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.

No Return Without Investment

How is your retirement account?  Do you regularly put something into it? How are you investing? Do you understand compound interest? We usually think of investments in the terms of money or finances, but it is just as important that we learn to invest our time and talents, as well as, our treasure. Why? Because...

There is no return without investment. 

Galatians 6:8,9 says, "For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

The level of our investment in spiritual things determines the level of return that we receive now and in all eternity.To invest wisely we need to understand clearly how and in what to invest.

We are all used to saying "I work hard for my money and I am willing to give my offering to the church and even to help give to missions but the rest of the money is mine to spend." The same goes for our time and talent. We spend our time doing what we want to do and we normally spend our talents in a way that brings some type of satisfaction to our lives.

As Christians we need to look at every interaction of our day differently than unbelievers. Every activity of our day is a God-given opportunity for investment. We need to invest our time, talent and treasure not just spend it. We must all learn to ask God: "Is this a good investment or it is the best investment of my time, talent and treasure for your kingdom?" A book I have been reading defines a good investment as one that invites us to receive an instant return while the best investment usually yields results we won't see until sometime in the future.

In the beginning The Hope Foundation was established to help twenty five children get some food. Lisa and I invested our money, time and talent and hoped that we could make a difference in the lives of these twenty five children. God took that little investment and multiplied it and multiplied it. Now we serve over 1000 children not only with food but with education and medical needs. But most of all our goal has always been to share the Gospel of Jesus with them and see them become a part of God's family. We want them to experience a richer life as they learn to not just strive for money but to invest their lives in God's work. We want them to invest wisely so that they can reap the multiplicity of God's returns. We couldn't do this without hundreds of people who have chosen to invest in the lives of Kenyan children and families monthly. Thanks to our sponsors!

You should never underestimate your power to invest in the moments of your life. I would advise that you take time to invest in something bigger than yourself. 

Edward Abbey wrote, "Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul." James said something similar in chapter 2 verse 26: "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.."

My prayer for you is that you won't be one who simply wastes or squanders what  you have been given for a quick result. Investment demonstrates that we can be trusted with so much more than we have been given. 

Would you intentionally invest your assets, your time and your talent in The Hope Foundation? It is not just a good investment. It is the best investment. Why? Because what you offer to the least of these in Kenya is extremely valuable because it will produce a rich long-term return to you in every area of your life. 

We are seeking people who would not only sponsor a child but be willing to send $10 - $30 per month to help with the overall running of the foundation and its gospel and humanitarian projects. If you already sponsor a child, remember the total $30 you send for your sponsored child is put toward your child. Lisa and I run the foundation by faith that God will provide for its needs and God always uses people to invest in His kingdom work. 

Will you be one of them?

God's Gift Card for You

March is a big birthday month in our house. We not only have Lisa and Dylan's birthdays to celebrate but my Dad, brother, Lisa's sister and our nephew all have birthdays in March. 

In the U.S. there are literally thousands of gifts that you can get someone for their birthday.  There are so many choices that sometimes it can be overwhelming to get the right gift. Some ingenious person came up with something called the gift card. You go to a store and give the cashier an amount of money $10, $25, $50 and they hand you a little plastic card that you give to your friend as their gift. That $50 is on the card as a credit and your friend can take it back to the store and get $50 worth of merchandise just by presenting the card to the cashier.  The strange thing is the card is really only worth $50 if your friend uses it. If they put it in their wallet and never  use it then it is useless gift for them.

In 1 Corinthians 12: 4-6, Paul writes “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.:  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.” And in Philippians 2:13 Paul reminds us: “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” 

Because God is at work within us, we can accomplish His purposes. We try to instill in our Kenyan leaders that we minister differently because we’ve been gifted differently. The same God is at work in us, but He customizes His work through us for His ultimate glory and the strength of the church.

Let me illustrate. At dinner, suppose someone dropped a plate full of food on the ground. This is how people with different gifts may respond.

- Gift of prophecy…"That’s what happens when you’re not careful.”
- Gift of service…"Oh, let me help you clean it up.”
- Gift of teaching…The reason that it fell was because it was too heavy on one side.”
- Gift of exhortation… "Next time, maybe you should let someone else help you carry it.”
- Gift of giving… “Here, you can have my plate.”
- Gift of mercy…“Don’t feel too bad. It could have happened to anyone.”
- Gift of administration… “Job, would you get the broom? Pascal, please help pick this up."

We’ve all been gifted differently and so we act differently and we serve differently.

While it’s important to identify your gifts, it’s not enough. Gifts are given to be used. Verses 12-30 describe how the church is like the human body, with each part playing a critical role in the functioning of the body. You’ve been given gifts and a key role to play in this world. If you’re hoarding your gifts and not using them, the entire world is handicapped. 

Mwanajuma has grown up in our school and has now entered her first year of high school.  As a child she would lead the children's choir and sing solos. Now that she is older she has joined the women of Injili Baptist Church as part of the usher ministry. She said to Lisa, "I just love my church and want to serve God here." She is just one example of the servant hearts of our Kenyan people. We want them to serve because they love to serve not because it is their duty.  

The gifts of the Spirit are tools not to admire, but to be used. They are not medals to be won, or trophies to be displayed, or treasures to be guarded. Use them! Do you need to allow the Spirit to fan your gift into full flame? Are you burning bright for Him, or are you just flickering or smoldering?

You’re needed in this world! God has gifted you and now He wants to use you. Don’t allow yourself to think you don’t matter. Nobody is a nobody in the body of Christ. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.

The Holy Spirit has given you a GIFT CARD with a special gift but it only does someone good when you decide to use it.

A Holy Hug

Have you ever thought "What I could use right now more than anything else is a good hug"? We have all had days where we have felt this way. Maybe it was after the death of a loved one or when a friend just didn't understand our feelings. We feel lonely and frustrated. We want to feel loved and need someone to really listen to us. Honestly, we just need to truly know that someone cares.

In John 14, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit as "another Comforter".  The Holy Spirit is to be our guide and our comforter. And I can say that there have been moments when I have felt the Holy Spirit comfort me just like He was placing his arms around me in a hug. I love the words of Jesus in verse 18: "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." This gives me great comfort.

But I need to be honest. Sometimes I need a real hug from a human person. In Kenya, we deal with a lot of people. Just the children in our Christian schools number close to one thousand then there are their parents, grandparents, extended families. If you total the school and church ministries you get close to three thousand people. What is amazing is how many of them need a touch from us? Really all of them need a touch, an encouraging word, a smile, a hug. The problem has always been that Lisa and I just can't do it alone. We can't do it all. We need help!

This is where sponsors step in and up.  You see, sponsorship shouldn't just be about money. Yes, the money is desperately needed, but we want sponsorship to be about a growing relationship.  This is why the Hope Foundation works hard to provide ways for our sponsors to get to know their Kenyan child. You can send gifts in our suitcases. You can send money so small presents and school supplies can be purchased in country for them. You can write to them and they can write back monthly. I think that the letters are so important because it is like a little hug from you to them. I call these small notes and letters "Holy Hugs". As a sponsor you might think, my letter can't mean that much but in reality they do.

On our last visit to Good News Academy, we had children come and ask us when their sponsor might write them. They are looking for someone to show them that they truly care. Our children are so appreciative of your giving but they also want to thank you. They are struggling and need your prayers, but they also want to pray for you. They have friends and families but they want to know you too. They want to see your face in pictures. They want to know what it is like in America. They need you to tell them about God and what He is doing in your life. Letters mean a lot. Letters lead to love. I think this is why God gave us the Bible especially the New Testament. God knew that His Word would lead us to understand His love.

I encourage you to build a relationship with your child in Kenya through the Hope Foundation. Write a letter. It will lead to love. To show you how important it is to build a relationship, I wanted to share a video with you of one of our American sponsors surprising her Kenyan daughter with a visit on the week of her graduation from eighth grade this year. They have been writing back and forth for several years now and have built a relationship of love.

It is all about love and giving someone a "Holy Hug". We are planning a sponsors trip for next summer (2017). If you want details, please email Lisa: lisa@hopefoundationofkenya.org.

Faith Demonstrated - Go Out and Buy a Field

What would you do if in a war you were asked to buy a piece of land in the middle of the battle zone?

I have been reading through the book of Jeremiah and he has done some crazy things. He had to wear a ruined girdle and another time put on a oxen's yoke. Now in chapter 32 he is being held as a captive in the courtyard of the palace while the Babylonian army besieges the city of Jerusalem.

Let's set the scene. The Babylonian army has Jerusalem surrounded. The Jewish king and his court along with all the inhabitants are shaking in their boots.  Jeremiah has been going around telling everyone that Jerusalem would fall. Now as Jerusalem is falling Jeremiah buys a piece of land from his cousin,  Why?

Because Jeremiah knew God. His purchase of the land demonstrated his faith in God. In spite of the hopeless situation in which he found himself, He bought this field as an investment of hope in the future of Israel.  God assures Jeremiah in verse 15: "Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land." Sometimes we have to step out and demonstrate our faith in God for the future.

We are happy to report that we are finishing the female dormitory at the high school.  It has been a long road but next week our female freshman students will move into their new home. It will help these young women to excel in their studies. Everyone is excited and we are so thankful to all who gave to make this building a reality.

But we don't want to forget the young men. We needed to go out and buy a field. As a step of faith, the foundation now owns a separate piece of land near the high school for the future.  We are hoping to one day build a male dormitory plus four classrooms on that property.  We ask you to pray for us as we seriously consider how we can expand for the future of the students that we serve.

With God's help and faithfulness we will be able to meet the needs of all of our students.

DOCTRINE IS IMPORTANT, NOT TRENDY

Paul Gifford, Professor of African Christianity at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London was puzzled in his book African Christianity: Its Public Role that "Africa is not reacting to globalization by revitalizing African traditional religion but instead appeared to be opting into exotic religions." These "exotic" religions can be seen as the Spirit-empowered revivalist movements that are wide-spread throughout the African continent.  Many of these movements target the rich and poor alike.  They preach that wealth, healing, and even national peace will come as people give of their finances so that the Holy Spirit can work in their personal lives and communities.  From personal experience, I have seen an evangelist ask people to bring money to the altar so that he can pray a blessing on them and promises that their sacrifice will end in their request being answered.  I once could not understand why people would flock to a preaching crusade and give money freely when it was hard to get them to come faithfully to their local church and support it with their tithes.

Some of the fault lays with traditional Western thinking that is many times brought to the continent by foreigners.  We (non-Africans) seem to believe that witchcraft is a figment of the uneducated minds of the people and that every witchdoctor uses psychological delusion to gain power over the people.  We forget that the power of the devil and demons is real so witchcraft is real.  Africans know that it is real because many of them have experienced it firsthand.  So the traditional western evangelical missionary comes in and tells them it is all in their heads and the African non-evangelical missionary comes and tells them that witchcraft is the major reason for the underdevelopment of their country, their poverty, and their disease.  This second approach appeals to Africans who want an answer to the demonology that they see all around them which they believe causes illness and poverty.

Andrew Walls wrote in his book, The Missionary Movement in Christian History, when describing the modern African Spirit-empowered Revival Movement "Gone are the African drums of the aladuras [spiritualists]; the visitor is more likely to hear electronic keyboards and amplified guitars, see a preacher in elegant agbaba [robe] or smart business suit and a choir in bow ties." He goes on to conclude that Africans want a church that emphasizes the power of the Holy Spirit in healing and public witness [tongues speaking] in the lives of the Christian followers.

Many traditional African churches have now joined this trendy non-evangelical Christian movement with more vibrant experiential worship, spontaneous healing, a media driven worship service all worked around an entertainment culture.   Some of these things are really not what I think is the problem. Hopefully Christians everywhere sing vibrantly before the Lord no matter the style and media should help us to get our faces lifted up toward the God we are worshipping.  I think the real problem is that the church is not a hall where we go to be entertained. It is not a place where we go to see the Holy Spirit do His thing!

The church should be a place where folks go to be taught, to be convicted; a place where they find a Holy God who is worthy of their worship and expects obedience from His followers. The church should be a place where the Holy Spirit does work as we submit ourselves to God.  A church should know that doctrine (content of belief) and certitude (conviction of belief) are important reasons that people choose a church.  A pastor must be uncompromising on the Word of God. The congregation must really believe what is being taught and preached and live it out in their lives.  A "truth" church cannot preach that every illness will be healed; and that every financial crisis will be relieved just by our faith. God is working all things out for His glory and His plan. God is in control and bad things do happen but He has promised to work all things together for our good and His glory.

In Africa we do have to tackle the witchcraft issue especially if this issue is pushing people into false religious thought.  We need to realize that witchcraft is real. Satan does have power to scare and intimidate people.

I once told a group of African pastors: "You are more afraid of the devil than you are of God." They looked at me shocked but many knew that it was true.  I have to consistently remind people that in Hebrews we are told that Jesus' death rendered Satan powerless.

"Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives." Hebrews 2:14,15)

How do we overcome the fear of witchcraft?  The answer is not found in just becoming the trendy church or claiming to be able to command the Holy Spirit to do this or that.  The answer is found in a belief that everything is under the rule of Jesus, the One who has made us complete in Him. (Eph. 1:22,23) In Jesus, we have the truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Paul tells us to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 13:14) Witchcraft has already been defeated by Jesus; we need to live in that victory.

Injili (Gospel) Baptist Church and our other churches are in a constant battle between teaching the truth and facing witchcraft (Demonology).  But God is greater and has won the victory.  When IBC started working in Majaoni village there were no less than five "mganga wa kienyeji" (healers/practitioners of magic).  Today, three of them have presented their lives to Christ and given up their magic. Praise God for his faithfulness.
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Preach Jesus...He is the only one who has the power to redeem and save that which was lost.

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"And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God." 1 Cor. 6:11

TIME TO PRAISE GOD

"I will thank the Lord with all my heart; I will declare all Your wonderful works. I will rejoice and boast about You; I will sing about Your name, Most High." (Psalm 9:1-2)  

The best time to praise God is all day, every day, as we marvel at Him. Praise should be woven into everything that we do and say. Our life is a great tapestry of colors and scenes that proclaim God's greatness and we should worship Him just for our lives alone.

Matthew Henry said, "Be not afraid of saying too much in the praises of God; all the danger is of saying too little." Today, I want to thank God for one specific thing.  In 2005, The Hope Foundation had a dream to educate needy Kenyan children from kindergarten through High School.  Through the generous giving of Edgewood Baptist, Palmetto Ave. Baptist, Fox River and Park Chapel along with our donors, and some great partnering organizations: MANNA Worldwide (Texas), Crossroads Fellowship (Nyali) and Tin Roof Society (Ohio), we are seeing that dream come to a reality.

This year we are seeing the completion of the Valerye McMillan High School in Majaoni, Kenya with the beautiful addition of an administration building that includes science and computer labs and a library.  Now we have received the final funds to complete the Female Student Dormitory.  This facility will enable us to house over 200 female students on the high school property providing them with safety and loving care over their four years at VMHS.  We are so excited!

In Streams in the Desert, there is a line that reads "Two wings are necessary to lift our souls toward God: prayer and praise. Prayer asks. Praise accepts the answer."  We lifted up our concerns to God for children in Kenya to not only be educated but fed and given the Gospel. And guess what He was listening and beyond that He wanted to hear from us and see our compassion to help those in spiritual and physical need.  The greatest thing is that He decided to honor our request for strength, encouragement and help from His people. So today we PRAISE God for all that He has done.

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"Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." Psalm 106:1