Pauline Baptist Church

6/23/09 Tuesday

            Tuesday started with class at 5:00am with Moses and Juma along with Alfonse. Juma and Moses took a test over the first three books of the OT and of the NT along with their memory verses. Alfonse used Moses notes and copied down what he has missed. He says he wants to join the class so we will see if that works out. You may remember but Alfonse was studying at one time to be a priest before he was saved. Anyhow, Moses did really good on his test with a 96% Juma on the other hand is taking his test again later in the week. I gave Moses the option to retake the test but warned him he had to take whatever he got the second time even if it was worse. He decided to stick with the 96%.

            Later in the morning we left for Singuaya to visit William and see if there was an opportunity to preach. We have been to Singuaya a few times but so far we have not had opportunity to preach or teach. We have established a good rapport with those in the area and are always welcomed with smiles. This trip, I was prayerful that the Lord would give some direction concerning Singuaya so we could know what the future may hold. I do not want us to waste our time trying to push a door open that the Lord has not opened. We made the hour and a half drive in and then took off interior off the main road finally arriving at William's place. He made us a new way in that is better than the other way minus the huge hill that we had to climb up in low gear but the great thing was there were less thorns.

            Once we arrived at Williams place we greeted everyone and off loaded the food we brought for them to cook for us and them. We sat down and visited a bit beside William’s framed in house. We put a tarp on Williams house and sat under it, since last time we were in Singuaya the snake dropped on my head. We did not sit under that tree the whole time we were in Singuaya. William said since we were there they have found three more snakes in the tree and one was big and white in color. We had some hot tea and bread for lunch.

            After we ate we sat down for a time of teaching but the only ones who came were the mamas of Williams home and a couple from the two neighboring bomas (homesteads). When we saw who was present we decided to just do a short introduction and set a time to meet in the evening for teachings and use the afternoon to go around and invite folks for the evening teachings.

            The whole time we were visiting and relaxing before lunch we noticed the children playing with baby birds, not chickens, just normal baby birds. The birds were not big enough to fly on their own. They could fly a bit when tossed in the air and that brought the kids great joy. They would throw the birds up and let them fly as much as they could then the kids would run and find them. As we were leaving for visitation we heard popping in the fire in the kitchen and say the children looking at the fire. Moses said the kids were cooking one of the baby birds they had been playing with and the another group was plucking the other baby birds. I went and looked at what the kids were doing and sure enough they were plucking the baby bird getting him ready for a lunch. Now that is what I call playing with your food! The folks at the climax of no food so they are eating some odd things.

            We headed out with tracts in hand and started going from boma to boma inviting folks for teaching in the evening. There were a lot of places with no one home because they were all out in the shamba (farm land). We passed by a group of ladies with several children and goats and invited them. One of the goats had just given birth and the little kid was so cute. He could barely walk.

            When we left the women we came to another boma but William was going to pass it by and the old women standing out side. I greeted her and shook her hand so William stopped and we all exchanged greetings. Her house was a traditional Mijikenda house called a Lutsaka. I have seen them many times from the outside but I asked William to ask her if I could see inside. She agreed and even let me take pictures of it. It was really cool. The woman had a terrible burn on her leg that she was going to have cleaned the next day and asked us for some money to go to the hospital but we told her we could not give her money but would be happy to pray for her. She did not accept the prayers immediately which is odd because normally folks always want prayers but before we left she did say we could pray for her. I prayed for her spiritual needs and for God to have his will physically as is my normal custom when I do not know a person we are praying for. We left a tract and invited her to the study.

Once we got a little ways from the old mamas boma William told us that she was a witch. He said that she takes the bodies of dead kids and puts them up where the corn is put and cuts off pieces little by little and eats them. I said, “do you believe that?” and he said, “oh no people say that...” It was obvious that he believed it to in that he did not want to greet her or be at her place. Superstition is so prevalent among the Mijikenda people. I told William that she needed Jesus and who would tell her if everyone is afraid of her. We, Moses, Silas, and I poked a little fun at him and went on our way.

            We went into the shamba a little to greet the ladies that were working and invite them to the teachings then we returned to William’s place so we could set up camp for the night. We got out tents all set up after much effort because the wind was gusting and picking up our tents even with our cots and bags inside. Once we got everything staked down. William told me they had everything ready for Silas to slaughter the chicken we were going to eat. I translated for Silas and he just laughed a little and stood there while William headed towards the house. I told Silas, “He is serious. You are going to kill the chicken.” It was funny. As we walked up Silas said he had killed chickens before by wringing their necks and I said yeah I guess you can do it that way. He asked what another way might be. I told him here you cut its head off. He said won't it run around I told him you have to step on it and cut its throat and let it bleed out, but he could do it however he wanted to do it.

William came with the dull knife that they use and gave Silas a crash course in how to kill the chicken. Silas did a good job killing the chicken. After the Chicken slaughtering we played with the kids that had gathered. We lined them up for races and even raced with them. I took a head over heels fall but did not get hurt. Moses defeated Silas when they raced the kids loved seeing us play with them. After we played a bit we took a seat as people started to arrive for teachings.

One of the men who came was the local Church of Christ’s pastor. We sat and visited together for a bit. I asked him about what he taught concerning salvation and he went all around it and never did tell me what he believed. When he finished I told him that when we tell someone how to be saved we use the Bible and explain it from the scriptures and that that is what we would be teaching shortly. He seemed to be confused completely about what he believed and has never had any training. He stayed for all the teaching and told William it was the first time he had heard such teachings. This is not uncommon among the supposed spiritual leaders in the interior. It is like they have never opened their Bibles!

            Several ladies, a few men, and a truck load of children showed up for teaching we started. It was dark so we turned on a solar lantern we brought with us to use for reading the scriptures. I did an introduction and then taught on Salvation. The entire time I was teaching I was being dive bombed by the 10,000 bugs that were attracted to our lantern. I had two or three in my eye by the time it was all over but anyhow. We did not have anyone saved but several professed they were already saved. It was good to share the message of salvation so folks could examine if they were saved according to the Bible.

            The spirit of the people in Singuaya is very different from those in Mazeras. We have seen a real hunger for the word in Mazeras but here there is something that we have not gotten past. It may be because the other pastor was there, maybe because it was 90% women and kids. I am not sure but we are still praying about Singuaya that the Lord will lead us. We finished teaching and then ate our supper after we disposed of the 9,997 bugs that were all over the table. The chicken was excellent. It had been cooked in Coconut milk. After we ate we turned in for the night.

            In the night the temperature bottomed out. It was FREEZING and Silas and I only came with a sheet to sleep under. We both absolutely froze. When the dew fell it was like rain. It was so cold but we survived.  

6/24/09 Wednesday

            After we got up we had some hot tea and Mandazi(Sweet Bread things)then went out to make visits. We were inviting folks and looking for opportunity to share the gospel. As we were walking we met Thomas who married William’s older sister. He is a pastor of a church. William had told me about Thomas and his church as well as the group of churches that Thomas associates with. Thomas had told William their churches had a disagreement with their mission and they wanted to join with us. I told William before that I would be happy to talk with them but that I was not interested in stealing churches from another fellowship. Thomas told me when we met him in the way that their churches had a disagreement over support from their mission and were looking for another mission to support them. I told him that the churches we establish were independent and that we did not have a head quarters on the earth but it was in heaven. I told him the only help we could offer him was teachings if they were interested. I asked him if he had a doctrinal statement so we could see if we agreed in doctrine he thought for a moment and said yes a little uncertainly. I welcomed him to stop in anytime at my place or the church so we could talk about doctrine to see if we were together or not and we could talk about teachings. Pretty much once I told him there was no money to be had our conversation was over. We get these kind of folks all the time looking for someone to give them money and they will believe what ever you tell them to believe. We are not looking for hirelings but for lost people and for disciples of Christ.

            We continued on to one of William’s other sister’s and stopped in to visit. When we arrived there were two mamas and a slew of kids. Their names were Monica and Neema. Neema was Monica's first born child, but she was no child she had two kids of her own. We greeted them and exchanged news and then invited them to the teachings we would have later. I asked if they were saved and Monica the mom said she was but she was backslidden, but Neema said she was not saved. So we pulled up chairs and I shared the plan of salvation with her and she was saved! It was great. After she finished praying we talked a little more about what God had done in her heart and some promises that were hers. Before we left William said maybe we could pray for her little baby. I said sure but the word he used meant really young baby and I asked when he was born as she went to get the baby. William said he had been born on Sunday and it was Wednesday. I was shocked but when she came out with Alex he was a cute newborn. I held him and we all prayed together and then we moved on.

            Silas was really excited to have seen Neema saved. He said he did not know what all was being said but he knew what was going on so he was just sitting there praying. We were all excited that the Lord had moved and now we were on the hunt for another opportunity.

            We came to another boma and found three older men under a little banda(shaded area) drinking Mnazi (Coconut wine). They welcomed us in and we sat down and passed out tracts that said if you leave this world today you would go where. They were really friendly and after a few minutes it was obvious they were drunk and we were getting nowhere fast with them, they were good old fellas but not in the state of mind to talk about spiritual matters. The man whose boma we were on welcomed us another day and said that we could preach and teach to his whole family anytime. We excused ourselves and left with an open door to return and went on.

            The next boma we found Kenga a man about 35 or 40 working in a little shop making chairs and tables. He got us some chairs and set us under some trees then joined us. William said that it was a relative of his and that he was not saved. Kenga's mama also joined us as we sat she professed to be saved. I started talking to Kenga to ask him about his spiritual condition. Indeed he was lost but before we left he was saved!! It was so awesome to watch the Lord work in him. We went through the plan of salvation and his need to accept Christ and just before he prayed he asked about his stomach problems and if he would be healed if he got saved. He then started talking Giriama and asking about what he could do about his problems because he usually goes to the Mganga (witch doctor)and he knew if he accepted Christ he could not go back to the Mganga. His mama answered him then I answered him once William translated for me. Early he had said when we die the body goes in the grave and the spirit to God and I commended him on this answer and used it as a basis to talk to him. I reminded him that the body was one day going in the ground and he needed to consider his spiritual healing more then the physical healing because as he said and the Bible says our spirit lives forever. I told him there was no guarantee that his stomach issues would be healed but I told him that he could share that with God after he was saved because God cares for his children. God may choose to heal him physically or not but for certain if he ask Christ to be his Savior he was promised Spiritual healing. He said he wanted to accept Christ. When he was praying to be saved it was awesome to hear his mouth moving and know that in those moments he was asking Christ into his heart. I did not hear the exact words but after we offered up thanks for his salvation I asked him are you saved and he immediately said yes! I love it. We shared some more scripture with him about security and how to continue to grow then we left to get back for our teachings. Kenga himself said he was sorry he could not come to the teaching because he had to finish his work in order to get food for the day. We encouraged him that we understood, I love it when there is a immediate turn to spiritual things. We did not ask him if he was coming but he asked to be excused as if it was natural for us to expect him to be there.

            We made it back for teachings at a fast pass so we would not be late. When we got back there was no one there for teaching. The night before the ladies told us that they could not come because there was food aide coming in Baricho and they need to go there to get it so we expected there to be little turn out. This again is the climax of the hunger time they should get some harvest starting in a week or two then conditions will improve and people will be available. It is just a state of survival right now.

            After we ate lunch Moses still taught an abbreviated version of some lessons on Security. We left some studies behind so they could continue on. It was a good visit with Neema and Kenga being saved but a little disappointing at the turn out for teachings. We will return again and continue to plant seed and gather folks together. William came back to town with us in hopes to find some work to get some money for his family. Jobs are starting to open up again in Malindi so pray for him. I am glad to say that William and Mama Faith are doing good so that was encouraging to see. They will be better if they can get the house finished that they have started building.

6/25/09 Thursday

            Thursday started at 5:00am with Moses and Juma in class. Alfonse went to Lengo Mbaya so he was not with us. We continued on with our studies. At around 9:00 we went to see Brother Mbuvi in Temboni. Silas, Moses, and our entire family loaded up for the visit. I have been telling brother Mbuvi's wife that I would bring Kenya and the kid so I did not want to disappoint her. We arrived and found everyone in the family. They were excited to see us all together. We sat and visited and drank coffee with buttered bread together. It was a great visit. I got an update on how things were going and we made some plans for the next few months of how we could precede with the group that brother Mbuvi is meeting with. They are still not a church just a Bible study, but are doing really well. We will be working through some doctrinal classes with them and their need for scriptural baptism. Our hope is that in August we will be able to officially start the church in Mangangani. Pray for this work that the Lord will lead and bless.

            After our planning session Silas, Josiah, Samuel, and I went with Brother Mbuvi, his son, and his wife to the plot they are having their bible study. Kenya and the girls stayed with Ndugu Mbuvi's grown daughters so they could braid Kenya's hair and do the girls hair. I wanted to look at the building they have been working on and see their progress. They have really done well they have the roof half way completed and lack only one side. As we concluded our meeting I told Mbuvi that we would return next week to finish the other side of the roof with Makuti (thatched roof). This group has done all the work so far on their own so it will be a huge help to them to get them in the dry and they can continue on from there. Mbuvi was really excited. I offered some other suggestions about their plot that they are using and then we prayed and headed home.

            When we got home we had time to eat and relax a little. Moses went to see Ricklynn and Mama Esther for a counseling session and I did some studying. At five we all headed to Bible study. We had a good Bible study. Godfry brought some more Bible covers he had finished and I gave him the money to make some more. He has done a great job on the covers!

6/26/09 Friday

            Friday we slept in a little and then got to it. Silas and I had a good prayer time together then I worked on some emails. Silas was working on his sermon for this Sunday. He is going to be preaching at our church here in Malindi. Later in the morning Silas and I worked on mission finances and I taught him the process that I use to get shillings to dollars and get the data to our Missions treasurer. He was a big help reading off the receipts.

When we finished the mission finances Moses, Silas, and I did some more planning for the group coming from our sending church. They will be with us the second and third week of July. We put together an itinerary and tried to work out the details. I called Ryan, who is leading the group from our church, and talked with him about some of our plans and answered some questions for him. We are so excited about the group coming! I was in the processes of closing the office down for the day when Juma and his brother Ajabu arrived.

            Juma and Ajabu came into the office with Silas and I and we all chatted a bit. Juma said he had come for his test retake and Ajabu had come to talk to me about salvation. I told Juma we would hold off on his test but I would talk to Ajabu. When I asked him if he was saved he said he was so I asked him what he did to be saved but he could not answer so I opened the scriptures and we went through the plan of salivation and in the end we got to hear those muffled movements of a mouth praying for salvation. When I asked him again about being saved he said he knew for sure he was saved now. It was sweeeet! I gave Ajabu some studies to do with Juma and encouraged him about Baptism. He already is attending the church and shared with him that the step of Baptism is an important step in his walk with the Lord. He was happy and we were all just floating! God is so good!

6/27/09 Saturday

            This update is so long already so what is one more day? Today we had visitation. We meet at the church at 10 and visited a bit before leaving out to do visits. When we were deciding where to visit we decided that from now on we will start meeting at 2:00pm for visitation because most of the people we wanted to visit were working until one. We still divided into two's and passed out tracts. Moses and Ricklynn went to one area, Godfry and Silas went to another, and Juma and I went to another.

            Juma and I remained behind a little because Mama Naomi came to visit. We all sat down and visited a little before Juma and I left make visits. Mama Naomi stayed with Kenya while Juma and I went out to make some visits. As we were walking I told Juma I wanted to try and catch Wilson at home to visit with him since we did not get him last week. Juma said he had a friend where we were going that we could visit also. We passed by Wilson's house and found his wife and daughter. It was our first time to meet the wife so we greeted her and invited her to the services. Wilson was out so we told her we would come another time but welcomed her to the services. When we left I told Juma that in that situation we never stay when it is a mama alone and no one else, because we did not want a bad testimony. It was a good teaching opportunity for him.

            After we left Wilson's we went to Juma's friend Jackson's place. He met us at the door from town and we went in together. Jackson said that a long time ago he attended the Seventh Day Adventist Church. I asked him what they taught about salvation but he said he did not know but that he had been Baptized. I asked him if he would like me to tell him what the Bible taught about salvation. He grabbed a pen and paper and we opened the Bible together and I shared the plan of salvation with him. When we finished he said he wanted to be saved! After he prayed to be saved we rejoiced together and I shared some scriptures on security and on Baptism. We gave Jackson some Bible studies before we all three left together. We walked and talked for a while along the road. Jackson asked why the Catholics believe in Mary more than Jesus and we talked as we walked about that until our ways parted. Juma and I continued back home and Jackson went to town.

            As Juma and I walked I told him that it would be his turn soon to tell someone how to be saved so he needed to pay attention. I told him this was the third time that he was with me one on one when someone was saved so he should be getting the scriptures down. He said he would like to practice on me and Moses so he can be ready and I commended him and told him that was wise. Juma is growing. We returned to the house and had lunch. Kenya has gone to the ladies meeting and I am heading in to take care of the little ones. Sorry for the long update but four people saved I think it was worth the time to report the details!!

James Taylor

East Kenya Missions