Then Jesus came to them and said, “ All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Being part of the Lord’s disciples, especially during our time, is exciting for the Kingdom Driven community. We are very much committed to training and equipping the saints in the great task of preaching the gospel, making disciples, baptizing those who surrender to Christ’s Lordship and Commands, and above all teaching them to obey what our Lord commanded. Initially this was the work exclusively of the foreign missionaries who transplanted to East Africa, but now it is the work of the indigenous folks themselves. Exciting, indeed!
For some time now, our young teachers-in-training have met with disciples from different fellowships every Thursday and Friday, equipping and preparing them for the Great Commission: to reach out to the lost and proclaim the good news to the poor. We follow the basic missions/discipleship practice of Model, Assist, Watch and Let go. This can take from one to three months depending on aptitude of the student.
Last week the training was led by a young evangelist, Silas, at the KDM office. Four brothers sat for the teaching of the Kingdom, to hear Silas go model the teaching so that they could repeat it. Silas shared with them our four field tracts: (i) Two Kingdoms,(ii) Surrender, Repent, be Baptized and Receive the Holy Spirit, (iii) …and Teach to Obey ALL that Christ COMMANDED!, and (iv) What the Bible Teaches about the CHURCH. (These are all available for free download here.)
Among those present were brother Wafula from Western, brother Simon (visiting from Kenya’s Maasai land), and our brother Gabriel, from Saboti house church. Is our prayer that the Lord will strengthen these men as they prepare to go out as sheep among the wolves, to shine the light of Christ to the nations and all people.
Kingdom Driven Ministries welcomes Reagan Simiyu as a contributing author to the blog.
For quite some time, villagers not too far from where the Carriers live were asking if KDM could build for them a water well so that they could have access to clean water. They persisted in their asking, perhaps to show that they knew the command to “pray without ceasing.” (Or, maybe to bring to mind the parable of the persistent widow?) The Lord was good and He granted them a clean water well. Women were spared the long journey seeking for clean water and were able to utilize their time meeting other demands of home life. Lo! Their joy was not to last long, due to some underground problems which resulted in the collapsing of the well, and therefore the hope of the people collapsed too.
We thank God for recently providing a donor and well-wisher who took upon himself the financial burden of restoring the water well, and thus restoring the hopes of the villagers. We thank the Heavenly Father for responding to the cries and meeting the needs of his people in miraculous ways through his own people. A few photos of the work in progress are below. Several men (some from one of our sister fellowships here) did the dangerous work of climbing into the 50-foot borehole to re-excavate the soil that had fallen in. Other laborers from the community assisted with the brickwork (to prevent the same problem from re-occurring). And for a couple of days, as many as 10-12 in the village were offered day labor (helping to remove the water as it rapidly filled the borehole), which permitted the diggers to go down *just* a little further. We’re at about 50 feet with a decent amount of water, and, praise the Lord, the project is almost finished!
Kingdom Driven Ministries welcomes Reagan Simiyu as a contributing author to the blog.
As it is written, service to the poor and needy is nothing besides service to the Lord Jesus himself (see Matthew 25). It is our delight and honor to be His hands and feet in meeting and solving problems of the people around us, both in the Kingdom and outside the Kingdom. To share what we have with “the least of the these,” is in accordance with the Great Commandment. Last week at the KDM office (the hub of village activity where folks in need usually know to come), we received a number of widows and old people who were seeking food and medical assistance. People asking for help at this time of the year is not surprising, since here food availability is seasonal. People have a lot during harvest season (which has now past), and as soon as the season is over then acquiring “daily bread” becomes more of a struggle.
I believe our greatest happiness can only be attained when the basic needs of the poor and needy are attended to: food, clothing, and clean water especially. Many men and women are rushing hither and thither in a blind search for happiness, seeking from the things of the world, and cannot attain it; nor will they, until they recognize that happiness is already within their reach and around them:
“Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, ‘The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed,nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.'” (Luke 17:20-21)
These beautiful lines of Burleigh’s express the secret of all abounding happiness. Sacrifice the personal and transient, and you rise at once into the everlasting Kingdom of Christ Jesus:
I followed happiness to make her mine,
Past towering oak and swinging ivy vine.
She fled, I chased, over slanting hill and dale,
Over fields and meadows, in the purpling vale.
Pursuing rapidly over dashing stream,
I scaled dizzy cliffs where the eagles scream;
I traversed swiftly every land and sea,
But always happiness eluded me.
Exhausted, fainting, I pursued no more,
But sank to rest upon the barren shore.
One came and asked for food, and one for alms;
I placed the bread and gold in bony palms;
One came for sympathy, and one for rest;
I shared with every needy one my best;
When lo! sweet Happiness, with form divine,
Stood by me, whispering softly, “I am thine.”
Kingdom Driven Ministries welcomes Reagan Simiyu as a contributing author to the blog.
Bidii is a Swahili name that means effort. It’s a good name for the fellowship in Bidii, since it is a small community of believers that has been bonded together through great effort by our brother, Lazarus Lordia. As they live and work together, it is also with great effort that they are seeking to live out the teachings of Jesus and be a supportive community of brothers, each helping the other to succeed and to earn their “daily bread” as they follow Jesus together. The church in Bidii is a group of poor and needy folks, but they have a burning zeal and unquenchable thirst for the kingdom of God and righteousness.
In their beginnings, they encountered much pain and sorrow under a false shepherd and self-seeking man, but the Lord helped them to stand firm and strong in the narrow path, remembering what the Chief Shepherd said about the narrow road to the kingdom: it is not easy and it was not meant to be easy; rather, it is by much travail and tribulation that the gates of the kingdom can be entered. We thank God for the man Lazarus, who has been a strong anchor and support to the brethren of Bidii.
Lazarus is a strong brother in the LORD, an evangelist with zeal and passion for God’s kingdom. This man’s life story is a fascinating and captivating one, a story that reads like a movie script. His father divorced his mother when he was six, and he was raised by his alcoholic father. He felt alone and struggled through the many ups and downs of his young life, feeling largely unsupported and without guidance. Yet, God used this for good, as a preparation for his future mission in the kingdom of Christ. How could this man know this from the onset? In fact he felt the opposite, he felt neglected and forsaken by the Lord.Twice he contemplated suicide and termination of his life. It is amazing what man can hold in his mind when he is ignorant of God’s will and love for him; indeed, His thoughts are different from our thoughts and His ways different from our ways.
Yet his background gave Lazarus a great empathy for those young people who were growing up vulnerable and disadvantaged. He turned his attention to the youth in his community, serving as a football coach and mentor. His life found some purpose and meaning, but he still felt something missing. Before he meet with Marc Carrier, a missionary in East Africa, who unveiled the hidden truth of the Kingdom to him, Lazarus sold drugs and trained in martial arts, even while he invested in the local youth as a coach. Yet in his sincere seeking of the Kingdom, he has found freedom from his past and experienced death of the old man of sin. A new man has been born again by the power of God. The truth was given unto him, and now he is on fire, fighting a noble and royal fight of the Kingdom, a spiritual warfare, the battle between good and evil. Using his worldly experiences as a football coach, now he is coaching the little community of Christ of Bidii. He is leading many souls to the Lord, both old and young. Among his personal disciples are those of his own household: wife, children, and father.
Lazarus has found many challenges as a follower of Christ in his village community. He has been scorned and ridiculed, and church leaders have directly threatened him because their traditions are being challenged. As the leader of a growing church with many struggling for their “daily bread,” he is looked to for support when he has his own household to keep in order. Yet, he accepts this challenge with strength and views it as an opportunity to live the Kingdom of God in a community of brethren who can support each other through their times of need.
Daniel Miteti, another disciple in Bidii, grew up as a fatherless young boy. Raised by his single mother until the young age of four, when the mother also passed away, he was left under the care of the family relatives. Did his relatives viewed him as a poor orphan who needed attention and love like other children? Of course not, they viewed him as a source of cheap labor, someone who will look after their cows, goats, and sheep while other children were in school seeking a better future. This is a normal case with many unbelieving families here in Africa. Do we still remember what the Psalmist said?, “Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked.They do not know, nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are unstable.”(Psalm 82).
Daniel being weak and having no one to protect him, was frequently mistreated. One of his relatives ended up beating him badly and even threatened to cut off his hands after he lost the rope which was used to tie the cow. Eventually he was pushed out of the family and ended up in the street. Without any form of education, the only work he could secure was that of a herdsman; he was employed to look after the animals, and there is where he met his wife-to-be, Sandra Nelima, and they wedded.
Our evangelist Lazarus met with them and shared the gospel with them, and both of them repented and were baptized two months ago. Now they are among the body of Christ, those who are called by the holy name of the Lord. Brother Lazarus did not just baptize them and abandon them but instead he gave them his little barber shop, which he also was given by the one who baptized him. Daniel and his wife now earn a little money to sustain them. (Their daily earning is approximately Ksh 200 [$2 per day]). And still life is a big challenge to him, being a husband and a father, a young disciple. His faith and love for Our Lord are very strong and the only reason to keep on moving.
Brother Charles and his wife Lydia are among the brethren who meet in Bidii, the fruits of Lazarus. He also had a background like that of Lazarus and Daniel. His mother died when he was still an infant of two weeks old and he was raised with other family members. His father became negligent of the young Charles after he remarried. He never got any education, just like his other siblings. Being orphaned and poor he was an object of oppression and abused. He was falsely accused of stealing and was jailed fora few months. Though he was eventually released, his freedom was not long lasting. He was once again accused with another false accusation of rape. Thank God for His divine intervention; Charles was released due to lack of sufficient evidence against him.
How did this man came to the knowledge of God? How did he came to learn about the message of the Kingdom of God? Praise God for the work and obedience of Lazarus, who shared with him the gospel and led him in repentance and baptism. Now he, too, has a Father in Heaven who cares for him.
What is so impressive about these little ones, the brethren of Bidii, is their obedience to the teachings and commandments of Jesus. Yes, The two newest disciples are are poor and needy and they cannot yet speak loudly and boldly about their faith. Yes, they are illiterate and unenlightened and they cannot preach a beautiful and colorful sermons. Yet, they can live and practice the Kingdom. Their true love and obedience to Christ is their sermon to the world. The world marvels and wonders, “What makes these poor and uneducated folks so happy? What is the secret of their happiness?” It is their obedience to the great law of the Kingdom; they love the Lord their God with their whole hearts, souls and minds, and then they love one another as the LORD loves them.
The secret of their strength is their similar life experience, their common background, and their love for God. The Lord himself declared that the world will know we are His disciples by our love for one another. We pray that their love will grow stronger and stronger, and that more will join this faithful little group as they follow Christ in true unity.
Kingdom Driven Ministries welcomes Reagan Simiyu as a contributing author to the blog.
In our little village, people have so many needs, and they are poor. Even those who are fortunate enough to have regular work likely only make enough to eat. (“Give us this day our daily bread” takes on real meaning here.) True, some are more well-off than others, but when unexpected illness strikes, it can quickly tap a family’s resources. That’s why the Medical Missions work of KDM is such a blessing to folks here. Let me give you the skinny on this month’s budget figures, but please read on for particulars and for stories/pictures. This month, our Acute/Emergency funding was $250; we spent $435. Our “Special Cases” funding was $1000; we spent about $1400. (Many of these were continuing cases that we just couldn’t drop in mid-stream; once a commitment is made, we feel we must continue until the need is met.)
I can’t count the number of times people have visited our home or the KDM office looking for help with a child or family member who has malaria. I ask them, “Have you taken medicine?” (If they have, and it hasn’t worked, they must go to the clinic for injections; however, if they haven’t, we have some malaria medicine ready on the shelf.) More often than not, they reply in the affirmative—Yes, they have taken medicine and the person is still sick! But upon further questioning, I find that they have taken “Action” or “Mara Moja.” What’s that? Why, pretty much Excedrin, or ibuprofen, or Tylenol. So their symptoms improve for a time, but when the underlying malaria is unmasked once again, the symptoms are worse and often harder to treat with over-the-counter medicines. Why is this so? Simple answer is, they’re doing the best they can with what they have. In our village center (several kilometers’ walk), there is a chemist (pharmacy of sorts) where one can buy malaria medicine, but to do that and pay for the transport on a piki piki is more than most people can manage. So they go to the local duka (small shop, where they probably also get their daily needs of soap, sugar, or vegetables) and pick up some pain reliever/fever reducer while they are there—a two-tablet package for 5 shillings (about 5cents).
We have a regular Medical monthly stipend of $200 that comes in from generous donors state-side; this is the lifeblood of our medical missions, which is designed to treat acute and emergency illnesses and injuries. There are plenty of those, and we’ve never “not” used up our $200 allotment. That, plus the irregular giving for Urgent Needs that comes in throughout the course of a given month has almost always been enough. If you follow us on Facebook or read our blog (even though we admittedly post pretty irregularly), you know that we also fundraise for larger amounts for a needed surgery or other out-of-the ordinary circumstance. For example, last month we funded a $1,500 surgery to re-set the broken arm of an ex-Muslim convert who is struggling to raise his 7 children on his daily wage from driving a piki piki. We also were able to remove the nasal polyp of a 4 year-old boy that became so large it fractured his nose. How can we say no to these needs? We think, What if it was my child?
This week our 8 year-old Micah suddenly spiked a 104.5 degree fever in the evening. Malaria, for sure. I gave him some malaria tablets and an ibuprofen, which he promptly threw up. When Marc came home from attending communion, he gave Micah an injection (“a shot in the behind,” which no one likes, but which is necessary when you’re vomiting!). We are fortunate enough to have a well-stocked medicine shelf…but we know others do not. And that’s “just” malaria, never mind a traumatic injury.
We had approximately $250 come in during January that was earmarked for regular medical needs, and we spent $435. We also fund-raised for special medical needs to the tune of $1,000, but spent almost $1,400. (The balance for both deficits came out of our “general fund,” which also met a big tax burden this month and dished out a major sum of money to do our Kenyan NGO’s annual returns. I don’t mind being honest enough to say that our general fund is now depleted. That’s how we fund our monthly missions, which by necessity are now going to be quite bare-bones. That’s more than unfortunate.) So look with me at our last month of medical missions, where we well over-spent our monthly budget for the first time ever…but it was necessary, and everyone who was treated would say unequivocally that it was worth it.
Little one with malaria
Most of our regular medical cases are referred to a local clinic that is close (cheaper on transport costs) and comparatively inexpensive. This month, we treated many cases of malaria, brucella, and typhoid. That’s pretty routine. We also bought Hypertension medicines for a couple of Mamas in our fellowship, which we have done regularly for many months now. Why, since this is not an acute or emergency need? It’s a simple matter of economics. The monthly medication they need to control their hypertension costs about $3. When we were *not* buying it, these same Mamas would end up with an “acute” illness and get treated at the clinic, to the tune of $20 or more. This happened several times within a six-month period before we got wise and realized that it made more sense to spend the $3 per month. Now everyone is happy, and so is our medical budget.
Pius, with knee injury
I think one reason our medical budget was higher than usual this month was because of the sheer number of cases that had to be referred to the District hospital. (This costs more on transport, and more for treatment.) For example, Pius Omule had a motoribike accident some time ago, and tried to treat it at home. Later, however, it became swollen and infected. At that point, he came seeking help that he could not afford and he was taken to the District Hospital. He had to go back several times over the course of the month, to scrape, clean, bandage, and re-bandage the wound, as well as get antibiotics.
On a Saturday morning, an elderly widow with a severely broken ankle was carried by piki piki to our door (imagine that…how uncomfortable!). She had to make the journey to District Hospital via public transport for casting.
Broken Ankle emergency
Another referral to District hospital was Anna, who got gouged in the eye by a bull. Apparently her eyeball was actually popped back into its socket at the scene and again, they played the “wait and see” game, but after a time her eye was severely swollen and bruised, so she was brought to us. The District Hospital tried to treat the eye but determined that it would need to be sewed shut. We learned that she had already had limited use of the eye for some reason, so the disappointment over the complete loss of the eye was somewhat mitigated.
Anna’s eye injury
Special medical needs are also part of our scope and we fund-raise on a case-by-case basis. Our biggest special medical need this month was for Victor, who was sent to Kampala, Uganda for a second round of radiation in hopes of fighting back against the continued onslaught of cancer in his body. The entirety of our Special Medical funds ($1000) were earmarked to Victor, and we sent him to Kampala with approximately $1,060, which we are hopeful will meet all the financial need. Please pray for Victor’s perseverance and healing.
Our brother, Victor
The $400+ overage in our special medical spending went to several patients. We have a few “special” cases of folks who are assisted with getting their monthly HIV medications at the District Hospital. The medicine is free, but transport is a burden so in many cases, we help. One of those cases is Sharon, a two year-old whose mother died of HIV last year and left her an orphan. Another is Daniel, a 14 year-old boy in our Saboti fellowship whose mother had HIV and passed away within the last year (he was treated this month for complications from his TB). Our dear friend, Silas, has a real heart for HIV education and treatment, and this month he asked us if we could help Dickson, a man he knew in the community. As a first step, we also tested Dickson’s wife and children. Unfortunately, his wife and youngest child (about age 2) also tested positive. We brought Dickson and his daughter to the hospital for their first round and second rounds of medications this month.
5 year-old Michael Wafula
Also on the special medical front, we needed to follow up on the treatment for our brother Ishmael’s severely broken arm, though his earmarked funds had been depleted last month following the surgery. We also had some unexpected follow-up on an old case of Spinal TB for 5 year-old Michael Wafula, whose earmarked funds had also run out. He needed new body bracing for correction of his spine, as he was rapidly outgrowing his existing brace. In order to do that, several other steps needed to be completed first, including scans and cortisone injections. We operated on a negative budget for him in January, but thankfully we’ve gotten a generous donation to re-coup those funds and proceed with work in February.
If you would like to help us fortify our all-important (but oft-neglected) General Fund, or donate to support continued Medical Missions (a need which we see increasing, rather than diminishing), please do so at www.KingdomDriven.org/donate. A monthly subscription donation will help us the most, as we will then have a known budget to work within, but all gifts are of course appreciated. Thank you for your giving and also for your ongoing prayers for the mission here and the folks we serve.
Amy Carmichael’s report to the supporters of her work with orphans in India (quoted in Elisabeth Elliot’s biography, A Chance to Die), has resonated with me since we have come to the mission field in Kenya four years ago:
“It is more important that you should know about the reverses than about the successes of the war. We shall have all eternity to celebrate the victories, but we have only the few hours before sunset in which to win them. We are not winning them as we should, because the fact of the reverses is so little realized, and the needed reinforcements are not forthcoming, as they would be if the position were thoroughly understood….So we have tried to tell you the truth—the uninteresting, unromantic truth.”
So often, missions reports are filled with the successes, which certainly are to be celebrated. However, they usually miss out on the majority of the mundane, behind-the-scenes happenings that occur every day. Why? Certainly, people are more inclined to pray, and financially support, an active and successful mission than one that seems to be struggling to grow churches and make disciples. It’s not so great to talk about financial shortfalls, since we don’t want to be that mission that’s always “begging for money.” On the other hand, there are great needs that we can assist with–and we depend on partners like you to make it possible!
Our missions here in Kenya and Uganda and Glenn Roseberry’s Tanzania and Nairobi missions have had their share of ups and downs. We’ve never tried to hide either one, though it never gets a lot of “likes” on Facebook to talk about “the uninteresting, unromantic truth.” Yet, that’s where many of our missions actually occur! Take, for example, yesterday in our small Kenya village…
Mzee Timothy
The day began with a visit from Mzee Timothy, our fellowship’s deacon and the overseer of our malnutrition and medical programs. He was organizing to take a village Mama to the District Hospital for a follow-up appointment. Earlier this month, she was gored in the eye by a bull (cows are always being herded along the road here, and it’s wise to give them a wide berth!). Apparently her eyeball was actually popped back into its socket, but the area was very bruised and swollen days later so we sent her to the hospital. They determined that it was too damaged to be salvaged, and perhaps thankfully we discovered that she had already lost use of the eye previously, so the decision was made to just sew it shut. So there was that, and then another follow-up appointment for a young boy named Esau. He was treated last
Mama with eye injury
year for visceral leishmaniasis, then (upon little to no improvement in his condition) was re-admitted to the hospital and treated for a sickle-cell anemia. He was due for a check-up, which we suspected might involve further treatment. Unfortunately, our regular medical fund designed to meet “emergency needs” such as the eye injury, was depleted for the month, with still a week to go. And, money which had previously been given and earmarked for Esau was also used up. Thus, Timothy came to see if we could do something to meet these pressing needs. A decision was made to use money from the KDM general fund if necessary, but that the appointments should press forward.
In the afternoon, Mzee Samwell visited to update us and settle accounts for his visit to the District Hospital with 5 year-old Michael Wafula, who had successfully gone through treatment for spinal TB as of last August. However, the little guy’s spine is still deformed and he has had a cast around his trunk for some time. His mom came a couple months ago to say that he had outgrown his cast and it would need to be replaced. Mzee Samwell, a faithful brother here, has been assisting us with medical needs by taking patients to various hospitals, interfacing with staff, and paying bills. He took Michael and his Mom to the hospital responsible for the casting about two weeks ago, but was informed that they could not proceed without a scan confirming that Michael was still clear of TB. That was done last week, but the consulting doctor was not available to read the scan, so they went back again the next day. Then, they were informed that unfortunately the technician had done a chest x-ray for the TB (which is normal procedure) but Michael needed a spinal x-ray, of course. An extra step, and a more expensive one as well. After doing that and then consulting with the doctor again, Michael was given a clean bill of health (praise God!) but would need to return again for a cortisone injection to the spine before the re-casting was done. That was yesterday’s appointment, and now there seems to be another step to be take in his care, as he is scheduled for another appointment on Saturday. At this point, we have tapped out on the special medical funding for Michael, and so had to keep Mzee Samwell going with money from the general fund.
Bro. Victor
Marc also met with Victor and Mzee Samwell, to go over details and provide funding for today’s trip to Uganda, where Victor will be receiving a second round of radiation to try to treat a new growth of cancer in his lymph nodes. Sorry for the gruesome picture, but this is Victor’s reality. Please pray for his perseverance and his healing! This another special medical need that is dipping into the general fund, but it is a pressing need in light of Victor’s continued suffering.
Some time ago, we had also treated Daniel, a 14 year-old boy who was diagnosed with both TB and HIV. His mother, who was HIV-positive, had previously died and apparently he has been infected from birth. (Danel’s father is now a member of our Saboti fellowship.) Daniel has been receiving monthly medication and food supplements (it’s a must to take the medication with food), but recently has been experiencing what his father described as “psychological issues,” which is common as HIV advances. Daniel went to the District Hospital yesterday (also paid out of the general fund), but they could tell us little about how best to treat his issues, other than that they wanted to admit him for further evaluation. That is Kenya-speak for “let us keep him here, do whatever tests we want (even unnecessary ones) and then add charges to your bill for hospital stay until you come up with enough money to pay the bill and have him discharged.” Knowing our financial situation, we decided to postpone “further evaluation” for a short time, at least until we have a new month’s medical budget to work with.
Why is it such a big deal to take money from the general fund? Well, primarily because most of the money that comes in to KDM is earmarked for a specific need. So when we have to file annual returns for the NGO and Society that we operate under here (which was just done last week), we need to pay an accountant about $500. That comes from the general fund, which is usually small in comparison to other designated funds. The general fund is also paying for laborers (three every day for the past couple of weeks) as they empty bags of maize and beans, re-medicate them, and seal them back up again for storage until later in the year. This is part of a project that we’ve undertaken to boost the general fund without outside assistance, so that the mission can be more self-sustaining in the future: we’ve bought maize and beans in large quantities at harvest time when prices were low and will re-sell them later at higher prices. We hope to double the mission’s money, and in the meantime it’s providing regular day labor for brothers in the fellowship and community members in need. Paying our laborers and overseeing their work was also part of our day yesterday…more of the mundane, but necessary.
We also had some funding come in recently to restore a community well that experienced a catastrophic internal collapse and failure. Marc’s to-do list thus also included organizing a digging team to get to the work as soon as possible. The lead digger is a member of our Birunda fellowship; he and two helpers will undertake the often-dangerous task of manning a 50-foot hole with precarious footholds in order to dig out the fallen soil and reinforce the sides of the well with brick. I’m sure they’d appreciate you keeping this project, and their safety, in prayer.
New Testament cover!
A publication project has also been underway, which is very exciting! Recently, the Kenya Bible Society stopped making New Testaments available and we can only get full Bibles in Swahili. This is cost-prohibitive on the one hand, and on the other hand, we like people to get a New Testament so they can meet Jesus on the very first page! Thus, a Bible printing project was launched, wherein we obtained an open-copyright Swahili New Testament online and had it pored over and perfected by a translator (it was missing the book of Philippians!). We formatted it for publication, but need to do a print run of 3,000 Bibles. That was organized with a local printer last week, so the proof needed to be edited. That was done by Tony, and Marc met with him yesterday to go over final edits, which were blessedly few. (They were supposed to meet at 3:00 in the afternoon, but Tony showed up at 5:30; as much as we’re used to things happening on “African Time,” our mzungu sensibilities are still occasionally offended, especially when work and family dinner plans collide…)
As you can see, much of the day yesterday was organizational and administrative in nature—no exciting missions, no baptisms, no activity in our local fellowships…but fruitful in the mundane and unromantic, nonetheless. We appreciate your continued prayer support for the daily needs that we address here on the mission every day. We also ask you to prayerfully consider supporting the work, which continually threatens to expand beyond the reach of our limited and grassroots budget (to do so, visit www.kingdomdriven.org/donate.). However, we have seen, and rejoice in, the faithfulness of God, and are thankful for those of you who already join with us to make this work of Kingdom expansion and service in Jesus’ name possible.
[Note: this post was written by Cindy Carrier, with approval by her husband, Marc.]
Here in Kenya, unlike in the West, “youth” are identified as those under 35 years of age, whereas wazee (older men) are 40 and over. (As far as I know, there is no name for those in the nebulous 35-40 year-old age range.) The wazee are often leaders in the community, functioning as local/village elders. They are sought for advice and are patriarchs of their families. I love our wazee and am incredibly thankful to have so many in our network of house churches! They meet together on a weekly basis to fellowship, share teachings on the Scriptures, pray, discuss current community or church happenings, and sing. There is nothing like hearing a room full of wazee praising God!
Don’t get me wrong, the wazee are…old…and have their cantankerous moments. They are often frail in health and in need of medical assistance. But they are also awesome sources of wisdom and encouragement and they take seriously their role in the church. A large number of wazee tends to be an anomaly in Kenyan churches, as in many areas (such as the slums) there is a strikingly disproportionate number of women, particularly widows. As well, here in the village, it is the women who tend to go to church regularly (often for social reasons more so than religious), and the men don’t seem to be as involved. Thus, we are blessed to have them among us.
The group after their weekly meeting
In this part of the world (unlike the West—according to our observations, at least), there is a healthy respect and honor for the wisdom and life experience of the elderly in all areas of life. An African proverb states the reason quite succinctly: An old man sitting down sees farther than a young man standing in a tree. The Bible is not silent about the value of the aged and the necessity of listening to their wisdom: “’You shall rise up before the grayheaded and honor the aged, and you shall revere your God; I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19:32, as just one example).
Even the Early Church (Ante-Nicene) writings speak of the honor that is due to those in positions of leadership who serve well. To our modern ears, Ignatius’ teachings sound a bit over-the-top, but he says, “I exhort you to study to do all things with a divine harmony, while your bishop presides in the place of God, and your presbyters in the place of the assembly of the apostles, along with your deacons.”
This wisdom and life experience of the wazee should be leveraged and respected in the Church. The Scriptures identify overseers [or bishops], elders [or presbyters], and deacons, all of whom are expected to be proven in their maturity, with older children and households in proper order. (It is important to note that these terms identify roles rather than titles, as they are commonly used today.) A proven elder is both honorable and worthy of honor, as no accusation against an elder is to be entertained unless it is brought by two or three witnesses (1 Timothy 5:19). Elders not in positions of church leadership are still influential in the life of the church and should be valued for their contribution. In no area is this quite as important as that of church discipline (per Jesus’ instructions in Matthew 18). We have seen first-hand the power of a meeting of wazee as they listen intently, ask thoughtful questions, and come to a wise consensus in matters pertaining to the life and health of the Church body. It is the role of such elders to be a persuasive influence on the congregation.
Happy wazee, having reached a consensus after a challenging, 8-hour church discipline meeting (some present for photo shared testimony during the meeting)
Though the Apostle Paul admonished his protégé Timothy, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity,” (1 Timothy 4:12), he also warns him “not to rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father” ( Timothy 5:1). First Peter 5:5 says, “you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders,” and Hebrews 13:17 echoes that sentiment: “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” First Thessalonians 5:12-13 says,
But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work.
Unfortunately, the role of elders and the respect due them, particularly in the realm of Church leadership, has largely fallen into disrepute in many of our modern churches. This seems to follow the general trend of young people being in rebellion in many areas of life over recent decades. Youth have dishonored and even usurped the authority and influence of the elders. At the same time, there have been some recognized as elders who have not met Biblical qualifications or who have abused the honor of their Biblically-sanctioned roles. This has often led to the general disdain for Church leadership in general. Even the valued wisdom of the older men of the Church has been disregarded. The advancement of youth and the degradation of the aged have worked together to bring a host of negative consequences to the called-out people of God as they assemble and serve in local congregations, often without the valuable leadership and influence of wazee.
Of course, our observations and opinions cannot swing the pendulum back into a healthy balance, but we hope to offer some constructive criticism for growing churches; as they seek to honor God and His Word, may they also value the wisdom and experience of their wazee.
I spent a long time looking through folders of poorly categorized and labeled ministry photos on our laptop, hoping to find one of Mzee Timothy. (Mzee is a term for a respected elder.) I wasn’t particularly surprised to not see him in any of the snapshots, because he’s a man who often fades into the background. He wouldn’t try to find his way into a group shot with the other wazee at the weddings or funerals. He isn’t a gifted teacher, so you won’t see him leading a group discussion. He’s not ordained to baptize. He misses out on a lot of events because he spends much of his time working, just struggling to eat each day. This is the best I could do–our only photo of Mzee Timothy–one not really representative of his quiet and pleasant demeanor, but one taken during a time of severe illness just before he was admitted to our local district hospital:
I wanted to introduce you to Mzee Timothy, not because of his notable accomplishments or his superior giftings, but because he is representative of so many in our local fellowships: quiet, unassuming, hard-working…and not out there on the front lines of Kingdom expansion, leading Discovery Bible studies or evangelizing any one of many small groups of men who hang out together here in the village. Instead, he is busy each day caring for his family (which now includes many grandchildren), and perhaps visiting with his neighbors. He rarely misses a Sunday fellowship, and although he doesn’t have a gift for exegesis of the Scriptures, he believes in God’s Word and takes it for what it teaches. Marc has encouraged him, as one of the few wazee in our local fellowship, to share something during our interactive services, and Timothy has taken that responsibility seriously. He is one of the first to stand up and speak; not with the force of personality but with the quiet authority of the Word. Most of the time, he simply shares a Scripture from the New Testament that has been meaningful to him during his week. It is enough.
Now that you know a little about Timothy, and can imagine what a sweet old man he is, you can also perhaps share in my joy as I see and relate the fruit of the Kingdom message in his life. This past Sunday, Alexander, a friend and neighbor of Timothy’s, accompanied him to our fellowship gathering. Alexander shared that he has quietly been watching Timothy’s life since he surrendered to Christ. Marc noted that Alexander usually attends the weekly wazee meeting if Timothy is the host. Alexander shared of his lifelong church attendance and his desire to find the “real thing,” but not really being satisfied with denominations. Instead, he has seen something in Timothy and wants to know more. He expressed a desire to hear the same teaching that changed Timothy, and said that he believes he will need to be baptized into new life. From here, I’m sure one of our gifted teachers will be sharing the Gospel of the Kingdom with Alexander eventually, but this would not have happened without the quiet witness of Timothy’s life. So praise God with us for the fruit that is being born for the Kingdom of God, not in the preaching to hundreds, but in the day-to-day example that so many disciples here live out before their families, friends, and neighbors. And pray with us for a continued harvest here on the mission field in Kenya.
Yesterday was crazy! It was supposed to be a casual drive into town, do some shopping, have a quick lunch, and head home. We started at 11:30 from home and I expected we’d be home around 2:30 to 3:00. But, God had something else in store.
On the way into town we noticed a large stretch of construction.
We did our normal routine of checking our PO Box, shopping at the local Nakumat, and making a few random stops into small local shops to find vegetable seeds. Our final stop was to get a package that I had ordered that will boost our 3G connection. I’m so excited to get it mounted and working!
On the way out of town, on the main road, we saw wires laying across the road. It looked like a power pole had fallen; needless to say, traffic was stopped! We crept forward and realized NOBODY was moving, so concerned we’d get stuck in a traffic jam, we quickly darted across the road to get around this issue.
As we came around the corner we saw a group of people with clubs, pieces of lumber with nails in them, and they didn’t look happy! It was a riot!
After a few miles of driving around back roads to get around that jam, we realized there were no easy ways around it. We had to either figure a way through it or take a VERY long and rough road back home. Either way, it wasn’t going to be easy.
I was in charge of the google maps on my phone to try to help. But, as typical Kenyan roads go, a “road” on a map may only be a foot trail or a motorbike path…both are considered “roads.” Needless to say, I wasn’t successful in getting us out quickly.
In fact, at one time, we were only three cars from getting to the main road and getting through. Even the locals thought they could get through. But, within about a 2 minute period, where we had access to a few “escape routes”, we had become fully trapped with only one road leading us out. Large rocks and logs were drug in and lit on fire. As the only white people in the area, we could easily become a target for those caught up in the unrest.
We dashed between trucks, through massive pot holes, and made our way through town. Gas is getting low…but we didn’t dare stop! As we safely made it out of town (the opposite direction we wanted to go) we found a gas station. We made our way down the road, intending to take a VERY long way home, when we came upon a police officer. Without the two-way radio that he could talk to other officers, he wasn’t aware there was a riot starting in town! He recommended we turn around.
Crazy thing is…we did as he instructed! We headed right back into the mess…but we had a plan and directions to get around this mess. Coming into town, we say huge billows of black smoke–we believe they were lighting cars on fire! As we were going through town, we were only a few turns away from making our escape, when it turned CRAZY!
A crowd of people came running upon us from the front. Motorbikes were flying through the crowd honking their horns. Marc punched it and crossed traffic, dodged between a few cars, a motorbike came flying in front of us and went down with a crash, people had rocks and sticks, yelling and chaos was everywhere. Suddenly I heard a large BOOM—people were ducking and getting into the local shops, cars and motorbikes continued to speed away and try to get to safety.
It was amazing how Marc kept his foot on the gas and we zigzagged around all sorts of issues; it was like the waters were parting—ok, maybe it wasn’t quite that smooth…it may have only been that ALL traffic was driving frantically way like we were!
In the end, we got out of town, as was our original plan, on the opposite side of town, found a rough road to Mt. Elgon, and started our way home. It was a VERY out-of-the-way drive home, but it was nice to be out of the mess.
A few days later, one of our brothers needed to go into town to get supplies for his new shop. I warned him of the mess we had experienced. He pointed to his shoes and shirt and said, “that’s why I’m wearing these!” as he pumped his arms like he was running—he was wearing a cool shirt and tennis shoes.
When he came back, he told me the riot was over the government coming in and destroying buildings where the farmer’s market was held—this is where thousands come to purchase their goods from miles and miles away! These buildings weren’t built within code—they were considered “in the road way” and torn down because the government is coming through to build a better and wider road.
It’s a slow process, but the town is recovering. I’m just glad that God protected us as we drove. I kept Bekah informed all the way as she met with local friends to pray. God is good!
I want to take this time to remind you to pray for us here in Kenya. Physical danger is not our only challenge, witchcraft, weather, sickness, disease….it’s all here! It’s been an amazing journey so far and I am thankful for family and friends who have been praying!
And, for those wondering, my “excitement” happened the same day the Garissa event happened. We were NOT a part of that event. It was only coincidental that both happened on the same day.
Greetings all in the name of our King Jesus, it has been awhile since I last blogged. I have been traveling on various missions all around Kenya, Uganda and most recently Tanzania.
I was so blessed to connect again with a beautiful family from the Middle East. Their commitment to the Lord is inspiring and I want to share a testimony from a dear sister in Christ. (For their safety, all names have been change.)
Testimony of finding Truth
Kristen was Born to a very loving Muslim family in 1989. As a family they where very committed to their faith, Kristen prayed 5 times a day, read the Koran and studied at the madrasah (Muslim school) through high school. Kristen loved Allah and Muhammad very much.
After High School, Kristen went to train as a Lady Health Visitor [LHV], this was her mother’s desire for her. In order to study, Kristen had to stay in a hostel. This was the first time she had ever been away from home without being accompanied by her father. She passed her first year and entered into her second year. At this time, Kristen met a new first year student called Lorna. They became close friends. Lorna told her family about Kristen, and Kristen also told her mother and grandmother about her new friend, Lorna.
As their friendship grew Kristen learned that Lorna’s family converted from Islam to Christianity, she was not happy to hear this. She asked Lorna’s mother Naomi, “How could you do such a thing?” Naomi responded that Kristen had not read the Bible. They discussed this further, and Kristen accused Naomi of not reading the Koran with the correct interpretation. Naomi responded with a smile saying, “When you read the Bible you will not talk like this.” Kristen knew that the Bible was one of the five Holy Books, but she believed that the Koran had the final authority. When Kristen’s mother and grandmother learned that Lorna’s family was Christian, she was told to stay away from them. Kristen did not follow their advice and continued the friendship.
Because Naomi stayed busy working at her medical clinic she was not always available to answer any questions Kristen had, so Lorna’s twin brother, Steven, would talk with Kristen. (This communication was done by phone only, they did not meet face to face.) After one year, Steven sent a gift to Kristen… it was a Bible. She thought that it was okay to take it home as Muslims consider it to be one of the five Holy Books. She showed her family the Bible and placed it next to the Koran. One of Kristen brothers, who knows the Koran by heart, was furious. He scolded her; she was upset by his reaction she took the Bible down and hid it.
Kristen liked reading the Bible and in time she spent more time reading the Bible than the Koran, but she showed her family that she was still reading the Koran. She also would share small things from the Bible with her family but they would not accept its truth. Kristen’s family noticed that her behavior had changed and they found out about her communication with Steven, this did not make her family happy.
Kristen decided to read the entire Koran with a detailed translation to find something to share with her family. In doing this she found many things about Jesus in the Koran to which Muslims do not pay attention. She gathered books about the Prophet Jesus. She found that in the Koran Jesus is called the Spirit of Allah. When she compared the Prophet Jesus with the Prophet Muhammad she found that Jesus was more spiritual. Slowly over time Kristen stopped reading the Koran and praying namaz, instead she would pray to Jesus! Inside of her was great fear at the consequences of what she was doing, there was a battle going on inside. So she prayed and ask God to show her the right path.
At this time her mother was very angry with her and she was removed from her education at the hostel. Kristen continued speaking with Steven on the phone and shared with him what was happening at her home. He encouraged her with verses from the Bible. The first time her mother got angry with her, Kristen prayed in the Name of Jesus as Steven had taught her and a half an hour later she noticed that her mother was no longer angry. Her faith was encouraged, she loved her mother much and was happy at this result.
The communication between Steven and Kristen grew into more and they felt it would be good for them to marry. Naomi had learned that Kristen had accepted Jesus and was praying in His name! Naomi wanted them to go to Kristen’s parents and ask for her hand in marriage. When she told her mother she flew into a rage and forbid Kristen to see Steven and his family again. Her family became very strict with her, she was monitored all the time and accompanied wherever she went. However, she had decided she wanted to marry Steven.
When Naomi heard that Kristen’s family had refused to allow her to marry, she understanding what a shame it was for the family. She took Steven’s phone from him so he could no longer communicate. However, when she realized that Steven and Kristen were truly in love, she returned the phone to him. Though it was difficult Steven continued to reach out to Kristen and encourage her with Scripture.
After knowing Steven for two years she went to his house for the first time; it was Resurrection Sunday. She was greeted with great love, and she felt at home. Although she had not seen Steven before, this she was happy and she wanted to marry him. Steven continued to teach her about the Word of God. Kristen was fully committed, she now knew the Truth and the Truth had sent her free!
Steven’s family talked about the marriage, but Steven’s father was not happy about the union as he knew it would mean trouble and even death for the family. Steven and Kristen were very upset about this and decided to pray, fast, and seek God’s will. Steven’s older brother and father asked if she was prepared to leave her family. She responded that the Lord would give her strength. Steven and his family decided on a date when Kristen would leave her home.
Kristen made sure she had all her documents and left a note for her family. In it, she told them she had come to know the Truth and had accepted Jesus Christ. Kristen met Steven and Naomi and they went straight to court where they were married under Muslim law. When she didn’t return home that night, Kristen’s mother called her. Kristen told her mother that she had left a letter for the family and that she was fine. Her family kept calling but she did not answer. A few days later they had a church wedding.
Kristen’s family did not leave things alone. They registered a case of kidnapping against Naomi, Steven, and Lorna as well as a case of adultery against Steven. Steven’s father advised that Kristen should file a petition to say that she had left her family and married of her own free will. However, Naomi thought this would incite Kristen’s family. Her family sent Police to Naomi’s house to find out were Steven and Kristen were hiding. Naomi would not give them any information and she went to jail for two nights. Kristen phoned her family and asked them why they had Naomi arrested, she was told that they did not care about Naomi, but she must return home. When Naomi was released from jail she went straight to check on Kristen.
Naomi never angry or uttered a bad word against the actions of Kristen’s family. Kristen testified that in all the years since her marriage to Steven, his family has never spoken one bad thing against her family. She has been completely accepted by the family.
“I am far from my home and far from my family. But I don’t feel I’m among strangers. ”
Kristen and her husband along with other family members have been forced to flee for safety, by circumstance they have had to literally sell everything pack a bag and leave the country. They now see God’s wisdom in the situation because they have been freed from all the things that tie them to this world, and can now serve the Kingdom of God as pilgrims and sojourners in a strange land. Their circumstances have placed them in a unique opportunity to expand the Kingdom of God and this is something they are very excited about!
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
Among those present were brother Wafula from Western, brother Simon (visiting from Kenya’s Maasai land), and our brother Gabriel, from Saboti house church. Is our prayer that the Lord will strengthen these men as they prepare to go out as sheep among the wolves, to shine the light of Christ to the nations and all people.
Lazarus is a strong brother in the LORD, an evangelist with zeal and passion for God’s kingdom. This man’s life story is a fascinating and captivating one, a story that reads like a movie script. His father divorced his mother when he was six, and he was raised by his alcoholic father. He felt alone and struggled through the many ups and downs of his young life, feeling largely unsupported and without guidance. Yet, God used this for good, as a preparation for his future mission in the kingdom of Christ. How could this man know this from the onset? In fact he felt the opposite, he felt neglected and forsaken by the Lord.Twice he contemplated suicide and termination of his life. It is amazing what man can hold in his mind when he is ignorant of God’s will and love for him; indeed, His thoughts are different from our thoughts and His ways different from our ways.
Brother Charles and his wife Lydia are among the brethren who meet in Bidii, the fruits of Lazarus. He also had a background like that of Lazarus and Daniel. His mother died when he was still an infant of two weeks old and he was raised with other family members. His father became negligent of the young Charles after he remarried. He never got any education, just like his other siblings. Being orphaned and poor he was an object of oppression and abused. He was falsely accused of stealing and was jailed fora few months. Though he was eventually released, his freedom was not long lasting. He was once again accused with another false accusation of rape. Thank God for His divine intervention; Charles was released due to lack of sufficient evidence against him.
