Summer Volunteers

Dear Friends:

     This summer at IAA we were blessed to have so many volunteers who came to love our children and help out wherever they could. Here are some of their favorite pictures from their visit:

Testimonies from some of our volunteers:

Elissa Adams:

"I never would have been able to accurately imagine the memories, emotions, relationships, and spiritual growth that I got out of my experience. One of my favorite memories of my stay is the night we celebrated the May birthdays for Faith and Martha, which was a very spiritually uplifting event for me. When everybody was singing and having a good time is one of the first moments I really felt what IAA was all about, and realized how lucky I was to be a part of that big family this summer. Also, watching the kids treat the baby dolls they got as birthday gifts as if they were real babies is one of the cutest memories I have of them!"

Carly Hubbard:

"Spending time with the kids at IAA was something I'll never be able to forget. Just the opportunity to be a part of such a small bit of some truly incredible kids' lives was a blessing in and of itself. Whether it was working with the rambunctious preschoolers, washing dishes and swapping stories with the incredible Kenyan workers in the kitchen, or goofing off between homework assignments after dinner, I felt like the time I was able to spend on site was truly valued. When I chose to give myself the chance to do nothing else but love the people around me, everything else suddenly began to seem insignificant. In the end, what was the truly difficult part? Saying goodbye."

Kathleen Wilson:

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13. This Bible verse is one that I became acquainted with over the summer and has brought me much inspiration. Through my incredible summer experience, I learned the true impact that love can have and how much joy and hope it can bring to one child’s life. Into Abbas Arms not only provides a safe haven for homeless children in Kenya, but it also instills a sense of hope, love, and family. The best experience by far was spending time with the children and building lasting friendships. Never in my life did I imagine such young children teaching me so much about life. Their precious singing, dancing and rejoicing in the Lord brought me so much joy and happiness. My connection with Faith was incredible and I am so thankful to have gotten the opportunity to pour my heart into her and love on her. I truly feel these kids showed me what it means to have faith, to love, and to cherish every moment of everyday."

Website Update:

We are excited to have a new web site design by Harry Chisholm. Kristin Klein has added new pictures of the children under the "Meet Our Kids" section. Check it out at www.IntoAbbasArms.org. She also works on the Blog posts. Thank you Kristin and Harry!

Building Abba's Wall

Dear Friends:

We are having a great response to the "Abba's Wall" project, but still have a long way to go!

The front wall is 1/2 way up across the front of the compound, but we still have the other 3 sides to go.

A $10.00 donation will provide 5 stones for the Adonai section.


Be a Part of Abba's Wall:


      Donors giving $200.00 or more will have the opportunity to pick one of the names of God for their section of the wall. For donors who wish to donate on a smaller scale ($5-$200) we will reserve a section of the wall with the name "Adonai" (The Lord my Great Lord) and combine your contributions for that section. A list of God's names can be found on the top of this page or by clicking here. I will periodically post updates to this list. Check back to see which names have been selected, or subscribe to our blog using the RSS feature in the right-hand panel.

Click here to make a donation.

Please include an email address when you make your donation. We will be in touch regarding your name request.   

A Joyful Noise

Kristin Klein is a sophomore at Point Loma Nazarene University. Her dream is to become an inner-city teacher and then a teacher in Africa. This summer she spent some time with the children at Into Abbas Arms. These videos are from her visit. Check out her BLOG for stories from her trip and tons of beautiful photographs.

"Let them praise his name with dancing..."

Thank you, Kristin, for the wonderful videos!

Building Abba's Wall

BUILDING THE WALL in GOD'S NAME!

We want to give God all the glory as He brings this project to fruition, so it is the desire of our hearts to name sections of the wall after HIM. We want all who approach the site to have their hearts touched as they see who God is through His many names. Let those who belong to God rejoice and let those who would do us harm tremble in fear.

Be a Part of Abba's Wall

Donors giving $200 or more will have the opportunity to pick one of the names of God for their section of the wall. For donors who wish to donate on a smaller scale ($5 - $200) we will reserve a section of the wall with the name "Adonai" (The Lord My Great Lord) and combine your contributions for that section. A list of God's names can be found on at the top of this page or by clicking here. I will periodically post updates to this list. Check back to see which names have been selected, or subscribe to our blog using the RSS feature in the right-hand panel.

Click here to make a donation.
Please include an e-mail address when you make your donation. We will be in touch regarding your name request.

Coming Soon: Watch foot-by-foot as the Lord provides for Abba's Wall. Also, don't forget to check back for the latest pictures and updates from IAA.

Unity in Purpose: Abba's Wall

Seemingly impossible tasks can be accomplished when God is helping those who honor Him and when their efforts are united.

A few months ago I was sitting with our staff in Kenya to discuss security at the IAA site in response to recent violent events that have caused concern for the safety of the children and the workers. A close neighbor to IAA was the victim of a home invasion and was robbed and beaten. The word was that this perpetrator was asking for phone number of our IAA site administrator. In Nairobi an orphanage was broken into and the perpetrators not only stole the bags of new clothes for the children, but they also raped some of the little girls. Other situations came to my mind as we discussed the need for better security. My thoughts went to the riots of 2008 where there were people literally being chopped up with machetes, and houses and churches with women and children inside were set on fire and burned to the ground.


I've always known we needed more security, but the thoughts of trying to build a stone wall around 3 acres of land seemed to be a daunting task. When I returned to the states I kept thinking and praying about what to do. One morning in my quiet time the Lord lead me to the book of Nehemiah and I began to read about all the different people that came together in unity to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. I had also just received a call from a team leader asking me what project they could work on when they visited IAA this summer. Then the Lord put it in my heart and it all came to me at once. Why not build the wall with many people? Teams, Churches, groups and individuals coming together for ONE PURPOSE. We could even ask people in the Kenyan community to help and to be involved. God put the desire to rebuild the walls in Nehemiah's heart, giving him a vision for the work and it was done. What seemed impossible was possible with God's plan for the project. I believe that God has given us a plan as well, and I believe that it will be accomplished through the efforts of unity in purpose and community. Click here for Nehemiah’s story.


The purpose of the walls in the days of Nehemiah were to protect from attack and to ensure the continuity of worship. Our purpose is the same and God's answer to our problem is the same. Our wall will be built by many who give and work in unity.


Importance of prayer: Like Nehemiah, we will face difficulties and troubles in accomplishing this huge task. Prayer and action go hand in hand. Through prayer, God guides our preparation, teamwork, and diligent efforts to carry out His will. Prayer will be an integral part of the success of this project.

Nehemiah 1: 11 "O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name."

Without this wall we will remain defenseless and vulnerable. The elections of December 2011 will most likely bring about political unrest as it has for every election in the history of Kenya. This is our goal, to have the wall finished by Dec. 2011. This is a BIG goal, but we know that all things are possible with God. No one believed that the wall in Jerusalem could be built as fast as it was--in just 52 days.

It takes a community in unity.

More information on sponsoring and naming a section of Abba's Wall will be posted soon!