At Daylight, we are excited and looking forward to what God has in store for Daylight this year. It is hard to believe we are already well into the “New Year,” and before we get too far, I want to share with you the 2013 year end report.

Due to your prayers, kindness and financial support, we have experienced tremendous growth in many areas.

• Daylight became incorporated as a non-profit in the state of Minnesota.
• We purchased the final two acres of land adjacent to the school site.
• We have increased our number of students to 230 and now have some students living in the dormitory.
• Daylight School has a new headmaster, and we have added a dormitory “Mom.”
• Daylight Kenya has established a community advisory group.
• We have retained a core group of staff who have taught and helped at Daylight since its beginning in 2008.
• We hosted several fundraising events including a multi-band concert, hayride, square dance, and alternative gift market.
• Many supporters attended our annual “Daylight Supporter Appreciation Tea.”
• We have added several new members to the U.S. board of directors.
• We have built a strong relationship with a new church partner, First Presbyterian Church of Stillwater, and a small team from that church visited Daylight in November.
• We maintained partnerships with other churches and continue to add other groups of interest.
• A 70+ year old supporter of Daylight traveled to Kenya with his granddaughter to see the school with my son and I, including a trip to the outpost in Alale.
• We increased our fundraising initiatives and continue to develop new fundraising goals.
• Grace, a student at Daylight whose guardian wanted her back home in the rural village, is now a permanent student (showing a shift in thinking about education in rural Kenya).
• Daylight’s Kenyan community raised their own funds to provide the teachers with a permanent office space.
• The outpost school in Alale has grown to 30 kids, two teachers, a cook, and a pastor.
• Autumn Ridge Church in Rochester sponsored a “Walk for Water” event which raised enough money for a new water system.
• A youth choir director from Lynnhurst Church in Minneapolis traveled to Daylight with her daughter and shared their gift of music.

As you can see, there has been significant activity here in Minnesota and in Kenya.

Michael’s dedication and passion to the kids inspires me, and the achievements of our brothers and sisters at Daylight has made God very tangible to me. Daylight often has needs that I think “are more then we can handle,” sometimes forgetting that the needs are not more than God can handle. I have been humbled repeatedly and have seen His work in meeting all of the challenges. I am awed by how God calls His people into action and the response that ensues.

I have been privileged to Chair our U.S. board and will continue through the end of this year, when my term ends. My thankfulness and gratitude to you is deeply heartfelt. Daylight is firmly established in the community, and we have a great responsibility to continue providing the children the opportunity for safety, education, peace and hope. Together, we are accomplishing great things, all for His Glory! May God bless you richly.

In Christ’s Love,

Joyce Schwartz
U.S. Board Chair
Daylight Center and School