Yes, It is Worth It!

"Is it really worth all the time, money and effort?" This is a question that I sometimes ask myself.  Usually God gives me a clear answer "YES". God's answer comes in many different ways.  This is how he answered my question this week.

A friend asked one of our teachers the following questions and God answered my question with their responses:
Question: "How does this school change the lives of the children that attend?"

Answer: "Being that the school is based on a strong spiritual background where every teacher tends to behave and act in the Biblical way many pupils have been helped. I can think of three ways. (1) They are learning so they will get good results at KCPE [National Exam] level. (2) Some have and more will accept Jesus Christ as their Savior hence the Kingdom of God is theirs. (3) These students will act as good Christian role models to the Kenyan society and bring honestly and integrity into their future careers.

Question: "What are your hopes for the children in the future?"

Answer: "I hope that they will continue believing in Jesus Christ and pass the Good News to their families and communities. I hope that they will become independent successful people in their our country of Kenya while always striving to be ambassadors of Christ who will help bring moral change wherever they will go."

As I read heard these answers, I thought of the words of Paul in Acts 20 when he was leaving Ephesus bound for Jerusalem and eventually Rome.  In verse 35, he said, "I have showed you all things, how that so laboring you ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive'."

My hope is that I will always teach the Kenyan people that I influence to put God in the center of their lives. With God in his proper place, the rest works itself out.  So "is it worth all the time, money and effort?"  I can honestly say "Yes" because if one little child gets saved then that is enough.

From April 2017

Have you ever had “one of those weeks”?  After months of drought in Kenya, I got an email on May 8^th saying this: “We have had rain in the past week but yesterday it was so heavy the whole day the floods swept one of the bridges along Kilifi Highway. It also brought down sections of the perimeter wall at both the New Life and Good News schools. Also two cows drowned at the farm.” Wow!  We asked God for rain and we got a flood.

As I prayed over these things, I thought many of us are so focused on life’s valleys (problems) that we tend to miss the joys of this journey we are on. We all have hidden hurts, closed closets, and covered calamities. The book of Psalms is very helpful for our growth in faith.

I believe that Psalm 23 can best be understood in the view of a journey where an individual is wandering full of weary, confused by pathways, moved by mountains of mystery, venturing through life’s valleys, entangled in enemy web of destruction. Faced with fear, yet, looking to feast of food prepared on a table before them. Now I know that David was speaking of the valley of death but I want to broaden that valley to be the valley of tears, trials and heartache. “How do we get through the valley?”    

    

First I have to accept the reality of the valley.  Whenever you accept that there is a problem you then can begin to resolve the issue at hand. With our spiritual intellect, we know that God has promised “I’ll never leave you or forsake you.” So when we walk through sand, it won’t bury us; Walk through fire, it won’t burn us; Walk through water; it won’t drown us. No matter if its fear or failure; trials or tribulations; troubles or turmoil; stress or strain, we need to admit and accept that we are in one of life’s valleys.

Second, I must praise the Lord in the valley. We need to become more grounded in our faith. Don’t allow frustration to hinder you from walking on through the valley. David made it known he would not fear. Why? “For you are with me!” What a great promise from God. We should be confidence in God and say,” I will walk with confidence through the valley. Notice verse 4: it doesn’t say: “I will walk in the valley” but “I will walk through the valley” David had a destination in sight. There was a set goal to be reached.

A great American preacher J.D. Jakes said this in a sermon:

In the valley: He creates a clear pathway to walk.           
In the valley: He’s my guiding light in darkness.
In the valley: He’s my bright and morning star. 
In the valley: He’s my Rock in a weary land.

In the valley: He’s my shelter in the time of a storm.      
In the valley: He directs and orders my footsteps.

Let me praise God in this valley. We have seen 19 precious people saved and 36 get baptized in the past two months. God has provided donations to cover the cost of the last classroom at our high school, the third floor of the girls’ dormitory and the second floor of the boys’ dormitory. We have 3 groups coming to visit Kenya with us in the summer months. And if that is not enough, we have seen personal spiritual growth in the lives of our sons and ourselves.

From Dec 2016

We want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. It is impossible to believe that 2016 is almost over.  In many ways, I am looking forward to starting 2017 with all of its unseen adventure and possibilities.

As I review 2016, I wanted to share some of our successes:

·         131 salvations; 83 baptisms

·         102 families joined as monthly sponsors of students at our Kenyan Christian schools

·         25 pastors were trained in our seminars – Teaching Biblical Truth and Making Disciples

·         2 youth “Encounter” camps were held with six saved.

·         1 Pastor Training Scholarship given to student at Crossroads Baptist Bible Institute, Kenya

·         1 church building constructed for Voice of Hope Baptist Church, Bomani, Kenya

·         1 new church in Colorado, Kenya

·         60 new students added to our Kenyan Christian schools

·         60 of our students graduated from 8^th grade (Good News and New Life Academies)

·         35 of our students graduated from our Valerye McMillan High School

·         1 Administration Building constructed at high school

·         Funds raised to build 3^rd floor of female dormitory at high school

·         Funds raised to build 2 new classrooms at high school

·         Funds raised to build 1^st floor of male dormitory at high school

We are praising God for all the was accomplished in 2016.  Thank you for your monthly support that enables us to continue serving God alongside Kenyans to reach their country for Christ.

Here are some of our goals for 2017:

·         To see a minimum of 100 people come to know Christ

·         Construction of one new church ($10,000)

·         Have a minimum of 25 pastors training in our seminars

·         Sponsor one student for pastoral training in our Bible Institute ($400)

·         Expand our spiritual mentoring program within our staff and employees

·         Hold 2 youth “Encounter” camps

·         Construction of the male dormitory and 3^rd floor of female dormitory (high school)

·         Add 60 new children to our Christian educational program

Please keep us in your prayers as we seek God’s wisdom in reaching these goals and setting others for His kingdom. Could you set a goal to help us build a church or send a student to Bible school? We hope that as you pray that God would enlarge your vision for reaching the world especially Kenya with the Gospel.

Merry Christmas

From July 2016

A few weeks ago, I get a phone call from Lisa. She says, “I hope I make it to the gas station before I run out of gas. Which one is the closest to our house?” People use that phrase “I hope” a lot. “I hope I get married.” “I hope your mom beats cancer.” “I hope that I can come over this week.” “I hope I get the job.” Some hopes come true; others don’t.

Before starting our ministry in Kenya, I often wondered what life would be like without hope. I mean I grew up in a country where every little boy or girl really believes that they could be President someday. In Kenya there are many who live without hope and I believe we need hope to live. Hope for a better future is what drives us to survive…to keep moving…to seek healing…to face a new day.

The human race has tried to find contention in false hopes like money, a bigger house, education, friends, sexual relationships, and fame. But the truth is that none of these things will last and are unable to bring meaning, purpose and joy into a life. 2 Peter 3 verse 11 tells us that “…everything will be destroyed in this way [fire]…” In light of this thought, Peter asks “…what kind of people ought you to be?” Then he gives the answer “You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of the God and speed its coming.”

In Kenya, we are trying to give hope and show the love of God daily.  In the last two months, we have had several community outreaches.  The last one was great. We were able to give over 200 families a food bundle that would last them for up to three weeks. It was great to see the joy on people’s faces as they received their gift of good but also the great gift of hearing the Gospel.  Why do we give away water free? Why do we have a school? Why do we offer medical clinics? Why do we present goats to school children? Why do we visit the local witchdoctor? Why do we hold pastors’ conference? Why? So that some may find the wisdom of God.

Proverbs 24:14: ¹⁴ So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul; If you have found it, there is a prospect, and your hope will not be cut off.

Wisdom brings hope. Christ died and defeated the power of death. Christ arose because the grave could not hold him. What Jesus began he will conclude. Jesus is coming again and we need to let people know so that they will not miss it.

Since we know that our hopes and dreams are safe with God, let’s help to promote a world where purity and righteousness lives, where the love of God reigns, where we strive for peace and justice for all. In doing so, we can live in contentment and joy as we work together to see people come to salvation.