Flying Home

Wednesday – September 15, 2010

I am writing this ahead of time so you will know our schedule. Our flight leave Nairobi tonight at 11:00pm. Russ, Stephen and I are on the same flight together to Brussels where we will arrive approximately 7:00am local time. From there we will split up. Russ and Stephen will leave Brussels and fly to Newark, New Jersey, and after a two hour layover will board another plane that will take them back to Minneapolis. Jennifer Schmitt will pick them up there for the trip back to Mankato.

I will be heading a different direction from Brussels. After a two hour layover in Brussels I will be making the short one hour flight to Frankfort, Germany. I should arrive there at around 10:00am local time. At 12:15pm I will be departing Germany for the long, 10 hour flight back to Atlanta. My itinerary says this is an overnight flight, even though I will arrive at 4:30pm local time in Atlanta, the same day! It is still a long flight. I haven’t traveled on Lufthansa before, but I’ve heard that it is a good airline. I guess I’ll can let you know when I arrive back home.

As for Mike, he will be staying here in Kenya. He will be here for at least six months, and most likely longer. He will be working with the church near Moi’s Bridge, Kenya, but will also be assisting on a one week a month basis at the seminaries in Kisii and Nairobi. You can follow his work by checking out his blog at www.emmausmilimanimission.tumblr.com. Please keep him in your prayers, as well as all our churches here in East Africa. May the Word of the Lord grow and prosper!

Thank you all for your support of our work in East Africa and throughout the world. Thank you for your thoughts, encouragement, and prayers. What a blessing you all have been to me and to the people here. I can’t tell you how many times members here have said, “Please take our greetings to the CLC back home.” – So please receive the greetings from your brothers and sister in East Africa, and their gratitude for all that you are doing for the work of the gospel here among them!

In His service,

Nathanael

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the LORD, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” – Isaiah 55:10-13

Preparations for Departure

Tuesday – September 14, 2010

Today was a bit chaotic. I had a meeting scheduled with the leaders of the Nairobi churches at 10:00am this morning. But that didn’t happen. We have been working on attaining a copy of our church registration with the government here in Kenya. It is needed for each of our districts so that they are recognized by the government as legitimate churches, and are sometimes not allowed to operate without it. Up to this point, I have not been able to get my hands on a copy of it to distribute to the various districts. So today was spent trying to track down the original and get a copy of it for our records. As a result our officers’ meeting didn’t happen until about 1:30 in the afternoon. We met to discuss the elections that will take place tomorrow at our seminar. This will be the election of officers for the Nairobi district for the coming 2-3 years. We also went over finances, and discussed the work for the coming year. There is much to be done, and in all our districts, the Nairobi area is the least organized and needs the most training. It is an eclectic group that really needs some solid training and instruction. Charles has done a great job of bringing people to us and giving them information about Lutherans, but they need more then that, and we need someone with the time and ability to follow through with people.

I loved this picture of Todd sitting at a desk carved out of a tree trunk in Moi's Bridge!

We also sat down to overhaul the way they are conducting the pre-the courses here. Instead of meeting every day, we are going to have them meet on a one week a month basis like they do in Kisii. This should be easier for the students, easier for the teachers, and more cost effective in the long run. It is my prayer that this will help the program to run more efficiently and effectively in the future.

Okay, so I'm running out of pictures, but this is a pretty good picture of (most of) a camel when you consider that I was traveling in a bus somewhere between Arusha and Nairobi at 80km per hour!

With our time winding down here, much of today was also spent in considering requests, compiling reports, and preparing recommendations for KINSHIP and the Mission Board. I have also been working on a concluding review of my trip for our men here and a “punch list” of things that need to be done for each of our districts in East Africa. Kisii, Nairobi, Kajaido, Tanga, Moshi, and Arusha – there is much to be done in each district, and the critical items vary from one place to the next. I’m just thankful for some time to do this now, before I get home again and need to get back in the groove of things at Zion. There is always so much catch up to do when I get back after being gone for 5 weeks....

Lord give me strength, wisdom, and patience!

In His service,

Nathanael

“May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” – Colossians 1:11-12

Back to Nairobi (again)!

Monday – September 13, 2010

The only thing we had scheduled for today was the trip from Kisii to Nairobi which would take about 5 hours. We had a sign on our door at the Jazz that stated that check out time was "9:30am strictly." When I asked the manager about that last night he said, "No – it is 9:30am FLEXIBLE!" if we liked. So we weren’t in any hurry to leave this morning. We slept in and rested up a bit. It felt pretty good to not have anything scheduled. We packed up our bags and checked out of the Jazz. We walked to the bus station just a few blocks away, and found an express to Nairobi. I was a little nervous at first, because there was no one on it, and I really didn’t want to spend two hours waiting for it to fill up like we did when we left Uganda a couple days back. But the manager, whose name was Elvis, assured me that they already had most of the seats sold and wouldn’t take long to fill. And he was right. About half an hour later we were on the road back to Nairobi once again.

My wife sent me this picture of my five oldest kids - Mark was being a stinker so he wasn't included. I miss them all!

Once again we settled in for the long and loud ride. Mike, Stephen and Russ were in the row right behind the driver, and I was in the row behind them between and new mother and the bus doorman. The mother I was sitting next to had a one week old baby with her that was sleeping soundly. But here is the amazing part: The baby slept the whole way to Nairobi without a peep, in spite of the ear piercing noise that was coming from the speaker right next to the baby’s head! The music was loud enough to cause me to plug my ears, even after we had asked them to turn it down once - so that child was either already acclimated to the noise of music in African buses, or deaf. Either way the baby took the noise a lot better than I did!

We made a quick stop in Narok – a town halfway between Nairobi and Kisii – for bathrooms and snacks, and then were on the road again. The boys up front saw another pedestrian / car accident on the trip to Nairobi. It looked like it was a fatality this time. It is really sad how incapable people are of using common sense. How sad. How unnecessary.

We arrived in Nairobi at about 4:00 and then had to get a taxi to take us to the Southern Blue Hotel. It wasn’t very far, but took us a little bit to get a taxi, load up, get through rush hour traffic and then unload at the SB. Charles and Jonathan arrived at around 5:00pm and I sat down with them to discuss the schedule for the next few days. We will be teaching the in a pastor training seminar on Wednesday before we leave, conducting elections for new officers in the Nairobi district, and meeting with the seminary students. So we have a lot to do yet before we leave on Wednesday night.

We passed this mosque in Nairobi on our way to the Southern Blue. We see more and more every year.

Tonight I am especially reminded of the importance of our work as I think of that man who was killed on the road. Concern for the soul and the work for souls is most important. We thank the Lord Jesus for what He has done to win our souls from sin and death, and are privileged to be part of reaching souls for Him!

In His service,

Nathanael

"Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?’" – Matthew 16:24-26

Worship in Misesi

Sunday – September 12, 2010

We were invited to attend church in the small congregation of Misesi, which is only 45 minutes from Kisii. Church was scheduled to start at 10:00 so we left at 8:30 to make sure that we were there plenty early. Mike, Stephen, Russ and I loaded up in Charles’ car (a different Charles from the one(s) in Nairobi) and were silently thankful that it was a short 45 minute trip and the road were better than most of the ones we’ve been on during this trip!

Enjoying tea at the home of Pastor Joseph Nyaribo

We arrived just before 9:30 and were invited to Pastor Joseph’s home for tea while preparations were made for the service. Pastor Fred and Enosh arrived a little after we did and we discussed the seminary, church work, and other topics. At about 10:45 Pastor Joseph said we were ready to head over to the church. This congregation does not have a building to worship in. They began worshiping in Pastor Joseph’s home, but have outgrown it. More recently they have been worshiping outside, but this is not always possible with the rain they receive here. They have a piece of land donated for a church, but they are waiting to construct it until we have money available in the MDF to assist with the roofing. The problem here is that they build mud walls. If they build the walls too soon and don’t have money for roofing sheets, the rain will wash their walls away wasting time and resources. So we are waiting for money to come into the MDF so we can assist this congregation with the building of a permanent structure for a church.

Today we were able to use the home of Pastor Joseph’s son who is currently away in Sudan. It worked very well for our purposes, although it was a little small as well. We used what was the “living room” for our service with the altar along one wall and chairs for the congregation set up all the way around the outside walls. Pastor Joseph had two robes, one for himself and one for me, the guest preacher. We robed in one of the additional rooms and walked out for the beginning of the service. Pastor Joseph conducted the liturgy which again was very similar to that which we are familiar with. The music is different, but sometimes it is vaguely familiar. They sang songs during the service that were also found in our hymnal, and although the melody was similar there were some differences.

Robed for preaching, with Pastor Enosh translating into Kisii for me.

Following the sermon we continued with a “second” service for communion. I was very impressed by how the service was conducted. It wasn’t much different from being in our own churches here in the states. I assisted Pastor Joseph by distributing the wine, and when the congregation was finished I communed him and he communed me. It was both a joy and a privilege to join with these fellow believers in both Word and Sacrament on this day!

Once again the service went about two hours. We concluded at about 1:00 and after introducing the visitors from the US to the congregation and sharing greetings, we returned to Pastor Joseph’s home for a lunch which his wife had prepared for us. The hospitality of the people here is simply amazing. They always invite our driver or any other guests they may have to join us as well, even if it wasn’t expected, and do it cheerfully and eagerly. What a wonderful example these people can be for us! We enjoyed a rice dish with beef “soup” over the rice that was very good.

Following lunch we packed back into the car, but added Fred and Enosh for the trip back to the tarmac. We squeezed in, and although had some trouble shifting with Enosh sitting on the stick, we made it! We dropped Enosh and Fred off there where they could catch a bus into Kisii behind us.

The congregation of believers at Misesi

When we got back to the hotel I had another meeting. I had set up a meeting with the men from Etago to mediate some differences and concerns with other churches. I wasn’t sure how the meeting was going to go, and prayed for the Lord’s blessing on our meeting. I listened while the men voiced their concerns and it took us a while to get to the heart of the issue. When we did we addressed it specifically and also addressed related issues. In the end (after two hours of discussing) we had admission of wrong and forgiveness offered as well as a willingness to move forward for the work of the kingdom. We thank the Lord for His work in the hearts of these men and pray for His continued blessing here!

Tomorrow we will be leaving for Nairobi, so we had to say our goodbyes to the Etago men. Please keep them and the Lord’s work in your prayers – that His kingdom may be advanced and His name glorified!

In His service,

Nathanael

“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” – Colossians 3:12-13

Seminar in Chotororo

Saturday – September 11, 2010

Today got off to a rough start. Mike and I were going to go to Chotororo to teach the Kisii church leaders in a seminar while Russ and Stephen stayed in town to run errands. But Mike had a problem – he couldn’t see. His contacts failed to clean themselves because the solution leaked out of its container during the night and his glasses had broken in the rough travels from Uganda. Since he was practically blind, he opted not to come. Russ considered coming with me as a replacement, but thought he might be more valuable here in Kisii, assisting Mike to get his glasses fixed.

The church at Chotororo can as it is seen up the hill from the road below.

So I rode out to Chotororo on my own. It was a one and a half hour trip out to the home of the seminary, and since it had rained heavily the night before, the dirt roads were not in very good shape. I was glad that the driver we had found was a good one, because these road were not going to be navigated by an amateur. He did a great job and didn’t bottom the car out a single time!

We arrived at the church / seminary at about 10:00am and began shortly after as the rest of the pastors and leaders arrived. We opened with a hymn and them Pastor Joseph led us in a short devotion and prayer. They gave me the floor and I taught for three and a half hours on the Division of Christian Churches and the difference between the Reformed and Lutherans on the Sacraments. Fourteen men were present from 7 different congregations. The driver also joined us for the study. He has a Catholic background, so it will be interesting to see if anything develops from what he heard. Three of the seminary students were also in attendance with the church leaders today. In addition there were two men who asked if they could attend the seminary. I will ask the KINSHIP if they have sponsors available for these students when I return home, with the hope that they will be able to join the seminary in Chotororo.

Kisii sem students with pastors (from L to R): William, Pastor Fred, Jeremiah, Isaac, Pastor Enosh, myself.

We stopped at 1:30pm for a lunch of bread and soft drinks, and over the lunch break it was noticed that the skies were darkening. Here in the Kisii area, it can rain everyday, and some days very heavily. When it does, it can make transportation very difficult and even dangerous. Out of concern for those traveling, we decided to cut things short, end our session and release everyone to return home before the storm hit.

The 14 men that attended our Kisii seminar in the Chotororo church.

The three men from Misesi rode with me since we were going to be driving right by the turn off to Misesi. It was good that we left when we did, because it started to sprinkle, and finally turned to a deluge. The wipers couldn’t keep up, and I thought they might just give out completely! Then to make matters worse, hail started coming down too! Thankfully it didn’t last long. By the time we made it back to Kisii (at around 4:00), it had almost stopped completely – at least for the time being.... There will be more tonight or tomorrow again. It would be interesting to know how much rain they get in this area a year. I would guess it is a lot.

When I went to check on the guys, they were all resting. It has been a long and hard couple of days. If you just keep going, your body doesn’t recognize how tired it is, but when you get the chance to relax, it seizes the opportunity. It usually takes me about a week to recuperate when I return home. At first I thought it was just that my body needed to readapt to the time change and adjust my internal clock. But I think that there is more to it than that. I think that after five weeks of “go, go, go” here in Africa with very little down time, that when I get home my body is actually in shut down mode, forcing me to take the rest that it needs. Anyway, I’ve pressed these guys hard, and I was glad that they had the chance to get some needed rest today. I talked with Mike about this since he will be staying here, and reminded him that it will be important for him to take time off and let his body relax so he doesn’t overdo it. I figure I only have five weeks here, and I want to make use of every day possible, because I won’t get another chance for 11 months. It will be different for him since he will be staying longer and have more opportunity. We are down to less than a week now. May our Great God who has called us out of darkness continue to bless our service to Him in His kingdom work!

In His service,

Nathanael

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. ” – 1 Peter 2:9-10

Back to Kisii

Friday – September 10, 2010

On the road again... Daniel met us at the hotel this morning and walked us back across the border into Kenya. We loaded up into a shuttle that was going to Kisumu, but had to wait 2 hours until it finally left! The bus won’t leave until they have filled every seat, and you never know how long it is going to take. So we ended up spending our morning in the bus and finally left at 11:00am.

Two men cart 10 litre containers of water up the street on a hand and foot operated cart.

I am constantly amazed at how load everyone plays their music here. As we waited for the bus to leave there was music blaring from a shop that was selling African videos. They had the TV hooked up to a receiver and it was blasting the music through some speakers set up outside the canvas shop. Then when our shuttle started up it started blasting its music as well. There don’t seem to be such a thing as riding in silence. And here is the sad thing – wherever you are, they generally don’t have much for selection, so you end up hearing the same 4 to 8 songs over and over and over again! You can’t help but wonder if these songs ever get old for everyone else....

The roads weren’t too bad and we arrived in Kisumu two hours later. We exited our shuttle and had to find another bus to Kisii. This time we weren’t as fortunate. On the first bus they limited the passengers to 14. On the second bus, they not only packed in an extra four passengers, but they also made stops along the way to drop off passengers and pick up more. Mike and I were pretty scrunched in that second bus, and wondering if they had any concept of physics! It was a rough two and a half hour ride to Kisii, and we were more than glad to get off the bus when it finally arrived.

Stephen and Russ weren’t back from their church visitation in the Kisii area yet when we arrived, so Mike and I checked into the Jazz, and then went out to run some errands. We haven’t had much of a chance to do that over the last week with as busy as it has been, so it was good to check a few things off the to-do list.

Construction is underway right next to the Jazz Hotel. You can see the heavy concrete construction of the building here.

We met up with Russ and Stephen at the Nile Restaurant at about 6:00pm and caught each other up on the events of the day. It sounds like they have had some productive days here in Kisii as well. We were glad that they were able to do some visiting in our absence.

Tomorrow we have our Kisii District Leaders Seminar in Chotororo. We pray for good weather and a good turn out, and ask for the Lord’s blessings on the continuing work here.

In His service,

Nathanael

“It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. How great are your works, O LORD!” – Psalm 92:1-5

Ugandan Contact Discussion

Thursday – September 9, 2010

There are some really nice things about Uganda. First, things are much less expensive then in Kenya and Tanzania. Mike and I are staying in small but nice single rooms for about $16 a night. There was cheaper place, but it was booked up and not available when we arrived. The Maryland Hotel is very nice and clean with good service and private security. The only downside has been that the running water isn’t working! They have a water tank, but they must have a problem with the line because there is no water from the sink, toilet or shower. We have to use a 5 gallon bucket filled with water for our washing, bathing and flushing needs. Other than that it has been great. The food is very inexpensive as well – around $4 for a good sized meal (and that is hotel price). Second, the weather is great. It has been beautiful in the morning and evening, and not cold like it was in Moi’s Bridge. But it doesn’t get too hot either. Mike and I conducted most of our meetings outside in the grassy courtyard of the Maryland today, and we got enough sun to get our faces a little burned, but we were never hot. It was a really nice day.

The Maryland Hotel from the green grassed courtyard. Our rooms are pictured in the middle.

But it gets better. We came here to meet with Daniel, who I’ve been going through correspondence courses with during the past few months. This morning he brought his fiancee to meet us, as well as a good friend of his who is also interested in learning more about Scripture. James came to meet us, but had to leave for work, so we made plans to meet with him again in the evening and talk more about any questions they might have.

After James left for work Daniel, Aidah (his fiancee), Mike and I sat down and talked for a while. Daniel had asked about the topic of baptism so we discussed the Biblical teaching on baptism very thoroughly. The majority of churches here are reformed in their teaching on baptism, so what we discussed was new to them. Daniel had several questions as we discussed the topic, but we went back to Scripture to answer those questions, and he eagerly soaked in the information and took notes on the passages we studied. We spent a couple hours discussing it, and it was a real joy to see his reaction. You could see his understanding as he began to fit the pieces of the puzzle together and began to point out passages we were studying and how they supported the Biblical teaching of baptism! He was so glad to get into the Bible and study it in this way and commented that this was exactly what he was looking for and had been lacking in the past. He wants to learn more and to have someone “mentor” him in the Word of God! What a joy to see his desire for the Word!

From L to R: James, Daniel, Aidah, and Mike

After a break for lunch we went on to discuss another topic very relevant here in East Africa – Spiritual gifts. This is another area where churches are going wild and people are being encouraged to seek direct revelation from God. It was another beneficial study and we concluded at about 3:30pm and took a break for Daniel to take Aidah home.

Daniel returned around 5:00pm with James. We sat down in the Maryland hall, and went over the topic of baptism in less detail than we did this morning. James had questions too, but also readily acknowledged the Biblical teaching of infant baptism and other aspects. During our two hour meeting we also discussed the Trinity and a few other topics. It was a joy to sit with these men, and see them bow to the Word and accept it! James plans to join in our correspondence course study as we continue so that he too can learn more and assist Daniel in the ministry in Uganda! While we came to teach these men, we also learned a great deal from then and thank the Lord for providing men so dedicated to the work of ministry and concerned about the truth of the Word. Praise the Lord!

It was an enjoyable day and in many ways, I’m sad about leaving Uganda tomorrow and returning to Kisii, Kenya. But we will keep these men in our prayers and continue working with them during the coming year, with the hope and prayer of spending more time with them next year. May our gracious God be with them and build them up in His Word!

In His service,

Nathanael

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” – Hebrews 4:12

New Contacts in Kenya and Uganda

Wednesday – September 8, 2010

It was another day of traveling for all of us. We all loaded into the van this morning at 8:00am and said goodbye to Mary before we left Mike’s house in Matunda. We drove south to Eldoret on some of the worst tarmac roads in all of Kenya. It took us 2 hours to drive only 40 kilometers! We have heard that they will be rebuilding this road soon, so maybe they will be better when I return next year.

We split up in Eldoret. Russ and Stephen caught a shuttle from Eldoret southwest to Kisii, Mike and I took a taxi west to Bungoma, and Charles continued southeast to Nairobi with Todd.

This map charts our journey from Mutunda (X marks the spot) to Bungoma (the big A) to Busia on the border of Uganda.

Originally I was going to take a bus from Eldoret to Bungoma, but we were pressed for time, so I haggled with several taxi drivers to take us instead. After talking them down about $8, Mike and I said goodbye to Charles and Todd, loaded our luggage into a small Toyota, and were off to Bungoma, Kenya.

About two hours later we arrived in Bungoma, where we met with a man I have been corresponding with by e-mail for over 2 years. It was exciting to finally meet Allen after all our e-mails back and forth. We sat down in the lounge of a hotel and discussed his life and family and what brought him to Bungoma from Nairobi, where he was a year ago. It was sad to hear his story, but at the same time we also saw the opportunities for the Gospel here. Allen told us that there was a great deal of witchcraft in this area. He told us of some very specific local stories that literally sent chills down my spine. What was most surprising was how he told of “Christians” who commonly played with witchcraft as well! As we heard about the situation here, we began to see how the statistics which say that Kenya is 80% Christian are greatly skewed and unrealistic. In this area, “Christians” aren’t even familiar with the first and second commandments and what God says about witchcraft!

We had a very productive visit, and talked more about the Biblical teaching of Baptism as well as a few other topics. Allen has been working through a Bible correspondence course with me, and we will continue that over the coming year to make sure that all his questions have been answered and he has a full understanding of what we teach. When I return next year we will discuss more in depth the possibility of joining in fellowship together.

Allen and his wife Emily on the right, Evanson and his wife on the left, and our driver, Andrew squatting in front.

During our time in Bungoma, we met Allen’s wife and children, and several of his friends. Believe it or not, one of his friends was named Michael Gorbachev! Not exactly a name you would expect in Africa!

After 4 hours of discussion and meeting with others, we loaded back into our car with our driver, Andrew. For an additional fee, he had agreed to wait around for us and take us from Bungoma to the border town of Busia. The roads were good from Bungoma to Busia, so we made the trip in just over an hour. Andrew drove us all the way to the border where he dropped us off and we started into Uganda on foot.

It was at the Kenya Immigration Office that something unexpected happened. While I was getting my passport stamped with an Kenya exit mark, I heard someone behind me call my name! I wondered who would know me here in Busia? I turned around, and didn’t recognize anyone, but someone certainly recognized me. It was Daniel, another man I have been corresponding with for quite a while, and the one I was coming to visit here in Uganda! I was expecting to meet him after entering Uganda, but here he had come through the border to meet us! Once again it was great to meet face to face with someone I have communicating with for over 6 months.

Daniel and I at the Maryland Hotel in Busia, Uganda.

We continued through the border and into the town of Busia on the Ugandan side of the border. Daniel had made arrangements for us at a hotel that was within walking distance from the border, so we followed him through a maze of turns hearing the children of all ages yell, “Wazungu, how are you?” as we walked along. It was a bit of a change, because the common language in Uganda is not Swahili, but English. This was a nice change, but took some getting used to!

After checking in we sat down in the beautiful courtyard of the Maryland Hotel and talked with Daniel. He told us his life story – and it was full of pain and sorrow, but one which led him to where he is today. Much of what Daniel had been through was similar to what we had heard from Allen earlier in the day. More stories of witchcraft and “Christians” who have no foundation in the teachings of Christianity. Daniel has seen this in his own life, and recognized his lack of Christian instruction, and is seeking a mentor to help train him in the Word of God. That was what led him to look into Lutheran teaching and led him to find the Lutheran Missions website.

We will have the whole day tomorrow to meet and discuss more things with Daniel, and we are eagerly looking forward to it! What a joy to see such new opportunities here in Kenya, and to find those who are truly concerned about Biblical teaching and instruction. Thank the Lord!

In His service,

Nathanael

“I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!” – Pslam 57:9-11

Gurath Installation in Mois Bridge

Tuesday – September 7, 2010

There was a place for all of us to sleep in the three bedrooms of Mike’s house. The rooms are not big – just big enough for a full-size bed, and an extra four feet between the bed and the wall for the occupant’s belongings – but they were adequate for our purposes. We enjoyed some chapati for breakfast along with coffee and tea, and then waited for the arrival of Mary to take us to the church. The service was scheduled to start at 10:00am and we left Mike’s at around 9:30. We was only about a 10 minute drive to the church from his house, but it was off the highway and up a pretty treacherous road. It was so bad that we had to get out and walk so that Charles could get the van up the hill.

Charles sticks his head out of the van we have been using for the last four days. It has been a trooper!

When we arrived, I was struck by the changes! When I was last here, less than 10 months ago, there was nothing here but rocks, and some vegetation on rolling hills. But now they have several buildings constructed. They have built a mud walled church – complete with a narthex at the entry of the church, a sacristy off to the side so the pastor can enter the church at the front of the church, and a rounded altar area, with a raised dirt platform to separate it from the rest of the sanctuary. In all my time in East Africa, I’ve never seen a church as much like ours back home as this one! In addition, they have built a separate mud building for housing the guard who stays on site to watch over the building and its contents, so they can leave things in the church during the week. They are also in the process of constructing a latrine for men and women at the corner of the property.

The Emmaus Milimani church with the school children out to meet us as we arrived.

In addition to the church they are also operating a school. Currently they have 110 students registered for the coming school year from Nursery (age 3) up to standard 1 (1^st grade). They are currently using the church for the school classes, but its size is not adequate for the three levels they are currently teaching. They hope to build another building for additional school space, and then construct a separate, more permanent church building. When that is completed they will be able to use the existing church buildings for classroom space. It is exciting to see the number of children who are being brought to the feet of the Savior through the instruction in this school! We met many of the students who were gathering for their first day of school. While we waited for the service to begin, Russ gathered the kids and used the children to act out the account of "Daniel and the Lion’s Den." He used the story to show and teach about God’s love and protection in our lives.

We gather for the laying on of hands for Pastor Gurath's installation prayer.

After making the rounds of the "campus" we gathered for the service. The church was filled, the narthex was filled and more gathered outside the church with the school children. Todd began the service, I preached and then Todd conducted the installation of Pastor Gurath at Moi’s Bridge. The congregation sang "What a Friend we have in Jesus" – one of the most beautiful renditions I have ever heard – then Pastor Gurath concluded the service by installing leaders and teachers of the church and concluding with the Benediction. The children closed the service with a song that they had prepared, and then the congregation met outside for a meal of kale and beans prepared by the Sagala family.

Children enjoy the beans and kale for lunch after the service.

We wrapped things up at church at around 1:00pm and made the 45 minute trip to Anna’s home, where we toured her beautiful property. She has a huge "plantation" where she grows corn, kale, tomatoes, bananas, oranges, sugarcane, cabbage, and much more, and also raises chickens. It was very impressive! She and Mary also treated us to Tilapia and Ugali for an early supper. Todd, Russ and I passed on the fish, but Stephen and Mike said that is was good! We had a good visit with the family and then returned to Mike’s house at about 5:00pm.

Mike stands beside the pulpit on the alter in his new church.

Tonight was our last night together, so we relished the time. Tomorrow Todd leaves for Nairobi to catch his 11:00pm flight home; Russ and Stephen head back to Kisii to spend some time with the school children and to visit other congregations; and Mike and I head to Uganda to meet with some contacts I have been corresponding with over the past year. Mike and I will meet back up with Russ and Stephen in Kisii on Friday.

It has been another whirlwind trip. Since I left Atlanta just over four weeks ago I have spent over 150 hours traveling by plane, car or bus! That shows how much ground we are covering here in East Africa. It is tiring, but it is also necessary. We continue to ask for your prayers for safe travels as Todd returns home, and as we finish our last week of work here in East Africa. Thank you and may the Lord be with you all!

In His service,

Nathanael

"And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. " – 1 Thessalonians 2:13

North to Mois Bridge

Monday – September 6, 2010

It was now off to Moi’s Bridge. We slept well in our rooms at the Jazz, in spite of the loud music that was blaring three floors below us past midnight. Even though it is called the Jazz, I heard a lot of Country music and no Jazz that I can remember. Even with the noise, it is much better than the Zonic.

My humble room at the noisy, but comfortable Jazz Hotel in Kisii.

After breakfast we ran a few errands around town before getting on the road to Moi’s Bridge. We left at about 10:00am with Charles behind the wheel and Mike navigating. Charles had not been to Moi’s Bridge before, so Mike directed with his Kenya map from the co-pilot’s seat. For those of you with a map of Kenya, we went north out of Kisii up to Kisumu which sits on the shores of Lake Victoria. From there we continued north through Kakamega until we reached the Eldoret - Mbala highway. Then we took off on some back roads on a North-easterly direction to Soy, and then arrived in Matunda which is just south of Moi’s Bridge. Matunda is a small town but is near to both the church and several member of the Sagala family. Mike has a house here where he will be staying during his time in East Africa.

A mosque is just down the road from Mike's house. There is work to be done here...

We arrived there at about 4:00 after a long 6 hours in the van. The last two hours were a little rough on the back roads of Kenya, so we were glad to finally arrive. The Sagala’s met us at Mike’s new home and were overjoyed to see us. They gave us a tour of the home which is fully furnished and has plenty of space. It is set in a beautiful yard with a variety of fruits growing in trees around the property. It has three bedrooms, a kitchen, livingroom and working bathroom. The only down side was that there is no hot water. Water for bathing needs to be heated on the stove for the time being.

The guys hang out in Mike's new living room, having just finished the delicious lunch Mary made for us.

Mary had also prepared a late lunch for us. So we ate bananas, rice and potato stew along with soft drinks and coffee. It was very good and we also enjoyed visiting with the family and discussing the plans for the service tomorrow morning. They all speak English very well, so we had a very enjoyable visit and discussed a lot of different subjects. We also met a young man of the congregation who will be studying with Mike for the ministry during the coming year. It is exciting to think of the work that will be accomplished here during the time that Mike is here, and it is easy to see that the people here are excited about the work as well. May the name of the Lord be glorified!

Mike stands in front of the gate that leads to his home in Matunda.

In His service,

Nathanael

“That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” – 1 John 1:3

Sunday Morning Church in Etago

Sunday – September 5, 2010

This morning we made the long drive out to Etago for 10:00 church. Of course, before we could do that we had to check out of the Zonic, since we would be moving in to another hotel a few blocks down the road when we came back in the evening. No tears were shed when we left. We were glad to find another “home” in Kisii! We were only disappointed about leaving the acquaintances we’ve made over the years that we have stayed here.

We loaded the van down again, filled up with gas (called petrol here in Africa) and were off. In case it might make some of you back home feel a little better about the gas prices, the cost for fuel here is around 90 shillings per liter. If you do the conversion, that comes out to be more the $4 per gallon! Even $3 a gallon would sound good over here...

The pump shows the price per liter - 89.9 Ksh!

The roads to Etago have improved greatly over the past year. They have finished blacktopping the main road from Kisii to Ogembo now and that is a big help. In addition, even though we still have to travel on dirt roads from there ti Etago, they have been working on grating them, and they too are much improved. Last year the road through Kenyenya was a horrible washboard road, but this year it was much smoother. It still took us an hour and a half, but it was a much easier ride than last year. It is quite a bit different from the first year I came, and that is a good thing!

When we arrived in Etago, the school yard was unusually quiet. We have become used to being greeted by the school children, lined up along the path to the school and singing. But not this time. They were no where to be seen. I think we were all a little disappointed that we weren’t going to see them, since is wasn’t a school day.

But when we walked into the church we found that it was full of the children, sitting patiently as they waited for us to arrive. The teachers were there, and most of the leaders of the congregation, but there were very few adults. During the “Bible Class” period Mike presented the account of Jesus and the Woman at the Well. More children and adults continued to funnel in during Bible Class and filled up the building. Some of the older students had to go down and bring desks from the classrooms into the church to provide more seating.

The Etago school kids ready for church on Sunday morning.

After Mike’s study we began the service. We joined in as we were able. We were given a hymnal, but it was in Kisii instead of Kiswahili, so it was a little harder to follow along. I thought it was very nice of them to make sure that we had a hymnal so we could follow along, and they made sure we knew when there were changes in the service from the printed liturgy. Something we can learn from in our services.

Stephen, Mike and Russ stand in front of the two new classrooms that were added this year.

After the service, we checked out the two new classrooms that have been built since I was here last year. They were constructed again with brick and mortar with a steel roof and were well designed and constructed. We also met with the headmaster of the school and a few of the Etago leaders before we left to go to Chotororo. It was another hour drive from Etago to Chotororo, and again the roads were much better this year. We followed Fred and Enosh who rode on separate motorbikes.

Enosh gets to drive a motorbike from Etago to Chotororo.

We had a good visit with Pastor Fred and the three seminary students who were able to attend. We talked about some of the same issues that we had discussed with the teachers last night, but it was good for the students to know that we care about them and support them in their work and service to the Lord.

We also visited a house up the hill from the Chotororo church, where they were conducting classes for a time. It was owned by a relative of Pastor Fred’s who was willing to “rent” it for use as a seminary for the minimal cost of $75 a month for the week that they have classes. It provides beds and bedrooms, an area for classes, and a kitchen and dining room area, as well as bathroom facilities. It would serve the students and teachers very well, and we would like nothing more than to help them with this. It will be passed on to the Mission Board and the KINSHIP committee for their consideration.

Mike stands in the Chotororo church (classroom) with three of the seminary students.

After our visit was concluded we returned to Kisii (only an hour and a half this year) and checked into the Jazz Hotel. The rooms were much nicer than the Zonic, it was 1/3 the cost, and most importantly of all, it had HOT water at the shower!!

We had supper tonight at the Nile Restaurant down the street, a place we had frequented in the past. Todd, Mike and I ordered pizza and Stephen and Russ ordered the Chicken Fried Rice. We all enjoyed what we ordered immensely, especially after having missed lunch. The food here has always been great, but we have never been able to get pizza in the past. It was a welcome option on this night!

Tomorrow we are on the road again, this time north to Moi’s Bridge where Mike will be living for at least the next 6 months. The trip is starting to wind down, but there is still so much left to do....

I talked with Debra tonight for a little bit. She is staying busy and faces her own challenges with the kids. Thanks to all of you who have been praying for her while I am gone, and those of you who have called her, and helped her in so many other ways. It is such a big help to her, and it helps me as well! Thank you for all you have done and continue to do for my family while I am gone!

In His service,

Nathanael

“Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. ” – Psalm 25:4-5

Seminary Meeting in Kisii

Saturday – September 4, 2010

We are on the road again. We have rented an eight passenger van to get us around for the next 5 days. Charles will be driving us to Kisii, then to Mois Bridge, and then will bring Todd back to the airport on Wednesday. So we had to pack up our things and be ready for our pick up at 9:00am. We loaded the van to the max with 6 of us plus all our luggage. Mike had three big bags himself for his longer stay here. It was 9:30 before we got on the road, and it was about a six hour drive to Kisii. On the way we drove through the Great Rift Valley, which was a striking scene. We started up a long climb and when we reached the top you could see the expanse of the valley below. The road down was managed but with no little amount of trepidation on our part. The roads were good, but there were no side rails on the edge of the road and sometimes it was a sheer drop into the trees below. And most of the drivers were not taking it slowly, either!

The valley is pretty dry especially at this time of year, but the land greened considerably as we neared Kisii. The fields were abundant with lush tea bushes, sugar cane, banana trees, corn, and the occasional papaya. Kisii is only about 30km from Lake Victiria, so it gets rain throughout the year. It is a very beautiful land.

We arrived in Kisii a little after 3:00pm and checked into the Zonic Hotel. We didn’t have reservations, but we weren’t worried – the Zonic is usually lucky if they have more than 6 rooms occupied at any one time (it has 5 floors of rooms!). We settled into our rooms and found them in varying states of disrepair. Our room was missing two light fixtures, and the sliding glass door to the balcony off our room did not close all the way because of the bowed frame. Russ and Stephen’s room was also missing lights and a toilet seat, and Mike’s room was missing the door handle! None of us had any hot water, either!

A view of Kisii from the balcony of our room at the Zonic Hotel.

After four years of staying here, I’ve had enough. While Mike, Todd and I waited for the Etago seminary teachers to arrive for our meeting, I asked Russ and Stephen to go with Charles and check out come other hotels in the area. They came back with some good news. They had checked out several other hotels which were cleaner, bigger, and quite a bit cheaper than the Zonic. So we are planning on checking out of the Zonic tomorrow morning – permanently. I’m kind of excited about it!

Pastors Fred, Joseph, and Enosh arrived at the Zonic at about 6:00pm. They were slowed by a brief thunderstorm which poured down rain and made a mess of the country roads they have to travel to get to Kisii. We all gathered in the second floor restaurant of the Zonic and discussed the Etago seminary program over Cokes, tea and coffee. There are four seminary students here who are being taught by Pastor Fred and Pastor Joseph. The only funding that they are receiving from us is a monthly sponsorship of $35 per student through the CLC’s KINSHIP program. But due to the limited nature of our support, they are only able to conduct classes one week per month. They are using the church building in Chotororo as their seminary classroom, dining hall and dormitory during that one week a month. This is not a nice church like ours, mind you. This is a mud walled building with a dirt floor, and this is where they learn, eat and sleep. It breaks our hearts to know the desire of the students to learn, and the desire of these pastor’s to teach, but to hear the struggles that they are facing as they try to do this. But there is little more that we can do, especially right now since the MDF has no money in it. We are going to see if maybe KINSHIP can help by offering a yearly grant to help subsidize the seminary and assist with the work they are doing there. We also brought two boxes full of books which will be used by the students and teachers at the seminary. Dogmatics, Bible History, Bible Dictionaries, a laptop and much more which were all given by members throughout the CLC. We are thankful for all those who are assisting with the work here by donating these resources for the work here, and those who are supporting the individual students through KINSHIP. Your help is needed and appreciated!

We all gathered in the Zonic Restaurant for our Seminary meeting.

It was a two hour meeting, and later than we anticipated, but very important in getting a better grasp on what is being done and what is still needed. May the Lord continue to bless the work of these teachers as they build a foundation for these younger men in the precious Word of God, and may He bless these four young men as they grow in the knowledge of their Savior and prepare for serving Him in the preaching ministry! Tomorrow we will have the opportunity to meet with the seminary students at Chotororo, so we look forward to that as well.

In His service,

Nathanael

“You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” – 2 Timothy 2:1-2

East African Pastoral Conference - Day 2

Friday – September 3, 2010

It’s the big day – the last day of our East African Pastoral Conference. We decided to begin earlier this morning so that we could get as much done as possible. We walked from the Southern Blue to the Wagon Hotel at about 7:50 and arrived at 8:00am. We had to wait a few minutes for some stragglers, and then opened up with some comments. We had some conference issues that had to be resolved, but began Pastor Malyi’s paper on “Witnessing to Muslims” in the meantime. He had an excellent paper which was also very relevant with the increase of Islam here in East Africa. We had some good and very profitable discussion following the paper.

Following a break for breakfast and tea, we continued with my presentation on the Unity and Organization of the Church of the Lutheran Confession in East Africa. We considered Paul’s words to the Ephesians where he writes about the work of building up the Church of God through instruction and unity. We have seen the problems that often come with having a “dictator” in the church. We saw it in India in 2001 with Mohan Bas, and we have now seen it here in East Africa with Jesse Angowi. While we are still dealing with the fallout from Angowi’s reign, we can see how the Lord has blessed the work in India immensely following our separation from Bas. I am confident that the Lord will bring about a similar result here. But we need to change the structure of how the work of the church is being conducted so that it can operate more effectively and efficiently. Up to this time the churches have been operating in separate “church bodies” but without any specific organizational structure or unity between them. So we determined to divide the churches of East Africa into different districts which would spread out the work and enable better communication between the districts and myself. We have divided the churches here into 6 districts with the possibility of adding more districts as areas grow in size. We are hopeful that this will eliminate strife and division, and assist us in teaching in these areas.


The plan was actually well received by the members of the conference. We had some discussion to clarify certain points, but that was all. Most of the members were even relieved that we were going to be putting this into effect! So we pray that the Lord would further His work through this new church structure in East Africa. We also carried out elections for officers of the East African Pastoral Conference – the first time in its history. This too was a big step forward.

After some concluding comments, I was asked to offer a prayer to close the conference, and then we sang a hearty chorus of “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” in Swahili. It was a wonderful conclusion to the conference.

Lunch had been prepared for us so we sat and visited over a lunch like we had yesterday. We said goodbye to the men who had to catch a bus for the trip back home, especially those we wouldn’t be seeing again this year. It’s kind of a melancholy feeling after such a great couple of days, but we know they are returning to the Lord’s service in different parts of East Africa.

We had the afternoon off, so we decided to do some things we had been wanting to get done.

We checked out a “hotel” which we had heard and read about online called the Wildebeest. It was booked up, so we weren’t able to book a room there, but we wanted to look it over since we had the time. It is a very unique place. It’s like a campground, since you can bring your own tents but they also had “deluxe tents” which were heavy canvas tents with beds and other furnishings in them! They also had a bunk room which contained thee sets of bunk beds. The great feature though is the wireless internet they offer free! We hope to stay there on our next stay in Nairobi, we just need to make sure that we book in advance!

We also went to the African Walmart or Nakumat to pick up a few things that were needed. Since we were there we decided to have an American style supper. We all had pizza, which really hit the spot. Stephen later commented, “It may not have been that good, but it was really good at the time!”

We got a lot done today and now have to get ready to move again. Tomorrow we leave for Kisii and a two day stay there. The last week here we will be moving quite a bit to get all of our visitations completed.

We all thank you for your prayers on the work here, for our families and congregations back home, and for our trip. We appreciate your interest and encouragement in this important work.

In His service,

Nathanael

“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” – Ephesians 4:11-14

East African Pastoral Conference - Day 1

Thursday – September 2, 2010

The yearly East African Pastoral Conference began today in Nairobi. We were to begin at 9:30am at a hotel just a few blocks from the Southern Blue where we are staying again. We had to get a few copies made at the “Kinkos” near our hotel, and then we walked to the Wagon Hotel where the conference was being held. When we arrived, most of the men were already assembled. We are meeting in a small room that is long and narrow, with two tables set up end to end for everyone to sit around. There were two recessed areas in the ceiling where light fixtures used to be, but where only one bulb existed now.

Pastor Fred opened our session with some opening comments and then we joined in prayer and the singing of a hymn. After introductions were made all around, Pastor Gondwe was given the floor for his paper on Church Unity. It was very well done and was a very fitting beginning for our conference. We have had troubles in the past at our conferences due to the different tribes and cultures that make up our churches in East Africa. It is a good reminder for all of us to “keep the unity of the spirt and the bond of peace” as Paul says in Ephesians.

The conference attendees enjoying thier lunch around the table.

After finishing the paper we took a 20 minute break. We enjoyed some visiting over tea and simple buttered bread. We returned to the conference, and after some discussion on Pastor Gondwe’s paper continued with the next paper. Pastor Fred gave the floor to Pastor Ohlmann to present his paper from our convention on “Hope for the future.” At around 1:00pm we took a break for lunch. Although all our papers are presented in English, they take longer to present here because everything has to be translated into Swahili. This doubles the time of presentation.

For lunch we were served a vegetable mix of spinach and cabbage, potatoes, ugali, and either chicken or beef. There was also a spicy tomato and pepper “salad” that was really good.

Following lunch we finished Todd’s paper. I’m really glad that he presented this because it brought out the early struggles of the CLC and had some great parallels to the struggles that have been faced here in East Africa. Yet, our hope does not depend on the things of this world, but on Christ and what He has done for us. While our work may look hopeless to the world, we have confidence in the future because of God’s promises! It was a very important reminder and assurance for our men here.

Lunch - 350 Shillings. Seeing Stephen use his fingers to eat - PRICELESS!

We continued with Pastor Nyribo’s paper titled “On Being a Christian.” This paper was on the topic of Sanctification and we had some good discussion when he finished his paper. We closed our session for the day at 5:30pm and then spent an hour and a half visiting with some of the men. It was a good day and the majority of the twenty two men in attendance commented on their appreciation of the papers and discussion. We give thanks to the Lord for His grace and for the work He is accomplishing here.

Tomorrow I will be presenting a plan of organization for our churches in East Africa, so I have quite a bit of work to get finished up tonight. More tomorrow...

In His service,

Nathanael

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” – Ephesians 4:1-3

The Seminary in Himo and back to Nairobi

Wednesday – September 1, 2010

Today was the big day. The members of Himo and Machame had asked if Todd would be able to appear in court and speak on the CLC’s ownership of the seminary building at Himo. We were more than glad to tweak our schedule to fulfill that request. It is our hope that this will help to settle the ownership question for the judge, so that we can retain ownership and restart the seminary once again for the efficient training of pastors in East Africa.

People began showing up at our hotel at about 8:00am and continued filtering in until we left the hotel at about 9:30am. Although we discussed the work here in East Africa, all our thoughts were on the impending court appearance.

At 9:30 we began our stroll to the court house via the bus line office. We stopped at the office and purchased tickets for Moshi to Nairobi for later that morning. Our court appointment was at 11:00, and the bus was scheduled to leave at 11:30, so it was going to be tight. The office manager said that he could wait for us for a little bit if necessary.

They really weren't as excited to be here as they look....

So we left Mike and Stephen with our bags and walked with the rest of our group the 8 or so blocks from the bus office to the courthouse. There we met a few more people from Himo – all of whom were also being taken to court by Pastor Angowi. We shared greetings and visited for a while as we waited for the advocate to be able to meet with Todd to prep him for his appearance.

At about 11:15 we were called in before the judge. We entered a small room and filled it up with all the defendants in this case. As it turns out, they were amending their suit so it does not include ownership of the property, so Todd wasn’t able to give his testimony, but everyone said that this was very good news. I guess it will now have to go to a land court, and everyone feels that we have more than enough proof of ownership to win there. So it may take a little longer, but we pray that we will finally retain the ownership of the property. We pray that this may be quickly resolved so that the Lord’s work here may soon resume!

Our shuttle picked us up right outside the courthouse when we were finished. We said our goodbyes and had a short parting prayer with these faithful members and pastors of the Moshi area congregations. May the Lord continue to be with them and keep them strong through this ongoing battle!

We left Moshi at about 12:00 for the long trip back to Nairobi. Todd, Mike and I weren’t looking forward to riding again after the past couple of days, but this was much better than our conditions to and from Tanga! It was a one and a half hour trip to Arusha where we had to disembark and wait for another larger bus for the trip to Nairobi. We had a half an hour to stretch and do some other odd-n-ends.

Waiting in Arusha for our bus to Nairobi. We were NOT looking forward to getting on again!

Our bus for Nairobi left at 2:00pm. It was 8:15 when we made our first drop at the airport in Nairobi, but we didn’t arrive at our stop until 9:30pm. We were all hungry, since we hadn’t had much of anything since breakfast, so I dropped the guys off at the Southern Blue and rode over to the hotel where our conference will be tomorrow to meet with the men who had arrived. It was good to see them all and was important to go over a few things before the start of the conference. It had been another long day, but we are ready all geared up for the East African Pastoral Conference tomorrow morning.

Longido peak on the Tanzania side of the border with Kenya, just south of Namanga.

Check out Mike Gurath's blog as well for some additional information on our trip at http://emmausmilimanimission.tumblr.com/.

In His service,

Nathanael

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:1-2

Conference in Tanga

Tuesday – August 31, 2010

After yesterday we are ready to be done traveling, but we aren’t done yet. Today was another long day on the road, although it was on much better roads this time.

This road is much better than the ones we were on yesterday.

We started off the day with a three hour seminar in Tanga for the men of this region. We had over 20 men in attendance, many of whom serve congregations in the mountains we were in yesterday. We were supposed to begin at 8:00am because we needed to get on the road, but most of the men did not arrive until a little after 9:00am. Since many of the men came out of the Anglican church, we decided to begin with a study on the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We ended up using the entire time for the study and the questions that followed and concluded at about 11:30am. Some greetings followed, and then we closed our session and ate a quick lunch so we could get on the road for Moshi. We were all more than a little disappointed that we had such little time in teaching and such a long time in the car. So mentioned to the leaders and all the pastors that in the future we want to make sure that time is given to teaching as a first priority. That is the single most valuable use of our time and energy here and we want to make use of it as much as possible.

Todd adresses the men assembled for the conference after our study.

From there we left to climb back into the Pastor Jeremiah’s car for the six hour drive back to Moshi. Pastor Gondwe joined us on the trip so that we could save extra transport costs for him to the conference in Nairobi, but that made it a bit tight again in the back seat of the car. Todd and I were both just a bit stiff and sore and were glad for any and every opportunity to get out and stretch. We finally arrived back in Moshi at about 7:00pm. Jeremiah dropped Todd, Mike and I off at our hotel in Moshi where Russ and Stephen had spent the last four days. We said good-bye to Pastor Jeremiah and Pastor Gondwe who were continuing on to Arusha. We will see them in Nairobi on Thursday for the East African Pastoral Conference.

The men of the conference gathered for a picture after our meeting.

As we waited for our supper to arrive, the five of us swapped stories from the past few days. Tomorrow we have to meet with the Himo men who are being taken to court by Pastor Angowi. We will also make an appearance before the judge to testify to the CLC’s ownership of the seminary building and property. Once again we pray for the Lord’s blessings on our work and service in His kingdom and to the glory of His name.

In His service,

Nathanael

“And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” – 2 Timothy 2:2

Going where few men have gone before...

Monday – August 30, 2010

It was dark when we arrived at Pastor Cecil’s house last night, and we really didn’t appreciate the beauty of our location until we woke up the next morning. We were in this small village that was almost entirely surrounded by tall hills, covered almost entirely by the bright yellow stalks of corn. Since this is a hilly area, they are forced to make use of the land they have and that means planing on the side of mountains! We have constantly been amazed at the thought of carrying the seed up the side of these hills, planting it on the sloped ground and then carrying the crops back down again when they are ready. Quite the job! But it is a beautiful area and very serene.

The view of last night's dwelling from above. Todd and Mike are pictured.

We were invited to Pastor Cecil’s house for tea at 7:00am, so we got up and going and joined the others at the pastor’s home where we were again offered omelettes, bread, chicken, soup and more along with our spicy tea. When we had finished we loaded our bags into the Suzuki and somewhat reluctantly loaded ourselves. Little did we know how long a day this would end up being....

The mountain gardens beside the village of Kwamkole.

Within 15 minutes of leaving Kwamkole we encountered an accident on the road. A man on a motorcycle had crashed somehow. We found his bike on one side of the road and the man was huddled on the other side of the road with a growing audience around him. We got out to see what we could do and saw right away that it was not good. He had a puncture in one forearm the size of a nickel, a dislocated shoulder, and most of the skin on his right calf had been cut and was hanging loose. The man was almost in shock. Todd had a first aid kit in his bag and found a bandage to cover the hole in his arm, but didn’t have anything that could help his leg. He decided to grab one of his undershirts to wrap around the man’s leg. He tried to pull the skin back in place, and then taped the shirt around his calf. He then gave him some pain reliever to make him more comfortable. We were concerned about how he was going to get to a hospital, and didn’t think he should wait for a lorry or other passing vehicle, and felt he should definitely NOT ride a motorcycle (yes, someone even suggested that!). So we put him in the front seat of our car and decided to take him to the nearest hospital ourselves. We got the impression that it would be on the way to where we were going, so thought that was good too.

But it was a painful ride. We were traveling on really bad roads and now we had man riding with us who had a dislocated shoulder. Every time Jeremiah went over a bump a bit too roughly we would hear a grunt from the front seat. It took us almost an hour to reach the main road – something we had covered in less than 30 minutes the night before! After over two hours in the car we again asked Jeremiah how much farther to the hospital and he said it was still a long way. We encouraged him to find something closer, because we were concerned about the man’s injury and the amount of blood he had lost already. When we reached the next big town we found that they had a hospital there and rushed him to it. They got him in fairly quickly and Todd gave the Doctor the run-down on what had happened and what he had done. She said it was good that we had come here and not tried to make it to another hospital. He had been in the car for just over three hours, and it was a HARD three hours on those roads. We were just glad to hand him over to someone who could do something to help him after that amount of time. We pray that he will recover quickly and be able to return to his wife and four children. The whole event kind-of changed our outlook on riding motorcycles – especially in the mountains!

From the hospital we drove up the road another 45 minutes to visit a small congregation. We met in one of the member’s homes first, and when we had received a sufficient number there, walked to the place where they were building a new church. It was just a skeleton of sticks and poles, but it was taking shape. We prayed for the Lord’s work through the members of the congregation, said a few short words, sang a hymn, and then headed back down the road again, the way we had come. By this time it was noon, and we still had three more congregations to visit. We stopped back at the hospital to check on the man we had dropped off, but found nothing out. Then we began the long trip higher into the mountains surrounding Kwamkole.

The first church that we visited. As you can see it is under construction.

You wouldn’t believe the trip if I told you. We drove through a national forest on winding switchback roads, crossed rivers, passed tea farms, villages, burning maze fields, and traversed roads that were not made for four-wheeled vehicles to travel. We probably took 10 years off the life of that poor Suzuki through the course of the day! As it began to grow dark we finally arrived at our destination high in the hills and overlooking beautiful fields of tea and corn. Here we were greeted by a large number of people singing and waving branches for our arrival which was now 6 hours past. We walked past a large pole building with a canvas cover that was serving as the existing church and down a hill to a place where they were building a new brick church building. We participated in the dedication of this building, offered prayers, and sang more hymns. We had been invited for supper, but because of the approaching night, they packed us supper and sent it with us. It was discouraging to spend so little time here, especially after such a long drive, but we didn’t have any choice. Our schedule had been planned based on the travel time by motorbike and that did not match the time that it took by car on these roads.

The second church was also under construction, but with brick instead of wood.

Now we had to begin the long return trip back down the mountain and into Tanga. It was a long four hour ride with six of us in this small five passenger vehicle. It was quite a relief when we finally pulled off the dirt road and onto blacktop for the last hour of our trip, but we were all pretty much done in by that time. We had been on the road – and bad roads at that – for over 12 hours today and we were all eager to get out! It was after 10:00pm when we pulled into the Tanga Hotel in Tanga and checked in for the night.

We were all pretty well exhausted, and eager to get to bed so we could get up and going for the conference in the morning.

In His service,

Nathanael

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” – John 17:3