Final Report

September 13, 2011

To:  Donors to the Marathoning for Meru Project

Subject: Final Report

Dear Donors,

In October 2010, you generously gave your support to me and David as we participated in the Chicago Marathon and raised funds for the community service work in Meru, Kenya. We wanted to give you a brief report of how your funds impacted so many lives in Africa through the community service work of the local Adventist church.

With your collective donations, we raised $829.00, which converted to approximately 59,700 Kenya Shillings (Kshs).  With those funds, 6,300 Ksh went towards purchasing Adventist books for the prison library, including Ministry of Healing and Steps to Christ. 

Prisoners with the books purchased with your donation 

39,400 Kshs went directly to assist community members. Assistance ranged from sending a beneficiary to job training, helping others with the start-up costs for their own businesses (fruit stands, etc.), and helping with school clothing needs, food, school and medication costs. In all, 15 beneficiaries were assisted because of your generous donation. 

Pheneas Mwiti

Pheneas Mwiti, of whom I wrote to you earlier, was an individual I had particular interest in. Pheneas was in need of a wooden leg after a bad car accident.  Your collective donation of 10,000 Kshs was eventually matched by another donor, fulfilling the funds needed to purchase and fit him with a wooden leg. 

Here is a note from Pheneas:

Dear Donors,

I greatly appreciate your help, which I received through Elder Tom. I could have not made it if it were not for you. I had lost hope in life but your donation of 10,000 Kshs encouraged me a lot. At least now I will live like any other child.

Once more I thank you very much. May God bless you mightily.

Pheneas Mwiti

Pheneas with his wooden leg, made possible through your donations

Another beneficiary was Joyce Kagwiria Ntere, a mother of three children.  Joyce has faced numerous struggles in life from living with an abusive husband. She has been struggling to provide for her three children after her husband left her. Your donation provided her with the resources to start her own business of selling soy products.

Then there is Eunice Kaimuri. Your donation allowed her to pay for a study course in the secretarial field and computer training. With that training, she has secured a job at a local hotel.  Eunice comes from a family affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Her father died in 1998, leaving her mother with four children, of which Eunice is the oldest. Her mother lives off income generated by selling potatoes. Because of the low and unsteady income, Eunice was forced to drop out of school numerous times, due to the inability to pay school fees.  Your donation gave her the invaluable resource of education, debt free. 

Eunice writes:

Thank you so much for the support you granted me.

I was so pleased to receive 5000 Kshs from you through Mr. Tom Samson which indeed was used to clear my course in secretarial field and computer training.

Having adequate knowledge in computer packages (i.e. Introduction to computer, Word, Windows, Excel, Access, Power point, Page maker and Internet, E-mail) has enabled me to secure a job as a casual worker in the Meru County Hotel.

But before that, I was able to be attached to the same hotel for a period of two months through Tom Samson. During my attachment I got adequate exposure in the following areas: Housekeeping, Laundry, Front office.

Thank you very much for your support that as brought me this far.

May God bless you abundantly and those who contributed towards this project.

Yours faithfully,

Eunice Kaimuri Catherine

The Lord only knows how far-reaching the dollars you gave went in reaching souls for God’s kingdom. I know that each and every person is forever grateful for your generosity. 
Thank you for giving to a project that is near and dear to my heart. 
Thank you for investing in God’s kingdom.

An Update

Wow, I really didn't plan for everything to take so long.  Patience is a virtue that I am learning. =)

Because things have been somewhat prolonged, I wanted to give everyone an update on the status of the Marathoning for Meru fundraising project.

We officially raised $829!  I am so thrilled over the generosity of our friends and family. Thank you so much!

I have been working with ASM Director, Tom Samson, in Kenya, finalizing a budget detailing where every penny of this money is going.  I tell you, when the pledges and then money started rolling in we had to re-work our little budget and expand it many times.  How exciting to have to expand it to include more individuals on the waiting list!

As I've read through the stories of individuals needing assistance, I've been overcome with emotion at the tremendous need.  It's easy to feel overwhelmed and even discouraged - knowing there is so many people you want to help, but knowing it's impossible to help them all.  But, by God's grace, we thank Him for the money He's placed in our hands through you.  And we pray that the Lord will direct us to those most in need, that His character will be glorified through the way these funds are used.

One story that recently touched my heart was of Phineas.  

Phineas is 14 years old.  He comes from a poor family, whose parents rely on casual labor jobs to pay for   their living expenses.  Due to a lack of funds, Phineas had to drop out of school last year as his parents could not afford the school fees.  Just this last November, Phineas was hit by a speeding car that broke both of his legs.  His parents were unable to come up with enough money to pay the doctors to fix both of his legs at once.  Their local Adventist church helped them raise 6,000 Kshs (Kenya Shillings) which enabled one of his legs to be treated and as a result it was saved.  The church went on to raise another 10,000 Kshs but by that time his other leg had already begun to rot.  Eventually, his second leg was amputated.  Phineas still has an outstanding medical bill at the hospital of 90,000 Kshs.  He is also in need of a wooden leg.

Although we don't have enough to help him fully, I hope to secure enough funds for him to be provided with a wooden leg.  This is just one individual who will be touched by your generosity.

There are many more.  There are women whose husbands have died from AIDS, leaving them with small children, without sustenance to provide for them.  There are orphans in need of basic items like food and clothing; school fees and a uniform, and supplies.

Some of these beneficiaries will be helped with a one-time donation - like Phineas.  Others will be assisted through a long-term program of helping them start a business so they can survive and hopefully thrive on their own, allowing them to pay back into the beneficiary fund.  This is the ultimate goal of ASM.

Thank you for making this possible.  The money should be sent over in a week's time and I will continue to keep you updated on the results of your donation, with pictures and more stories.

God bless you for your donation.

There is Still Time!

 We are still collecting donations for ASM-Meru, Kenya so if you have not yet pledged or sent in your donation, you still have time. =)


To everyone who has given, thank you so much.  As of today, we've received a total of $469.00 in actual donations. Praise the Lord!

I have been in touch with ASM-Meru and they are thrilled and excited to receive this much-needed boost to their on-going projects in helping victims of HIV/AIDS and other community outreach efforts. I feel profoundly blessed to be able to be the sender of funds.

Just a reminder for those who have yet to send in their donation, please make checks payable to:

CAMPUS
Memo: Meru Project

And mail to:
13153 Hitching Post Rd
DeWitt, MI 48820


You can check earlier posts for a list of suggested pledge categories.


And please continue to check back for updates on the total amount raised and how your funds are benefiting the lives of people in Meru.


Thank you, again, so very much,
Tennille & David

Finish Time!

I am happy to report that David and I both finished under our "goal" time!  David came in at 4:25, and myself at 6:28.

What an experience!  Chicago is one of the largest marathons in the world.  45,000 people registered.  38,000+ finished.  The temperature was sizzling at a very hot 86 degrees +.  Oh did it feel good to round the corner and see the finish line ahead!

Now, we are recovering, with achy bones and muscles.

Thank you all again SO much.  I will continue to keep everyone posted on how much money was raised and what difference your funds have made.  Keep checking back!

Marathon Apparel

A red ribbon is the symbol for the fight against AIDS.  This is for you, Meru, and the victims of HIV/AIDS within your borders.  Thank you again for your pledges!

Almost Time

David and I have been gearing up all week for this Sunday, the Chicago Marathon!  Unfortunately we have hardly done any walking/running because David's knee has been hurting a little and I have been adamantly fighting back a cold.  =s

I'm quite nervous about how it's all gonna go!  Pray for us!

We've been drinking lots of water and eating lots of carbs.  Tomorrow we'll spend the night in Chicago and hopefully be fresh and ready to start the race at 7:30am Central Time.

My next post will be after the race, letting you all know how we did! =)  Thanks, again, so much for all your support in pledges and prayers!

A Message from ASM Director

Dear Friends,

Thank you all for your efforts and contributions towards this noble cause.  Your participation in this project will not only be noted here on earth but in the books of heaven.

ASM was founded in 2007 as a pilot programme in Meru district.  Its innovative approach has been successfully tested in Meru Central SDA church, and now is extending its services to other churches around the area. Our main aim is to extend our services to other parts of the country.

Our vision is to see the transforming grace and power of Christ spread through Meru, Kenya, its environs and other districts in Kenya where more vulnerable brothers and sisters are found. We focus especially in overcoming the HIV/AIDS epidemic, defeating the culture of stigmatisation, and poverty eradication, as openers to allow the three angels message to penetrate many souls. ASM provides families with the tender spiritual, financial, and physical support and care they need to live better and longer lives, preventing the transmission of HIV and caring for those infected and their families.

ASM has plans of starting training classes to train youth from poor families in skilled labours, enabling them to start their own business so they can be self-reliant and more productive in the church and community.

To achieve all this, ASM depends on donations.  We thank Pastor and Mrs. David Shin who have contributed much towards two church construction projects and funding many sisters to start small businesses in Meru, Kenya.  Their contribution towards this programme has created a big impact in both Meru Central SDA and Meru West SDA churches and other surrounding churches. This work is done through teams made up almost entirely of volunteers.

We get strength from well-wishers, friends, and small refunds that are received from beneficiaries whose small businesses have already been established. All these small contributions are not enough as the demand for assistance is very great. That’s why we humbly call upon our friends and friends of Jesus to support us by any means so that we may achieve our goals.  THANK you for your kindness and consideration. God bless you abundantly. We are really eager to provide a long-lasting solution to these problems. Who is ready to assist? Please let’s join hands and extend our small and big contributions towards this noble cause.

God bless you and your family.

Tom Samson Owuocha,

ASM Director

Meru Kenya