Summer Ministry Update!!!

June 10 2016

Blessings to you today!
We are currently in the state of Tennessee holding meetings and sharing with as many as
possible about our home in Kenya.


Work there continues as I write but like in the states, this past season has been one of lots of rain so the work is being tested by the weather, But it continues during breaks in rain.
On our last trip, we had discovered there had been some rain damage already and so that problem has been fixed as to eliminate the possibility of it happening again. Reinforcement walls were erected and a tower is being built to hold the water tank to keep it from being vandalized .

We will be traveling on August 29 this trip, Pastor Ricks birthday. Tickets just were better priced during that time so I promised him we would celebrate in Dallas Texas airport where we have a 6 hour layover. :)

We are also celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary during our time there. We never had a formal wedding, just our pastor met us at church and married us, so I have had it in my heart for a long time to do a renewal ceremony and to include the children of the home! I am in the process of this plan right now. I know the children will be so excited to help and to walk down the aisle with me. I plan on creating special shirts for them to wear and maybe even buying them the little sandals (when we get there), that are really common over there so they would have shoes . There're like our flip flops.

This will be a dream come true if I can pull this off so keep me in prayer. Only I would try to plan a wedding ceremony with a 10,000 mile difference and a language barrier but if it can be done we will do it with the Fathers help. More than anything I want to see the children faces as we incorporate them as a big important part of the ceremony.
We will need minimal finances but will need to purchase food to feed the children and those who attend and the shirts that I want to design and get made before I go.

We will also hopefully be having the opening ceremony for the home, running concurrently with the marriage renewal ceremony. We will be inviting the whole village and those in surrounding districts, It will be an exciting day where we can show the Father’s love to many. I have planned that day to be Sept 10th, 3 months from today!

We want to say thank you to those of you who faithfully support us and the home and want you to know you are in our prayers daily and we are believing for your needs and desires to be met and for your relationship with the Father to go to an even deeper level.

New prayers are going towards ministry to the children in the Philippines as well as Brazil. We want to travel there soon to spy out the land and see what we can do to help spread the Kingdom and Jesus Love there as well.
Please pray with us on this.

Our school in Kenya; Shining Star/PAG elementary school; is bursting at the seams. Over 200 children and they are in such need of classrooms and supply but as of right now we have felt led to keep our financial focus on the home. If God speaks to you to also help in this area as well as home, please let us know; we are more than willing to start something going if we have the supply.

Please keep us in prayer as we continue our plans. Have just a few more weeks here in the South before we go back to California and our final meetings there before our departure in August to Kenya. We will not be returning to states this time till we fly back into California on Oct 9th.

Be BLESSED!!

If you want to give there are several ways;
website/blog openheavenmissions.blogspot.com has our paypal link

You can mail a check to :
Jubilee Family Center or Open Heaven Missions
1700 San Carlos Ave #103
San Carlos Calif 94070

If you need to reach us while we are in Tennessee our address
where we are staying is
138 Edenway Rd
Dover Tennessee 37058

Pastors Debbi & Rick Milliken

Finances needed (Itemized)
4500.00 trip finances before August
250.00 shirts for children
100.00 shoes for children
250.00 food for wedding
1500.00 children’s home finishing items
3000.00 future building classroom for school
2500.00 school supply (computers) future
regular monthly support 1200.00 month operation expenses for home and school

We will be happy to attach your giving to any of the above projects you designate when you give.

We're Back from Kenya!!

Jambo from the children of Shining Star!!
We have just returned from such an eventful trip to our second home in Kenya. As usual our family in Kenya is so very accepting and loving towards us. This trip was planned for the grand opening and moving in of the orphans we are supporting into their new home but weather and other challenges pushed that date a little ahead.

But we made up for the time by spending it with our children and getting to know them better.

We did have a couple of challenges. The first being the home’s foundation started eroding away with the unusual rain they had this year. We are thankful that we found this out before, rather than after the children move in . It was structurally firmed up with concrete posts and a platform that would stop any further damage, even in heavy rains.
The soc pit (sewer area) was another area we had to firm up with fencing and concrete to keep the walls from falling in. That was also accomplished successfully (see pics)
The final area was the platform for the water tanks. The tanks being only hard plastic but costing 800.00 USD each was needing to be protected from puncture and vandalism so a large tower is being constructed that will house the two tanks and will also help with the water pressure as we will have one tank elevated high enough to create the pressure we need.

We did explore the option of a well, as now we are depending on run off of rain for water. The well would be 10,000.00USD. Where a bore hole would be 10 x that much. So we are believing for the 10,000.00 for well at this time.

We ministered a total of 32 services in the 3 weeks we were there. We also visited 15 different village dirt homes and broke bread with them. We saw many miracles and healings as we went from village to village and hut to hut.


Every challenge we came up against we found God’s grace and supply was always nearby.
Example; taxed at airport for first time….but God gave us favor and tax was reduced 50%
dropped my camera …lens broke…further inspection UV lens filter broke so lens was intact…
thought my 25th anniversary watch Rick got me was stolen….strangely turned up with broken band in another suitcase…. I fixed band without problem…
Shining Star challenges…thought was going to be astronomical price….only 2500.00 not much for our big God….had car wreck….but was protected and unhurt, just sore…

There was more but I started seeing a pattern that every time the enemy would try, either right there or right nearby would be God’s supply so I then realized that when I felt challenged i would just start looking and anticipate the answer from God. He never disappointed me.

The home is now slated to open in April/May. In order for that to happen, we must get the funds to them to let them recover from their deficit and go forward with completion.

I am currently working on the budget for the home as we start to employ house mothers, an overseer, additional security, a cook and start the funding for feeding,and caring for the 25 who are waiting. We have additional children waiting to be supported on waiting list so the need is to get this section complete and moved in ASAP so we can begin construction on the next addition to house another 25 children.


We are also funding the children to the primary school onsite that Shining Star is partnered with. We now have more than 200 students enrolled now. ( that will be another future project !)


We appreciate all who have helped us; this is your home as well! As we go forward we are believing for more to step up and for those faithful ones to continue and help us as we love on these precious children.

My heart was so broken this trip as I realized that the adults in Kenya, or at least in the bush where we are, do not call the children by their names but only “this one” or “that one”. I immediately set as my goal to know and call each one by their names!! As i did this and it was not an easy task, the children’s beaming smiles was all the reward I needed, as they realized that someone KNEW them by name. Isn’t that what the Father does for us? He calls us by NAME. The children deserve that honor also and I am so glad I get to be the one to honor them on that way.
Its the little things that mean the most to them…things we don't think about,,,but if we didn't have it our life’s would be empty.
Bubbles (pic) was an amazing tool that brought such joy to children who have never seen a bubble and are amazed by it disappearing… A small top that costs pennies but for them a new toy or most of the time, the only toy they have ever had, apart from taking trash and creating things to play with.

I was even told by the adults that they did not allow the children to play that much as it was not useful?? Thankfully my toys supplied, I told them, an opportunity for them to get better hand and eye coordination and so was a good thing….Amazing…right? no time for just pure fun….But that is where I have decided we will be different. The children we take in will know how to be children and will learn to have fun as well as how to be a good citizen and children of God. I want a fully rounded child who is thriving in every area. And I know that this is the Fathers’s desire as well.


So thank you for coming along side of us and helping financially, physically, and with your continued prayers.
BELOW ARE SOME SPECIFICS WE NEED IMMEDIATELY AND IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. SOME ARE ONGOING AND SOME ARE ONE TIME PURCHASES.
Thank you for helping. You may donate by clicking on our PayPal link on this page or by mailing a check payable to Open Heaven Missions to;
Jubilee Family Center
1700 San Carlos #103
San Carlos, Ca 94070

CURRENT AND ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES TO BLESS SHINING STAR CHILDREN
Monthly Budget 1200.00 ongoing each month NEED EACH MONTH
Deficit 2500.00
Home finishings…mosquito netting, towels, sheets, chairs, table.etc 750.00 NEED ASAP
well on property 10,000.00 NEED in future
fence to secure property in…5000.00 NEED ASAP
secondary fence for immediate home 1500.00 NEED ASAP
kitchen for cooking 1500.00 NEED ASAP
concrete walkway around building structure and cover(where children will eat until dining area built) 1500.00 NEED ASAP
Next phase….starting budget 5000.00 need by SEPT 2016
Complete next phase 20,000.00 (note number will change if decision is made to build up 2 floors instead of staying ground level)
water pump to heat water (not in plans as deemed not necessary…I said necessary!) 300.00
SEPT trip budget (air tickets travel etc.) 3500.00
Any and all help is appreciated and tax deductible, please note on your donation if you would like to designate to one of above items and we will make sure all your gift goes there.


OPEN HEAVEN BE YOURS IN JESUS NAME!!
MUCH LOVE
PASTRS DEBBI & RICK

Headed back to Kenya!!

As we prepare for our next trip we are anxious as well as excited to see the progress that we are expecting. we are believing to move the 24 children we are supporting into the finished home while we are there. There is so much on our hearts to do and give to the children. We are going to be meeting with our school board and seeing about updating the curriculum the children are teaching and believing for funds to be able to offer the children lunch as the majority spend the entire day without food (6AM -4PM). That is another project...
As we are in preparation for our next journey to Kenya in about 4 weeks, please keep us in prayer and if you would could give a special end of year gift we can have in hand to bless the children of Shining Star, we would be forever grateful. You can give here by paypal on this website
Paypal is giving a 1% bonus on all donations given till the 1st of January! God Bless you and give you open heaven this next year 2016

New UPDATE !!

We are pushing forward towards completion and the children who will be the first children who will call Shining Star home have just received their first months support! 
Pastor Butah got all the children together and handed them the money individually, so they would realize that they were being cared for by your support.
Later the support money was given to their caretakers to provide food and clothing and school fees for them for the month.

The home has now been stuccoed and they are now working on the restrooms and showers, something not one of these children have ever had. So the experience is going to make them feel so special.

I am committed to making sure they are loved cared for and have the opportunity to be a child, playful and carefree.

Above are all our children for Shining Star first home section

And most of all to know they are sons and daughters of a really good Dad who loves them and will always be there for them.

Enjoy the pictures and this short report!!
Thank you so much for your continued support as we cannot do it without you. If you would like to personally support a child or children, they can be supported for 35.00 per month and we will keep you updated on your child/children.

Pastors Debbi & Rick

Bro Butah handing out support money

Still Moving Forward

Still Moving Forward!!

Happy Thursday!!!
We are back in Redding after many stops and some unexpected tragedy and are presently trying to get caught up  many things.
We spent 4 weeks in the southern states ministering and visiting family the month of May after our return from Kenya. Many connections were made and we thank God for each one.
After our return from there, we had a very close friend of 33 years suddenly called home to heaven. This was one of our prayer partners and was looking forward to the day she would be traveling with us to Shining Star and ministering with us, so her home going was very hard on us. We have spent the last two weeks in Fresno Ca. with her family doing services and just loving on them. Very sad, our lives will forever be changed.

Now we are back in the active stage of getting the home (Shining Star) finished and ready for a potential fall move in date for the children we are presently supporting.

Monthly support started last month and if you would like to be a part you can adopt a child for only 35.00 per month. Click on link to set up an adoption by setting a reoccurring donation amount of 35.00 to be made monthly. http://www.openheavenmissions.blogspot.com

Our team in Kisii is currently putting in doors, windows and doing the plaster work on the walls of the structure. We are about 12 weeks away from completion, as long as the weather is favorable.

We hope to travel to Kenya this Oct./Nov. to do the grand opening. Much excitement as we go forward!!!!

Shining Star Primary School is open and in attendance of approximately 85 children. We are believing for laptops for the teachers and funding to be able to feed the children lunch each day.

Some of the students bring food but the majority do not and they do not have enough time to go home, so these children have to be without food from 6:30 AM till after 4PM . I shudder to think of the ones who probably don’t even get breakfast.:(  so this is a big need we would like to see filled as soon as possible.


Financial needs for the school are for 4 laptops for the teachers, 1 laptop for the school head, (1200.00), a camera to document children and home progress (200.00) and for the daily feeding of the children at school (200.00 per month)

We are also in the planning stages of putting together a trip where we will be taking those who would like to minister and see the country from a closer view. We have many who are waiting and desiring to be a part in this most personal way and we look forward to exposing you to the ministry first hand.


We still need many of you to continue your support and consider doing it on a monthly basis. Personally we are about to downsize our lives once again so that more of the savings we are living on can also be joined with your support to keep the flow of life going to these precious children. We have 75 more waiting for additional stages to be built on the home so they can  join the children who have been assigned to be the first children living in  the first stage of Shining Star. But each one must have monthly support as we go forward. We can’t meet our budget one month and not the next. Children’s lives are actually at risk.

The 35.00 monthly feeds each child, provides a bed for them, clothes and pays for their schooling. So we ask that you consider doing a monthly support of a child or multiple children. We will be sending you names of the children you are supporting along with a little bit about them and also working on a central mailing station where they you can communicate with them. The home is in the bush country and is so remote that there is no one with an actual mailing address; but we are working on this.

If you can help large or small we appreciate it so very much. We pray God’s blessings on your family and for you to be in good health and prosper.
God bless you as you consider what your part could be in this ministry.
http://www.openheavenmissions.blogspot.com

Much Love from us and the children of Shining Star Children’s home

Pastors Debbi & Rick Milliken

Report From Kenya Trip May 2015 Home is almost finished!!!!

Well, we are back home!  This is becoming more and more a statement that I'm not completely sure of as when I am in Kenya I feel at home with my family there, almost as much as when I return to California.

I am amazed continually and humbled at the Father's choice to choose me to be an instrument of love in another nation, on the other side of the world.

Who knew when I was born; in a home for unwed mothers that today I would be a world travelor and minister. My mother being a single woman who was expecting a child had left her parents home and sought refuge in this home. In those days having a child out of marriage was not accepted as it is today. I was born; supposedly to be adopted out but my mother decided to keep me after she saw me. She was a godly woman all her life and faced this challenge like she did so many, head on with courage.

Who was to know that my husband who was born in a tiny town In Tennessee and never lived in any place but one town for 21 years would be ministering with an interpreter in Africa! That we found each other and both turned to God and started on this adventure that has brought us to today was a total miracle!!

God is truly amazing and He will always do something with the nothing you have and make it turn out to give him glory and birth the kingdom of God in your lives.

Now as we look towards the future, almost like beginning again, we know it is Him that guides each step we take and we can without hesitation obey his every suggestion trusting that He knows so much better than us what we can do.

This trip to Kenya was miraculous. Not only did we see the hand of the Father over and over but we were also delivered from evil many times this trip.  As the enemy is no match for our Father; we always come out triumphant and knowing that the opposition, when mixed with our praise will be the very thing that thrusts us into the next victory.

So I will try to tell a bit about our adventure, but feel led to let you know that it is not only the outward miracles, and manifestations of God, it is also the quiet times, the struggling times, when you don't think it will work out, that are also miracles that are bringing you the very strength and Grace you need to see your vision birthed.

The prophetic conference at prayer mountain was miraculous, with a multitude of people that spilled out to the yard, under the eating tent and often times standing in the pouring rain listening to us as we shared with them how to live a prophetic life.

We had an impartation service the last day. People came from all over the mountain, having heard the messages from the loud speakers that broadcast all through the valley around the mt. and coming to hear more and have hands laid on them.

We prophesied and laid hands on them all. Many pastors were ministered to and strengthened.

The people are hungry for what God has for them and open to impartation.

We ministered to the widows and orphans on the mountain as well. Many of them do not know of the love of the Father and have only the religious law that condemns them in their mindsets, so hesitate to come to the services but little by little that is breaking away and they are showing up.

 

We then headed to our home in Kisii and our children's home, Shining Star Children's Home. The walls are up, ready for the stucco and doors and windows to be put in place.

We met with the children who will call Shining Star their home and showered them with "kid gifts" I so want them to be able to be children who have fun and are carefree. Watching them play with their new little treasures always excites me. The adults in the area don't seem to understand the importance but I know the Father wants us to be carefree in Him, so the children should be able to be carefree as they are children as well. Are we not instructed to become as a little child?

Oh did I tell you the roof is on? And it's blue!!!!! Another little detail that is in my heart, I intend to paint a Shining Star on the roof to show the whole mountain that these children are shining stars for JESUS!!

We expect the completion of the home to be in October if the weather is agreeable with our plans. While we were there it rained every day so not much was being done and we had to walk everywhere.

This trip we visited the homes of the villagers! And as soon as one found out we would go, share a meal and bless and pray for them, they all wanted us to come. I felt like we were in Acts going from house to house, all dirt huts, no power, no water, no toilet and most of them, no road to their house. We had to hike to many of them.  I lost count at the 12th home we visited, but it was really stretching for me, who last year had a challenge going to one house because of the night and the mosquitoes. :)

There are many stories I could tell, but I will share later in more detail.  One that I will share is about Beliah. Beliah is a girl who when she was 11 started helping me walk down the mt when I came and was always there each trip to take my hand and walk with me. She is almost 14 now and has now learned English so well I called her up at one of the children's meetings (as the adults seem to disappear when we minister to the children), and I needed someone to interpret for me. Well, she had learned English so well; she flowed with me better than any of the pastor translators or anyone else. I commented on it and they had her come and interpret for me during the pastors’ conference and the youth meeting we had. She has officially become my interpreter!! Such a blessing since part of our vision is to let the people of Kenya see that their children can be used of the Father now and not just when they grow up and finish university.

Now we have a living example!!!!

God is so good!!

 Some of our children....
 We are beginning in July to support the children. I have 26 children that will begin looking to us for their food, clothes and school and in a couple of months their home as well.

We need 35.00 per month for each child. I believe that many of you reading this will respond by support in one or more. We will, in future be supplying you with the names, ages and a little about the child you support, so you can pray for them, communicate with them, and even visit them.

We ask that this support be in addition to the regular or occasional support you make to the ministry as we will still be building additions to the home, furthering the school, and operating the ministry so our needs will be even greater as we go forward.

If you can do a monthly support of one or more of our children, please go to our donation button on our blog, (if you are not there) openheavenmissions.blogspot.com or our Open Heaven Missions/ Shining Star Children’s Home facebook page donation button.

Follow through the prompts on Paypal to make a monthly donation by checking the box that says (Donation amount Make This Recurring (Monthly)) and we will keep you updated as to how many children we have taken care of and how many more we have to go.

The 26 children that we are starting with are only the beginning. We have 75 more that will be following them as we build the additional homes on the land. Note, if you don't know, we have chosen to build smaller homes instead of dormitories to create a family atmosphere for the children.

We pray Gods blessing over you all as we go on this journey together.

You are never alone and you are never too small or insignificant to make a difference.

We love you all!!! 

Pastor Debbi

 openheavenmissions.blogspot.com