... mount up on eagle's wings - to the ends of the earth

“Have you not known?  Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable.  He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength.  Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”                     Isaiah 40:28-31

God is at work in the hearts of these young national missionary trainees. This week we are going along with Millicent, Jane, and Millicent’s pastor to look at an area near the Kenyan shores of Lake Victoria where the Suba people live and near the border of Tanzania among the Kuria people.




We will talk about two places, Sindo and Isebania. Sindo is on the Eastern shore (Kenya side) of Lake Victoria.  As you can see from the lines on the map, Kenya doesn’t hold much ownership of this enormous lake in East Africa.
Jane is praying about the Suba people living in the Sindo area as well as the Kuria people. Millicent is praying about the Kuria people

There are a few Baptist churches among the Kuria people who live not only in this area, but also across into Tanzania around  the town of Tarime and beyond. Years ago, the IMB had a missionary presence in Tarime.  However, financial restraints have prohibited the appointment of other personnel to the area.

This is the perfect opportunity for young national missionaries, as God communicates His vision for reaching those who have never heard and training those who are babes in the faith.

Animistic in their beliefs, the Kuria people pray to their ancestors for favor and use traditional doctors in the face of trials and difficulties, hoping to get a charm or root to cure their ills or impart good fortune or curses.

They are farmers, raising small animals such as chickens and goats for meat and for income. Living in small-enclosed family compounds, the father and mother, grandparents and married children build small huts, which comprise the boundaries of the area. Kuria men marry more than one wife and each wife will have her own hut to house herself and her children.


Experiencing a call to the area around Isebania nearer the Tanzania border, Millicent will have the opportunity of working not only with the Kuria people of Kenya, but also those who live in Tanzania as the border here, for nationals, is quite open without a need for official documentation.

*Pray for Jane and Millicent who have a desire to reach the unreached. Ask God to make clear His calling – the people group and the place.

*Pray for the logistics and the financing that they will need to have in place in order to begin the work.

*Pray for peace once they are in their place of work as they leave family and friends behind.

*Pray that Jane and Millicent will soar on wings as eagles as they make God’s redemptive salvation known to the ends of the earth. 

Ripe for harvest

A whole course on witness training can be found in John chapter four.  It is the story of the woman at the well.  Jesus talks to her about her life and the life he can give her if she would only believe.  Subsequently she returns to her town and urges people to go out to see Jesus.  

Jesus, in verses 35-36 says to his disciples, “Do you not say, ‘there are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.”

In other words, wake up! People are ready to believe – you just have to get out there and share with them.

This woman understood her responsibility to share her testimony with others immediately.  John 4:39 says, “Many Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony…”

On Friday, Alfred, one of the national missionary trainees, along with Jerry and two others went out to discover ways of reaching his community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

God is giving Alfred a vision for the slum areas of Nairobi right where he lives – just like the Samaritan woman.

As they walk down the dirt paths of the community, he asks Jerry how to begin. Jerry shares the concept of “a person of peace”.  Someone, whether a believer or not, with whom you feel the Holy Spirit’s nudge to begin a conversation; they are interested and want to know more.

As soon as Jerry finishes sharing these thoughts, Alfred turned right around and walks back to a group of men standing at the side of the road talking together.  Alfred had felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit as they passed, but did not know what to do about it.


Beginning a conversation that lasts quite a while and even moving to a small-enclosed area outside the man’s rooms, Alfred is able to share with this one about Jesus Christ.  He shares his testimony and the calling on his life to reach his community with the gospel story.  Seeds are planted – the sower is at work – the harvest will soon follow.

Pray for Alfred as he continues to work out God’s plan for his life.

God's plan for all of us is to share with others our testimony just as the woman at the well did in her community.  How that looks in each of our lives is the individual calling and gifting God puts within each of us.

Lift up your eyes and see that the harvest is ripe!

Thank you

Speaking of Abraham – “No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised.”             Romans 4:20-21

Do I give glory to God, allowing my faith to grow?

These past few weeks have been a bit trying – yet God is good.

We have had a few medical issues that have grabbed our attention – yet God is good.

It isn’t quite time for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering yet, but I want to say thank you for your gifts to the IMB and the Lottie Moon Offering.  You help us do the work to which God has called us via your gifts – and just now, we are thankful for the medical care provided for us and the medical staff that we have on the field.

As you read this, Debbie will be in the hospital recovering from lower back surgery.
We are grateful for the medical facilities God has made available to us in Johannesburg, South Africa. We are thankful to you for providing, via your monetary sacrifices, the opportunity to be in Johannesburg and be under the care of good surgeons.  We see this as God’s hand of provision, protection and blessing – it helps our faith to grow, and you are part of that.

Our wonderful nurses help us get appointments and go with us to doctors' offices, (when appropriate).  They are at the hospital to pray with us before surgery and stay to see us as we come out of the operating room.  God uses their witness and their timely words of testimony among doctors, nurses, and hospital staff – they truly bless us.

It is true – as you give glory to God for all He has done – beginning with the gift of salvation, through His care, His provision, His faithfulness, His leadership, His mercy, His protection, His love – the list goes on and on…  -- like Abraham, it causes your faith to grow.

Engagement!

“When He went ashore He saw a great crowd, and He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.  And He began to teach them many things.
Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.’”                                                          Mark 6:34 and John 14:6

Do you remember back in June, we went to visit the Vidunda of Tanzania?  That visit was in preparation for a vision trip planned for August.

The August vision trip went as planned and was a great success.

Pastors from churches in the Baltimore, Maryland area formed a team in order to seek out an unengaged people group in Tanzania.  They and their congregations have been praying about God working through them to help fulfill the great commission – sharing the love and sacrifice of Christ to a people walking in darkness.

While difficulties arose on the trip – God saw them through and blessed their obedience.

While these men witnessed first-hand the physical challenge and the sacrifice of comfort that must be endured to reach the Vidunda people, they also saw the great need for the Vidunda to know Christ as the way, the truth and the life. The Vidunda need to know and understand that God’s gift of salvation comes not from the works of man but out of God’s great love.

Now these churches are joining together in force to reach the Vidunda of Tanzania with the gospel.

*Pray for God to prepare Vidunda hearts for the first of many engagement trips.

*Pray for good preparation and orientation for the ones preparing to embark on this mission.


*Pray for each person in these churches to stand beside those going in prayer and giving to make this engagement possible.

*Pray for the power of God to infuse strength and wisdom to each one that they would see the mission of reaching the Vidunda for Christ accomplished.

Praise His Holy Name!