At BlueSky Global we are committed to showing financial transparency so you can see how your donation is making a difference in our organization and impacting the lives of others.
At BlueSky Global we are committed to showing financial transparency so you can see how your donation is making a difference in our organization and impacting the lives of others.
B L U E S K Y G L O B A L M I N I S T R I E S
2 0 1 9 A n n u a l R e p o r t
BlueSky Global Ministries' vision is to see the multinational community of Nairobi, Kenya, spiritually transformed and equipped to influence the world for God's glory.
We pursue this by building relationships through adventure, using three core platforms: BlueSky Adventures (rock climbing gym and team building), Camp BlueSky, and BlueSky Community (year-round relational ministry).
Dear Friends,
BlueSky Global Ministries experienced another year of adventure and growth in 2019, and we are excited to share ministry highlights from the year with you. Though we share and celebrate, we do so knowing that our world is enduring an unprecedented health crisis right now, and that all of us are affected by and adapting to the new reality. In reading our 2019 Annual Report, we hope that you will find a moment of deep encouragement, remembering God's faithfulness in all things, and that His faithfulness is still present with us in this season.
One of our main priorities in 2019 was to recruit strong leaders to serve with our team in Kenya. Since 2017, BlueSky has been operating without a Country Director, and we also had open leadership positions in two of our three ministry platforms: Camp BlueSky and BlueSky Community. In God's perfect timing and provision, we connected with three incredible families--all of whom had prior personal connection to BlueSky and were ready to commit to us in a long-term capacity. I’m so proud to introduce these new leaders to you and ask you to pray for each of them as they dive into their roles and help BlueSky reach new heights through their unique gifting and leadership.
Last year, our current ministry platforms were strengthened, including continued growth in camper attendance, and we were pleased to introduce new programming as well. BlueSky sponsored our first-ever marriage retreat, and we built a climbing tower in a new area of Nairobi. We plan to increase our work in helping build strong and healthy marriage and family relationships in 2020, and can’t wait to see how God grows these new opportunities for impact in our Nairobi community.
Your faithful partnership in prayer and generosity has spurred us onward. Included in this Annual Report is an overview of the strategic priorities we believe will position us to most effectively carry out our vision to see the multinational community in Nairobi spiritually transformed and equipped to impact the world for God’s glory. I look forward to sharing more about these priorities with you soon.
Thank you for continuing to journey with us--we are grateful, humbled, and encouraged by you!
Tammy Preston
Executive Director
B L U E S K Y A D V E N T U R E S
team building | rock climbing | adventure trips
4285
climbers visited our rock climbing gym
32
special events hosted at the rock climbing gym
2647
people participated in team building activities
72
people joined on off-site adventure trips
3136
new clients served
C A M P B L U E S K Y
834
campers attended
Camp BlueSky
25
former campers
on staff
38
campers requested & received Bibles
B L U E S K Y C O M M U N I T Y
student and family relational ministry
192
95
students involved in weekly
& monthly youth group
students attended our
Discipleship Now Conference
41
volunteers served
alongside BlueSky staff
105
students participated
in covenant groups*
12
couples attended the marriage retreat
*weekly discipleship small groups
Meet our Kenya Leadership Team
We are so excited to introduce you to BlueSky's newly-formed Leadership Team in Kenya. These leaders are wholeheartedly putting their experience and expertise into helping take BlueSky to new levels of influence and impact. From strategic planning to team and program development, BlueSky is poised to really thrive under their watchful care.
From left to right: Meekeh Maina, BlueSky Adventures Managing Director; Travis Hill, BlueSky Community Managing Director; Kaelyn Jury, Camp BlueSky Managing Director; Tom Mutiso, BlueSky Kenya Deputy Director; Eric Cone, BlueSky Kenya Country Director
B L U E S K Y S T A F F
36
Kenyan Staff
11
International Staff
4
US-based Staff
ADVENTURES
In 2019, BlueSky built a climbing tower in a new area of Nairobi, opening doors to new communities. BlueSky Adventures team member, Racheal Esendi, reflects on the tower’s opening:
It was a wonderful 2019 at the climbing tower in Lavington Valley Arcade. Serving and interacting with the homeschooling kids and students from the surrounding schools, we became one big family and impacted each other...
Climb BlueSky has offered an opportunity for so many to come together by having fun, learning a new sport, and doing what they love best… Families come to climb together just to get more time to bond... We as a staff are able to interact with them and create relationships that bring all of us together as one big community.
During a visit to the climbing tower, one of the homeschool parents told me: "I would be delighted to share with parents of all the homeschooled kids in the area the idea of having rock climbing at the tower as a sport or fun activity that they can do as an extracurricular!"
I believe God has given us the best opportunities as Bluesky to impact a lot of people through adventure… This parent proved how much impact the tower and Bluesky at large has already had in the surrounding community!
CAMP
Throughout the week, cabins look for and collect "gold rocks" to win a prize at the end of camp. They also have the chance to memorize and reflect on Bible verses in exchange for extra gold rocks. Corban's cabin was especially enthusiastic about this challenge and without any prompting from their counselor began gathering multiple verses per day to memorize. During rest time a few days into camp, the boys were all on their beds practicing a verse, but one boy was having much more difficulty than the others. Realizing this, all the other boys gathered on his bed and patiently helped him get it word by word. When they came to the camp director at dinner, he confidently recited the verse along with his new friends. Whether they realized it or not, God’s Word and His Spirit were bearing fruit in their lives as they hid it in their hearts!
COMMUNITY
One of our goals in 2019 was to introduce new ministry opportunities to impact the families we serve through Bluesky Community's platform. As a licensed counselor with direct experience leading marriage content through WinShape Marriage in Rome, Georgia, our new Managing Director, Travis Hill, was able to launch a new vision to help strengthen marriages in the multinational community. In November, we hosted our first (of more to come!) Marriage Enrichment Retreat at Brackenhurst Conference Center just outside of Nairobi. Twelve couples attended the retreat, ranging from 3 to 30 years of marriage! Travis and his wife, Stephanie, shared content including turning Fear Cycles into Care Cycles, improving communications, and even experiencing a little adventure!
BlueSky Adventures teamed up with BlueSky Community to lead outdoor activities focused on bringing each couple closer in their relationship. Pictured is the group experiencing a problem-solving activity called "Knot or Not a Knot"...a stretching exercise focused on the power of communication and persuasion! It is always exciting for us to see effective ministry across BlueSky's platforms as they serve together.
There is such a need for opportunities to strengthen and help marriages in Nairobi's multinational community. Pray for Travis as he continues to develop marriage content, focused resources to help couples grow, and additional ways for couples to connect through adventure. We can't wait to see where this inaugural retreat leads!
2019 Financial Report
Contributions & Revenue:
Contributions
$720,622
Camp Program Revenue
$350,403
Adventures Program Revenue
$134,535
Total
$1,205,560
Contributions 60%
Camp Program 29%
Adventures Program 11%
* Contributions included $315,604 to the General Ministry Fund and $405,018 to Missionary Staff Support
Expenses:
Program Expenses
$798,287
Operational Expenses
$615,528
Total
$1,413,815
Program 56%
Operational 44%
*General Ministry Fund reserves were used to subsidize expenses for our Adventures, Camp, and Community work
Looking Ahead
As BlueSky Global Ministries transitions from two years of stabilizing and rebuilding, our vision compels us to look forward with confidence and plan for the long term.
Our three-year plan includes focus on the following strategic priorities:
Priority 1: Presence
Further establish BlueSky's long-term impact in Kenya by building a new Climb and Community site in the Karen neighborhood of Nairobi
Priority 2: People
Improve results and capacity for impact by recruiting key positions and growing our team
Priority 3: Programs
Increase global engagement by creating and launching BlueSky Alumni program; support the efforts in Kenya to further develop current ministry platforms
We also recognize that the current global reality requires us to closely evaluate the timing and implementation of these priorities, while staying committed to the plan. We invite you to pray with us as we seek wisdom on important next steps to position and equip our team for impacting more lives in Kenya.
2019
Board of Directors
Craig Elder
Chairman
Manager, Athletic Training-Centura Health
A.B. Puckett
Investment Consultant
Rachel Lockman
Ministry Consultant
Kelli Pace
Wife/Mother
Russ Sarratt
WinShape Foundation, Senior Director
Jenny Williams
Wife/Mother
Jon Messarra
SWAT Ministries, Executive Director
LeAnne Gochee
Ely-Corporation, CFO
Tammy Preston
BlueSky Global Ministries, Executive Director
Contact
BlueSky
101 World Drive, Suite 350
Peachtree City, GA 30269
Office: (470) 771-2015
Ways to Get Involved
for individuals to walk through BlueSky's doors, build relationships with staff, and experience life-change that shapes how they live and work in the world.
to enable the transformational work to continue and thrive in Nairobi! Our ministry partners' generosity helps facilitate programs, staff care, and the operational growth so vital to BlueSky's ministry.
by volunteering your time, skills, or resources. Host a small group event in your home, recruit prospective camp staff at your church or college campus...or consider serving on our Nairobi team yourself!
the BlueSky story, vision, and work with others! Stay connected through email, social platforms, and BlueSky's alumni network so that you can invite your community into the work as well.