Kid's in a new world

Dear Family and Friends,

Time has gone by so fast as we left the place we have come to call home for almost 6 months and are now back in Montana. Living in an orphanage is something that you can not describe. It is the most amazing community I have ever seen. I know all orphanages are not the same. But here at Rehoboth, where God has made a place for so many children, the light on the childrens' faces tell the whole story. Living there, being a part of everyday life, our family has been intimately involved with the children, caregivers, and administrative staff. It is like any family. There are good times, hard times, but in everything there is love and a devotion to the One who has given it all for them. The kids get a lot of attention, but they still crave more. Hopefully we helped fill a small part of that and reaffirmed how much they are loved by Him. We had the highest privilege to see 3 children leave to go home to their own forever families. What a flood of emotions. We were sad to see these children leave who have been so close to us, and their friends there. But what incredible joy to see a child leave with parents that are committed to loving that child as their own. It is surpassed only by the reports and pictures of the same kids thriving in their new life and so much hope for their future. Truly amazing!

So with over 3000 bags of cement, 260 cubic meters of gravel, 230 cubic meters of sand, 15,000 kilograms of rebar, 7000 cinder blocks, 300 kg of nails, and a lot of other material, we have completed securing the front and back of the 5.5 acres. We also were able to build the footing of the medical clinic that intersects the perimeter wall. It was very big, with 2 slabs resting on the same footing. In addition we were able to prep and pour the 50' driveway into the property.

It is hard to imagine mixing and pouring that much concrete with a portable concrete mixer. It is so labor intensive. Hauling gravel, sand, cement, and water with buckets to the mixer and then mixed concrete is shoveled into buckets and placed! Amazingly hard work. It has been fun to sweat alongside so many people and see little by little a dream become reality.It has not been without difficulties or struggles. A typhoon, material scheduling and delivering nightmares, miscommunication, misunderstanding and so on. The same with any construction project. But God has been the builder and it has been accomplished in spite of all the difficulties and our weakness.

It was great in the last few weeks, to see how the short term jobs created there helped the community that Rehoboth is a part of. This only help strengthen what Rehoboth is accomplishing and show that they want to be a help to the community. A lot of the men expressed how big of a help the work was to them and their family. What a privilege to help build a place for abandoned children to be saved while strengthening the local families within the community through employment!

As for us, we are adjusting to the "culture shock of being back in the USA. 6 months is long enough to get used to another culture and bring into contrast the two cultures that you have lived in. Dan has been hit hardest with the transition back home. He really had great friends at Rehoboth and was learning a lot of Tagalog. He was even getting confused if Salamat Po (thank you) was English or Tagalog. He also loves to tell anyone we meet some of the words he has learned. Clara and Paul have gotten back into the swing of things here pretty well. Although if we mention "the kids" Paul automatically thinks we are going to see everyone at Rehoboth and starts naming his friends there. It definitely pulls at your heart.

Brita and I are adjusting to everything here again. I still have my job, which is a complete blessing from the Lord, and am getting used to not seeing my family as much as I was.

We don't know what God has in store for us in the future. I know whatever it is, we will not be bored. We have never relied on Him as much as we did in the last 6 months, and we have never seen his total sufficiency like we saw in the last 6 months. Please join with us in praising God for His goodness in helping us complete the task we were send to do. Walls were built, Relationships were built, seeds were sown in some of those relationships and kids that need love and a place to call home are one step closer to that hope.

I have attached a few pictures of the kids playing in the new property. It really hit me how much this project has impacted their little lives. Now they have a place where they are free to run and play in dirt and grass, to climb and explore. A whole new word has opened up to them. Their faces say it all.

We are so grateful for you prayers and support! We are so excited that you also get to share in this wonderful blessing with us. The hope and dream for the completion of Rehoboth is advancing in His time. There will be so much more to do in the coming years. As for us, we don't know what God wants us to do yet. We feel He has us here in Montana for now. Thank you again for your heart to reach out to the orphans of the Philippines.


Josh, Brita, Dan, Clara, and Paul McKenzie

Our family at Rehoboth
More Family Pictures

Just hangin out

We burned that grass when we started in April, this was taken in June! Everything you see behind the kids is Rehoboth property! What amazing plans the Lord has for this place! So much of the children's world has been opened up by being able to play, explore, and grow vegetables at the new property.



Sand is so fun!

These pictures were before final cleanup, but the kids loved it just the same.

An of course the newly aquired goats in the backround.

We were blessed by these children so much more than we could have dreamed. We really miss being "Papa Josh and Mama Brita"

James 1:27

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

It's about love.