A Naomi’s Village Primer:

Quick Facts:

1.     Founders: Bob & Julie Mendonsa; Elisha & Esther Gachoka
   

2.     located in Maai Mahiu, Kenya
   

3.     land size: 5-acres
   

4.     building size: 9,000 sq. ft.
   

5.     capacity: 110 children + staff
   

6.     age range: 0-10, initially
   

7.     projected building cost:  $300,000 (approx. $33/sq. ft.)
   

8.     groundbreaking: November 2009
   

9.     expected completion date: August 2010
   

10.     lead builder: Ernie Bighaus from Melissa, TX
    

11.     asst. builder; botanist: Dan Dickerson from Portland, OR
    

12.     community liaison: Lashonda Bighaus, from Melissa, TX
    

13.     community liaison: Rachel Dickerson, from Portland, OR
    

14.     administrative asst.: Amanda Goble from Dallas, TX
    

15.     partnering organization: Lost Orphans International
    

1. 1. About the Building and the Land:
   

Naomi’s Village sits on a 5-acre plot in Maai Mahiu, Kenya.  A single large home (9,000 sq. ft., 2-stories) allows Naomi’s Village to house 110 children, while still leaving much land to spare. The remaining lot is being used in other ways, so that Naomi’s Village can be a largely self-sustaining children’s home.  The property includes not only the home, but also a 30,000 liter water tank to store water piped 8km from a mountain spring, a chicken coop to provide eggs, a covered milking station for dairy cows, and a playground area for the children.  A security wall is under construction and electricity will be coming soon to the site.  Solar water heaters are in the plans.

A large vegetable garden and fruit trees have been planted already, so that the children’s food can come mostly from the attached property.  An ingenious underground irrigation system waters these plants via runoff from hidden tanks that store gray water from the home, separate tanks that treat and reuse water from sewage, and a rainwater collection system.  This scheme for utilizing all available water to sustain the crops and fruit trees has garnered the recognition of the agriculture dept., who wants to use our approach as a model for other nearby properties in this semi-arid climate.

2. 2. About the Name:
   

When Julie asked God to name this children’s home, He directed her to the book of Ruth, where Naomi is a central figure.  Naomi’s husband and her 2 grown sons (her only children) all died, leaving her with only her 2 daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah. These two had not yet born children to carry on the family lineage.   Naomi means “beautiful, pleasant, delightful.” After these 3 deaths, however, Naomi believed God had left her with no family. She became so despondent that she changed her name to Mara, which means “bitter”.  But God, in His infinite love, had not abandoned her.  One of the daughters-in-law, Orpah, left Mara.  Ruth, however, stayed by her side and returned to Mara’s home with her.  It was there that kinsman Boaz tenderly took Ruth as his wife, and together they had a baby to carry on Naomi’s lineage.  Mara rejoiced at once again having a family, and changed her name back to Naomi.  The story of Ruth is a beautiful telling of God’s redemptive love to Naomi and Ruth, and to all people. The baby born to Ruth and Boaz was ultimately to be King David’s grandfather, and  was therefore, in the direct lineage to Jesus Christ, the One Redeemer of the world. 

Looking into the eyes of orphaned children in Kenya, it is easy to conclude that they also believe God has abandoned them, as did Mara.  But, we know God has not forgotten them, and indeed views them as “beautiful, pleasant, and delightful”.  It is our desire that the children of Naomi’s Village come to know of God’s redemptive love, through His restoration of them to a family where they can belong.  Thus, the name “Naomi” was chosen.  The Village moniker was added, as it will take the body of Christ – a village – to raise the children entrusted to us with excellence. We also hope to see them come to know the true Redeemer Jesus.

3. 3. About Maai Mahiu, Kenya:
   

UNICEF estimates there are presently 25 million orphaned children in Sub-Saharan Africa.  In Kenya alone there are currently 2 million orphans out of the 12 million children (16% of all children under age 15).  700 children a day become orphaned in Kenya – 1 every 2 minutes!

Maai Mahiu, Kenya is strategically located on the major highway from Uganda through Kenya, known as the HIV Highway.  The region is semi-arid and Maai Mahiu has no real sustainable industry other than trucking and prostitution (thus the high HIV rate).  Poverty is stifling, especially since the lack of rain does not allow the people to grow crops well.  A transient male population, disease, and poverty leave many children hungry, homeless, and orphaned.

In January 2008, post-election violence displaced thousands of Kenyans.  Several IDP camps sprung up in the Maai Mahiu area on the desolate plains outside of town.  3,000 people still live there in tents or makeshift homes with no surrounding trees, running water, electricity, or protection from the elements.  Naomi’s Village lies directly across the HIV highway from these IDP camps.  God knew when He led us to the Naomi’s Village land in 2004 that this camp would be so close by.  Indeed, we have helped the IDP residents already by employing them in our construction, providing Bibles to every family, donating reading glasses, and building them a chicken coop to help with their poultry project.  We regularly hold church services there in the camp and have seen some come to Christ.  We hope to build a church there and train pastors from their midst to lead it.   We envision our children from NV calling it their church home. 

4. 4. About Lost Orphans International:
   

We began to work with Lost Orphans Int’l (McKinney, TX) in early 2009.   LOI began managing tax-deductible donations, sent a team for needs assessment, and found an American builder to move here temporarily for the construction.  Tim Cypert, LOI president and missions pastor at First Baptist Melissa, has been an integral part of the construction phase of Naomi’s Village. LOI also has an orphanage in Vietnam.  God has joined us together in a partnership, as LOI was ready to expand into other countries and we needed an organization that could oversee the above details. 

5. 5. About Naomi’s Village Administration and Philosophy:
   

Naomi’s Village is registered as an official self-help group with the Kenya Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Development.  The orphanage entity owns the land and the building, to prevent any individual from controlling its future existence.  All important decisions regarding its finances, hiring, and operation are being handled by a board comprised of Americans and Kenyans.  Bob and Julie Mendonsa both retire from their full-time jobs as surgeon and teacher respectively in July 2010.  After that they will be working full-time in the daily administration, intake of children, employee training, and continued fundraising. 

Once building is completed, efforts will begin in earnest to secure child sponsors for every child taken in.  We envision having individuals and families financially support the total care of every child, and hope to see many of these sponsors come to Kenya to meet their child one day.  We do not plan to promote foreign adoption of these children, instead preferring to raise them well in their own culture so that they can remain in Kenya and make a positive impact on society. 

We desire for Naomi’s Village to be a place of hope to the Maai Mahiu community at large. It has been priority to us to come alongside others who are serving in the community.  To that end, Lashonda and Rachel have been involved with the people at the IDP camp in distributing donated clothing and shoes and also helping with the preschool at the camp.  Additionally, they have spent time in other local orphanages, serving them by planting crops and also exploring ideas for how Naomi’s Village should be run.  

The Kenyan government has many rules and regulations regarding the running of a children’s home.  We believe that it is important to function within the laws set by the government of this country. Amanda has experience working in other orphanages in Kenya and has been helpful in completing the paperwork and beginning the process of child sponsorships. Her experience will also help us as we begin child intake.

Finally, we intend to establish a trust fund that will ensure the future needs of these children will be met regardless of fluctuations in the economy or unforeseen costs.  We are discussing the option of building a private Christian school nearby whose profits would be used to provide for the free education of our orphans. 

6. About Donating:

Naomi’s Village is not yet finished and we need your help.  As of May 28, 2010, we are still $75,000 short of the necessary funds to complete the facility.

Donations are tax-deductible and can be made now to: 

LOI 

P.O. Box 1388 

McKinney, TX 75070

*Please write “Naomi’s Village-Kenya” on the memo line!

Thank you!

7. 7. About Contacting Us:
   

We can be reached by email:  j.mendonsa@mac.com

You can follow Naomi’s Village on and facebook and twitter

Take a look at Naomi’s Village from the ground up - this video was made in late April.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-RlRuyXORs