Kenya Ministry 2006 Trip

Day 1

Dear family and friends:

We have just completed our first full day of ministry here and it has far exceeded our expectations, making it one of the most exciting says of my
ministry.  This is our first time to travel alone without our trusted partner, Bro. Winston, but things are going very well.

Things started with us staying in a private cottage next to where we are used to staying here, but we still eat meals at that lodge which is one of the nicest places we stay here.  My office staff will be glad to know I did not have to eat  a  skinny chicken wing for thanksgiving the day we arrived, as I actually had a plump fried chicken breast!  Fri morning I had my first shower in three days flying and it was even  with hot water which is not usual (and the Lord knows how I hate cold showers so He is blessing already). They call this summer which is the first time we have visited that season, but is very cool and pleasant.

Our first stop was to the regional center church here in Embu.  Pastor Moses showed us his home that is near to the church and very nice (by Kenya standards),  We then saw his church that now has new foundation in stone all around it so it can be replaced by a larger mud brick one in the future.  He then showed me an adjacent lot that I didn't know was part of our original purchase 3 years ago that he wants to now use for a regional office and training center which is a great idea.

The next stop was out to a small unincorporated village called Thau where I had the privilege to dedicate a new plot and temporary building to the Lord's service.  A bridge was out and we had to walk the last mile so I really felt like a missionary now.  They now have the deed on a full acre of land with maize planted on the unused part (this really is a mission "field").  They struck water while digging a latrine pit so they have decided to make it a well and move the latrine down the hill, so the Lord is blessing it with free water.  It also has a mango tree and several banana trees so this land really flows with "milk and honey".  They will start on a brick building in Jan.  They are a church of only 30 people but they are already having an impact on the community which has had problems with alcoholism and witchcraft. When they had a open air outreach meeting recently an aged witch doctor ran up to the stage fully naked( I guess they streak here too), and tried to disrupt the meeting but the power of God caused him to quickly leave without shutting the meeting down which he had hoped for (Nathan you think you have distractions preaching ....).  It was so satisfying to know that the land we had negotiated on and waited for the closing on for two years was finally ours for the Lord to now use.

Then at 5pm we spoke at an open air meeting in another outlying village's municipal park.  Janice taught over 30 children while we were setting up for the Crusade.  She is a magnet for kids (they are so taken with her blond hair) and they are so cute.  Tonight she is taking puppets of the Nativity to teach them the Christmas story.  I gave the evangelistic message and praise the Lord, one young man was saved.  The crowd reinforced and clapped while he came which was very touching as we mainly came to encourage the leaders.

At 7pm we conducted an evening service in the Kathangari church's new
brick building.  It is so beautiful and the brick work has decorative
features that most building here don't.  So we were able to add our
dedicatory prayers to what is now the finest and only "permanent" church
building we have out of nearly 40 churches in Kenya.  I was able to
encourage them with a message in techniques on how to "walk in the Spirit'
which the over 100 members present received enthusiastically.

Upon returning to the hotel at 9pm we had dinner with Bro. Moses and
are really getting to know him much better as he is one of the main leaders
we have had the least one on one time with in the past.  I had mountain
trout this time which I didn't know they even had here!  He has proudly been
transporting us around in the newly purchase used SUV Pajero (thanks to the  generous help from the Kanak family), as he has had to walk up to two hours in the past to visit the ten churches he oversees.

At noon today we dedicated a third building and plot in the village of
Manyatta that is made of rough cut lumber on a very steep hillside that
drops off a thousand feet into a lush valley of coffee and banana trees.
They have a young pastor only four months into the ministry who will begin
working on the ministry training course I have authored for the regional
directors to use in the field.  So we were able to be of much encouragement
to another beginning church that has much potential to now grow very fast.
Janice taught on the four basic ways to apply scripture in your life in II
Tim 3 and I shared how the church can grow on a daily basis from Acts
2:42-47.

Tonight we have another open air evangelistic meeting and speak again
to the Kathangari church members afterwards.  Tomorrow we go to Nairobi
where I meet Dr. Juma that we brought to Pittsburgh a year ago who will take me to the Tanzania border to meet with his friend who goes into the Sudan and will partner with us to establish a church there.  Janice speaks at the Nairobi city church where she will also meet up with a missionary friend
from Poteau and spend the afternoon with her.

Continue to pray for strength and coordination of our very tight
schedule. We appreciate all your love and support!  

In His Grace,  

Bro.Ron and Sis. Janice