Updates and Doors Opening
By James Taylor | September 24, 2009
It is hard to believe another week has passed by! Moses and I both agree that, "time runs these days".
Tuesday 15
Tuesday started up bright and early at 4:00am, ok it was dark and early but no need to be technical. Moses, Juma, and I met for class at 5:00am. We are still moving through OT Survey and NT Survey Classes. I asked them first thing if they were where they needed to be in their reading. They are supposed to read the books that we cover. They both admitted they were behind so I gave them a little lecture in a good way about the importance of reading the books and attending classes. I told them we would take this week off to give them the time to catch up on their reading, but that next week on Tuesday I wanted them up to speed or ahead. Neither one of them has ever read their Bible from cover to cover so this class is going to really help them in their development and I think give them a sense of accomplishment when it is done. Anyhow, since we did not continue on with class we visited a little and I shared the pictures of
I spent time working in the office on some planning and studies. Moses was doing some clearing of trees in our yard and I helped him as the day came to a close because I did not want the brush to remain on the ground for fear of snakes coming in at night. We cut all the brush up and began taking it to a place on the other side of town to dump it off. Our second trip to dump the brush the front drive shaft on the car broke, flipped off, and we stopped immediately! I called
In the evening one of the church members showed up at the house because of problems at home. The husband and wife were really having a major fight and they needed intervention. This is not the first time that we have counseled this family. I called Moses and picked him up along the way so that I would not be alone and we headed to the house to see what we could do. We spent the next four hours with the family and I think made some significant steps forward. Pray for this family that God will continue to help them with their marriage and spiritual growth. I thank God for his leadership and presence while we work through this situation.
Wednesday 16
On Wednesday I got in the office a little late after the long night. I spent the morning in prayer and reading of the scriptures. The work is going well but I find myself in a constant state of need. I need desperately the presence of God as we serve Him, the things that are before us are far more than I can handle or do. It was a sweet time of prayer and reading.
I spent a few hours working on getting our stock of books in order. We have printed several books that brother Lynn Rayburn wrote. There is also a stock of tracks, and Bibles. I was able to get it all in order to see what we have so when we head to the field we are ready to go. While in
When Moses returned he had found a second hand original part, which was perfect. He went to a few different garages that told him he would have to go to Mombassa to get the part but he went to a small parts shop and the man said immediately when he saw the part that he had just gotten one exactly like it the day before. Moses is like me he had his doubts until the man brought the part, took the old part of my drive shaft, did the measuring in front of Moses and sure enough it was the exact part. God is always a step ahead of us! Moses was able to buy the part for a good price also.
We got the tools out and went to work changing the broken part with the new one. It was not a hard job but took a little bit, but I am happy to say that the front and rear drive shafts are both functional. After we examined the old part it was obvious that it had been bad for a while and Tuesday was the final day for it. Thank the Lord it was in town on a side road when it broke!
After working on the truck I cleaned up a little and did some email communication with Julie Shoeff about doing an Eye clinic in April 2010. Julie's ministry Eyes on Christ is a ministry of Landmark BC,
Thursday 17
I started the morning off at four with a phone call to Ryan Copico our Kenya Missions committee chairman and friend. We had a good hour and a half conversation about a little bit of everything. One of the big things was next summer and different short term mission trip possibilities. It was a great time of planning and dreaming. We are so excited about what God is doing and is going to do here in Kenya and I know that Pauline BC, our sending church... no, that sounds to dry let me just say... Our church, is right there with us. We are so grateful for the church, our pastor brother
After I spoke with Ryan and had my personal time I started working on some Bible Institute work. I am convinced that we are at a critical point in this young work where we must get the Bible Institute started so we can begin training the men God is raising up. I praise the Lord for the expansion into some new areas but there must be those who can teach and lead. With this in mind I am going to be devoting much time to working on the Bible Institute and getting things in order. Lord willing we will start classes for those interested the first of January. I worked on the curriculum and schedule quite a bit. When we were in Western I worked with brother Hopper quite a bit on school matters. He has given us the go ahead to start Landmark Baptist Bible Institute Pwani and liberty to meet the needs of the students God gives us.
After working a bit on school things I had to address some computer problems that I have been having. Technology is great when it is doing what you want. Anyhow, I got it all sorted out, I think.
Moses and I met a little before Bible Study. I wanted to ask him his thoughts on the schedule and meeting time of the Bible Institute. We will plan a meeting in the next few weeks with the other men involved but wanted to get Moses initial thoughts. Especially since he and Juma are already doing classes. Our conversation ended up talking not just about the school but also Moses future. I asked him where he felt the Lord may be leading him. He has been with me every step of the way here and for that matter in all the work so far. He said that he felt that he might need to work in Mazeras but was not sure. This was a little twist on what I had in my mind. I have always thought that Moses would pastor here in Malindi but that was my thoughts. I told Moses I would continue to pray for him that God would make clear His will and that I would help him in any way I could.
I am super excited to see Moses growing in his faith. The truth is wherever Moses serves he will do great. He is dedicated to the Lord and is putting himself in position to provide for his family where ever he is and is applying himself to his studies. I am waiting with great anticipation to see how God leads Moses.
After Moses and I met we headed to our midweek Bible Study. Ricklynn did a good job teaching. He is really enjoying the opportunity to teach. I know he has a zeal for the work of the Lord. We will see how the Lord develops. I spoke to Godfry after Bible study about taking over the visitation that we do on Saturdays. He really likes visitation and is always the first one there and he has such a tender spirit about him. I think he will do a great job.
Friday 18
On Friday I did some reading in on Islam. I really want to dig in more with the intention to talk to Mohammad next door. Pray for this meeting in the near future I really think it will be a good chance to talk openly about the Gospel with him and to share with him that the two religions are not the same. After some study time in Islam I went back to work on School work. It is all coming together. I am very excited about getting started. Although it will add a lot of work, I know that investing in the men God is raising up is worth it.
In the afternoon I made some phone calls to set up times to visit with Brother Mbuvi in Mangangani and Benard in Kilifi. I tried to reach William Karisa in Singuaya but was not able to.
One of the teachers from Judo also came by to visit. The kids have not been going to Judo with all our traveling and everything so he wanted to be sure they were ok and there was no problem. I assured him there was no problem and that we appreciated his visit. He asked us to pray for his mama, Mareta Mweke, who was sick. He was leaving to go see her the next day.
Juma came by to visit and we did some planning for Mazeras. The area in Mazeras that Juma is from is called Bokole near Kasameni. It was good to talk a little with Juma. He said he had been reading like crazy to get caught up on his assigned readings. He is doing so good.
Saturday 19
Saturday Maitha(Alfonse’s other name) stopped by in the afternoon because he said he would not be in church on Sunday. He had an appointment with one of the head teachers from Shanzo Teacher college. He also wanted to ask us to pray for his dad Kazungu Diga who is very sick. After Alfonse left I told
Godfry, Moses, Ricklynn, and I went on visitation. Godfry and I went to visit Jarred one of our members. We heard his wife was sick so we thought we would check in on her. We spent about two hours visiting with Jared’s wife and just as we were leaving Jarred came in so we stayed another thirty minutes to visit with him. It was good to visit his wife. She is not a member of the church and is connected with the Jehovah's Witness in town. She has not yet been baptized and made a member of their church but she has done a lot of their studies, needless to say she is confused. Pray for her I am not really sure of her salvation. We have shared what the Bible says and she has even been in our services but has not made any moves. Jarred and his daughter Cynthia are usually at the church every week. Please pray for Mama Cynthia.
Moses and Ricklynn went to visit Beatrice, who is a single girl about 19 years old that has been coming faithfully for a few months. Moses noticed on a Bible study that she did that she said her salvation testimony was that she had stopped doing bad things so she was saved. So we knew she was confused about salvation, so Moses and Ricklynn went to talk to her about salvation, baptism, and church membership. Her testimony to Moses and Ricklynn was that she was sick one time and got better so that was her salvation. Of course Moses took her through what the Bible says about salvation and she was saved! She is ready to follow the Lord in baptism and wants to join the church. Pray for her sister Margaret who is about 17 and finishing here last year of school, that we will get the chance to talk to her soon. We do not know what her testimony of salvation is but if it is like her sisters then pray she will be saved.
Sunday 20
Sunday morning Godfry and I went to Gandini and Kwandezi in Singuaya. We left at around 7:30 so we could get there before the time that William told me they were meeting at his place. Moses took care of the services in Malindi, while Juma went to Mazeras for the Bible study there. I tried several times during the week to call William but could not reach him so we decided to make this trip. Our plan was to meet with William and those that are meeting at his house and then trek across the valley to Kwandezi where there is another group meeting.
When we arrived William was not there. He had gone to Baricho to do something but he arrived before time for their Bible study. When he arrived, Godfry and I sat down with him to see how things were going. He is in general doing well. It seems that he is getting his family in order and even has some good plans and a good start with some chickens and goats. I asked him where they were in the Bible study that they were doing. He told me they were really far along and I asked him what he had been doing because he was way farther then he should be. He had not been reading all the verses in the study with the people and just picking a few. I told him exactly how to do the Bible study and that he need to go back to the beginning and read every verse together with the people.
William likes to rush things and he was for sure rushing through the studies that they were doing. I reminded William he himself needed to go through these studies slowly and to take the others with him through the study. The studies are meant to build slowly foundational principles of God's word, to get people in their Bibles, to get people used to how to use their Bibles, and to let the Spirit of God teach them. I reminded him that when you build a permanent house you don't build it in a day but you dig down and lay a good foundation, then you start the walls row by row. It was a good chance to help him know how to help those that are meeting with him.
We met with the small group there in Gandini and sang a few songs and had Bible study. I also stood in front of them and explained all that I had explained to William about the purpose of the studies they were doing and the way to do them so that even if William is not there they can continue. It was a good service. There were seven adults and about twenty kids. Williams' mama gave a testimony and you could see some of her Pentecostal background coming out. Once we finished the Bible study in Gandini we headed to Kwandezi in hopes to catch them before they were finished.
As we walked across the valley and got closer to Kwandezi we could hear singing so we knew we were not too late. When we got to where they are meeting the children were singing. They finished and James Mungi who we lead to the Lord a few weeks back got up and welcomed us. They had already finished but they said they were ready to keep going. He said normally that they would be finished already but that the children wanted to sing again so they stayed to listen to the children but it was really that God was keeping them there so we could meet. We got up and introduced ourselves to the group. There were about 15 adults and 40 kids.
I explained who I was and how the Lord had put us in contact with James and them. I also shared from the word how we must build our lives and faith on the Word of God. We gave the adults the book Zaeni Matunda for them to do so we could give them all a Bible. We told them as Landmark Baptist the Bible is our Landmark and we want all of them to have a Bible so they could know if what we were teaching was truly God's words or our words. I also gave the adults a book brother Lynn Raburn wrote called Kutembea Na Yesu Kila Siku (walking with Jesus every day). After we dismissed the meeting in prayer I went with James and Emanuel who are the leaders and the ones who have gathered the people together.
We went to Emanuel's house and sat under a shade area to talk. William, Thomas, and another young man from the Gandini group came with us. James, Emanuel, and Zebulon were there from the group there in Kwandezi and Godfry and I. I asked Emanuel about what they were hoping to do and what they needed help with. He said pretty much the exact same thing that James had told me last month when we came the first time. They want to start a church in their area so their kids and adults will have a place to learn God's word. He said they did not know how to do it or what to do they just knew that it was the right thing to do. Their plan was to meet, sing, pray, and read the Bible until God provided a teacher and someone to lead them. He said that they need leadership and teaching.
They had almost given up on us returning to visit with them and had resolved that maybe one day we would come and then we came. God is good! I shared with James and Emanuel purpose and how to use the Bible study that we are using in Gandini (and Mazeras). I tried to give them some words of encouragement for following what God laid on their heart and that I was excited about what God was and could do in the future. Also I shared that the way we work is slowly slowly. Using the building of a house with them also to explain why it was so important to take our time in the studies and to build our relationship also. I stressed they do not know us and we do not know them, but that with time we would know one another in the Lord. The conversation went really good and they were satisfied and excited about working together. A final warning I gave was to be careful of false teachings coming in and those who may have alternative purposes for coming especially since I (a white missionary) had visited them.
I shared with them the starting of the Bible Institute and invited them to the meeting that we will be having to discuss the matter. I encouraged all the men that as leaders they especially should come if they could. After we finished talking we got up to go drink Madafu(coconut) together but Emanuel's wife told us she was preparing food so we sat back down. James said that he would go ahead and run to get the Madafu so we could have them later. We told him it was not necessary but he said it was to leave without a blessing was not good. So he took off while we sat back down.
While we were sitting I asked Zebulon about his salvation and his testimony was not a good one so I opened the Bible and started explaining what the Bible said about salvation. Emanuel was sitting with us and following along also. When I finished explaining what the Bible said and asked if they were saved Emanuel said yes and gave his testimony. Zebulon said he was also saved and Baptized when he was a boy around 10 years old but was away from the Lord. I was confident in Emanuel's testimony but Zebulon I am not sure but the Lord knows and he heard but you can not argue with someone's testimony. I was glad that we got the chance to share. The food came and we ate Kumbu (Giriama for Omeno in Swahili which is Minnows in English)and Ugali. When we finished eating James arrived with the Madafu and we took them for take away. We said our good-byes and headed back to William's.
When we arrived at William's we ate again. I told William we just ate and he said yes but not here. So Godfry and I had smashed up Ndengu (like peas) and ugali with William. We were all stuffed! We loaded up and carried William's sister in-law and children to the shops on the way and dropped her. While there we picked up a mama and her little girl who had a stick protruding out of her foot to carry them to Garashi medical clinic on our way. We dropped off the little mama and the little girl and continued on our journey. We came to a little village where there are several small shops and got into a race with a calve. The calve was loose and ran across the road at first and I slowed down to avoid hitting it then it started running along side the car and darted back in front of us and continued to run along side the car. I decided to speed up a little to keep it from running in front of me again and I saw in front on the other side of the road two dogs. Well one of the dogs caught eye of the calve running along side of me on the other side of the road and ran out in front of me and lets just say he did not make it.
I had to stop and Godfry and I got out and talked the owner. He saw the whole thing and knew that it was not my fault it was just animals being animals. I apologized and told him I wanted to give him money to buy a new dog because I knew the dogs were probably his watch dogs. He was happy and said he would bury the dog and everything. There was a huge crowd gathered to see what happen but dissipated once we finished. All in all it was an exciting day.
Godfry and I had a good time visiting on this trip and I think he enjoyed it also. This was the first time for me to get to spend any significant amount of time with Godfry and his first time to see ministry like this. We both had a good time and I enjoyed listening to his evaluation of the situation when I asked him. Aside from the dog homicide it was a great day.
Monday 21
Monday was a public holiday because of the Muslim's celebrating the end of Ramadan. The town pretty much shut down so I took the day off to just to be with the family. I did meet with Juma in the evening when he finally got back from Mazeras he said there were no cars on Sunday because of the holiday and he had to wait for a car with the normal price before he could get back to Malindi. He said they had 15 adults and 25 kids in service and that they talked about putting up a temporary place to get out of the rains that would soon be coming. They wanted to know what we thought and I told him it was a great idea and Moses could talk to them more when he goes down this next week.
Tuesday 22
Moses, Juma, and I were back in class at 5:00am on Tuesday and they are both ahead on their readings now. When Moses came in to work he and I ran to check on Joseph because he called on Monday and said he was sick. He was a little better but has a bad sinus infection. I gave him some medicine to help a little until he could get something else.
After we met with Joseph we ran back to the house and Moses and I sat down and talked a little. He shared with me that he had talked with Mama Derrick (his wife) about Mazeras and here in Malindi. He said to pray for her because she doesn’t like the coast area at all. After they went home for a visit a few months ago Moses admitted he had to basically force her to return. They are a long ways from home. I tried to talk with Moses about culture shock and about how he might help Mama Derrick. Also I told him to consider that the Lord may move him back to western
In the afternoon Moses and I went to visit with Brother Mbuvi in Mangangani and see how the work is doing there. It was good to see Daniel and his family. They are all well and the church is doing great. Since we started the church Brother Mbuvi has baptized an additional nine! Praise the Lord! I know that even Daniel himself is amazed at what God is doing. I loved seeing him testify that he was amazed also to see God moving. The church in Mangangani is planning a celebration service on the first Sunday of November to celebrate the starting of the church and they have invited our church to join them in the afternoon. I ask Daniel if he would like to show the Jesus Film in Giriama (one of the local languages) that evening also and he said that would be great. We had a great time just sitting under the shade tree at his house and talking.
I also shared about the school meeting we are having next week. He is eager to get back to school also. He has a vitality that I did not see in him when we first met with him. God has been so good and has done a great work with Daniel. We ate lunch together then headed to the church for their mid week Bible study. Brother Mbuvi asked Moses or I if we would teach and Moses elected me. I taught the Bible study then we visited with some of the members after services. I was so blessed to see the progress and continuation of the church in Mangangani. Daniel is coming along.
Wednesday
I started this update and to check emails after my personal time on Wednesday but did not get far before it was time to run to Kilifi to meet with Benard Mutanyi. We got to Benard's and greeted him then Moses, Benard, and I went to the Blue Star Hotel down from Benard's house and had lunch together. It is a little local restaurant that has good food and is dirt cheap. We enjoyed a good lunch and went back to Benard's to visit.
When we got to Benard's a young man Benard works named Steven Masha came by. Moses and I met with him one time several months ago but have not seen him since. He has been studying with Benard and is learning a lot from the scriptures. The four of us sat around and just talked for several hours about everything. Benard and Steven shared several stories from work and how God protected them. They are security guards for the same company and been in some close calls. When we got ready to leave Benard said, "today you all have really visited, we could talk all night!". Benard is a interesting guy a lot like William Karisa in some ways. We will see what the Lord will do with him and even Steven. Now Steven he has some potential and seems very teachable and wants to grow.
I invited both of them for the school meeting next week also. Benard is always asking about starting to work in Kilifi but he really needs some teaching and his pastor out in Western advised us to work slowly with Benard. If he will come to school it will be a chance to help him grow and see what God might do. Even though we just met Steven it would be great to see him come and see what God might do with him.
While we were in
Thursday
This morning we had a great class. I have been working the rest of the morning on this update and I hope to get through all the emails in the inbox as well as some financial work.