A History Lesson in Library Development

When Irene Tongoi, the director of New Dawn School, visited Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin in April, 2010, she spent an afternoon at the Mt. Horeb Public Library sharing the work and story of New Dawn. It was also a chance for New Dawn to personally thank the Friends of the Library, who were very involved in helping the school start its own library back in 2006!

Library Director, Lysianne Unruh was informed of this project by library clerk, Helen Kahl (who is my mother, and is the treasurer of Saba, International). Lysianne encouraged the Friends to send books to the start-up school. This gift of about 200 books became the foundation of the school's library.

In November 2006, we officially opened the library. It was a big celebration involving the parents and students. We all stood amazed by how quickly God brought this to pass through so many people!

The books were catagorized in boxes and each student was allowed to take home two books for the December term break. The most popular books were the science textbooks!

Can you feel their joy?! Having access to a collection of books was very exciting for the staff and students alike. One of the students once wrote me and said, "Thanks a great deal for bailing us out of a difficult situation by building us a library and helping us in reading." The Library project was the "first fruit" of our work as Saba, Intl. with New Dawn School.

In January of 2007 the school set to work developing a small building into a library and computer lab. In it's humility this library has opened up a world of learning to the students!

In 2009 the school was granted land from a neighboring old-people's home (Mji wa Huruma) on which to build their own school building. More foundations were laid to support a very interesting school facility!

A most amazing school house was fabricated out of 8 shipping containers.

New Dawn desires to build another similar structure for an expanded resource center. When Irene visited the Netherlands and the U.S. in March and April, she had the chance to visit three excellent libraries, and God opened up visions for her of what New Dawn's own resource center might look like! We wait with anxious expectation to see this unfold...

They have acquired the first of eight shipping containers. Each container will cost $3600 to get it into the village, along with the cost of fabricating it into a usable structure.

Part of the grant that Saba, Intl. sent New Dawn in May is for this development project. Please pray for the continued funding of this project and the overall work of the school. Celebrate with us what God has done for New Dawn, and what we await him to do in the future...because He is a faithful God!

Written by Cathy Woller

Playtime at the Nest Children's Home

When our family moved away from Kenya two years ago, an amazing transformation was taking place at the Nest in Limuru. Three young British men were volunteering tremendous amounts of time to help construct a first-rate playground for the children right in the middle of the compound. When I visited the Nest six months ago, here is what I discovered...

The children had watched the construction porcess for so long, eagerly anticipating the fun they could have. When it was finished, the director insisted that they wait even longer (several months), so that the grass would have time to establish itself. Limuru gets a lot of rain, and she was imagining a giant mud pit, and lots of dirty feet and clothes!

The old red slide is given a new home!

The children were happy to demonstrate for me the variety of fun things to do!

The leadership team of the Nest had been envisioning such a playground for a long time, not just for amusing the children, but also as a form of gross-motor play therapy.

The three young men did the hard labor of installing the playground equipment, but there were many others who hleped arrange for the donation, shipment and acquisition of the goods.

Wouldn't it be fun to gather all of us who have partnered with the Nest in some way, and have a field day and picnic with the children and staff!

Jump for Joy!

There is no need to mow around the equipment, because the goats provide that service. In exchange they like to climb around and have fun too! The goats were a gift from a neighbor, and as they breed, the Nest is expected to bless someone else with a small herd! The goats also provide milk for the beloved Chai (tea).

The big kids are allowed on the big equipment, but the small ones must play in their own area. They look on with envy and wait for the day when they can try it out! Use of the playground is restricted to times when it can be supervised by adults, and as a result the equipment is in excellent condition!

Those of us at Saba, International thank you for your ongoing prayer and financial support, and pray that God would continue to watch over the work of the Nest Children's Home as they strive to bring justice into the lives of children and their mothers.

Posted by Cathy Woller

Mt. Horeb Welcomes Irene Tongoi, Director of New Dawn School

On the weekend of April 24-25, Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin had the distinct pleasure of hosting Irene Tongoi, the director of New Dawn School.

Isaiah 9:6 says about Jesus:
For unto us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.

In Matthew 28:18-19 Jesus said about himself:
All authority on heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit....

At three different worship services she shared her testimony with the people of Mt. Horeb Evangelical Lutheran Church of how God has used her as a "minister" of His heavenly government among the poor of Huruma and Githogoro villages. Irene calls the work of New Dawn School an "exercise in the authority of Christ", and encouraged everyone to be exercising Christ's authority in our local communities and neighborhoods.

Helen Kahl, treasurer of Saba, Intl. (picture above on right) coordinated all the events of the weekend, which came off splendidly, thanks to the prayer and help of many. On Saturday evening we shared a meal at the church after the worship service. It was a great time of fellowship, and people had the chance to interact on a personal level with Irene about the work of New Dawn School. I, Cathy Woller, (pictured on left) also shared a video that highlighted how our family and this church have partnered with New Dawn School in the past. Special thanks and commendation goes to the women of the Rebecca and Sarah Circles, who provided all the food, and helped set-up and clean-up. Your humble service is greatly treasured!

This church has been very supportive of the work of New Dawn School since 2006. Several groups, and many individual donors have provided funds to enhance the lives of the students and staff. Their gifts include school uniforms, sanitary supplies to keep the girls in school, Kenyan-approved textbooks, teacher's bonuses, etc. Saba, International thanks you for being co-ministers in the government of Jesus Christ at New Dawn School!

Pictured above is Pastor John Twiton, who leads ELC of Mt. Horeb. Saba, International thanks you for your willingness to welcome Irene, and to allow her to testify to God's miracles being done for the Staff and Students at New Dawn. We praise God for the zealous ministry that is going on in this local body of Christ!

posted by Cathy Woller

Saba is a Hebrew word used in the Old Testament, and it means "to be satisfied, to have in abundance, to be filled--even to overflowing". At Saba, International our hope is to be able to extend an overflow of God's blessings to the Nest Children's Home and New Dawn School in Kenya.

We celebrate Easter today, the ultimate overflow of God's love, as He raised Jesus Christ from the dead. This victory over death fills us with hope as we journey through our broken world, toward our Heavenly home.

Happy Easter greetings to everyone at the Nest Children's Home, including the children, the staff, the director, and your families! May God strengthen you by his Holy Spirit to persevere with your challenging work, and we trust for his grace to be sufficient for you each day.

Happy Easter greetings to everyone at New Dawn School, including the students, staff, director, headmaster, and all of your families. Enjoy your holiday from school, and may you return in May refreshed and ready to take on the hard task of teaching and learning.

Happy Easter greetings to every one who supports these projects in Kenya through Saba, International! We are so encouraged by your genorosity, eagerness and steadfast love for children half a world away! May you each experience a double portion of God's love through Jesus Christ this Easter!

Moving on at New Dawn School

After graduation in December, New Dawn School closed for a holiday. In January the school re-opened, admitting a new group of Form One students (freshman), and everyone resumed the daily work of teaching and learning. Forty more students prepare for graduation this year, and it will come quickly.

After graduation in December, the graduates entered a time of waiting. They had taken the National Exams in October and November, and now they must wait for results, which will help determine what kind of higher education they can pursue.

Ruba has come alongside the graduates, and has determined to help find all of them some kind of post-secondary training or jobs. Day by day, opportunities have been opening up. The school received a significant grant from the Danish Embassy, which employs five graduates and will help the school generate some of its own income. Two students have been admitted to engineering schools and three have been admitted to a beauty college. Another student is employed by an NGO outside of Nairobi. We praise God that paths continue to open for the future of these young people! He is the Waymaker!

Celebrate with New Dawn! In early March, the National Exam results were released, and it was good news for New Dawn School! 16 of the 30 students had scores high enough to qualify them for a diploma at a Polytechnic School (which I believe is equivalent to an associates degree in the U.S.). Hannington Odhiambo (above) recieved the top marks in the school, and will qualify to study Mechanical Engineering at University! We at Saba, International congratulate all of the students at New Dawn. You have worked so hard, and overcome so many obstacles by your patient endurance! We eagerly anticipate the on-going work of the Lord in your life...

Director Irene Tongoi writes about the graduates and their exam results: "This is what makes the hard work worth doing. I am proud of our teaching staff who have served with us and trusted the Lord to produce these miracles! We now begin the next step in their journey to higher education."

Irene is traveling to the U.S. in March and April. Along the way she will do some ambassadorial work for New Dawn. A group in Oregon state is hosting a fund-raiser for New Dawn, with the intent of purchasing a school bus for the school. Irene's final stop in the U.S. is Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin. This is a community that has been faithful in supporting New Dawn for more than three years! May God bless Irene and her husband on this journey!

Special commendation goes to Ben Khalonyere, Headmaster of New Dawn. He has been on-site working with staff and students daily, encouraging and disciplining. He is a gentle giant! Pleases pray for him and his family as he uses most of his time off from school pursuing his bachelor's degree in education.

As donors and partners in prayer, please pray for all the staff and leadership of New Dawn School as they do the hard work of leading, teaching, and counseling the students, and as they fund-raise and develop the school's property and its resources. May God give them wisdom and discernment.

On the fund-raising front of Saba, International, some exciting things are happening! Tammy Woller and her colleague spent the weekend at a women's retreat in Wisconsin. They donated their time, and the strength and tenderness of their hands; they performed several hours of massage, and accepted donations for the Nest Children's Home! Well done, ladies.

On March 19, the Nest Fest will take place in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It is a charity concert for the Nest! May God multiply the efforts of the organizers and performers for the sake of the Nest.

All of these fund-raising efforts will go toward helping the Nest pay down their massive hospital bills that they incurred when several of their babies got pneumonia in February.

Posted by Cathy Woller

The Nest's Halfway House and beyond...

Welcome to the Nest's Halfway House facility in Nairobi. It complements the mission of the Limuru facility, where the children of imprisoned moms stay. When the women are released from prison, they come to the Halfway House for several weeks. Their children join them here, and the families are re-integrated in a safe setting. Here the women can learn better childcare skills, improve their English, and take life-skills classes. They also find community with other women who understand their life struggles.


Besides providing care for the prison women and their children, the Nest also provides care for babies who are truly classified as orphans, and are therefore adoptable. The Nest does not make adoption the centerpiece of its mission, but it goes to great lengths to support more than 30 adoptions a year,





When the Halfway House opened in 2006, the orphan babies were moved from the Limuru facility to the Halfway House in Nairobi. This was good for several reasons: the warmer, drier climate made for better health among the babies; they became more visable and accessible, and that has increased the number of adoptions; and it relieved the crowding at the Nest in Limuru. But now, as the Halfway House is operating at full-capacity, it is very crowded for the babies and their caregivers. This limits the number of orphans they can care for at one time.

What to do with these darling babies?!



In 2007 the Nest purchased a piece of land near the Halfway House. Over time the vision has emerged for the use of this land. The Nest would like to build a dedicated baby nursery and proper staff quarters for the caretakers of the babies. They would be able to increase the number of orphaned babies that they can care for at one time to 25, and this would ease the problem of crowding at the Halfway House. Each of the three properties would have a distinct mission: The Nest in Limuru serving the prison children; the Halfway House serving the prison mom's as they are released from prison; the baby nursery serving the orphaned babies.


The second phase of the development of this land would be to build 10 guest cottages. The cottages would be available to rent, and would provide accessible housing to the many European families that relocate to Nairobi while they go through the proceedings of an international adoption. The income generated by the cottages would help support the operating costs of the Nest. Greater self-sustainability would allow the Nest to spend less human resources fund-raising, and apply more human resources toward doing social work with the prison moms and their children.

Recall Irene Baumgartner, director of the Nest Children's Home. Her passion is to work directly with the clients of the Nest. However, for many years much of her energy has been spent fund-raising and developing the Nest's properties to maximize their ability to serve their clients. This property will bring the vision to completion. We at Saba, International call on you to pray for the Nest, for the development of this property, and for all the staff who labor sacrificially day-by-day!

If you would be interested in financially supporting the development of the baby nursery or any aspect of the work of the Nest, please write "Nest Nursery" on the memo line of your check, and make payable to:

Saba, International

Mail to:
Saba, International
c/o Helen Kahl, treasurer
10560 Blue Rock Road
Mount Horeb, WI 53572


We thank you for your prayerful support. May God be glorified by the work of the Nest.

posted by Cathy Woller for Saba, International

Meet the Children at the Nest

Welcome to the Nest Children's Home in rural Limuru, Kenya. 15 years ago the Nest began providing care for street girls. Over time the Nest specialized its mission, and began providing care for children whose mother's are imprisoned (which means that these children are not adoptable). Roughly 100 children are in the custody of the Nest, and about 60 children live on this compound.

On the left is Irene Baumgartner of Germany. She is the director of the Nest, compassionate defender and protector of children.

Nellie calls herself the grandmother of the Nest. She is a nurse, primarily taking care of the smallest children. At the Nest there is a toddler nursery, and dormitories for the big boys and girls. In Kenya, when a woman is imprisoned, she is allowed to keep her nursing baby with her, so there are not many small babies at the Nest facility in Limuru.

The Nest also has "adoptable" babies in its custody, and they reside at the Halfway-House facility in Nairobi. In the past 18 months, over 50 Nest orphans have been adopted!

Many children who are in custsody of the Nest do not live at the Nest full-time. All of the high-school aged children attend boarding school, and only live at the Nest when school closes for term-break. In December the Nest is full and hopping with activity, and there are many extra helping hands!

This young lady was very serious, but determined to have her picture taken as she escorted me all over the compound. The Nest uses some of its grounds to grow vegetables. It takes a lot of food to grow all of these little bodies!

On Christmas day Irene always presents the Biblical account of Jesus' birth to the children. This year, as she told of how there was no room for Mary and Joseph in the inns of Bethlehem, one of the children made a startling connection: "The Nest did not say 'NO' to us, and it is good here!"

We at Saba, International praise God for the work that the Nest is doing to provide safe haven for children in Kenya whose mothers are imprisoned.

posted for Saba, International by Cathy Woller