Dear porchers,

Thank you for the allowing me to introduce my sister-in-law and her husband, Opp and Karen Guenard. (Karen is Phil's sister.)

The Guenards live and work in Arkansas, but their hearts are always beating for the Kipsongo slum of Kenya.

The Kipsongo slum is one of the most outcast people groups in Kenya today. It's comprised of more than 2,500 men, women and children in a community covering little more than 6 ½ acres. There is no electricity or water within the slum.

Although Karen and Opp first began to hear the call to minister in Africa in 1998, the vision for how and where did not become clear until June of 2005 when they met Bishop Ben Bahati of Global Field Evangelism, Kenya. Today, Karen and Opp continue to travel back and forth between their home in Arkansas and Kipsongo. They're committed to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with the people of Kipsongo by showing them God's love in word and in deed, by not simply feeding and clothing them, although that must come first, but by empowering them to break the cycle of poverty that hangs over their lives.

Karen and Opp's believe the key to breaking that poverty is ownership, that good stewardship can eradicate poverty. Opp says, "When you take ownership of something it changes your interest in it. We want to help the people of Kipsongo take ownership of their lives and give them a vision of how to change their environment."

Please visit Karen and Opp at their website. If you should be moved to join in their work, I can wholeheartedly assure you that your funds are going directly to the Kipsongo slum of Kenya.

Hugs,
Shellie