amy0b87982ac418
bluewatergigi
dbeville
Patrice Miles
Lenny
Click to see the video of Amarchi’s home visit.
Amarachi stands nervously as we walk up to her house. She has her 4 children all lined up to greet us. I immediately notice that their clothing shows age but the children are well groomed and show much respect to their mother. Amarachi’s middle girl, Damilola is 10 years old and has been accepted into C.A.R.E. Africa.
I ask Amarachi to share her journey with me. In the early years the family lived in Lagos where they had jobs that paid for food and school fees for the children. Amarachi’s mother-in-law fell ill so she and her husband had to leave Lagos and move to Egbe to care for the ailing mother. Once in Egbe, they crammed all their possessions into the mother’s 20 x 16 sf room. The floor is dirt, one window, no ventilation, no plumbing, no electric, and no toilet. All seven lived in this one room for four years until the mother passed – now there are six. All six of them sleep on two foam mattresses (see picture). Before she passed, Amarachi’s mother-in-law taught her to make palm kernel oil to sell. The locals use it for skin salve and also take orally for stomach problems. The smell and texture reminded me of motor oil.
Amarachi also works with her husband who is a vulcanizer – repairs tires. Amarachi and her husband freelance a street corner where people know them to be honest workers. They attend church as a family and are well liked in the community. She and her husband are both hard working people but the need for palm kernel oil or tire repair is not much. The need to feed and educate her children is a constant worry for Amarachi. Her other three children will not be attending school as they cannot afford the school fees. Amarachi is very thankful Damilola has been accepted into C.A.R.E. Africa because her daughter will be well educated, looked after physically and spiritually and have a chance at a better life.
At the time of writing this article, Damilola has a sponsor but the family does not. C.A.R.E. Africa would like to come alongside the family through their church to help empower them through business and the education of the remaining children. Please consider becoming one of the families sponsors at $35 a month or $420 a year by clicking Amarachi.
One of the many hats I wear at C.A.R.E. Africa is child sponsorship. With over 60 children it is a huge task, but very satisfying. I know each one of these children and their needs personally so the investment I have in each on of the sponsorships is huge. Words cannot express the joy in seeing a child open a letter or a package from their sponsor when they have never had a gift like this before. I’m speechless when I see a picture of a child’s sponsor taped to the wall by their pillow when checking in on them. The greatest joy is getting to experience a child and a sponsor meeting for the first time in Nigeria when he/she comes on a mission trip with us.
Would you consider making a difference in a child’s life? We have so many in need and many on the waiting list. You can see all the children and the different ways you can help on our sponsorship site at 
I will never forget the time I walked into a widow’s ministry in Jos, Nigeria. There were many women at their sewing machines singing and smiling. Discipleship was going on, community was going on, empowerment was going on and I was amazed. My business mind started to churn and I asked questions about how the ministry was funded, what was their vision and mission statement, what was their URL for their website and how was their Facebook page doing. I will never forget the missionary’s response. “Oh, we don’t really have any of those things, God just continues to provide in unexpected ways. We always have enough to pay for what we need.”
A supporter recently recommended a book called God Guides by Mary Geegh, a missionary in India. It really isn’t a book, more a pamphlet and it isn’t written well at all. The content, however, is powerful. Mary tells stories over an over again of her time in India where there is a need so she rests at Gods feet, hears from him, obeys and then receives. She is constantly saying, “Where God Guides, HE Provides.” Over and over again in her life she rests at his feet, he guides her and she listens and obeys and then he provides.
3. Did you know that sheep stray off sometimes or get lost and get themselves into trouble? Wild animals actually lay in wait for these straying sheep so they can devour them. The Shepherd will find that sheep and if that sheep continues to stray the Shepherd will actually break the sheep’s leg. He will then carry the sheep until the leg is healed so that the sheep will begin to understand its need for the Shepherds protection from the animals prowling around waiting to harm it.
My mother, Jolene Eicher, will be joining me for her third trip to Nigeria. She will be busy interviewing and documenting the stories of several of our caregivers, our children and our C.A.R.E. Africa staff.
Ashley Beebe, a school teacher, will make her eighth trip to Nigeria. She will work with our teachers at Foundations Academy Egbe. We will be packing a lot into this short trip. 
We will host a back to school party with the theme “What Would Jesus Do”. Our goal is to help the kids remember in the new school year to model Jesus in all they do. To always be kind, gentle and patient and not lie, steal or cheat. We are taking rubber bracelets stamped with W.W.J.D. for them to wear to remind them each day – “What Would Jesus Do”. We will also provide each child with a backpack, some school supplies, sandals, underwear, socks and more. Can you help us collect new or gently used backpacks from anyone you know? We also need K-12 boys boxer briefs, girls underwear, sports bras, belts and white crew socks (above ankle). Monetary donations would also help us purchase needed items and/or cover any baggage fees. You can Email me at 
*Foundations Academy Egbe has been open for almost one year now and we currently have 58 children attending. The current building is already too small so we have found 25 acres of land but will need to raise around $7,000 for the purchase plus an additional $250,000 for the building of the elementary, middle and high school, chapel, administrative offices, medical clinic, hostel, guesthouse, soccer pitch and sports buildings.
He opened my eyes to the fact that my amazing son has just two years left to prepare for college and doesn’t know how to go to the grocery store, manage a checking account, drive a car, clean his own clothes, cook a meal or simply clean a toilet. My beautiful daughter has art and musical gifts that she craves to learn more about and our environment had limited resources to help her. My loyal husband, who has supported my work with C.A.R.E. Africa for 6 years, has a body ravaged with sickness that needed to heal physically as well as emotionally. Then there was me… I was so stressed from trying to raise money for C.A.R.E. Africa without ever having face-to-face time with our loyal donors or the opportunity to build new relationships that I felt the stress in the base of my neck daily.
God first, family second and work/ministry last. Once again I realized my priorities were skewed. Everyone around me was struggling including myself. It hurt to realize that all my superhuman powers had failed to save everyone. When I slowed down and breathed God in, He reminded me that 
Miles In Missions 