We did it again…well into August we were discussing the update and realized July and snuck up on us and slunk away before we really realized it was here! So, here we are doing another double month update.
As we continue to adjust to my father not being with us anymore, July had several celebratory occasions for the Kingsbury family, namely two birthdays and a graduation. Jaiyana’s birthday was first, with a bang on July 4th. She celebrated with a ‘princess party’ with friends, then another just yesterday at our Sunday evening fellowship, which now meets roughly every 4-6 weeks. At that same fellowship, we also celebrated Mu’s birthday (granddaughter of some close friends of ours in the fellowship) and Declan’s graduation from pre-school. The actual graduation for Declan was in early July and my what a proud puppy this guy was! July ended with my birthday (Chari) where we celebrated with a rather new tradition of staying a few days with Sam & Hanna, whom, though we all live in Kenya, we see rather rarely due to busy schedules.
No family events for August, but the family ministry at Ukarimu Ministries kept us busy. The latter part of July and early August we were preparing for two major events. On the 17th we had the 4th session of Reality Check for newly married couples desiring to build their marriages on a stable, godly foundation. This session was on fertility matters and family planning. The session opened with sketches in which the couples acted out common fertility challenges (e.g., infertility, deciding how many children the couple should have and whether extended family members have a right to influence this decision, how to choose the right contraceptives for the couple and whether to, etc.). Each skit was followed by animated discussions on how that particular couple could be helped. This was the first we tried this activity for this particular session of Reality Check and it was a great success. We then had our guest midwife speak on what family planning is, what options are available here, and how to go about making informed and prayerful decisions that work for the couple. It was a really good session.
The very next week on the 24th Aug, Ukarimu House hosted Ukarimu Ministries Board’s full-day visioning retreat (photo, top). This was a very important meeting because the main agenda was to discuss who is Ukarimu Ministries now; are we living up to that or does it need to change; to whom are we reaching out; are we reaching out successfully to them and do we need to change or widen whom we are reaching out to; and what methods of outreach is Ukarimu Ministries using and do these methods need to change with changing times. We had a lot of very important discussions and activities, each member making his or her contribution, and are now embarking on the hard (and more tedious) work of compiling all the massive information together into a comprehensible and clear strategic plan. This is all especially important in light of the Kingsburys’ eventual retirement and turning over the work of Ukarimu Ministries completely a few years down the road. It feels somewhat disconcerting making these kinds of plans and starting to turn the work over to others, but we desire a smooth transition for the new leaders and to see this ministry outliving the founders. We trust God for His guidance and wisdom in how to do this well and to bring glory to Him.
Finally, our August ended with Declan and Jaiyana spending the weekend with Guka (Kikuyu for grandfather) and Cucu (grandmother, pronounced ‘show show’) while Amanda and Thuo took a few days to get away for their 8th anniversary. This had been postponed because of UMT’s visioning retreat (Thuo is also the Board’s treasurer and was very involved in the planning and execution of the retreat). That Sunday (Sept 1), we had the combo party for the kids—belated birthdays for Jaiya and Mu and Declan’s graduation from pre-school (photo left). Whew…after this whirlwind weekend, Chip & I are reminded afresh why God, in His wisdom gives children to young adults! But, oh, what fun these kids are! Being a grandparent and having this kind of influence on these young lives is a privilege indeed—one we pray God gives us great wisdom for!Let’s turn it over to the Orungas to hear what has been happening in student ministry and their family news….
The past two months have been vibrant and full of activities in our student fellowship. In our weekly fellowships we talked about Mental Wellness, a topic that resonated deeply with the students. These discussions provided much-needed support during what can often be a challenging season in their lives. On campus is where some get their first heartbreaks, first jobs, fail in some exams and continuous assessment tests, and have their first projects, etc. As we enter a short break, as a ministry, we have been busy planning for the coming term and how to do better in mentorship of the residents at Ukarimu House. We also had some brainstorming sessions with the board members working on making the fellowships more fun, engaging, and also thinking of the new dynamics we have in the demographics of our fellowship attendees and Daystar University at large. There seems to be more need for evangelism and this has also pushed us to seek more opportunities of training on that, to be better equipped for the change.
The students are on break and will return in mid-September, so we’re preparing to welcome them back with fresh and engaging fellowship topics and activities. A key event during this past term, was our End of Term Party (photo left). It was a joyful and memorable event, with an impressive turnout. The students showed great initiative by contributing financially and donating food items for the party, significantly reducing our budget. Their generosity allowed us to purchase a goat (to eat), which added a special touch to the celebration. The party started early in the morning and continued until late at night, with the students enjoying themselves so much that they didn’t want it to end. This was also the first time we held the party on a Friday, which turned out to be a great decision as all the students were free from classes and were able to come. All attendees participated in the preparation of the meal and the fun activities that we had lined up for the day. We had a very committed team organizing the event as we led from the sideline, offering whatever guidance
as they needed. It was great seeing them put their leadership and management skills to practice.
Regarding Ian’s education, he has been working on graduate course applications for the fall 2025 semester. He is in the process of applying to Azusa Pacific University, Taylor University, and for financial help at Wheaton College (where he has already been accepted). The hope and prayer is to be accepted and granted a scholarship, as we are not able to afford the fees on our own. Studying at one of these prestigious Christian universities will not only enhance his academic knowledge but also deepen his spiritual growth, equipping him for more effective ministry work. We also hope to be together during his studies as this would be a great opportunity for me (Stella) to also grow through the interactions with fellow Christians in a different setting. I hope to be engaged in ministry around the campus and we would be attending some local churches.
In addition, Beyond Hockey (an initiative started and run by Ian and his hockey friends) organized a Field Hockey Camp during this time as children were on holiday. Their aim in the initiative is to offer mentorship to the children in the community, support their academic journey, and their holistic growth. The initiative is run in partnership with Lukenya Community Church and The Daystar University Hockey team. Although they initially planned for a full-day camp for a week, they had to scale it back to a half-day camp for 4 days due to financial constraints. Nonetheless, the camp was a success, with 25 children aged 8 to 16 participating. The Daystar team played a crucial role in coaching the kids, and we were able to provide both academic and spiritual encouragement. We are now focusing on raising more funds to equip the children with essential items like shoes, socks, shin guards, and hockey sticks. This will make it possible to accommodate more numbers as we also look forward to encouraging more girls to be involved.
Lastly, on the family front, we are all doing well, including our children, Braylon and Tamara. We recently hired a new house help who has been doing an excellent job, and the kids have taken a liking to her. This has afforded us more time to focus on our ministry work, which has been a blessing. It has been tough managing ministry and toddlers as new parents at the same time, but now things are easing up. We are grateful for the support and prayers we get from each of you during this busy season and we look forward to what the next term will bring. Back over to the Kingsburys…
We have recently separated the websites for Ukarimu Ministries and the Kingsburys have links on each site to the other. So if you are on the www.ukarimumin.org website, if you want to check out the Kingsburys, you will click on the link provided. If you are on the
www.kingsburyfamily.org site and want to check out Ukarimu Ministries, there will be a link provided for that. When any of you, our valuable partners try out either or both of our websites, please offer any feedback, so we may improve it. It will also be a good test if everything is working as we hope.
We have been getting the latest stage of construction done bit by bit and have nearly completed this stage. We still have some major projects that will eventually need to be done, but we have been putting off due to lack of funds.
However, the Ukarimu Ministries car is very aged and we are beginning to spend a lot just keeping it going. This need has surpassed construction needs. If we could raise $25,000 U.S., together with some funds we have been putting aside for this, we could replace it with a good, functional vehicle. Would any of you would like to help us replace this car? Please check our website at www.ukarimumin.org for guidance in how to help. Please be sure to mark it ‘preferred for Ukarimu Ministries’ and we would put it aside for the car replacement.
Thanks to all of you who have contributed over the years to make this vision happen. We are deeply grateful to all of you for partnership in this ministry, through finances, moral support, skills support, and especially in prayer. We pray God blesses you richly.
Blessings,
Chip & Chari Kingsbury
Ian & Stella Orunga
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