Dear Pastor Jeff and Mission’s Committee,
When Paul and I realized we had to move from Durango to a lower elevation, you encouraged us to start our own foundation and continue serving and working in Kenya.
It has been eleven years since we started the Sheppard Foundation for Hope. Earlier this year seeing a need, we reached out to the members of the Summit Church and requested help with funding a multi-purpose building for the St. Mark’s Enkutoto Primary School. I have just returned from the dedication of that building and wish to share a few thoughts and pictures with you.
1. The building costs: Total cost of building: $ 46,500
Funding by Summit Church was: $ 27,500
Funding by SFFH: $ 19,000
2. Furnishing of building for dining purposes and library approx: $ 10,000+
Funded by SFFH and it’s donors
3. Construction started in mid-May 2026 and was completed July 30, 2026
4. Formal dedication was on October 9, 2026
Purpose of the building is to serve as:
1. A dining space for the 350 children attending St. Mark’s Primary School.
2. A library
3. A place for school children, parents and staff to meet for a variety of
purposes to include educational presentations for more than one class; meeting space
for parents and school staff; potential income from rental when children are not in
school.
We can not say enough to express our appreciation for the financial help the members of the Summit Church in Durango gave for this project. I heard such touching stories on the day of dedication. I wish they could have been captured on video because I came away from this project feeling humbled by the heartfelt thanks and appreciation this Maasai community demonstrated when accepting this building for their children.
Please let me share just a few words expressed by the village elders; the Chairperson of the Board of Management; the District Government officials; and the Head Teacher and Staff.
1. The Board Chair (who was a child when St. Mark’s Primary was founded) gave a little background… As a child, every day he and others walked 10 km one way to attend school.
There were days when they had to fight off wild animals or stay at school when lions were roaming the area. (side note – within this past year an 8 year old girl was taken by a lion while she was walking home from a nearby school. The head teacher said when park rangers know of wild animals in the area, they must keep the kids at school until a parent comes to escort their child home.) One local family donated 5 acres to the St. Mark’s Anglican Church. Church members realized the need for a much closer school and gave half that land for the building of a school. James (the Chairperson) pointed to a tree on the school grounds and said, “Our first classroom was sitting under that tree. Several of us in this room were in that first class.” He went on to say later they moved their classes inside a tin sheet building. They felt so blessed….” After composing himself several times during his story, he expressed the community’s most grateful appreciation for the building we were now sitting in. They still can’t believe their children have this most beautiful building and school to learn from.
Pastor Jeff, honestly, it was the most touching and heartfelt story I have heard in the 17 years I have traveled to Kenya and helped with so many projects.
2. The message from the Kajiado County/District Education Director to the children was: This library space is not a place for books to collect dust. Reading is not a punishment…instead, it is a passport to take you somewhere new. She encouraged the parents to sit and read to their children or let them read to you. (95% of the children in Kenya have never held a storybook in their hands…only textbooks.) This was a government official who never even tried to take any credit for what had been done for the children in this community; she praised the work done by others who saw the needs at St. Mark’s School and graciously and generously worked to solve them.
3. This was also Prayer Day at St. Mark’s Primary School. Next week national exams start for grades 6 and 9. The Vicar of St. Mark’s Church was present to pray for the children who will be taking the exam. He and parents came to give them encouragement to do their best, and later he gave a blessing as part of the dedication of the multi-purpose building.
4. You are probably aware of Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan woman, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for her activism in the reforestation of her country. October 10th is Environmental Day throughout Kenya. As part of the dedication, I was asked to help Ephraim (Grade 9) plant a tree in front of the multi-purpose building. “May it stay healthy and strong. May it live a long life as a representation of the children who attend St. Mark’s School.”
I could go on, but I just wanted to share with you that in ever so many ways, the members of Summit Church of Durango are being “Jesus Christ to the World.” Please accept our sincere thanks for helping us fund this building and providing an opportunity for the children of the Enkutoto community to expand their world through education. As a token of thanks, the school presented us with a wall clock. (24″ x 16″). I am not sure if you still have a “Mission’s Wall” but Paul and I would like to offer this clock to the Summit Church as a reminder of lives of Kenyan children you have helped change. If you would like to have it, we will find a way to get it to Durango. (picture of clock is on the attachment page)
Thank you again for all you do to help God’s children.
Blessings,
Marty & Paul