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Our VOH Ladies Day in Seje Written by Linda Koopman We began our day together over breakfast, grateful for the strength and fellowship God provided before the work ahead. With thankful hearts, we set out for Ladies Day at Seje Glory School, eager to gather with the women. Although we waited quite some time for the program to officially begin, the delay did not go to waste. We spent those moments visiting children in different classrooms—singing songs, colouring, playing games, skipping, blowing bubbles, and sharing countless smiles. These simple interactions were deeply meaningful.  When the program began, Patricia Ahaya—a woman supported by VOH—shared a powerful message that resonated throughout the room:“The grace of the Lord allows us to go on. Trust in the Lord and dwell in Him, and He will keep you safe in His hands. There is nothing we can do without the Lord.” Her words spoke clearly of dependence, perseverance, and God’s daily, sustaining work in our lives. The women then enjoyed a lively   “This or That”  icebreaker game that brought laughter and connection. Would you rather sing or listen to songs? Drink tea or soda? Spend time in quiet or talk together? The joy and ease among the ladies were evident as barriers fell.  Everlyne followed with practical teaching on seeds, planting, and fertilizer, emphasizing the importance of being prepared for the planting season. Her lesson carried both physical and spiritual meaning—calling the women to readiness, patience, and faithful stewardship. Everlyne also encouraged the women to remain committed to their spiritual groups, reminding them that gathering together, supporting one another, and staying grounded in God’s Word is extremely important. She left the ladies with words centered on stewardship, grace, obedience, justice, responsibility, and dependence on God—ending with a searching question for every heart: “Am I connected to Christ, the true vine?” Helen then shared about our all-powerful, good God. She reminded us that we can come to Him freely, speak with Him openly, and trust that He truly desires to hear from us. This naturally led into a beautiful time of singing, worship, and prayer. Afterward, we shared refreshments—Fanta, Coke, Sprite, and muffins—enjoying fellowship,  conversation and more pictures.  Our final home visit of the day was especially memorable. We cooked together with Rosaline, preparing a simple yet nourishing meal of rice with cabbage, carrot, onion, sausage, and tomato. It was a fitting end to our work in this area—sharing food, fellowship, and the love of Christ.  As the day drew to a close, it carried a bittersweet weight as we prepared to leave the Siaya area. Saying goodbye is never easy when hearts have been knit together through shared faith, service, and joy. We arrived back at the hotel and it was time to say our goodbyes to Cathy, our field partner in Siaya. We will miss her greatly and pray she is richly blessed as she continues her work among the VOH Women. We also rejoice with her as she awaits the arrival of her first baby in May.  Closing Hymn God be with you till we meet again;By His counsels guide, uphold you,With His sheep in love enfold you;God be with you till we meet again. God be with you till we meet again;’Neath His wings protecting hide you,Daily manna still provide you;God be with you till we meet again. Till we meet, till we meet,Till we meet at Jesus’ feet;Till we meet, till we meet,God be with you till we meet again. Ladies arriving for Ladies Day Bible Story time for the eager children. Beautiful and sweet little faces at school Cooking at Roseline’s home A fitting end to our work in this area—sharing food, fellowship, and the love of Christ.

Written by Janet Pennings Today marked our second Sunday in Kenya, and we had the joy of worshipping at Yogo Glory Centre Church. The message, “Go with us,” came from Exodus 33:12 through Exodus 34:9—a powerful reminder of Moses’ plea for the Lord’s presence to go before His people. We were encouraged to bring our fears honestly before the Lord and to expect Him to work in ways that bring glory to His name. It was both convicting and comforting to remember that God’s presence is what truly sets His people apart. After the service, we visited a water power plant, where solar panels provide energy for a pump that brings water uphill to nearby communities. Just yesterday, a water tank was delivered to a family living on the hill—after 15 years without access to water, they now have it. You can only imagine their gratitude. Seeing such a practical provision was a beautiful picture of God’s care expressed through faithful hands and simple technology. We returned for lunch and later in the evening gathered with Patricia, Pamela, and several other women from the area. Together we shared Scripture and personal testimonies of God’s faithfulness. The children also sang for us, and incredibly, a seven-year-old girl led the group. Watching her confidently lead others in worship was deeply moving—one of those moments that reminds you how God is already at work in the next generation. Once again, we traveled along rough, dusty roads, surrounded by breathtaking scenery—views we never seem to grow tired of. Each journey feels like a quiet reminder of God’s creative beauty and the privilege it is to witness it firsthand. Today was a strong reminder that God is everywhere at work. Seeing the women here flourishing in faith and confidence is incredibly encouraging. We are grateful to be witnesses to what the Lord is doing and humbled to walk alongside Him in it. Morning church service Hiking Water Power Plant

This morning we were able to sleep in a little. A slower start was appreciated by the team as our days had been full, long and hot. But, we still managed to get six visits in today. Again we were faced with the enormous challenges our women face day to day. Water for household consumption. Water for drinking, water for cooking, water for personal hygiene, water for laundry. All of it to be gotten in jerrycans- 10 or 20 litres - that’s 22 to 44 pounds! Up to 4 miles away! Our women have all received gutters and a water tank but that’s been of little help in the Seje region. It’s usually a dry climate but this year there’s been a drought. When we ask about their crop and kitchen garden the common reply has been, “The sun has burned it up” The water in the tanks have long been used up. Another challenge is their health. Thankfully God has enabled VOH to provide care but still, pain from arthritis, eye problems and cataracts that are being treated but not always as easily treated as would be back home. Unemployment has caused many of working age to migrate to the larger cities in search of jobs and hopefully a better life. Most leaving their children behind to be taken care of by their grandmother. Monica, a sweet old lady, has 6 grandchildren living with her. Two of her daughters have dumped their children, left and broke all contact with her. She is heartbroken but lovingly cares for them all from little tykes to adult age. Her heart steadfastly trusts in God. The delight of the day was to meet Charles, a serious, Godly young man who has produced miracles in his garden. He has studied landscaping and agriculture. His garden is a delight with orange bushes, pineapple and so much more. He takes loving care of it, and praise God is just as gentle with his aging mother. We are thankful he helps our VOH women with their gardens, crops and chickens. Around his mother’s house were so many children- to the delight of Jenna, Tessa and Linda. Bible stories, colouring pages, crayons, bubbles and lollipops. Such a treat for them! They followed the team from house to house as we did three nearby visits. It was another full day. The sun was burning hot but thankfully we were able to visit outdoors in the shade. God has enabled us to do the work we set out to accomplish. To Him be the glory. Join us in prayer that the seed of the Word of God sewn in our visits will sprout and bring forth fruit to the glory of God. Written by: Helena

What a full day again for us all! The drought and heat are something else this year; please pray for rain to settle the massive amount of dust and help with the existing crops and planting of new ones🙏🏻 It was very humbling to see the response of the recipients of over 200 Bibles handed out today at our high school presentations ('Man of God' for young men and 'Hygiene/Days for Girls' for the young women). Praying for God to work mightily in the lives of many here! Rather than spend more time on details of our day, I thought I'd relay what team members have commented on over the last few days that they've observed and what struck them: *a widow spoke strongly that those born again cannot continue with the tribal/clan traditions of male circumcision rituals involving animal sacrifice, feasting, putting animal meat around the neck of a young man as part of the rite and his circumcision marking the transition to manhood *widows allow their neighbours to graze their cows on their yards for free with the deal being they get to keep the manure and use it for their crops and to construct their homes (mixed with river clay on the top coat of the hut) *mud hut homes are made of tree branches, rocks and mud, and cow dung mixed with river clay *the hymns here are chock-full of solid theology and all in their own languages, not translated from hymns we know and have available to us in English *you shouldn't ask an adult their age here but a few women we minister to have no problem telling you you're fatter than you were last year 😂 *a woman will work all month (6 days a week) for $40CAD *the women are always keeping the area in and around their house tidy and clean. It's a common sight to see them bent at 90 degrees sweeping their dirt floors and yards *it takes a week for a family to eat a stalk of bananas so they rotate through trees when harvesting *there are 65 year old women here carrying 20L water jugs (by straps around their foreheads or on their backs/heads) from the river *kids here don't like Nutella or sugar on their chapatis *the generosity of the women and offense it is if you turn down what they offer you *there are chickens in the houses and even cows join them at night to prevent them from getting stolen *people walk on the graves in their yards and the children play on and around them *not every child enjoys the puppet poking out the window with a friendly 'Jambo(Hello!)' yell *people here are wearing winter coats and toques when it's 25 degrees *small kids are often terrified because many have never seen white people (mzungu) *there is so much meat hanging out for sale in the hot temperatures along the roads *there are no garbage cans anywhere in the rural areas. People drop their wrappers and garbage on the ground and burn whatever garbage they have *a 3 year old will walk along the road alone *many will go down to the river to wash their clothes and/or haul it back for miles *the mannequins here have big booty(matuta) *all schools have uniforms *ladies roll out their chapatis and mandazis on the sitting area coffee table *they drive on the left side of the road with right hand drive vehicles *all of the dangers of gold mining and the devastating effects on the people here *hundreds of people walking and biking along all the roads all day every day *beautiful smaller hand made clay pots sell for $1.50 each along the road *there are animals on stakes grazing all over (pigs, cows, sheep, goats) *so many different plants and flowering trees and the sizes of the aloe vera plants are impressive *we saw so many outdoor funerals. It can take 1-3 weeks after a death before there is a funeral depending on the financial situation of the family *there is an abundance of cabbage for sale alongside the roads *there's a different church on every block it seems *you can't go to school if you don't have a uniform and backpack and books even though school itself is free *the kilns for brick making are not reused. They pack dirt around a stack of bricks and burn firewood in there to dry and cure the bricks. The kiln is disassembled once the bricks are ready and they start a new pile *many older people have no idea what year they were born *on the family property, the house facing the gate or front is the parent's home, the others are the children or grandchildren *a simba is a young man's first mud hut built beside the parents when they get to be teenagers or before they have their own permanent house *it is so incredibly dusty during droughts *students(100s) carried their chairs from room to room when we gathered to meet them for the presentations *the high school students all wear collared shirts and ties(females as well!) *you can drip sweat off your elbows here *we have a twang accent when we speak English apparently *they don't pressure wash their curbs before they repaint them *teachers only instruct in Swahili and English in Kenya so the students today roared with laughter when Francis the teacher translated into Luo, their native tongue Do yourself a favour and ask a team member what they've learned and how a VOH trip changed them. Who knows, this conversation may have you prayerfully considering joining a VOH trip that you hadn't even thought of doing before! Written by Carla Teaching at the highschool classes…guys in one room and girls in another. The girls are delighted with their hygiene kits! Beautiful school grounds Mahola School Mamma Pauline and daughter Catherine. Catherine is our hands and feet in the Seje and Yogo area. This picture was taken in Seje, western Kenya, at 0° latitude ; at the equator.

We left for Arise and Shine at 8 a.m., ready for a morning with the children. The craft focused on John 3:16, followed by the story of Daniel in the lions’ den, which held their full attention. Soon the air was filled with giggles and laughter as bubbles floated across the empty playground—many of the children learning how to blow them for the very first time. Soccer quickly became a favorite, especially with a real ball in hand. Stickers ended up everywhere, not just on paper but on hands, nails, faces, and sweaters, with the gem stickers stealing the show. Frisbees were a new adventure too, and the children eagerly learned how to throw them. Throughout it all, they remained wonderfully attentive, soaking in every story shared. Hearing about the home lives was heartbreaking. Some of them, only three years old, have already witnessed people being killed inside their own homes. Others endure mistreatment from a stepmother, watching as other children are favored and fed while they themselves are left without. In the midst of such sorrow, the words speak with tender urgency: “Suffer the little children to come unto Me.” We stopped along the side of the road to watch bricks being made by hand. Freshly shaped from the earth, they were laid out in the sun for two days to dry, then stacked and fired overnight in a kiln. Remarkably, a new kiln is built for every single batch of bricks. On our way to our second home, Distinction Gardens, we passed through the bustling town of Luwanda, alive with movement and daily hustle. Soon after, we arrived at Distinction Gardens, unloaded our luggage from the truck, and settled into our rooms. After a quick moment to refresh, we were back on the road once more, heading out with eager hearts for two more visits. Sarah, at 106 years old, is a quiet testament to a life anchored in faith. She is lovingly cared for by her daughter-in-law who lives nearby. During our visit, she sang to us, and we sang to her in return, sharing a sacred moment filled with joy and connection. We spent time in meditation and Scripture together, and before we left, we shared a simple “sweetie” (a sucker) and took a photo—small gestures that marked a deeply meaningful visit. Here in Kenya, we are deeply cared for. We grow hot and dusty, we weep, and we grow tired—but we are never alone. God carries us onward, lifting us with encouragement through His Word and through the strength, love, and faith of our team. Written by Jaqueline DeGraaf Preschool Children at Arise and Shine School Sarah 106 enjoying our visit…and a lollipop. She is 106 years old!! Bricks being made

Today we visited with 8 of our women in the morning. Each one couldn’t say enough good about ladies day yesterday. All the ladies loved being able to come together and worship. They also loved the message that was preached. They found the talk about agriculture fascinating and the talk about gold mining enlightening. Most of the women had no idea about the dangers of mining and the use of mercury.  We had visitors for lunch today and were gifted authentic Kenyan dresses!  After lunch we went to see Dr. Isaac’s clinic. He showed us around his clinic, which was very interesting. The clinic has many consultation rooms, a lab, some treatment rooms, an operating room, and ultrasound and X-ray machines. Dr. Isaac is a local doctor who is hired by Voice of Hope to give treatment to the Voice of Hope women. He does some amazing work there and has helped out our widows tremendously!  At our last visit, all the kids had just finished school and we had a huge group come for a story and suckers. Some of the women from our group began singing Jesus Loves Me and the kids joined in! The kids loved hearing the story about David and Goliath.  I find it truly amazing that we came here to be a witness to our dear friends but they are witnessing to us! These ladies have so little but their faith is so strong and they always share their wisdom with us. We are greeted warmly as we head for a lovely visit. Our lovely Kenyan dresses! Kids, kids, everywhere! Always eager to listen to a story and colour a picture. The beautiful lush Kenyan countryside Million dollar views! The devastating effects of gold mining. Water sources and land contaminated with mercury.

Today we started the day with Ladies Day. The women came and gathered. It was very nice to see them so excited being brought together. We had Simon come to talk to the ladies about agriculture who is part of Voice of Hope. Simon emphasized proper farming practices such as using manure to neutralize acidic soil for better harvests. We also discussed with the ladies that parents were reminded to monitor their children’s school attendance and grades. Dr. Isaac also came to speak and warned about the serious health dangers of mercury used in gold mining, which contaminates water and causes long-term damage to the body. Mercury is used in gold mining to separate gold from dirt, but it is often not fully removed. When it rains, mercury is washed into rivers where people collect water. Mercury exposure can cause serious health effects like numb hands and face, anxiety, slurred speech, shaking, hearing and vision problems and so much more. Mercury stays in the body a long time and if it goes unnoticed it damages the brain, heart, liver, and kidneys. While gold and mercury can bring income, the health effects must be carefully considered. The brokers are active in this area, but are exploiting both the people on the land with no care as to the negative consequences. At the end of the ladies day, the alumni received a kettle. We delivered a wagon to a 5-year-old boy named Raj, the son of one of our widows, to help his mother who normally has to carry him everywhere. This was wonderful to be able to provide a wagon for them. We then split up to visit several widows in their homes. Along our way, we met a young disabled boy being cared for by his 81-year-old great-grandmother after his mother abandoned him. The grandmother works when she can in neighbours gardens but struggles to provide for the two of them. She says she is spiritually strong but physically weak. We ended the day by telling the neighbour kids the story about how God created the world and Daniel and the lions den. Our Alumni women have worked hard, they were recognized today and given a kettle. Delicious lunch of Nasi (aka Kenyan-Dutch Rice) Greeting dear friends Raj received his wagon! 🙌🏼 A simple page of colouring is so much fun! A new acquaintance…his 81 year old Grandma is his caregiver.

We began the day with a walk to the local market to purchase fresh produce. Along the way, I was also able to find some baby items at a good price for my great-niece, Ada, and for my granddaughter, who will be arriving in May—a small joy tucked into the morning. After dropping our items off, we separated into two groups and headed out for our widow visits. When we arrive at a widow’s home, we are always greeted with a firm, welcoming handshake. Any children who come to see who is visiting also shake everyone’s hand—no matter how small they are. It is incredibly sweet. Once greetings are complete, we remain standing while one of our interpreters opens our time with prayer. Then we sit, check in with the widow, and listen as she shares how she has been doing. Each visit includes time in God’s Word. This year, our theme is prayer, and we have been encouraging the women with the reminder to “cast all your cares on God, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Afterward, we present each widow with a gift of flour, oil, sugar, and a few other essential items. Their gratitude for these simple necessities is always humbling. We close each visit with prayer, lifting up any specific requests the widow shares. One widow told us how thankful she is to God for her home. A few years ago, rain would pour into her house, and she would huddle in a corner with her children and grandchildren, trying to stay dry. They would bring their bedding and sleep together, moving from corner to corner as the rain shifted. Today, she has a tin roof—God provided through Voice of Hope—and she spoke with joy and gratitude for God’s provision and protection. Later in the afternoon, we visited another widow and cooked supper together. We prepared a cabbage “stir-fry” and chapatis, which were absolutely delicious. We had fun attempting to help roll and flatten the dough, though it was clear the ladies could have done it much faster without us! I was struck by the creativity and resourcefulness of the home—a coffee table served as a cutting board, a surface for rolling dough into balls, and later was carried outside to the cooking area where chapatis were cooked over an open fire. Afterward, it was brought back inside and used again to set out the food for supper. With no kitchen counters, every item serves multiple purposes. It was a full and meaningful day. Written by Cynthia Prisque Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. Cooking with the ladies Diana and Caro The Market Blessing … cutest girl you ever saw A widowed woman’s home.

We began our day bright and early at 8:00 am, gathering for worship at Shumba Village Meeting Church. It wasn’t a typical service as we might be accustomed to, but it clearly reflected the great need for laborers in God’s harvest. We were reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 9:37–38, that the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few—a truth that felt especially real as we worshipped together. Following the gathering, we shared the Days for Girls presentation with the women. Meanwhile, some of our team read Bible stories and played games with the children, filling the space with laughter and joy. After a refreshing lunch break, we set out to visit widows in the community. During these visits, we were able to present a wheelchair to one family whose seven-year-old child cannot walk. Moments like this remind us why we are so grateful for the faithful donations received throughout the year. Seeing how these gifts help make daily life more manageable is a powerful testimony to God’s continued care for these widows and their families. Later in the afternoon, we were deeply encouraged as several widows and team members shared their testimonies. What began as a simple day of service became something truly special and edifying. Throughout the day, teamwork was clearly visible—expressed through compassion, a shared vision, and many unseen qualities that only develop through time spent together. We saw and experienced this firsthand today, and we are thankful. A heartfelt shout-out to a truly great team. By Janet Pennings Sunday school class “Kijito” a favourite song for our Kenyan and Canadian women. “O now I see the cleansing.” Playing with the kids after Sunday school Evening Worship A snapshot of a few of our beautiful and dear friends

Through snow and slush, everyone safely arrived at the airport, and after dropping off our checked bags, the adventure truly began. Almost all of us were told that our carry-on and personal item had to be weighed together and come in under 11 kg. What followed was a scene many travelers would recognize: people pulling on extra layers of clothing, stuffing pockets full, and redistributing items however possible—anything to make the scale happy. Once approved, we quietly put everything back where it belonged and moved on, relieved and a little flabbergasted. We departed Toronto a little late and landed in Frankfurt, Germany just after 8:00 am, where we met up with our final teammate, Carla, who had traveled from British Columbia. It was a joy to be all together at last. At 12:05 pm, we boarded our last long flight, bound for Nairobi. After hours in the air, we touched down at 10:00 pm, only to find ourselves waiting nearly two hours to get through passport control. Finally through, we retrieved our suitcases, only for seven of us to be pulled aside and told we needed to pay customs. We paused to pray—thanking God for safe travel and asking for wisdom and favor as Carla went to negotiate with the customs officials. While we waited, a conversation with a customs officer brought us back to what is truly important: God and His goodness. It was a meaningful and timely divine appointment in the middle of a long night. When we finally exited the airport, we were warmly greeted by Nelson, our driver, and Everlyne, our field partner. At 1:15 am, a shuttle brought us to the hotel. After nearly four hours of sleep, we were back up again, enjoying a delicious breakfast before heading out at 7:00 am for the next leg of our journey. We boarded our flight, waited on the tarmac, and took off, touching down at 10:13 am. Cyrus, another driver, met us at the airport, loaded our bags into the van, and by 10:45 am we were on the road. Not long after, we were stopped by spike belts for a registration check. As we pulled away, the lock on the back of our van broke, causing the door to swing open and several pieces of luggage to spill onto the road. Thankfully, nothing was lost, and after securing everything again, we continued on. At 12:15 pm, after roughly 40 hours of travel, we arrived at Alex’s house. Mary and Aggrey greeted us as we climbed out of the van—tired, grateful, and ready to begin our work in Kakamega. We unpacked the team suitcases and prepared gifts for the women we would be visiting. Each woman will receive a useful gift bundle: flour, a jug of oil, green grams, tea, sugar, and cookies, all wrapped neatly in a tea towel. We headed out and were able to visit with four of our widows, each of the ladies had one common prayer request — for good health for themselves and their families. After returning from the visits, we enjoyed the simple joy of fresh popcorn—one of the best snacks imaginable after such a full day. We debriefed, sharing our highs, lows, and first impressions. Following a lovingly prepared supper, we worked together to prepare for the next day, including assembling a wheelchair—without instructions. We are tired… so very tired. And deeply thankful. Soon, we will rest, ready for what tomorrow will bring. We look forward to worshipping our great God with a local church. The long visa line! 🥱 Reunited with our dear friends. Our hostess gift wrapped in a tea towel and love.

Today, January 1, 2026, the Ontario Voice of Hope team boarded their flights…most departing from Toronto, and one member from Vancouver…began their journey to Frankfurt and then on to Nairobi, Kenya. The team plans to spend their first week in the Kakamega area and then finish in the Seje area before returning to Nairobi. Please pray for safety in travel and for the Lord’s blessing on their visits, teaching, and the work they will be doing among their Kenyan friends.

Our women were thrilled to receive cards from the Chilliwack women. They felt loved♥️. Grace LOVES her tank! This saves her hours of walking to the river!