National Cake – Lessons From Sunday School

As our leaders struggle for the best formulae to distribute power, I wonder if what is needed is not some esoteric political knowledge but simple, homely wisdom. I heard of a book entitled, ‘the most important lessons in life I learnt in Sunday School’. Here are a couple of growing up, Sunday School lessons that may be of help in our national impasse…

1. How to ensure a cake is divided fairly – when we needed to share a piece of cake with a sibling, the easiest way to do it was to get the first child to break it into two pieces, and then to ask the other one to pick first which piece they wanted. It ensured the person dividing was extremely fair!
2. How to ensure you don’t run out of cake –Mom was an equal opportunity parent who taught her children, both sons and daughters, that the best way to deal with cake limitation is to learn to bake cake! That cake is not a fixed resource but a renewable one.

Our support of our politician’s obsession with sharing national positions comes from the mistaken belief that once politicians/technocrats from our tribal group are in charge of certain positions, then our people’s problems will end. In a country of 30 million, this is short-sighted thinking at best. My fear is that this squabbling may obscure our focus from cake baking. Crafting our national vision together and ensuring that it creates new opportunities for the generations to come. Asking what processes we need to put in place that will give us good leadership long after we’re dead and gone.

In the globalized, flat world we live in, our child’s competition is not Nyanza or Central province, but in Egypt and China. We need to learn to bake cake!

Early Anniversary

Am back home after a week’s break. Resting from Msafara but also an early celebration of our 14th anniversary. Yep, it’s been that long! It certainly doesn’t feel like it. I remember when I was a college student and I met people who’d been married for ten or more years. They sounded so ancient! Well, the shoe’s on the other foot now. Our African cultures wisely celebrated the inevitable (e.g. age) while Western cultures celebrate the unattainable (capitalist wisdom: you can’t sell to someone satisfied). Aren’t I glad to be African!

Seriously though, I’m grateful to God for the many good (no great) years He has given my sweetie and I. The many incredible adventures we’ve shared. Our amazingly wonderful children... And the many lessons we’ve learnt along the way. Like the best CEO’s described in Jim Collin’s remarkable book ‘Good To Great’, the best marriages are not necessarily the flashiest. With marriage, the race does not go to the swift, but to the persistent: Those who plod on, refusing to give up, consistently giving and forgiving. Those who recognize that if the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it’s a sure sign that you need to water your own!

At the end of the day though, regardless of all we’ve put into our marriage, we know that it’s God’s grace - that mysterious ‘X factor’ - that has brought us this far: Many times despite ourselves. What a relief! Because He who began this good work in us is faithful and will help us to finish well.

What Has Msafara Accomplished?

Time will judge just how effective the Msafara was in impacting Kenya’s destiny. And off course reports will be written and audits done. However, from my limited perspective and off the top of my head, several results of the Msafara seem evident…

300 Kenyans have had a chance to visit and interact with the situation on the ground firsthand. They were able to see the extent of the country’s devastation for themselves. They learnt to care for the displaced. They were forced to deal with their own prejudices and to relate closely to people of other tribes. Each of these belongs to a faith community and will return to it with a message of unity and hope. Especially powerful because many who came are the leaders of their churches…

There was heartfelt reconciliation and a resulting unity among church leaders in the various towns we visited. Many leaders confessed that by taking sides in the political events, they had reduced their ability to care for all the communities they were responsible to care for. By repenting of this short-sightedness and committing to work with leaders of other tribes, they now model the way for the churches they lead to maintain peace in their areas and to care for those affected by the violence. And for church leaders to conduct themselves differently come the next election. There is great power for good when the church is united. For instance, we were informed after we left of an initiative by church pastors in Naivasha to ensure that the communities evicted from their town could return safely.

Many churches are caring for displaced people who are housed by their members. Because these people don’t live in the camps, they are ‘under the radar’ so to speak, and little support is going to the needy families caring for them. By delivering food and humanitarian supplies to the pastor’s fellowships in the various towns, Msafara opened up new distribution channels that take care and support to many of the most needy. The Red Cross has done a great job, but they can only do so much. We hope these channels will continue to be used by different agencies that are looking for alternative relief distribution channels

The hardest to quantify may be the most significant. In each town, united church leaders were able to engage in prayer together over their communities. The bible teaches us that God answers prayers that are prayed in humility, unity and repentance. In 2Chronicles, God promises,

‘If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, if they seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land’.

I can’t wait to see the healing and turning around of our nation that will happen as God begins to answer the prayers that we prayed together!

P.S. Grateful that all the Nairobi wasafiri arrived safely home this afternoon

Miracle in Eldoret

Eldoret had been undergoing a major dry spell by the time we got there. During our rally there, Pst. Simon who was leading prayers prayed that it would rain that evening. By the time we got to Kisumu, the texts were coming in – it was raining in Eldoret! We need to continue praying for good rains as many parts of our country are facing a drought, that could put at risk the most vulnerable among our citizens

Abok’s Story

Abok was one of the young men heavily involved in post election violence and looting in Nairobi. His rage drove him and his friends to wage war against members of a different tribe. He threw stones and tear gas at the police. At some point after the violence abated however, he found himself filled with remorse and emptiness. His life lacked direction and purpose.

Then he heard about the Msafara. Made his way to Nairobi Baptist to sign up and found he needed a signed reference from his pastor as well as 5000/- to join. He went to one of Nairobi’s more famous churches and asked the pastor’s secretary if they could sign his form and sponsor him for the trip. But pastor was away and secretary was unwilling to commit.

Abok not knowing what to do next determined to volunteer for odd jobs at the Msafara secretariat and to make himself so valuable that they’d have no choice but to take him with them. Long story short, strategy worked, and he somehow slipped by the screening process and became a Msafiri - without the required pastor’s reference! For the next week, he found himself surrounded by Christians across the country praying against violence and working among those affected by it. He made friends who genuinely seemed to care about him. No one knew his story but something began to burn within. At some point, Abok could take it no more, and confessed his actions to one of the Msafara pastors, who prayed for him as he accepted Jesus as his Savior.

So now Abok is passionate to become a part of the solution instead of the problem. And he is convinced that God wants him to be a pastor one day, so that he can help others who are where he was, not too long ago.

Ken’s Story

So, here’s the last part of Pastor Ken’s story (see ‘holding out hope’ below). He took my good friends Pst. Kuchio of NPC Parklands and Pst. Patrick Murunga of Good Shepherd Church with him the next morning to see the man – who apparently was in charge of security arrangements at the camp. Thankfully, they had actually postponed their revenge mission and were preparing to go that night. They even had managed to get a truck! They asked my friends if they knew where they could get extra weapons!

In Pst. Ken’s words, ‘Counseling 101 never prepared me for this!’ As the rest prayed though, Pst. Kuchio engaged the man in serious conversation about how God not only forgives us but He enables us to forgive others. Then, an amazing thing happened; not only did the man agree to dismantle his revenge mission, but he also decided to turn his life over to Christ.

Msafara Conclusion

The last day in Kisumu was as awesome as the rest had been. We had a special service for the 300 wasafiri at the new NCCK guest house where we were staying (a really nice facility by the way, if you’re ever in Kisumu). Had an opportunity to hear testimonies from many wasafiri about their experiences. Many shared how their lives had been changed by Msafira, including several who talked about how their own prejudices had been confronted by God and how they had learnt to love people from communities they had struggled to accept. Service lasted three and a half hours but could have gone on for two more… that’s how gripping the stories were. Had to cut short because it was time for lunch though! Before we ended, we shared Holy Communion as a sign of the unity God calls us all to – as people from different denominations, generations and tribes.

In the afternoon, our final service in Kisumu. A much larger crowd than before. The former mayor and now present MP of Kisumu attended. We prayed for a new beginning for Kisumu, Nyanza and the whole country. It was a great thing to see Christian leaders of various tribes on the platform: A visible representation of the church’s important role in modeling unity in our diversity. Archbishop Ajwoga, an elderly and much respected local leader, spoke powerful about how church leaders had failed by taking political sides during the election period. Bishop Njiri gave a great message as usual.

Got to say one more time – one of the things I love about the culture in this westernmost part of our country is how well people know how to celebrate and dance. I have seldom enjoyed a worship time more! My hat off to the praise band that led us the whole time we were there.

Kisumu –Final Stop

I didn’t learn enough superlatives in school to describe our time in Kisumu. For me, it will probably rank as the most memorable time of the town the Msafara visited. Local pastors had organized a many car convoy to meet us. Together we wove our way into the city, led by a pickup with loudspeakers announcing our mission. Depending on what part of town we were passing, I could see various emotions in people’s eyes. Curiosity, surprise, indifference, even outright hostility. Later learnt some people may have thought we were a busload of Mungiki militants! Our convoy ended up at the Jomo Kenyatta sports ground. And there we found…

The surprise party! There were tents set up with people in them, an amazing praise team and band on the dais. The music was fantastic. As soon as the buses stopped, wasafiri poured out of them to join in the praise party. For around 30 minutes, that’s all we did… dance! People here know how to have a good time! As long as the day had been, we could have gone on for another few hours. Everyone was disappointed when the music stopped! The pastor’s fellowship welcomed us to Kisumu, prayed for us, and we were off to our guest house for dinner.

Then, the pastor’s fellowship the next day... If I thought Eldoret was something, Kisumu was off the charts! Many, many local bishops and church leaders in attendance…Like LD, Kisumu suffered a lot as a result of post-election violence. There was much pain here. We knew the issues to discuss would be heavy. And they were.

But somehow God cut through all the formalities. Bishop Njiri of the KAG church is respected as one of the church leaders who refused to take political sides during the 07 elections. This leader stood up and offered a heartfelt repentance on behalf of the Kikuyu believers for all that had transpired between the Kikuyu and Luo since independence. And the God-moment came. There were few dry eyes in the house. Many leaders on their knees bawling their eyes out… including yours truly. Archbishop Silas Owiti, a highly respected church leader here, accepted the repentance and embraced his counterpart. As if that was not enough, Bishop Njiri confessed that Bishop Orao (another respected leader here), had once worked under him and they had been close friends but parted ways many years ago in a way that had hurt their relationship. He publicly repented of his part in their disagreement and asked his former colleague to forgive him. Bishop Orao also asked forgiveness for his part and as the two hugged, Bishop Njiri prayed a prayer of blessing for him as a son in ministry.

Okay, you get the picture. Things were out of our control from that moment and in God’s hands! For me, this meeting and the visit to the church in Kiambaa were worth all the work that has gone into Msafara. I saw visibly something I’ve always believed – that the church is the hope of the world. What we experienced in that room was not calm (the absence of war) but genuine shalom or peace.

The rest of the wasafiri had a chance to visit displaced peoples in Kisumu. The national violence has had a huge toll here and family structures are under great strain to support relatives from other parts of the country. We handed over a lorry of food and another of hygiene packs to the pastor’s fellowship to distribute. So far we have donated 5 tons of food to Naivasha, and roughly 24 tons each to Nakuru, Eldoret and Kisumu, in addition to over 25 tons of clothing and hygiene packs. We have handed these to the various pastor’s fellowships to distribute especially the displaced who are not in the camps.

In the afternoon, the Kisumu prayer rally took place. Local pastors and bishops led in prayers of repentance for Kisumu and Nyanza. Intense time of prayer… At the end of it I was exhausted in more ways than I thought possible. But the local pastors were just beginning! They announced another rally the next day (Sunday) at the same venue.

May my heart never forget the things my eyes have seen these last few days.

Eldoret Prayers

We had a great prayer public rally in Eldoret on Friday. We’ll attended, despite the fact that it was during working hours. The theme was that it’s time for peace to return to LD and for people to live together. The new mayor was in attendance. Repentance prayers were said by local pastors over the violence that has taken place in the North Rift. Jemimah Thiongo sang and was as usual, ‘Akisema Atakubariki’ was a great hit. There was a student’s music festival going on at the town hall as well and many of the students came to watch.

After that, we were on our buses and off to Kisumu. Took the Kapsabet route. Short stop at the Kapsabet town, where many homes and shops were burnt… Many of the IDP’s in Eldoret come from this area. You could still feel the tension in the air, and I was glad when we finally set off from there. After quite a bumpy ride, we were soon within the outskirts of Kisumu.

Prayer Cover

You know the tiredness thing I was praying about in Nairobi? Somehow it’s gone. Yes I still get weary by the end of the day. But somehow my mind has the perseverance to keep plodding on. Maybe it’s because of all the people praying for the Msafara. This morning, someone read us emails from people here, in Europe, America and other places across planet Earth that are praying for us. Awesome!

If you'd like to read Pst. Oscar's detailed account of our intense pastors meeting in LD, check out his post on the msafara blog - http://msafara.wordpress.com.

In Eldoret

Eldoret has a deceptively calm facade that conceals a town where more than the others we’ve visited, people still live in tension. The large IDP camp at the showground holds 24,000 people. Yes, that’s right. The one in Nakuru was huge, but it only held 15,000. There was terrible violence in Eldoret. Speak with the townspeople for a little while and you will soon begin to sense the depth of trauma that they have experienced.

We had a full wasafiri meeting for the first time in a while and had a very encouraging time sharing about some of the awesome things God has been doing in the different things we’ve been involved in. Then we divided into two teams. Pastors met with local pastors at the International Vision Church while the rest of the wasafiri spent time with some displaced families at a nearby church.

The time with the pastors was the most intense yet. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Unlike the other places, there was little time for niceties. The large group of local pastors who showed up had been through too much for that. We immediately dived into very open confession by the chair of the pastor’s fellowship about what happened in Eldoret. The speaker of the day then spoke with great conviction from Romans 14:17. Without righteousness, there can be no peace. Without peace, there can be no true joy. Without these three things, all our work is in vain, as it has nothing to do with God’s purposes.

Got to say, at some point I wasn’t sure if any of this would connect. But like in every other place we’ve been, the God-moment came. Some remarkable stuff happened. As usual, I wish I was a poet so my words could help you feel with me. Holy memories include a bishop from one warring community literally washing the feet of a pastor from the other, following Christ’s example… And pastors from different tribes hugging one another… Or how about the man whose wife and children were brutally killed and yet who publicly forgave those who did it? My, my, may my mind never write over these memories!

In the afternoon, we had a chance to visit the church in Kiambaa; the famous one that was burnt down with women and children in it. No wheelchair or bicycles – the same youth had subsequently returned for all the scrap metal in the vicinity, including mabati roof and wire fencing. We met a woman there who had been in the church when it happened, one of the few who escaped. Jane held us all spellbound with the detailed story of how the attack happened. Rather gory – maybe one day I’ll put up the little video I took on this blog – with a parental advisory. We realized she needed to tell it though – and we let her. Another holy moment… she then shared that because of her faith in Jesus, she had chosen to forgive her neighbors who had done this deed. This from a woman still living in an IDP camp. We were both humbled and overwhelmed.

Wasafiri got to visit the IDP camps. The large camp in LD is very different from the rest we’ve seen. The people in it seem more angry and less ready to hear about forgiveness. Maybe it’s because they still live within striking distance of danger. One person shared with me how one of the people he spoke with has been in camps four times; each time there were ‘clashes’ in ’91, ’92, ’97 and currently. His question, ‘you want me to forgive them again?’

This morning I had to remind the wasafiri… don’t try to play God. Let people tell their story. Empathize. Show concern and care. Only talk if and when they allow you to. Pray for them. And trust God to be the one who heals.

A good note to end on... One of the pastors just received a call from a Nakuru pastor who’d been at our meeting there. This pastor says something has changed in her life since we were there… there’s new energy; a sense of a new beginning; new opportunities.

Westward Ho

Eem, the journey to Eldoret was – dusty and backbreaking. I was glad for the signs that the road is being fixed. But that distant thought offered little comfort at the time.

Passing through Eldama Ravine, Timboroa, Burnt Forest… many of these places had IDP camps. People living in tents not far from where they once owned homes and property... We saw many homesteads that had been razed to the ground. You could still see the smoke curling lazily out of some of the ruins. A poignant moment was when one of the pastors sitting near me pointed out the home where her family had lived a little while back, just after we passed the camp where many of her family members, including her sisters, still reside.

At Timboroa, we disembarked for a few minutes. A sad memory of a whole section of houses burnt down that a little while ago were homes and hubs of business. Many in the Nakuru camp had come from this area.

It was dark by the time we drove through Burnt Forest. Mercifully the road was better. Sinister fires all over the place made it seem like the whole place was under attack. I came to understand later that most of these were from locals clearing their land for ploughing. But many on the bus claimed they saw some houses burning.

We prayed throughout most of the journey. I know people on the other buses were doing the same.

I was exhausted by the time we got to Eldoret. Physically, spiritually and emotionally.

Holding Out Hope

I keep reminding myself we’re not here to ‘fix’ these towns. Only to hold out hope… That if the church can work together, to care for the hurting and to build and maintain peace, then nothing will be impossible. That we’re only a catalyst. The true test of Msafara will be what happens in these places after Msafara is gone. But this is where faith comes in. I have faith that God is using our small contribution as a seed, one that He will water after we’re gone. And one that will grow into a beautiful tree that will hold our nation together in peace and justice…

Clear that there is much yet to be done. Pastor Ken of Kileleshwa Covenant Community Church told me of a young man he met at one of the camps we visited in Nakuru. His wife had been killed by militia the night before (contrary to popular belief, the Anan accord hasn’t ended the tension and killing in all parts of the country). He had gathered 100 of his friends from the camp to go back the same night on a revenge mission. Ken asked what he thought would happen next. Off course they would also come back and revenge. And the vicious cycle would continue. Someone had to break the cycle of violence. Why couldn’t it be the young man? Young man promised to think about it. Ken prayed for him. I’ll find out from Ken today whether he saw the young man again before we left Nakuru

Hope In Nakuru

Nakuru was quite something. Initially the pastor’s fellowship didn’t want Msafara in their town. Reason being that the church was so divided ethnically and politically they didn’t think it would be possible to meet together. It was only by God’s grace that they finally agreed to host us. Unlike the other towns, the Msafara pastors went into a meeting with Nakuru pastors while the rest of the team went to visit the two IDP camps in town. The pastor’s meeting was intense. Against all expectations, a large group of local pastors attended, many of whom I came to learn hadn’t spoken to each other for a long time.

I can honestly say only God could bring about what was accomplished. During the pastor’s meeting, we had a chance to pray for our brothers and sisters who are hurting, and to pray for forgiveness and reconciliation. Many had not been in the same room since several months before the elections. There was an opportunity to challenge these leaders to put aside differences and to work together as the spiritual leaders of the city. As we concluded on the second day, there was a clear sense to all present that despite the seeming impossibility of it all, God had somehow broken through. As we shared Holy Communion with each other, a sense of love, unity and oneness filled the room. Leaders walked across the room to hug those from other tribes. Once more, words fail me to express the miracle that we had witnessed.

Meanwhile, the rest of the wasafiri were visiting the two IDP camps in town. You’ve got to see and experience the camps in the Rift Valley for yourself, to understand the scope of the suffering. Somehow TV pictures don’t quite transmit how hopeless the situation is for these fellow citizens. Our wasafiri had a chance to share the care packs and food with the people there, many of who had seen their own homes burnt in the last couple of months. The musicians on the team also put on a concert and during the times of prayer that followed, our wasafiri had a chance to pray, empathize and cry with many of the multitude who came to listen. Their testimony is that even there, there was a heart connection that only God could have engineered.

Afterwards we all drove in a convoy around town to the places worst affected by the violence led by the Nakuru pastors. Using loudspeakers mounted on a van, we conveyed words of hope to the residents of these areas. In many, there was a warm response. In some, a weary and hollow look in people’s eyes that could only have come from the trauma of post-election violence. One section we drove through that was once a thriving, bustling settlement was now a ghost-town.

As we left, I spoke to one of the Nakuru pastors, who was overwhelmed. He felt much more had been accomplished in that short meeting than he would have imagined in his wildest dreams. I thank God for a chance to distribute 24 tones of food to Nakuru. But of even greater long-term impact in my opinion, will be the impact of the unity among the town’s spiritual leaders.

In Naivasha

An early rendezvous (7am) saw the whole team at Nairobi Baptist Church, hauling care packs onto trucks that would be accompanying us on our trip to the west. After the logistical drama of getting everyone on the right bus, we were finally off around 10.30am, way behind schedule! Our 6 buses made it to Naivasha where we were met by a convoy of cars driven by pastors from there and led by several piki-piki outriders! The convoy dramatically made its way around the town (not our idea but it certainly had an effect!) and ended up at the ACK church where had an action packed 30 minute prayer service with the Christians there. One of our teams stayed out during the service to simultaneously unload a 12 ton lorry of food and around 1000 hygiene packs. Serious military precision… I hadn’t believed so much could be accomplished in such a short time! Very proud of the Wasafiri 300

In an earlier post, I described how divided the pastor’s fellowship had been as a result of the post-election violence. One of the people who commented on that post shared the pain her mom had felt when she realized her own pastor was in cahoots with the people who evicted her. I’m glad to say there’s been much progress in Naivasha subsequently. It was clear to see that the pastors had worked hard at coming to agreement and were working in unity. They are glad for the opportunity to serve the displaced in both camps together (like many Rift Valley towns, there are two IDP camps here – with displaced people from different ethnic groups). I see much hope for lasting peace & unity in Naivasha.

In almost no time, we were on the way to Nakuru, leaving behind a much encouraged church.

The Msafara 300

The team comprises people of different generations, tribes, and churches from across the whole country. About 120 are pastors while the rest are Christians who’ve taken time off from work or school to be here. All so different, but with the same heart and purpose. Things haven’t always worked as they should. But there’s a lot of grace and flexibility. A good sense of camaraderie among the wasafiri… I believe lifetime friendships are being formed as we march together across the nation. What an adventure!

And as we seek change in the hearts of others, our own hearts are surely being changed...

Msafara in Nairobi

After such an intense time at the Coast sandwiched by the long journey there, I wasn’t sure we’d have energy for the meeting in Nairobi. I kept praying Isaiah 40:30-31 for the team…

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

And you know what? When we finally met on Monday afternoon, I was amazed how cheery and energized everyone looked. The venue of the meeting was the courtyard at the KICC where there’s a famous statue of our first president. What a strategic place to pray for our city and nation; in an open space surrounded by the seats of the Judiciary on one side (High Court), the Executive on another (KICC itself), Parliament on the third side, and finally our city government (City Hall).

We’d already had weekly meetings with Nairobi pastors for over a month. Good times to seek direction together and pray for our city. And to encourage every church to participate in caring for the displaced and to build networks of peace with other churches across our city…

By 4.30pm, you could feel the energy in the place and there were already several hundred people gathered in the hot sun. The meeting finally began at 5pm with music by several artistes. There were around 5000 seats put out and they were soon almost all taken. After an amazing time of worship led by a team from various churches, what followed was an incredible time of prayer for our nation (I know, I’m running out of superlatives for these prayer times). We finally ended at 7.30 and it was amazing that despite the time and outdoor venue, very few people left till the end. It was one of those meetings where it was almost impossible to tear yourself away.

The evening ended with a charge to churches to work together. And a commissioning of the Msafara 300 as they head West across the rest of the country

Msafara at the Coast

It began last Friday night (7^th) when a team of 300 headed East to Mombasa after a commissioning during the First Friday worship service (thanks First Friday team!). Off course as expected, there was enough spiritual resistance to the team getting there, with two of the five buses breaking down during various points of the journey, resulting in the team arriving in Mombasa at 9am Saturday (instead of 5am)! But this team was determined to do what had brought them this far…

That Saturday morning, we had an intense prayer session with the around 200 Mombasa pastors that showed up to receive us. The main thrust of the time was a message of unity. John 17 says that unity in the church, along tribal, social, political, gender and all other lines, clears the world’s ability to see & understand the ultimate Truth (Jn.17:21).

This is part of why I’m so passionate about Msafara. There is a church in every single part of this nation. And I believe that as church leaders from different tribes learn to stand together and refuse to let the church be divided, the church will be released to be the glue and hope for our nation that it was created to be.

I won't go into all that happened ~ suffice to say that as the pastors repented of disunity and pledged to work together in unity, it was clear that God was in the room and that some incredible things were happening in the spiritual realm. That afternoon then we did a prayer march around Mombasa. It was amazing to see the hundreds of Christians march through the streets with banners proclaiming hope for Mombasa. We stopped to pray at various important areas in town. The next morning we all attended different churches. Then in the afternoon we met for what proved to be the climax of our time at the Coast.

As the thousands who gathered at Mombasa Pentecostal Church representing many different churches prayed for Mombasa, the sense of unity was palpable. In Matthew 18:18-20, Jesus tells his followers,

‘Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.’

It became clear at to everyone during that meeting that God is going to do some incredible things in Mombasa as a result of our prayer.

Words feel inadequate to express what we experienced together in Mombasa.

On The Road

Oh my, what an amazing time we’ve had so far! Halfway across the country already and seen God doing some incredible things… Of course that explains why I’ve been offline. Early mornings and late nights with almost non-stop action in between! (For those who’ve not been keeping up with what I’m talking about, see www.msafara.co.ke). I have to say though, that God has provided a supernatural source of strength to keep the 300 going. So far, the Msafara has met all my expectations and then some!

Got to say, the giving has been awesome! Many individuals and companies have donated gift packs and other supplies. Many churches have given remarkably. One, Lighthouse Church gave over 600,000 shillings for packs while the Kenya Assemblies of God, through their bishop donated 6 tones of bottled water that we've really enjoyed (by the way, you need to try the brand 'Milimani'; is the best tasting bottled water I've tasted so far).

I just mention those to give you a picture of the scope of giving - many others have given just as generously. and not demanded any credit for it.

I'm learning the truth of the saying, 'its amazing how much people can get done when nobody cares who gets the credit'