A Lease is Signed for the New Building

Good news! The lawyer was hired, and the lease agreement for the school's new building was signed Friday, March 23. This was a huge step for the school. The rented building -- though it still leaves a lot to be desired -- will nevertheless be a major improvement over the previous locations of the school.

Nick Kipkorir traveled seven hours by bus from Eldoret to assist Margaret with the paperwork and details. He was a big help to Mama Margaret during this stressful process.

The building is still partly under construction. The three rooms which will serve as classrooms are complete and will have concrete floors installed (currently, there's only dirt) in time for the arrival of the students on April 2nd. The remaining three rooms are still under construction by the landlord. They will eventually serve as a kitchen and additional teaching space.

Also, thank you for your prayers for Samantha, Mama Margaret's daughter. She has recovered from her illness and has returned to school.

More pictures and news are coming soon!

A New Location For Tenderfeet

It's been a hectic month at Tenderfeet. As you may recall, the school will have to vacate the church where they are currently located by the end of this month. So Mama Margaret has been searching for a new location, all the while shuttling Shadrack back and forth to the hospital for his MRI, test results, and waiting to talk to the surgeon (more on Shadrack here) .

In addition, Margaret's 11-year-old daughter, Samantha, has been sick with Malaria.

Please pray for Mama Margaret, Samantha, Shadrack, and the Tenderfeet school. It's been a rough few weeks!

Hopefully, though, this difficult period has been the darkness before the dawn. Things are looking up -- Shadrack's surgery is likely to be next week, Samantha was treated at the hospital and seems to be on the road to recovery, and a new school location has been found.

Also, Mama Margaret and the Tenderfeet leadership team have been fortunate to recently have the kind assistance of Lahash's East Africa Coordinator, Edwin Angote (pictured here with Dan Holcomb, Lahash president).

The new location is a six-room building in the Kianda Area of Kibera. Each room is only 10 feet by 12 feet, so it will be a tight squeeze. But the school will certainly benefit from the increased stability.

The next steps in the move will come in quick succession. A lawyer needs to be hired, in order that a one-year lease can be signed. This is to prevent any more arbitrary evictions, like the three that have occurred in the past year.

Next, a floor has to be poured in the new building, at least in the 3 rooms that will be designated as classrooms. Lastly, the school furniture and supplies will have to be moved over to the new spot. Much more on the move will be shared as events unfold.

There are definitely some financial hurdles ahead. The lawyer will cost around $250, the floor will be around $400, and the rent at the new facility will be $180 per month. If you would like to get involved, please contact Lahash. Also, please stay tuned as we roll out a new sponsorship program in the next few weeks.