Each day is special in seeing the development of Daily Bread Life and its related work. Today we visited three businesses that employ former Daily Bread Life Children Home children.
The first stop was Daily Bread Life Metals where Esau works. Esau and Moses work for the Daily Bread Life business. COVID has had a real impact on all three businesses. Esau mostly gets small metalwork jobs. He and Moses have secured much larger jobs building and installing aluminum windows and doors in new houses--all the house construction is on hold.
Isaya works at Masoko Tours, but also he assists Mpeli with many other responsibilities related to businesses and Daily Bread Life Children's Home. Isaya is currently enrolled in Open University, Iringa, pursuing a degree in business accounting.
Tony has a Daily Bread Life Carpentry shop. When we saw Tony today he was covered in sawdust and spray paint. He was making a wardrobe and a side table/stand for customers.
The real blessing and excitement was remembering when they first came to DBLCH years ago. These young men received technical vocational training and are engaged in growing businesses that support and employ Daily Bread Life Children. All of these are moving DBLCH and the former DLBCH to sustainability.
DBL Garage was the fourth stop.
Derrick, a former DBLCH child, is a mechanic at the garage led by Oby, long-time expert mechanic and mentor. Derrick's story is incredible. Derrick came to DBL as a young teen when the Social Welfare found him totally alone. Even today, they have no record of his parents or any family member. Mpeli and Neema pushed Social Welfare to find his background--where he came from. After a year they found nothing--a true orphan. Neema and Mpeli took him in. He liked to hang out around the Masoko tour cars being repaired. One of the drivers noticed and soon had him helping. Derrick loved repairing the vehicles and had a "gift" for mechanics. He attended a vocational mechanics school. Oby is so proud of Derrick and the great job he is doing as a full-time mechanic. The garage was full of cars. You can see they do big repair like engines and also do car bodywork and painting. Half of the cars were waiting for repair as people have been unable to fund the repairs due to a cut back in work due to COVID. All of the businesses are managing to keep going and provide a living wage for these young men. They do quality work. We are so proud of them for their success, hard work, and that they give back as well to the children's home and their church.
At Corner Stone Bible Institute, Bonnie and Floyd continued to teach their respective courses. Today they presented each student with a special gift made possible by Teleios partners and Christmas catalog gifts: a Swahili Study Bible, New Testament Commentary, and Bible dictionary. The three students receiving the gifts shown in the pictures are Allen, a former DBLCH child, now helping to pastor Kidetete Church and works at the DBL cafe. Merry Fidelis is a deacon and leader at Kidetete Church. Mary is a widow who has been an important part of the DBL ministry. Julius Mkapa is the pastor of Acts Fellowship, Mbeya. They have been very engaged and make teaching a real joy.
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