Week 2 Kenya: Evangelism, Seminar, Growth Chart and Lake Victoria

                                                          SECOND WEEK

Our second week started with village evangelism at a village called Kipsigon which is the location of our first Church plant on Mt. Elgon in 2009.   I will not say that the climb up was smooth but I will say it was without incident.   This was Pastor Jamie Hogan’s first opportunity to see the work on Mt. Elgon.   After the usual cultural introductions, Chai and Chepati’s we divided up into three teams and headed out into the village to preach the gospel and to encourage the Pastor and Church to continue to move forward with outreach.

This village was totally decimated during 2008 tribal clashes is exploding in population and now is totally rebuilt.  All of the Pastors from Mt. Elgon showed up for evangelism and we saw dozens for villagers make professions of faith in Christ.   It does our hearts good to know these Men of God still have a burden for the lost in their respective villages and we all were greatly encouraged to carry out the Commission together.

While it is hard to prioritize the importance of our work, we know beyond any doubt that some of our most important work is the continual education of these men of God.   We had over fifty Pastors/Associate Pastors and Evangelist attend our three day seminar.  These Men of God come from four different tribes and three different regions to receive in depth seminary level teaching and training.    I have been teaching these Men of God for years but in some ways feel I have brought them to my maximum level of competency, and while I continued to reinforce our doctrine much of the work to take to them the next level would come from Pastor Jamie Hogan and Dr. Tim Myers.    Bro. Jamie taught on the role of a Shepherd and Dr. Myers would take them deeper into our Baptist History and Faith by teaching: “One Faith, One Baptism, One Lord”.   These lessons would come at the perfect time as many of the areas Terry and I started works without any other influence are now being flooded with false Churches and Doctrines.

Dr. Myers helped solidify and confirm our Doctrine and faith

                                              in a way that only he could do. 

Our men were deeply appreciative to know what they have been taught is the same Doctrine handed down from Jesus to His Apostles and through the ages ultimately to us.   As we closed the seminar I presented our men with a map of the Landmark Baptist Churches we have planted which included the eleven new Churches they have organized bringing the total to twenty seven over the last eight years.  They would present us with a long list of villages they have a burden to reach in the coming month’s and years.   Their vision far exceeds anything we could ever imagine God would do through this Missionary and His wife. 

The last segment of our ministry safari would take us to the shores of Lake Victoria which always draws my mind back to the shores of Galilee where Jesus would call Fishermen to become fishers of Men.   This visit was especially hard as we had lost both of our Pastors from the two Landmark Baptist Churches over the last year.  Pastor Jackson  went home to be with the Lord and Pastor George became backslidden.  It is these types of scenario where the Missionary can relate to the ministry of the Apostle Paul who carried a burden for the care of the Churches.

We came to encourage but left being encouraged with what God is doing through the new Pastors and the steadfast faith of the core members.

The lake Churches have always been the weakest but praise the Lord they are moving forward in spite of the many challenges they have faced over the last year.  While one of the hardest parts of this trip was visiting with the orphans of Pastor Jackson and Mama Carolyn we were happy to inform them that through various love offerings they will have food for the next two years.   Things had gotten so bad after the death of their parents that the oldest daughter Electra who is caring for her siblings was begging for $2.00 to buy her brothers and sisters food. 

Thank you for those who have given a blessing to these Children through love offerings. 

Will close this journal entry for now and ask you to continue to pray for the work in Kenya/Uganda and Florida. 

             Mattress for Pastor Seminar, Haikua Matata 

          

Week One Kenya: Sickness, Salvation & Steadfast

                                            Our Team Of Preachers

Where to begin with an experience which is overwhelming and almost beyond belief, one that will take weeks and months to process?
For starters, all of the fights to return to Kenya went as planned and the luggage arrived with us by the grace of God.  Somewhere between Florida and Kenya I picked up something and have been sick with fever, chills and coughing for three days.  Dr. Tim Myers arrived with the same thing so we have been trying to nurse our bodies along while serving in extreme conditions. Not the best scenario to arrive in a foreign country already sick but God in His faithfulness has given us the strength to push forward and stay on schedule.
We hit the road the first day heading to the edge of the Kerio Valley.   The trip was not easy especially being sick and having already traveled by air on four flights. The next morning we would find out just how bad the roads have deterated  by heavy rains and no maintenance.  The road into the Kerio Valley was totally destroyed which adds hours to the trip not to mention the wear and tear on the occupants as well as the 4x4.

We  arrived at Pastor Timothy Loquardos new home in a remote area known as North Pokot and of course we were welcomed with their best hospitality.   Our purpose was to encourage this young Pastor and His wife Sarah in the work they are doing for the Lord with the Pokot tribe.   Its important to note that God called Timothy from another tribe and an area of Kenya which is considered the bread basket to a Semiarrid near desert region of the Kerio Valley.  We introduced Timothy to this tribe and area in 2010 and he felt God calling him there shortly after.  He is doing a tremendous work at the first Pokot Church we planted at a village called Chepasbei however, each visit I make reminds me of the sacrifice he and his dear family are making for the cause of Christ.   It is hard living in this region of heat and thorns even by East African standards. 

Please pray for this dear family.

We would head out in the village for evangelism and to encourage our converts to stay faithful to the one who died for them.  The highlight of our day was seeing two more villagers make professions of faith in Jesus Christ.  One of them was a old Pokot Mama named Chepsongai who was so discouraged with life due to many of her goats dying and family problems.

You see, we can't solve all their problems but we can introduce them to our Heavenly Father though his Son Jesus Christ who can and will give them sufficient grace for any circumstance in their life.  After meeting with Chespongai we would meet a blind Pokot Mama named Chepsamia who is one our converts from previous years.  She was overwhelmed with joy to receive a new solar powered audio bible in the Pokot language.   What a great blessing for someone who is blind to sit and listen to the word of God for hours and hours all day long.  That is a gift that has eternal significance. 

Thank you to those who have given special offerings and continue to support the "solar audio Bible" project.  The theme of the day would be struggling with life and in some cases struggling with faith in the lives of many of these young Christians.  At the end of the day we have to believe that God did something real and lasting in their hearts and lives to draw them unto Himself.

The next day would be a day of worship at Landmark Baptist Church.  It is alway with great anticipation we return to these young churches to see who has come and who has gone.   I'm happy to report that the original core group of charter members is intact and staying faithful.   What is equally impressive is the number of children which continues to swell and who are being reared in Christian Faith. The next generation is going to grow the church beyond anything we have imagined from its humble beginning. 

Please pray for us as we start a seven day ministry safari which includes Mt. Elgon and Lake Victoria. Thank you for your prayerful support and for allowing us to share this journey of faith.