Howdy from Kenya!

It is Feb 28. So thankful to have our computer back in working order again. I didn't write last week because it had a virus and wouldn't cooperate. So thankful Pastor Ndegwa is learned in such things. Terry taught his brother years and years ago. He taught Ndegwa, and we are reaping the blessings of that!

We faced some difficult situations this past week. It is interesting we are studying Psalm 37 in one of our classes, and so thankful we had promises from the Lord there, that He is in control, even when others think they are.

Last week we started getting mud in our well! There is some water, butmore digging needs to be done. The well digger has been gone a lot due to family health problems. We also have had quite a bit of rain, so how much is really well water, we don't know. We also had electricity hooked up this week! Wow! What a blessing. Now we can go ahead with finishing the welding for the water tank stand, on site. We have one 5,000 litre water tank purchased, and later would like to get another.

Our ladies' ministry seems to be going well, and we thank the Lord. We trust it will help these ladies to be able to learn something they can do to help their families. Most of them attend church faithfully.

Tonight we had the final choosing of who did the best job on making the Tabernacle model. Some might think they look roughshod, but when you use what you have, what the kids came up with was really good. The young boys (7-10) won the contest and were given a Testament each. They even put crust from real bread for the table of shewbread, and rice kernels for manna. One group even put pieces of sticks inside the brazen altar for the fire. We were very impressed.

There has been a group here from Ellijay, Georgia. They were an easy group to work with. Tuesday evening we had 16 here for supper… quite a houseful for our small house!... it went well. The Wagitus, Pastor Harrison and wife joined us.

The visitors spent a good bit of time going to the schools where our boys attend and doing a karate demonstration with the Sudanese guys on Wednesday evening. They also attended our prayer meeting.

We had a good day today with ten in deaf church.

Terry is down with a cold I shared with him!! We belong to our Living God who is my Rock, Strong Tower, Shield in all the difficulties of life.

Sandy for us both

Please pray with us about our work permit. We went down to check on it two weeks ago, and it wasn't processed yet.

--
Terry & Sandy Washer

Administrator's Note

Sometimes in the travels of an email through cyberspace, some nuances are lost such as spacing, punctuation and capitalization. Changes in formatting as a result are not corrected so that the original text is not accidentally changed.

Read and enjoy! God bless those who are ministering in Kenya!

Administrator J.

Hello,

Let me bring you up to the present..

We left Isovia feeling so blessed. Steve's gifts from others in the states just made such an impact. Each student received a backpack, Bible, toothbrush and hat. Also, they were given a large selection of fabric, meaning they can now stop sewing on food bags. Teaching the students a trade is just so valuable. I would rank their needs in this order.they need Christ, family, water and a trade in order to have a chance at life. Charis summed it up well after her trip when she said "Kenyans are smart, hard working and loving people, but they have no opportunity for a better life." Pastor Harrison says that most of their time is spent looking for water..they can't get past that.

So we leave the "bush country" and our goal for the rest of the day is to get to Mwangi before dark..traveling after dark is not a good idea. We pull in the church just as darkness falls and we are instantly surrounded by children. Steve begins his magic tricks and the children are all smiles. One of the simple joys of this trip is giving out "sweets" or candy everywhere we go. We literally hang out of the van yelling "sweets" as we encounter children along the roadside. Their beautiful smiles just make your day. Small things do matter!

Back to the church..there is no electricity so we have a brief welcome from Pastor Joshua by flashlight. Different Pastors and then Steve and Randy take turns at the front while someone else runs the spot light. Joshua and Patrick serve here. They are so proud of the successful Awana program and they hold one service there while Joshua travels to do an early service beforehand.

Later in the evening the pastors share their stories..sheepishly they tell us that they sometimes go without food due to lack of money. Congregations are so small, there is very little offering. Thankfully, their wives are employed and are able to help with support.besides the small amount they get from the Bible Institute.I think about $100 a month. One thing that would really help is if they had a motorcycle..they could then earn money as a taxi and also us it for ministry.

Elisha..a Pastor further out.. is so touching as he shares that his heart is to be able to give the children some porridge before Sunday school. He cries.I join him. The children are often too weak from lack of food to make it to church. (Keep in mind this is a church out in a remote area.)

It is amazing that even $10 US dollars could accomplish this for a month for their church children. I will forever be compelled to do more.God is pealing back layers in my life .revealing to me that I can surely "do" with less, because I have so much.so that I can help more.

Morning will find us on the road to Keratina and cooler temperatures! Sweeeeet..

Blessings,

Janice

Hey Everyone,

This is Janice Durden and it's my first time to Kenya! I thought I would send the first installment of our trip.Randy, Steve Fields and myself. We have been out in the middle of this "Dark Continent" with no chance of sending you an update before now.
I'm not a great writer and I'm even quite sure that those who have come here before me may not agree with my impressions.but hey they are mine. Allow me to preface all this by telling youl Randy and I had a deal about this trip.he would plan all the details(usually my job) .well since he had been 3 times already that made sense.but I could not complain about anything. Not that I complain an exorbitant amount, but I prefer to think that I frequently express my opinions. (No comments to the contrary, please) I promised to be a happy camper no matter how "out of my comfort zone" things got. He actually decided that He would pull my "smiley face" if I did not play by the rules. Mercy..now we'll just have to see how I do!

From my journal..
We landed in Nairobi after dark! What a wonderful thing to see Steve and Pastor Harrison.a really wonderful thing..
My senses are assaulted instantly with the different culture.throngs of people everywhere (dark people, in dark clothes moving aimlessly).crowded streets.honking horns.burning trash.
My thoughts were."Get out of this town and fast!" We made it safely to the "Minno" House (run by Christians) and were allowed in by the guard. Once inside the double bolted door, extra alarm set, and door stop shoved under the door.we were anticipating a restless night's after a very long journey. And that is what we got. Randy warned me that you sleep with one eye open and your "ear to the tracks." I'm not usually paranoid.but well.. these security measures must be for some reason.so one eye open all night long. Tomorrow I will see Nairobi in the daylight!

So this is Africa!!!!! The word "foreign" took on new meaning as we left the "Minno" compound. Leaving the compound we headed to our first out post of Katui.Atlanta traffic is nothing compared to this! There must have been 1 million people going in our direction..all stuffed in vans, some hanging on for dear life, weaving and dodging one another in an African game of "chicken." The smell of burning trash permeated the air. Through the smoke ..I got a glimp of some of the world's poorest souls.I thought to myself..."this must surely be what Hell will be like."Massive amounts of humanity wondering in a smoke filled haze. I had such mixed emotions of."why am I so blessed.
why are these poor people sooooo pitiful in contrast..

We head out of town at a snails pace. I want to take pictures but was instructed."keep your window closed and your shade pulled." Finally, we hit the open road and we detour toward the Blue Post to meet the Kiker team for lunch. The Blue Post was a wonderful place to dine and buy curios. It was such a blessing to see Ben and meet everyone that traveled with him. They envied us for having two more weeks here. Little did I know that later that evening I would envy them for leaving today. I know..I know we are not supposed to envy, but you know what I mean. (Refrain from judging till you read more.)

After a loooong ride we reach Katui. We are there to check on the progress of Pastor Patrick as he started a work there in the last few years. We want to encourage him and understand how we can support him in the future. His church is a pole barn.a very poor one..our cows stay in better, but he is so grateful for what God has provided. The opposition there is mostly Muslim. The actually defecate around his church before Sunday worship to show there displeasure. I don't know about you, but yeah.that let's me know he's not welcome there. We actually lay hands of the building of these people.since it is just next door, and pray for God to change these circumstances. He later share with us that a Christian Pastor was stoned to death two weeks ago for preaching the gospel near his church. Hmmmmm.I believe I'll sleep with both eyes open tonight!

Pastor Patrick asked us to dine with his family and he was so humble and sweet.my heart began to just ache and my eyes cold not contain it..they had so little. Their living area was two rooms that were about a 10x 10. (1/2 serving as a small café by day) We ate traditional capote, rice and a goat stew that was very good. I can't say that I wasn't a little worried about the whole stomach thing that can happen.but we were careful and we prayed a lot!

After dark we returned to the hotel. But, I could not sleep because of the drums b-eating, b-eating, b-eating..I wanted to strangle somebody. what a humorous picture that was. At home we just call the police.but here you just shove in more wax earplugs and hope they don't come pay you a visit. But no worries.. in addition to all the security measures of last night we now have a guard outside near by..snoozing I bet. Hey, but I did not complain and I did not lose my smiley face.

Day 2
Traveling to Isovia was like nothing you can imagine. The road quickly turns to dirt. then huge washouts ..then finally just a little pig trail big enough for the van. We saw a little girl with a water bottle filled with cloudy water. Steve said that was her water for the day. People are walking along the road, some children as young as 4 were herding goats or cows..some carrying baskets on their heads all headed to "market."What in the world could be here in the absolute middle of nowhere? But as we entered the trade school compound of Isovia we hear children singing and dancing with such joy. We had the most wonderful worship service with the students. Steve Fields spoke as Patrick interpreted in their tribal language. Randy spoke, but when they gave me a chance to speak.I just couldn't do it ..just COULD NOT. The lump in my throat was just preventing it. I quickly realized that this place makes you so emotional.

This stop had been one of the things I was looking forward to most about this trip! I wanted to see the well that the students from North Georgia Christian raised money to build. The NGCA students filled their water bottles full of coins till they were able to raise over $2500. We wanted them to learn that even they could make a big difference in someone's world. Earlier, last year, they were so moved when Eric Colson came out to the school and demonstrated what the water looks like that the children have to drink. Eric told how the women would walk 4 hours to get water and 5 hours back, everyday! The Isovia students were so pleased to show us the well. They used the hand pump to deliver the crystal clear water that now sustains over 200 people. Uhhhhh.just more tears.

I must say the joy with which the dear pastors and the children have as the worship was just such an inspiration! Mama Fields later told me that Pastor Reuben, the head of Isovia, was one of the first Christian Pastors to start a church in Kenya. That was over 35 years ago. And they were just now getting water. They still have outhouses and no electricity.but praise be to God they have clean water!

I'm so thankful that Pastor Steve has brought us to this place. His heart for the Kenyans has been a blessing to them and so much more so now to Randy and I.
More tomorrow.whew.... it's late! Blessings,
Janice

Hey Folks,

Pastor Steve has arrived safely in Kenya. He left a voice mail at the church and said the flight went well and going through customs was very smooth. As ya'll know, this is answered prayer already with all the stuff Steve takes with him. Pastor Harrison who is the pastor at the Antioch Baptist Church in Karatina and Joseph met him and drove to Karatina.

He reported that Pastor Harrison and his wife, and the whole Kiker team met at Sandy and Terry Washer's house (Steve's sister and brother in law) to have a big dinner and celebrate Papa David Fields 83rd birthday, with Brother Dave and his wife Elwanda.

The Ben Kiker team has been to some of the schools in the community to give karate demonstrations, and to minister. Steve reports they will be playing volleyball with a bunch of Sudanese guys. I'm thinking the Sudanese may win this one. The Kiker team is to minister in the church at Karatina this week also.

After this week Pastor Steve is set to go with the Durdens to minister in other areas in Kenya.

Continue to pray for safety, the Fields family in Kenya, and the work there.

Thanks,
Joe.

Kiker Team in Kenya

Hey Everyone,



THANKS!
for your prayers re. freight and safe trip for Ben Kiker and his team.

I loaded everything according to the inst. the airline gave us. One 60# free suitcase (so we stuffed New Testaments in all extra poundage), one 70# at $100 and no more. I went ahead and packed the other containers at 70# as I usually do and just took them, after all, we DID pray we could get them through. The people at the KLM counter were very kind, and told us we were misinformed, and could ship TWO free 50# containers (so we scrambled to adjust them) then a 70# for $300. The over all effect got us 20 containers of New Testaments, soccerballs, Bible school study materials, materials for the Isovya orphanage (backpacks, caps,) etc. We also got 8 or 9 tambourines in, etc. I was thrilled to be able to get most of it over there. At Nairobi, Pastor Harrison negotiated them down from $300 customs on the soccer balls etc. to $100, since they were all gifts, not for resale.

The men have a karate session with the police Headquarters in Nyeri, and will be playing the Sudanese refugees who live nearbye and come to the church to play volleyball. I can't wait to hear if Ben figures out a way to beat 10' tall (slight exaggeration) Sudanese in volleyball!! A couple of the guys with Ben Kiker have never been out of the country, what an initiation!

For those of you who do not know Ben, he is my Karate instructor, and long time friend. He went with me last year, and we have a church at Karogoto built with donations in Kerri Kiker's (he and Vicki's daughter who was killed in a wreck) memory. She stayed often in our home as a young child, and was my first little "varmint", as I affectionately call the special children around me.

Through the generous contributions of several, we were able to get almost 1,000 New Testaments with numerous Bible study notes in them.
They cost just under $2, and have notes on Who is God? Who is Jesus Christ? marriage....etc.

I leave Sun. 7:30am for the airport, and fly out at 12:30pm. I will be trying to take the remaining New Testaments, 2 accordions, numerous Bible study DVD training materials, so pray for favor as we get them shipped, and lots of blessing as we visit the orphanage at Isovya, then to Dad and Mom's, then to Nambale, Migori, Masai Mara, and home.

May God bless you in YOUR mission field.

5 questions I teach (borrowed of course) when witnessing about the Lord Jesus, that work well for me are..(you only listen, and clarify on the first four questions, DO NOT ARGUE (yet)).

1. Do you believe in spiritual things? (if they ask what you mean, you say "God, angels, the devil etc.?)
2, In your opinion, who was Jesus Christ? (Was He God as He claimed?
a prophet? an imaginary figure?)
3. Do you believe in heaven or hell? (are they literal?)
4. Where are you going when you die? (If they say heaven, you can ask "if you were standing at heaven's door, and God asked why He should let you into His perfect, sinless heaven, what would you say?)
5. If you were wrong, would you want someone to tell you? (if they say no, just change the subject, they cannot stand it, they will ask you to continue)

So pray for me in my contact with people on this journey, that I get to use that often. I carry a couple of the NTestaments with me to give, and it is amazing the doors the Lord opens up.
We will notify you of the blog Joe Hensley has set up, so you can ck that also. He went with us to Kenya on one of our trips.

Thanks for your prayers, pray for our families, and churches.

Steve Fields

Team is leaving tomorrow!

Hey everyone,

Part of the team is leaving Atlanta tomorrow for Kenya. Please keep them in your prayers. Be praying about the containers of toys, clothes, books and Bibles that Steve is taking over, that they'll arrive and the funds will be there for shipping. Pray for safe travels and the preparation of the hearts of our group and the people there.

Thanks,
Joe.

From Terry and Sandy Washer

Hi,

It is Feb. 14, our 35th. engagement anniversary!

Well news: our well diggers have reached mud!! So, we are looking forward to reporting next week that water is welling up! Do pray with us for this.

Heart patient: Tuesday Pastor Ndegwa was to take the mother of the girl I mentioned last week, to see a doctor in Nyeri. The mother didn’t show up. We found out later that last Sunday night the little girl became critical and was taken to Nairobi and was in intensive care in a coma. We heard today she was given meds to bring her out of the coma, but nothing else has been done. So, we will see how the Lord leads as the child is brought home this week, we trust. The other two children had been left here on their own. The older boy (about 8) has been sleeping in the boys’ dormitory. The three year old has been staying at Pastor Ndegwa’s. Come to find out none of the kids are in school… as the mom didn’t have money to send them. This, too, is a prayer need, to know how to tactfully talk to the Mom without her feeling like we are interfering.

Neighbor: This week the Lord gave me opportunity to present the gospel to our neighbor for the first time. She called me to her house. I am so thankful for the opportunity.

Visitation: Thursday we went visiting with Ndegwa and Carol to the home of one of our dorm boys. Thankfully the roads were dry or I don’t think we would have gotten through. The family with five kids still at home, live on a small, level place dug out of the side of a hill overlooking a beautiful valley of neat gardens by a mountain stream.
Their two room wooden shack didn’t give protection from the intense sun as we sat outside. I was thankful for the strong breeze. We had "tea" and shared the gospel with the parents, siblings and a couple of neighbors before going to the grandfather’s place and sharing again.
We arrived home not long before dark.

Fellowship: Friday after class, the Bible School ladies and I drove to Kiamariga to have a ladies’ fellowship with the church there. We were six from here; total of 20 with a good number of kids. I showed them how to make cake (carrot/banana) and cook it on a charcoal stove. It turned out beautifully and was SO good! While it cooked, one of the third year students gave a devotional. We arrived home safely after 6p.m.

Those are the highlights of the week.

This week we are to go to Nairobi to see about our work permits… and umpteen other things. We would appreciate prayer for God to guide in planning the day to best use the time we are there.
Sandy for us both
--
Terry & Sandy Washer