On Mission in Githuari Kimbo 2018

Front Row: daughter Debbie, granddaughter Kate, daughters Michelle and Kim; Back Row: daughter Alexis, Tammy, Bill, granddaughter Emma

Going on a mission trip is not a new experience for us.   However, each trip that we take is an opportunity for God to do new and exciting things.  We often GO anticipating how God will use us to minister to the indigenous people we encounter.   And He does, but the greater work God accomplishes in in our own hearts and lives.  With every trip, I become more aware of how desperately I need the grace of God.  When encountering the conditions in a developing country like Kenya I come face to face with my own sinful condition – I’m spoiled, selfish, self-centered, demanding, impatient, unkind, negative, prideful, and so much more.  As painful as that revelation is, I’m thankful God hasn’t given up on me – “that He who has begun a good work in me will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”  He allows me the opportunity to humble myself, repent and then He lavishly pours out His mercy.   He is a good, good Father!
This trip was special to Bill and me because we had so many of our family with us.  Many years ago, in March of 2004 to be exact, God spoke a special promise to me from Isaiah 59:21 concerning our family.  It says,
 
“As for Me,” says the Lord, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the Lord, “from this time and forevermore.”  

• God’s promise is that His Spirit would abide and His Word would endure through all generations of our family.    So to have several of our children and grandchildren serving the Lord alongside of us, sharing His Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to use them for His glory was just one of the many miracles we experienced this trip.
• Another was the fact Bill, Alexis and I got on each flight as scheduled and had seats together that were fairly comfortable, and we had a place for all our bags.
• We saw God provide the financial resources needed for all the team member expenses
• He provided the resources and supplies needed for the ministry we had planned in country
• And the funds to purchase food and supplies for the orphanage and 20 families

We can’t explain where all the funds came from, other than God saw the need, heard their cries and thus provided for the needs of His people!  Many of you provided some of those funds making you a conduit of God’s love and provision to those who have nothing.  We are grateful to each of you for your prayers, support and love that enables us to GO.  Now as we share with you about our trip, I will confess I am praying God will move upon your heart in such a way that you will say, “Here I am Lord, send me”!

You may be thinking NO WAY!!!  I understand that – I thought the same thing myself before my first trip. 

There is the issue of cost – it’s expensive, but God provided for each person on our team and He will provide for you too! 

God couldn’t use me – “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.  You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.”  John 14:12-13

If you believe in Him, you will do even greater works than Jesus himself, because you have been empowered by the Holy Spirit living in you.  Jesus said apart from Him we can do nothing, but with Him nothing is impossible

Spoke at a Women’s Meeting Saturday, May 26
Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season . . . 2 Timothy 4:2

• Arrived late Friday night – our plan was to rest and prepare for the week of ministry
• We had no idea they were even having a women’s meeting until Mama Mercy came and said we are ready for you . . . so we grabbed our Bible’s and quickly asked the Lord to help! 

• This opportunity taught me the importance of my own personal study of God’s Word and dependence on the Holy Spirit.  I had no time to prepare or even think about what I might share.  Needless to say, I was a little panicked, but God reminded me that I didn’t need to be anxious, He would give me the words to say.  Romans 12 came to my mind, so I just shared what I have learned about be a living sacrifice, renewing my mind and behaving like a Christian.  Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”  The key is abiding - if we are going to be prepared in season and out of season, we have to spend time with God in His Word.

Ministered at PEFA Kimbo Church

• I wasn’t the only one who had to be prepared.  Michelle and Will were asked to teach Sunday School late Saturday afternoon.  Alexis, Kate and Emma were asked to share with the Youth Class.
• Michelle sang and Alexis signed “What a Beautiful Name”
• Our friend, Stan Bailey, shared a powerful message from God’s Word
• And we all enjoyed the vibrant, expressive worship of the Africans. 
• When we returned to the church each afternoon we were greeted by many of the village children that don’t attend school

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Everlasting Orphanage
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.  James 1:27

• Everlasting Orphanage has total of 29 children ranging in age from infant to 23 years
• It’s a small place and they have very little, but they have an abundance of love and compassion for the unwanted; and they do their very best to provide these children with a nurturing home.
• The needs of this orphanage were very basic – food & mattresses.  We were able to provide:
  • 20 mattresses and blankets
  • Food – rice, cooking oil, maize flour, sugar, and ndengu – which is a small green bean that is high in protein and fiber.
  • Diapers for the babies
  • School supplies for the school aged children

• We have since sent more funds to provide food and help with some of the other needs.  If the Lord wills, we are going to try raising monthly sponsors for the children to provide:
• School fees & supplies
• School uniforms or clothes
• Food

​Feeding Needy Families
Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble.  Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.  Isaiah 58:10

Provided food bags (approximately 2 weeks’ worth) for 20 families to include:

• Wheat flour
• Maize meal
• Sugar
• Cooking oil
• Rice
• Meat
• ndengu – which is a small green bean that is high in protein and fiber
• gave each family 2000KES ($20) to help with bills or other needs

We had the privilege of visiting with and delivering the food to several of the families

First Woman

• Woman raising her grandchildren
• Used a cane to walk – many health problems
• In Africa they don’t have any type of government assistance – no Medicare or Medicaid, no food stamps, no assistance for needy families, no child support enforcement
• The widows, single mothers and orphans are completely at the mercy of family members, who often can’t or won’t help provide.

Second Woman

• Woman has many grandkids she is caring for
• She was so joyful and full of faith trusting God to provide her needs!

Third Woman

• Shosho Elizabeth has trouble walking
• Has diabetes and high blood pressure
• Used to be a very prosperous business lady
• She lost everything she had during election violence
• Used what little savings she had to build this house – but know has no source of income
• Her son Michael recently went through an unwanted divorce, helps take care of his mom 
• has small butchery that helps pay the bills and buy his mother’s medicine
• Did share the gospel with Michael and church is going to follow up with him

Fourth Woman

• Ruth was abandoned by husband – think he may have another wife and children elsewhere – very common problem
• She  lost previous home during recent flooding – we drove past the lean-to that was her home - made out of tin and pieces of wood, had no floor and was in a flooded marshy area
• Friend found this one small room for her and her 4 children to rent
• has a sheet hanging to divide bed from rest of room  - cooks on a little coal stove – no other furniture other than bed.
• All 4 sleep in one bed – mattress is falling apart
• She doesn’t attend church yet – Mildred lives in this area and would see children not in school so she began to minister to them.  Children are attending
• We left additional money with Pastor James for some of the ladies in the church to help her start a business so she can provide for her family

Fifth Woman

• Mama Eric was also abandoned by her husband, she is pregnant with 4th child
• Son Eric lived on  the streets for a year because it was better than living at home – not really sure what he meant by that – think his father is an alcoholic and may have been abusive, but that is purely conjecture on my part.
• Supports her family as best as she can by selling vegetables
• Did have two rooms – there was a bed behind the checked curtain and maybe another one in the other room. 
• Eric is back home and in school, although school fees will be due again soon.  After being out of school for a year, he was already scoring 10th in his class
• We also left money with James to help with her business of selling vegetables as well.
• Metal building is the outhouse – the little two room house has no indoor plumbing
• Someone connected a hose to the city water so she could have a water source, but if they find out she of course will be in trouble.
• Has no way to cut the growth in the yard leading to the house

​School Ministry
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.  Matthew 5:16

• Brainston Academy is a private school and by far the nicest, best equipped school that we visited
  • Students in most private schools have to be in their seats reading by 6:30 am or they face the rod. Older children board at the school, those that go home don’t leave until 5 or 6 pm and they have several hours of homework.
  • Headmaster shared with me they focus so on academics that they don’t have recess or physical education
  • Average class size about 30
• Clanne Academy - Also a private school with class sizes ranging from 30 - 55
  • Each child at each school received a Pathway to Hope booklet that the church provided.
• Kwangethe is a public school – can you tell a difference in the class size and desks?
  • School enrollment was over 1600 and class size averaged over 100 students
• Scholar Springs Academy is a private school, but not near as well equipped as the others. 
  • They have an enrollment of about 1500 students as well, but in a more confined space than the public school. 
  • One difference I observed at this school is the headmaster and the teachers really love the kids – it was more than a job to them.

​Youth Conference

• Found out after we arrived that “youth” includes anyone that is single.  We were thinking 14-18 years old, not 25 – 40!

Life Principles Conference
Bill and Stan Bailey, from In Touch Ministries, taught 30 pastors & Kenyan Police officers while the rest of the team was ministering in the schools.