July 2026: A New Floor, a New Beginning: Kika's Story Comes Full Circle
At the end of June 2026, we hosted a team from Salem First Friends. It was their very first trip to Grace and Peace, and they came to evangelize and help with a few work projects.
Finding the right family
As we prepared for their visit, Keila and I set out to find two families who needed a cement floor. We found quite a few. When we narrowed it down to one because of the size, we needed to confirm the family would move in once the work was done. When we saw the house, it wasn't far enough along, so it didn't qualify.
So I asked Keila to go over the hill from our mission house to talk with Pastor Jason. Could he help us find a family whose children were in our Children's Program and needed a cement floor?
He told us about a family where the grandmother worked, her two daughters lived with her, and they had five children between them. Four of those children were in our Children's Program.
Back to 2025
The way the Lord wove this story together is really touching, but I have to go back a year. In our second newsletter of 2025, we wrote about Kika, a woman who came to the Lord when Canton First Friends visited. Canton First Friends is the church that told Salem First Friends about us.
Kika became a Christ follower and faithfully attended church. It was Kika's house we ultimately chose. We didn't recognize it at first because, when she made her commitment, we handed her information to Pastor Jason so he could visit her, encourage her to come to church, and help disciple her.
Kika's house was built by the government. It was just walls and dirt floors. The contractor stole the money and left the family living in it that way.
Going above and beyond
Salem First Friends worked so hard on the floor, but they weren't satisfied with stopping there. They worked tirelessly outside pouring a patio, a walkway, and front steps — things we usually don't have the money to do.
Bill and I still don't quite know how the money stretched as far as it did. When the team asked Bill if they could do more, he said, "Of course!" Meanwhile, I was back at the mission house with my trusty calculator saying, "Wait… let me see… oh, yes, we can do that, too."
That's the traditional way Bill and I get things done. He plows ahead, and I'm running behind him going, "Wait, let me calculate that."
Somehow the Lord always works it out just right.
"Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." — Galatians 6:10
Kika's family also received two new beds and a new playpen for the baby.
This is one of the main reasons teams are so important to Bill and me. They bring fresh perspective and energy to help those in need.
Lives changed
Between First Friends of Canton and First Friends of Salem, 12 people made a commitment to become Christ followers. Thank you, Canton and Salem First Friends, along with Dr. Chow and his team.
We also had a new widow accept the Lord this past week. We'll share her story in our next newsletter. So far in 2026, 41 Dominicans have made commitments to become Christ followers.
With gratitude,
Bill and Karen Rumple, Directors
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