Kenya

2017 Financials and Year-in-Review

Posted on January 3, 2018 by KDM Admin

As you can see from the date of our last blog, we have not been regular enough in keeping our supporters and prayer partners abreast of what’s been going on here at Kingdom Driven Ministries. Facebook friends of Marc Carrier or Isaiah Carrier or Glenn Roseberry get regular updates that way, but unfortunately the blog has not been kept up very well. Perhaps we ought to make a resolution for 2018 but then, we’d have to let our yes be yes (Matthew 5:37), and it’s probably not wise to make that commitment.

Silence on the blog is not because there isn’t much going on; in fact, we’ve been so busy doing the work that we have little time to write about it. 2017 has been an amazing year and God has done great things! We recently looked at our 2017 financials in preparation for doing year-end accounting, which seemed a good way to present our year in review and let you see just a bit of what’s been going on here in East Africa. The financials do not represent any of the work done by Glenn Roseberry (primarily in Tanzania and Nairobi), as this is independently managed and accounted for. Glenn provides regular updates via Facebook, so that is a good place to catch up. The work reported here focuses on Kitale-area fellowships and evangelism, and various programs in the Carriers’ village community and the surrounding area. Below you can see the breakdown of funds by percentage and category.

In summary, we spent approximately $47,000 in Kenya. 27% went to medical treatment; 14% went to feeding the hungry; 10% was invested in clean water projects; 8% went to jigger treatment; and 10% went to other Great Commandment work (includes funerals, housing, weddings, and other services for the poor and needy). Therefore, 69% of KDM’s Kenya budget went directly to support the various needs of the poor in our area. The remaining funds supported our team of evangelists and “overhead,” or General Fund expenses.

General Fund expenses do not include support of any American missionaries; this type of personal donation can be made through KDM but must be earmarked as such. Instead, our General Fund (GF) provides a salary to a number of indigenous brethren who provide valuable services in evangelism, discipleship, and program management. To help you see how these GF funds are allotted, let’s look at November 2017 as a representative month (although every month is different).

To do both Great Commission work (kingdom expansion) and Great Commandment work (assisting the poor and needy), we need to have legal authorization, be able to communicate, have a place to work, and a way to get from place to place. That makes up our “overhead,” which is taken from the General Fund. Gasoline and public transportation used up 18% of our General fund spending in November. That was higher than normal because of hosting an American visitor (we used the car rather than motorcycle several days per week which consumes much more fuel). Legal paperwork consists of keeping passports and work permits current, and going to Nairobi necessitates overnights and meals. There were two such trips during November, though this is a bit atypical.

Our facilities are paid for, but during November we upgraded our solar to accommodate two additional families (KDM workers and brethren) in our compound. We also upgraded two phones for field workers.

The General Fund pays salaries for four field evangelists. During a normal month, the manager of our medical program is paid out of the Medical budget, but since there was a budget overage during November, his salary was paid out of the General Fund.

Taking an estimate from our November figures, General Fund expenditures are about 50% devoted to the Great Commandment (helping the poor) and 50% to the Great Commission (spreading the gospel and making disciples: kingdom expansion work). Overall, then, approximately 80% of our total budget assists the poor and needy, and 20% is applied to kingdom expansion. However, this does not in any way represent the proportion of effort applied to the two tasks; it is just that the Great Commandment work requires more funding than does the Great Commission effort.

With that said, this is a brief summary of spending, not results. Let’s put a face on just a few of this year’s numbers.

As you can see from the graphs, the lion’s share of funding goes to our medical program, which we allocate as “regular medical” and “special medical.” We spend approximately $300-$400 per month on acute medical needs among the impoverished in our village: treating malaria and typhoid, broken limbs, various infections, and so on. We send an average of 15 such patients per month for treatments at our local clinic or hospitals. Larger medical needs are solicited on a case-by-case basis.

One of the most expensive cases we took on this year was that of Mary Nelima, a 42 year-old mother of three who was the victim of a motorbike accident in 2012. Her medical care for a shattered femur was minimal because funding was simply not available. Once she was left disabled, her husband abandoned her and she was forced to return to her parents’ home along with her three children. Unable to work, you can imagine the life that she and her children have lived for the last five years. When she developed signs of infection in her leg (pain, pus discharge, and even splinters of bone coming out of a now-festering wound), she came to us for assistance. We took her to a private, orthopedic hospital and were given an estimate of $3,000, which we assumed would take care of existing infection and address a long-term solution for her leg. Instead, she was immediately admitted and treated for chronic osteomyletis (bone infection), which had progressed for so long that it was very hard to treat. And because it will likely return, no further work was recommended by the surgeon.

*Mary, upon discharge from the hospital*

Mary spent three weeks in the hospital, where her bone was scraped repeatedly and she was given strong antibiotics by IV. Eventually, the infection was brought under control and she has been discharged, though she continues to take oral antibiotics at a cost of approximately $100 per month. The outcome was not what we had hoped for (in terms of allowing her full use of her leg), yet she praises God for healing the infection and all of its effects. Please pray with us that though diagnosed as “chronic,” the infection would not return.

Violet Osia was just one patient who came through our regular medical program during the month of October. She is a widow and mother of two who lives in our village. Her husband passed away two years ago after being poisoned by “friends” while drinking alcohol, thus leaving the responsibility of raising their two daughters with Violet. Just a few weeks ago, Violet’s neighbor broke into her single-room house and stole several bags of dry maize which Violet had stored for her children as food during the hunger period. When Violet confronted the neighbor and demanded that he return her property, the man got extremely angry at her, finally chopping at her hand with his machete. Violet’s two small children watched in horror, unable to help their mother, as the neighbor ran away. Thankfully, some good Samaritans rushed her to us so that she could receive the necessary first aid.

Our food program is designed to provide a small but consistent amount of dry maize (a staple here) for those with food needs, especially widows, the elderly , and the disabled. At present, approximately 80 people per week receive food assistance! Here are some of their faces, from one of our weekly distribution days during the month of September:

During 2017, we also regularly served plus-or-minus 7 malnourished children, providing them with protein-rich foods, porridge, milk, oil, and sugar, to supplement their regular diet. In one particularly sad case, a child died even though every effort was made to rehabilitate him after his circumstances were discovered. However, others have formally “exited” the program after making great gains and being given a seal of approval by our local nutritionist. This three year-old, a particularly pressing case we took on this year, is making great gains. He added about 2 kg of weight in just months, but he is still receiving assistance:

Our evangelistic efforts have resulted in large numbers of baptisms and our evangelists and teachers are also devoted to ongoing discipleship. One of our evangelists, a former Imam, has slowly but surely been exposing his multi-generational Muslim family to the gospel of the kingdom, and we rejoiced when his younger brother renounced Islam, repented of his sins, and was baptized just months ago!

One of the highlights of our year has been instituting weekly kesha (the Swahili word for “watch,” which also refers to the practice of an all-night prayer meeting) and monthly multi-day, corporate fasting meetings. This has been great for discipleship, as we spend some time teaching, but it has also fostered an incredible unity among the brethren and we have really seen an operation of the gifts of the Spirit as we gather together regularly. Attendance remains high and we rejoice to see how God has so faithfully answered our prayers: guiding the mission here, strengthening the brethren, growing our fellowships, and bringing healing and deliverance. We praise God for all He has done this year, and hope that this little glimpse will show you how many lives have been impacted for the kingdom of God because of you, our faithful supporters. Please continue to keep us in prayer during the coming year.

*Brothers fellowshiping during an October kesha*

Jiggers: the Scourge of Village Life in Africa

Posted on November 10, 2016 by KDM Admin

Kingdom Driven Ministries is just a convenient vehicle through which saints around the world contribute to the work that God is doing, whether it be in expanding the Kingdom, discipleship, meeting medical needs, providing food for the hungry, or developing clean water sources. We are blessed to have many indigenous brothers and sisters working with us on a daily basis to see that this work is done efficiently and with integrity and compassion. One of our deacons, Silas, felt the Lord’s leading to spend much of his free time during the month of October coordinating with other brothers to reach out into a number of fellowships and communities to remove jiggers.

Jiggers, or sand fleas, are the scourge of village life in Africa. Though they can be minimized by regular bathing and removed one-by-one with a razor blade, one quickly turns to many because jiggers live abundantly in the dirt, and most home construction here is dirt-floor and mud walls. Jiggers conveniently implant themselves in any part of the body that maintains prolonged contact with the dirt—typically the feet, as folks usually walk barefoot, but it can be the knees (if they are kneeling, for example, to weed their crops by hand in their fields), or evens legs or arms (particularly in the case of impoverished children who do not have sleeping mats but rather sleep on their dirty clothes or even directly on the dirt floor). A single jigger is uncomfortable; an infestation is downright excruciating, as layer upon layer of jiggers lay eggs and reproduce in their human hosts. They are active at night, preventing sleep. Approximately $20 worth of investment enabled our brother Silas to alleviate the suffering of many in our communities, and we praise the Lord for putting it on Silas’s heart and for providing financially through His people. We hope to continue this work as the Lord leads. If you would like to contribute toward this initiative, or other works like it, visit www.kingdomdriven.org/donate.

Silas hard at work — Silas (wearing the mask) hard at work

A New Lease on Life

Posted on September 22, 2016 by KDM Admin

Imagine with me, if you will, being a young man and the sole support for a wife and three growing children. One child is in school and you must pay for her uniform, books, and other supplies, even though her education is technically “free.” The other two children must be cared for and you are happy that your wife can be invested in the things of home while you make yourself available to work.

Unfortunately, you live in a small village. Opportunities for work are rare, though you sometimes get day labor, usually swinging your jembe (hoe) and weeding fields of maize. You make a few hundred shillings—really, just enough for the day’s needs. Only the Lord knows how you will pay the school expenses when they become due. To stretch your shillings you might only have tea for breakfast and lunch, then a filling meal of ugali and greens for supper. You persevere, doing what you can each day. “Give us this day our daily bread” is your reality.

Such was the life of Anthony Mirundu. He and his wife, faithful adherents of a local denominational church, trusted in God for their provision. Yet an unexpected turn of events put their faith to a very real test. A small growth appeared on Anthony’s wrist. Over time, it grew aggressively. The sight of it was appalling; finding work became increasingly difficulty as Anthony could no longer hide the disability. While some families would still be able to survive by growing a crop of maize to last them through the year, Anthony was not so fortunate. He does not own enough land for farming, and the family was even too poor for him to seek medical care.

In time, things got bad enough that Anthony was brought to Kingdom Driven Ministries in hopes of getting some medical assistance. He was sent to a local hospital for scanning and consultation. It was determined that the growth on his wrist was cancerous, but the cancer had not yet metastasized. Anthony was concerned, yet relieved at the same time. Unfortunately, his only option was an amputation of his arm at the elbow. Though the idea of such a radical surgery and resulting life change was daunting, the alternative—death from cancer—was certainly not desirable, either.

It has now been almost two months since Anthony’s surgery. He has physically healed and has learned to do life with some limitations. Yet, as a man and the sole support for his young family, he feels at a loss and, to a point, despairing of his future. He can no longer work a jembe in the fields. His wife can do the work, but that leaves her often busy and unable to care for needs in the home and with their small children. For her to work outside the home is just not practical at this juncture. How can they pay for their oldest child’s school needs and get the few daily things they need: maize, soap, oil, sugar for their breakfast tea?

We would like to assist Anthony in setting up a small business that would permit him to have an ongoing source of income for his household. We have talked about him raising and selling chickens, or perhaps opening a small shop where people can buy staple goods. There don’t seem to be any shops locally, so such a business might be profitable for Anthony. We will continue to ask questions and assess what might be best in his situation. What we need at this juncture is for someone with a heart to help, to step up and offer hope to Anthony and his family. A financial gift of $150 or even $200 could set Anthony up with something that, ideally, will be self-sustaining and support his family on an ongoing basis. What a blessing, in many ways, this will be to a man who continues to trust God in spite of such challenging circumstances.

If you would like to assist, you can donate toward Great Commandment needs at www.kingdomdriven.org/donate. You can note at checkout that it is for Anthony. And regardless of whether nor not you can help financially, please pray for this need, for Anthony and his family, and for his continued spiritual growth and perseverance in time of trial. God bless you.

Why Malaria Treatment Matters

Posted on August 26, 2016 by KDM Admin

The monthly gifts we receive towards our medical missions program are the lifeblood of our work here in the village, where many impoverished people often have to choose between food and medicine. Everyone likes to hear about the impact of their generosity. Photos and stories are a great way to give that feedback, and we strive to let folks know that what you are doing makes a difference! But sometimes at the end of the month, as we try to faithfully report how many and what maladies have been treated, it seems that everyone “just” has malaria. Perhaps there’s really nothing glamorous about treating a bunch of people for malaria, but don’t think it’s nothing. Come with me as I introduce you to Silvia, the daughter of one of the wazee (“old men”) in our fellowship.

Silvia exhibited symptoms of malaria in 2010; she was a normal, 19 year-old village girl who lived at home and helped with the daily tasks of fetching water, making meals, and whatever else needed to be done. At the time, money simply wasn’t available to treat her, but that so often happens here. Many don’t have 100 shillings ($1) to buy malaria medicine, so they go to the local shop and get a small package of two “Mara Moja” tablets (the equivalent of Excederin). The fever goes down temporarily, the body aches subside, and if you asked them if they took medicine, they will say, “Yes!” But the malaria is still there. The fever may never go down below 100 degrees Farenheit, even with the Mara Moja. But it’s better than it was, it allows for some sleep, and things seem better for a few hours. Then what? This cycle can go on for days, even a week or more.

Such was the case with Silvia. And unfortunately, because of the delay in proper treatment, her malaria took a turn for the worse…it crossed the blood/brain barrier and became “cerebral malaria.” Treatment, in this case, is usually too little and too late. But she lived, praise the Lord. Even so, now she has frequent epileptic seizures and takes daily pills (when the family can afford the 90 shillings to get a month’s worth of medication). She has also visited our District Hospital more than once for psychological examinations and medications. On good days, she can function in a normal manner. But there are many not-so-good days. Her father has sadly reported that “she only wants to get married and raise a family like other girls her age!” but he knows that, because of her physical and psychological deficiencies, she will be at home with him until he can no longer care for her. And then what?

Another young mother of two small children in our community was likewise affected by cerebral malaria and, as a result, abandoned by her husband. She struggled to care for the children on her own for a time, not realizing her new deficiencies. Thankfully, eventually she returned to the family home, where the grandmother brought her now-malnourished children to KDM. After emergency medical interventions, they are now ongoing recipients of monthly, nutrient-dense food packages through our malnourished children’s food program. (This is another significant area where our donors don’t get dramatic feedback…but they are faithfully, quietly making a difference!)

These are the effects of untreated malaria.

We thought of Silvia recently when our own 8 year-old son, Micah, came down with malaria. We are fortunate that at the first sign of fever, we can take him to the local clinic for a test. He got an immediate injection of malaria meds (the first of three daily injections) and a Diclofenac injection for his fever, as he was nauseous and vomiting and couldn’t take oral medication. We were thankful to see improvement within just an hour, and saw a light at the end of the tunnel when he was able to enjoy spaghetti supper with the family without vomiting. But by the next morning his fever was back up and his nausea had returned. We went back to the clinic for his second injection, and he immediately fell asleep on the couch when we returned home. I (Cindy) was working in the kitchen preparing lunch a couple hours later when Micah came in to talk to me. I could see that he looked a little “out of it”–his eyes didn’t seem to be focusing on me. His voice wavered, and I realized quickly that he wasn’t even speaking in coherent sentences. He would enunciate a few words, then falter off into mumbling. Trying again, he seemed to be trying to communicate something totally different, but still with the same result. I put my hands on his head, prayed for him, and sent him back to the couch with some rehydration drink, hoping for the best.

The rest of the afternoon passed with some uncertainty, we being very concerned at the possibility of cerebral malaria and what it could mean. However, there was not much that could be done outside of prayer, as he had already begun treatment. Thankfully, by the next morning, Micah had returned to himself. After his third injection, he was back to complete health. But it’s not lost on us that the outcome could have been far different. It was for Silvia, and for others that we know in our village. And, if we did not have faithful donors assisting with timely malaria treatment for our community and folks in our fellowships, the statistics in our area might well be far worse.

Doctors at our partner clinic, Solonamu Medical Centre, helped us to understand the risks associated with malaria a little better. They acknowledge malaria as perhaps the worst disease in Africa. The World Health Organization reported almost a half-million deaths from the disease in sub-Saharan Africa in 2015, the majority of them children. Severe malaria, and its permanent health effects, typically occur as a result of delayed treatments, particularly if the delay is a week or more (which we have found is not unusual). Cerebral malaria is among the complications that arise. Other complications can include liver or kidney failure, or rupture of the spleen. Untreated malaria can lead to chronic re-infection, as the parasites “hide” in the liver and re-emerge at a later point in their reproductive cycle.

Aside from the physical effects of the disease, there a couple of other problems associated with malaria: one, folks typically can’t afford both a malaria test AND medicine, so they usually self-diagnose and self-treat. The over-use of certain drugs (even when malaria is not actually present) has led to resistance to some types of anti-malaria drugs commonly used for treatment.

Secondly, when people are affected with malaria and don’t get treatment, mosquitoes can spread the infection to others. This is significant to everyone, but particularly to pregnant women, as malaria infection during pregnancy can lead to many ill effects for the developing baby, if an immediate miscarriage does not result. (This is particularly relevant to me, as one of our babies became a miscarriage statistic due to one of my bouts of malaria a couple years ago.)

However, as more and more people in a community are able to get proper diagnosis and treatment, not only is their individual health improved and risks avoided, but fewer people in their community will be infected with the disease. Though it is unlikely that malaria can be eradicated in endemic regions, the effects can certainly be ameliorated. Lab confirmation of malaria and timely treatment are vital! This is the work of KDM: referring the sick to the clinic, and getting them treated as soon as possible when symptoms of malaria occur. Sending someone to the clinic, getting them tested, and medicine in the form of tablets or injections might only cost $8 or $10 (with the cost of transportation by piki piki included). We rely on our donors to accomplish this every month…so know that when we are “just treating malaria” (even if there aren’t any dramatic stories to tell), you are making a significant difference in someone’s quality of life, and in the overall health of a community at risk. God bless you for your heart and your generosity toward this work.

If you are not giving regularly toward KDM’s Urgent needs/Medical fund and would like to, feel free to visit www.KingdomDriven.org/donate.

Faith Anita: Preliminary Medical Update

Posted on August 23, 2016 by KDM Admin

Perhaps you remember our first report of 6 year-old Faith Anita, whose deformity of the spine/neck was debilitating her, and whose family has been financially unable to get her the care she needs.

At that time, while we had a great deal of sympathy for little Faith and wanted very much to assist her, we were also not in a position to report with certainty her condition, or what would be needed to complete her treatment. But we thank God for granting us an opportunity (through those who so compassionately gave for this need) to take over the process of restoring Faith’s health and future hope.

After several visits to medical institutions here in Kenya, we were assured that the disease can be treated, though it will be a lengthy process requiring further financial resources. Preliminary laboratory tests and x-ray scanning reveal that Faith \is suffering from advanced scoliosis, in this case an exaggeration of the thoracic curve that causes a pronounced hump or backward bend in the upper back–a so-called Gibbus deformity that pitches the shoulders and neck forward of the normal gravity line. This condition has greatly hindered her physical growth and limits her ability to walk straight and upright. It has also been socially debilitating as far as her friendships and her ability to engage in schooling as other girls her age do.

According to the local orthopedist, the next step is radiology scanning to determine the best course of treatment. There is a possibility of stents placement, which will help in straightening the thoracic spinal cavity. (Stents placement is a surgical process.)

Thus far, your generosity has enabled us to begin the process of healing for Anita, and now we need your help to continue! Though it is difficult to get accurate estimates for medical procedures here, we have been told that the next phase of her care can be addressed for approximately $250. Once again, we invite anyone interested to lend a helping hand by giving at www.KingdomDriven.org/donate. You can earmark the funds for Great Commandment/medical or make a note at checkout that your gift is for Faith Anita. As our Lord has promised, you will store up for yourself treasures in Heaven as you bless little Faith in her time of need!

Anthony’s Surgery Successful–Prayer Request

Posted on July 28, 2016 by KDM Admin

It with a mixture of joy and sorrow that we share the report of a successful surgery for Anthony Mirundu. We are so thankful for those of you who have made it financially possible for him to have the tumor on his wrist evaluated in recent months. Though the report of cancer was disappointing, it was not a surprise, and we were happy to know that there was as-yet no metastasis. Anthony was given hope through the possibility of amputating his arm at the elbow, an option that he embraced in hopes of prolonging his life for his wife and young children.

On Thursday last week, at around 9 pm, the surgery was finally completed. Though he is now handicapped, both KDM and Anthony know that it is better to have lost partial use of a limb than to experience the slow growth of cancer and its inevitable consequences. We pray that this experience will cause Anthony to contemplate eternal things and perhaps draw closer to the Creator who loves him.

We also ask that you all pray fervently for Anthony during his recovery period, for the inevitable life transition that this will be for him. Life won’t be the same again to him, his family and friends and community may not treat him the same, but we know that the LORD remains the same. Please remember Anthony in sympathy and compassion of Christ.

Weekly Mama’s Meetings

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Reagan Simiyu

The core vision of Kingdom Driven Ministries is the Great Commission: making disciples and teaching them to obey all that Christ commanded. A part of that vision is, of course, empowering women through discipleship and mentoring. Our main focus is to see that women in our fellowships and community are not neglected nor left behind in their spiritual development or in the work of Kingdom expansion. As in every community, women play a central role in shaping society, and their impact is no less felt in the church body.

In the initial stages of discipleship, it was not an easy task to gather women for ongoing meetings. Most women are necessarily preoccupied with the everyday tasks that demand their attention: gathering water and firewood, making meals, caring for children, and oftentimes doing the work of a small business. Nevertheless, we thank God for enabling us to mentor those who He brought our way. Despite their small number, we have found consistency in their commitment to weekly Bible study, prayer, and fellowship, and for that we cannot help but praise God.

In these Tuesday Mama’s meetings, they typically discuss one lesson from the Bible, using our guide book, the Discovery Bible Study. This involves a time of sharing prayer needs and praying corporately for one another and for needs in the community.

031

Another thing that they strive to do in these meetings is to meet one another’s needs when possible. They have resolved to walk with something little, in case one of them is in want of daily necessity. In this way everyone is prepared to contribute to solving the need; indeed it is a pleasant to behold this concern for one another.

Recently, two sisters, Judith and Mary Stella, tried to explain to me the wisdom behind their giving and contributions. This is what they told me:

“During our Bible studies, we discovered that in the Kingdom of God, is better to give than to receive, and we found out that the only way we can store our treasures in heaven is by helping one another in time of needs and wants. That is why we choose to practice to do that,” said Mary Stella. Judith added, ” We also believe that, to be in communion with Christ, we must be in oneness with each other. Serving one another is to serve Jesus himself. We have discovered that our compassion and love for another grows strong, and that is why we are strong, although we are few in number.”

These weekly meetings rotate from house to house each week. Among the few mamas who have committed themselves to this band of women are Judith, Mary Stella, Annet, Mary and Maureen.

It’s our prayer that they will grow strong in the way of the Kingdom and bear much fruits. Please think of these Kenyan women in your prayers as they strive to walk in the light and truth of the gospel of Christ Jesus, our Lord and King.

For those women who have not been able to regularly attend weekly meetings due to the burden of daily responsibilities, we have hosted an annual “Mama’s Meeting,” where all the women from our dozen or so satellite fellowships gather at the “mother church” for day-long teaching and, of course, a good lunch. There, they received teachings pertinent to women, wives and mothers as well as a call to take responsibility for their ongoing personal discipleship in Christ. They were also encouraged to meet as often as possible with other Mamas in their area.

038 — Mary Stella, who has been faithfully facilitating these weekly studies for almost a year now.

Ongoing Evangelism by our Indigenous Leaders

Posted on July 15, 2016 by Reagan Simiyu

During the month of June, our main teachers and evangelists, Lazarus and Wafula, have been actively engaged in sharing the gospel with the lost, leading them to repentance, baptizing those who surrendered, encouraging many of our existing churches, organizing church meetings and laying strategies of planting more churches in different villages of East Africa, especially Kenya and Uganda.

Both Lazarus and Wafula have been attending weekly wazee (church elders) meetings every Tuesday. Following that meeting, they participate in a leadership meeting of a handful of wazee who are being trained as indigenous leaders for our church network. The two men actively oversee our churches, participate in solving problems, and encourage their brethren with the Word of God. Through their weekly Discovery Bible Studies with the wazee, they have been able to identify men who are capable of sharing the Gospel with others and setthem apart for more training on evangelism and church planting.

On their separate missions, Lazarus has been preaching at different places in town and the villages in our county, as well as West Pokot county here in Kenya. He has also recently started a discipleship program with football players whom he used to coach before he surrendered to Christ; we are looking forward to reaping a harvest from these young people, and we pray that the Lord will strengthen him more in this ministry.

Lazarus and his wife, together, have been sharing the Gospel with different families in different places. During the month of June, they visited more than five families, looking for “men of peace” with the aim of planting new house churches. They have established strong rapport with the families and will continue to minister to them in coming months.

Lazarus with a young couple in Cherengany

Also brother Lazarus went for a mission trip to Uganda for about a week, to strengthen and encourage the saints in the church plant that has blossomed in recent months. While there, he shared the Gospel with people of a new village near Lake Victoria, where he baptized one man by the name of Patrick. He also visited the saints in two other villages and encouraged them to hold firm to the faith and the cross.

Several people have also been baptized in our local Kenya fellowships as Lazarus has shared the Gospel of the Kingdom and led them to surrender to Christ, repentance, and baptism:

Eunice – Bidii church
Peter – Birunda church
The couple Gladys and Patrick – Birunda church

On the other hand, brother Wafula has been laboring in training more evangelists by taking them out for field work and showing them how to go through this ministry of evangelism. Among those disciples that he took to the field to train on two-by-two evangelism were Silas and Mzee Maurice (from our local fellowship). We are so glad to report that they, too, have been successful in the ministry and a couple of new saints have been baptized and added to the flock of Christ as a result of their efforts.

Wafula, being a former imam, had resolved to minister to the Islamic community, especially starting with his own household. This month he had been sharing the Gospel with his father and encouraging his mother in the faith (she was recently baptized with permission from his father). Wafula’s father testified at the wazee meeting that he visited, that he is ready to repent and surrender to Christ; however, his is a polygamous man with three wives and understands that repentance involves becoming the husband of his first wife only. He asked for some time to put his household in order: finding places for the other two women and figuring out the logistics for their continued provision. We pray and hope that the Spirit of truth will convict him and lead him in the way he should go. Please pray with us!

Wafula and Silas baptizing a man into Christ at the local fellowship

Wafula has also been active in organizing and coordinating church meetings and helping in church discipline affairs. Visiting churches and the sick in the fellowships has been part of his routine this month.

Please pray earnestly with us that the Lord will continue to strengthen and empower His servants for the glory of His kingdom.

Shoe Repair in Kenya

Posted on July 12, 2016 by Reagan Simiyu

A cobbler, or shoe repair person, was once not an uncommon sight in America and other developed nations. Nowadays, however, it’s oftentimes cheaper to buy a new pair of shoes than fix an old pair, if it’s even possible to get old shoes fixed. Yet in developing nations like Kenya, shoe repair is still one of the most vital of crafts.

moses-1-karatina — A shoemaker at his stall

This skill was first introduced by Asians who were employed by the British administration, to make and repair the colonial officer’s shoes. It was not until the Asians were deployed for the task of constructing the East Africa Railway line that the natives of East Africa were trained in the craft of shoe making and repairing.

Over the years this craft has been growing incrementally in different parts of the region, attracting many people to it–often, those without school education who would benefit from learning a skill through apprenticeship.

During the infancy stage of the shoe repairing industry, many people looked down on it and named it, “the work for the disabled and handicapped folks.” This was because of its simplicity and stationary nature. But this perspective has changed due to inadequate employment opportunities, thus forcing even those with education and physical ability to plunge into shoe making industry.

The craft of shoe making and repairing is one of the easiest skills that can be learned and mastered. It is also one of the cheapest as far as startup and material costs. Because this craft is not being taught in public school, the only way of learning is through apprenticeship or personal training.

Experts in making and repairing shoes are often employed in big shoe stores in major cities. The shoe stores are typically owned by the Asian people who started the industry in the region. Those who are fortunate enough to find job in the major stores will earn higher wages compared to those who are self-employed.

Most of the small shoe repair shops are found in highly populated regions, where they can have contact with many customers. Perfect regions for this industry are slums and small towns. However, it is also a successful niche in villages, where people cannot afford to buy new shoes when theirs are worn out or broken.

Repairing a broken shoe is more affordable than buying a new one. Often the charge of repairing a shoe is not more than 20-50 KSH (20 to 50 cents), compared to maybe 1000 shillings for buying a nice pair of work or school shoes. But even flipflops, which might cost $1, are worth repairing here!

12376247_10208382437748273_7701715352781127891_n — A collection of flip flops and sandals, all repaired for less than $1.

Indeed, the industry of shoe making and repairing has been a great relief to many poor people who had no hope of being otherwise profitably employed. Is true that many families are being sustained and children educated, through the craft of shoe making and repairing. One successful shoe-repair entrepreneur commented,

“I really love this craft of shoe making and repairing, it is a good job and has good money to sustain a man and his family. When my leg was amputated, I thought my life was over and my hope was gone, but God is good He gave me something to do.”

Bukusu Tribe: History and Culture

Posted on June 13, 2016 by Reagan Simiyu

Kenya is a multi-ethnic state in the East Africa region. It is primarily inhabited by the Bantu and Nilotic population, with some Cushite people.

Bantu are the single largest population in Kenya. The term Bantu first originated from the Western Africa, Niger-Congo language. Most Bantu people are farmers; they are scattered in different regions of Kenya. Most are found in Central Kenya, western Kenya and Rift Valley. Some of the prominent Bantu groups in Kenya include the Kikuyu, the Luhya, the Meru, the Mijikenda and the Kisii. The Swahili-speaking people are descended from Mijikenda that intermarried with Arab and Persian migrants.

Today I want to introduce you to the Luhya people, as we are working and serving in the midst of the Luhya tribe. Our center of operation is in Luhya land, therefore it’s our highest joy to share something brief about our host people.

Luhya are the second largest ethnic group in Kenya. They number about 5.3 million people, being about 16% of Kenya population. The name Luhya refers to both the people and their language. There are seventeen tribes within the Luhya people. These are Bukusu, Idakho, Isukha, Kabras, Khayo, Samia, Kisa, Marachi, Maragoli, Marama, Nyala, Nyole, Tachoni, Tiriki, Tsotso, Wanga and Batura. Among the Luhya community, Bukusu and Maragoli are the largest and perhaps most organized tribes.

Our immediate area is dominated by the Bukusu, the oldest and largest tribe in Kenya. For students and lovers of culture and tradition, I hope you will find knowledge and insight from this post. Here are some words of wisdom from one of our respected Bukusu elders, who regrets that the rich cultural history of his people has been neglected:

“The Bukusu do not have a functional cultural institution. The elites have not been able to return home and start the construction. If Bukusu can establish a cultural institution with proper leadership, they shall have demonstrated to the entire world that they exist and have a strong culture to cherish. …All historical sites should be done as part of our rich heritage and history for information in the tourism catalogue, so that tourists from abroad could locate and visit these sites.” (Elder Nick Kukubo)

Wazungu (white people) from England were among the first visitors to set foot in Bukusu land. Most of them were explorers, missionaries of different sects, geographers, scientists, farmers, and administrators. They were brought by water steamers through the port of Mombasa as an entry point. They introduced what we call the scramble of colonization through treaties with local chiefs. This was just the beginning of Bukusu exposure to the external world.

Joseph Thompson was the first explorer to walk in Bukusu land on foot, back in 1840. Men received him as river god, from whence the Swahili name Mzungu was derived. But still some Bukusu men did not accept them to pass through their land.

Bukusu clans have spread all over Western Kenya, Trans-Nzoia and North Rift regions. The Bukusu clan history is documented from about 1650 AD, through their known prophets and seers. These men prophesied that there should come white-garmented people in big baskets that would swallow people and vomit them at their appropriate destinations. This is assumed to be about about vehicles. They talked again about the butterflies carrying people in wings, which would of course be airplanes. They talked about long snakes coming, which was viewed as the railway line that later came through.

Before the Mzungu settlers came, Bukusu people were living on the slopes of Mt. Elgon and other fertile places. Naturally they were small scale farmers, growing traditional crops such as millet. After harvesting, they used it to brew their own beer, busela, and could entertain themselves in the cool of the evening.

The mountain of Elgon forests gave fruits, birds, and honey. The natives hung their beehives, known as Kimisinga, making traditional medicines to soothe throats caused by common colds. Kamalea was harvested from the shoots of young bamboo stems and pounded together with groundnuts in a mortar.

Bukusu are also known for their very unusual male circumcisions practices, though they don’t practice female circumcision as some other tribes do. In these practices, boys of the age 8-15 are gathered from different families at every even year. The festivals are always full of vigorous dancing and partying, at least for a week’s time. When the final day arrives, all the boys are taken to the riverside very early in the morning for the final ceremony, escorted by the entire village, and must (this the unusual part!) walk back completely naked. After their circumcision they are officially recognized as men of the Bukusu tribe. This practice is one of the important rites of passage in the Bukusu tribe.

I hope you enjoyed this exposure to a small part of African culture, our people the Bukusu.