing exactly 50 pounds, with supplies for the orphans. Funds for a well were sent with Judith and Nancy on their return to Kenya.

A special thank-you to Pilots for Christ who provided the flight to North Carolina and also to Grace's Lamp for providing the housing and connection for the medical care in North Carolina. Please click on the links to find out more about these orgnanisations:

Pilots for Christ
Grace's Lamp

More photos: 1, 2

OFA was notified by their partner in Sierra Leone of an emergent situation. As a result of the Ebola virus outbreak, the government would be closing all unprotected public institutions, including the orphanage. The use of chlorine for handwashing upon entering any public office or institution was an immediate requirement. OFA was able to provide the funds necessary for the purchase of 10 gallons of chlorine.

This month, OFA also provided all of the expenses for the fourth year of one of our youth in medical school in Sierra Leone, as well as funds to finish a roof on an orphanage with this West African partner.

OFA received news recently that our Sierra Leone partner is in a district that is now being quarantined, with no movement until further notice. About a third of the country's population is now under quarantine as a result of the fast-spreading Ebola virus. OFA has been paying the medical school tuition/board/books for one of the youth, Miriama in Sierra Leone. All of the medical students have been sent to the field to care for those suffering from the Ebola virus.

Please continue to pray with us for protection over the orphanage, the staff, the children and those orphans who are living with guardians in the district. Pray for protection over Miriama and all of the healthcare professionals and for a used car to help our partner search for food for the orphans during the quarantine period.