International Mission
First Presbyterian Church of Pittsford provides international support through
Mission trips
Financial support of Missionaries in Africa and Southeast Asia
Fundraising, monetary donations
Grants
Scholarships for African nursing students
The following international organizations are supported by our church (click these links):
In-Step Children’s Home (Rehema For Kids)
Previously supported by our church
Spotlight on
REHEMA FOR KIDS
REHEMA FOR KIDS
What is “Rehema for Kids” and what is the “In Step Children’s Home”?
Rehema For Kids, located in Washington state, is the US parent organization of the In Step-Children’s Home, located in Kitale, Kenya. In Step is a faith-based home for over 210 abandoned, abused, and orphaned children. Daniel Traina from our church is on the Board of Directors of Rehema For Kids.
What is the history of the “In Step Children’s Home”?
“Mama” Carla and “Baba” Jeff Picicci left their lives in Pasco Washington in 2003 for mission work with Kenyan water projects. In 2006, the couple realized the Lord called them to open a children’s home when they were blessed with the care of an abandoned baby which they named Rehema, followed that same week by 2 other infants.
Since the first baby arrived, Rehema for Kids has rescued and raised hundreds of children at In Step. They provide a loving home, quality education, nutritious meals, medical treatment, trauma counseling, and Biblical knowledge that gives children the hope of Jesus and a chance to break the cycle of generational poverty in Kenya. They are raising children to grow up to become ethical leaders in their nation.
The In Step Children’s Home is the only children’s home in the region that funds each child’s high school education, plus college, or trade school and as a result, several graduates are now working in the community and contributing to the betterment of society. Our church is supporting Dean and Tammie Myslevecik, missionaries from Churchville who are working closely with the school administration and teachers, teaching classes, and helping children with education/career building advances.
What facilities are on the In Step Home campus?
The 20-acre village consists of several children’s dormitories, pre-K to 9th grade school, medical clinic, dairy barn, greenhouses, 2 bore hole wells, and a state-of-the-art water treatment facility. The new director’s home was recently completed. There are gardens with greenhouses, and a dairy providing for most of their needs. A special needs center cares for a dozen or more highly disabled infants and children. Over the years, 1st Pres has funded many important projects such as the dining hall and has provided financial support for construction of many of the facilities. Our missionaries have assisted hands on with building projects and created an extensive sidewalk network.
First Presbyterian Church Mission Focus
Since 2010, First Presbyterian Church of Pittsford, NY has been serving the Children and Staff at In Step Children’s home in Kitale, Kenya. While our initial Mission Focus was building campus facilities, it shifted to more directly supporting the children’s needs focusing on dental health, wellbeing, faith and education of these children. We believe God calls us to care for "the least of these”.
January 2024 Mission Trip Report
A team of 13 volunteers went to the In-Step Childrens Home in Kitale, Kenya from January 5 -21, 2024. Our church and Outreach Committee sponsored and led the trip. This trip had two focuses, a dental mission, and a service mission.
DENTAL MISSION
We had an 8-person dental team led by Dr. Cindy & Gary Groves (Boonville United Methodist Church) and Dr. Cathy Harrison (Fairport). We also had 3 dental assistants, Laura & Noelle Woodruff (United Methodist Church of Livonia) and Sue Wester (Livonia Community Church). Our own Ginny Vorhis was the lab tech responsible for sterilizing equipment and Kathy Van Buskirk (Conesus UCC) was our office manager. This is the first time we had 3 dentists, and we were able to accomplish more dentistry using a new portable low speed handheld dental unit which we brought with us. For the first time, all 186 children aged 5 and up got dental exams, full teeth cleanings and fluoride treatment. We also performed over 60 dental procedures (fillings, extractions, etc.). We even had time do procedures on the staff that work at In-Step.
SERVICE MISSION
The remainder of the team were teachers, coaches, a scientist, and a photographer. Dan Harrison taught classes on how to make miniature race cars using popsicle sticks, batteries, rubber bands, tires, electric motors, and glue stick guns. The children learned to solder, design, decorate and build their own cars. Then we had a race at the end of our stay where prizes are awarded. A great event to see which children have a spark for engineering. Daniel Traina had the pleasure of teaching soccer and netball clinics.
Dean & Tammie Myslecevek (Spencerport Wesleyan) are recently retired teachers from Gates Chili HS and Roberts College. They taught numerous classes in science, math, and environmental studies. They also taught the teachers how to be more effective instructors, especially at the high school level.
Flinn Hackett (St. Louis Catholic) was our photographer. He took school portraits of all 200+ children. We were able to print 2 copies of each photo and use the first to create medical/dental files. The 2nd copy went to the social workers for their files (the existing pictures were 5 years old). He also took many “action” photos that Rehema for Kids (The US Funding arm) will use for marketing and sponsor a child campaigns.
The next building project at In-Step will be a 3-bay workshop for students who are not ready for high school or university. This will allow them to attend a trade school in auto repair, welding, and carpentry.
The highlight of our day is spending time with the children during their devotions. Each morning and evening they sing songs, recite bible verses, and give testimonials. Jeff and Carla Picicci, the founders, are raising a great group of children to be the next generation of moral, ethical leaders in Kenya. This was a successful and rewarding mission trip. All missionaries and the children look forward to our return visit.
Submitted by Daniel Traina, Chair of the Mission and Outreach Committee
January 2026 Mission Trip Report
Our primary mission to In Step is the Dental Mission, but beyond that our mission trip exposes the children to science, engineering, music, teamwork and athletics.
Mission Travel and Set-Up
This year our mission team comprised of 15 participants. Members from our church included Dan Traina, Dan Harrison, and Adam Pederson. The remaining team members were from other churches and the community including Julie Miller, Sharon Moody-Smith, Leslie Sheldon, Kristen Kessler, Petros Karapetyan, Dr. Ken Tirone. Becky Roffe, Melody Carlin, Patricia Kaufman, Carla Picicca, Anna Leunis and Linda Nower.
We departed on Friday January 2. The first leg of our trip to JFK was smooth for most of us except for one of our team flying out of Syracuse which was experiencing heavy lake effect snow. However, God provided travel mercies, and we all arrived on time for our 15-hour flight from JFK to Nairobi. Travel was otherwise smooth and we arrived on site late in the evening of the 3rd. Our volunteers who met up in Eldoret with Dean & Tammie Myslevecik, Missionaries from Churchville who had arrived 2 weeks prior.
The next day, Sunday, we attended church with the children and toured the facility, set up our dental office, began to organize our model car STEM project and played with the children. Sunday evening, we joined the boys and girls for after dinner devotions. The children stole the hearts of us all, sharing their love with songs and hugs, grateful for reunions and so pleased to meet new friends.
On Monday we began work in earnest. The dental team struggled with multiple equipment issues but ultimately found workarounds and saw all high school students who were going away to boarding school on Tuesday! We began taking portraits of the Children. We held football camp for most of the day and had a blast. We arranged the 9th grade Lab for our Stem project and met with school administrators to organize the schedule for the coming 10 days. Our RPO musicians played for the special needs children at Stepping Stone, bringing so many smiles to the children!
Dental Mission
For the past 10 years we have provided dental teams for our bi-annual mission. The inspiration for the dental component of our mission came from Todd Petersen when he was a Dental Resident. He proposed that we provide dental care to the children and staff at In Step. Our missionaries this year included a seven-person dental team led by Dr. Ken Tirone (office in Bushnell's Basin), with two dental hygienists (Linda and Sharon), two dental assistants (Melody and Patricia), a nurse practitioner (Julie) and an office manager (Kristen).
This was the first time we were able to screen and clean all children age 3 and up. Past visits only allowed cleanings of children older than 7 because we did not have 2 hygienists. The team also did filings, extractions and procedures for the children and staff.
Now that high school children are attending off-site boarding schools, we found that many of the boys were not brushing their teeth regularly, drinking sugary drinks and eating candy. As a result of this, many filings were needed. Our previous 6 bi-annual visits never required so many filings! We reemphasized regular brushing and dental hygiene with all the children.
Music Mission
We were so fortunate to be able to take 2 RPO violinists on our trip, Anna and Petros. They taught 4 double block classes each day for grades 4 - 9. They also performed daily for infants, children in pre-K to grade 3, disabled children at Stepping Stones, and at the three church services held each week. They left a curriculum with our School Administrators to continue the music program. Their impact on the children was invaluable.
STEM Mission
Exposing the children to hands-on projects and subjects they would not normally encounter in school inspires opportunities for future careers and avocations. Several of In Step’s recent high school graduates wish to pursue careers in engineering, chemistry, law, education and medicine.
Dan Harrison and Leslie, along with help from Becky and Adam, ran our STEM educational mission, leading the older children in building model electric cars. We used the new Science lab as our workshop, and this was ideal for the activity with ample work benches and power outlets. This project teaches the children basic electronics, mechanics and design. It gives them hand-on experience and challenges them with trouble-shooting. This year we held separate workshops for boys and girls in grades 7 to 10. This worked very well by reducing the number of students in room at any one time and giving the girls a better opportunity to learn the building process. The children attended music class when not in the workshop.
Another record for this mission trip, the children built 80 cars! On our final day we raced all the cars with the whole school and staff cheering everyone on. We awarded 26 prizes to the winning teams for best car, fastest car and furthest traveling car for the boys and girls in each grade.
Two of our graduates (Tommy and George) assisted in these workshops, essentially functioning as Lab Teaching Assistants. Their technical skills were very impressive, having made the cars on several previous missions. Amos, Elvis and Sammy also assisted in directing students, finding resources, judging cars and coordinating crowd control.
Athletic Mission
Dan Traina has become the PE/gym teacher and soccer coach. We supply 12 new soccer balls for use in sports camp drills teaching passing and dribbling skills. During free-time, Dan is the referee for soccer games. He blocks out periods for girls only soccer, and young-student only games to be sure everyone gets a chance to play. Our sports camp starts every period with calisthenics and also teaches netball, basketball, and frisbee golf.
Photographic Mission
Flinn and Adam were our photographers and all-around assistants. Flinn captured portraits of all the children at In Step, a service which is greatly valued by both In Step and Rehema for Kids. Adam’s greatest contribution was just hanging out with the high school kids as they wait to go to college and/or boarding school. They enjoy having someone near in age for deep meaningful conversations. The girls took great delight in braiding Adam’s hair.
Wellbeing Mission
Our regular mission visits provide the children with both adult interaction and love of extended family. We strive to help the Children to know that they are loved by our mission team and by all of you who help support them. We do this by spending time with them, not only at school or in the dental clinic but at their nightly devotions, at meals, at Church and at play. Every morning many of us would visit the toddlers having breakfast and singing songs with them. We would spend time holding the babies and visiting with the children at Stepping Stones. We attended boys and girls devotions for all but one night when we went out to dinner. This is one of the most important parts of our Mission as we share testimony, prayers and worship with the children. The deep emotional interaction with the children fosters strong bonds and a joint sense that we are all part of the same extended family. All of our team were deeply moved by the experience.
Missionary Testimonial
Very often our missionaries will bond with one or more of the children. Despite the short time that we are at In Step, strong friendships do develop and we feel as if we have 200 grandchildren in Kenya.
Here is a testimony from Patricia about her bond with Margaret:
Patricia: I have a wonderful story to share. I recently met Margaret, a 17-year-old girl who has lived at the children’s home since she was a baby and is now transitioning to boarding school.
We hit it off right away. Since I was new on this trip, she immediately offered to show me around and provided a great deal of comfort as I adjusted to the new surroundings. She proudly took me to devotions at 7 p.m. the first evening. The Second day she showed me where she lived with the other girls. She has so much joy in her heart, though she is feeling both sad and happy about her upcoming move to a new school. She wrote me a letter on her last day in Kitale. It touches my heart. I told Margaret I will continue to pray for her. And she should continue to pray to God.
It was the beginning of my dental mission journey and the last day of summer for Margaret. We both had tears in our eyes because we knew she was leaving a place that was her home.
She was leaving for her new beginning. I don't think I will see her again. I am sure whomever Margaret meets in her new journey she will bring great joy to their heart. I wish and pray for Margaret daily. I do hope to see Margaret and the other children some day in the future. God Bless.
Thank you all for your support of this amazing mission! Have no doubt that the experience had a huge impact on both the children and the missionaries alike.
Many of us directly support the children at In Step we have grown close to. If you are interested in sponsoring a child at In Step, or donating to our mission, please follow the link below to our website.
https://rehema-for-kids.givecloud.co/sponsorship
Click Here to learn about the founding and mission of the In Step Children’s Home
Jamaican Advantage thru Sports for Youth “JASY”
JASY Mission Accomplished!
The First Presbyterian Church has concluded its sponsorship of JASY. Over 2500 Jamaican youth and FPC volunteers' lives have been positively impacted through this experience. JASY has brought hope and joy to at-risk children in Jamaica, provided a transformative life experience to the volunteers, created indelible memories and lasting friendships. What we have accomplished together is amazing.
MEMORIES TO LAST A LIFETIME
