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I say: My purpose will stand (Isa. 46:10)
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Love and greetings from Nairobi! Although it’s been some time, you’ve been in our prayers all along, as always.
Thanks to your prayers Kenya is now beginning to find a roadmap to peace after a long effect of post-election violence. Still a long way to go for a better democracy, yet at least the first few steps were taken. International politicians like Kofi Annan, Ki-Moon Ban, Condoleezza Rice have lately involved themselves in mediation talks during the gruesome post-election chaos. It was a dreadful period for many Kenyans, having resulted in thousands of deaths and hundreds upon thousands of displaced.
Most of all, it was a challenging time for the Church in Kenya who went through moments of confusion in the beginning and much needed repentance later on. Truly the Church is the center of the universe, many became convinced. We thank God for having mercy on His children when they humbled themselves and cried out together before the Father. During the recent violence, home of one of our kindergarten teachers got burned by local mafia and her family was displaced. And one of our elders lost his son during a tribal clash in coastal city of Mombasa. Several homes of the relatives of our leaders and church members were burned and destroyed as well in rural areas.
It seems there is no ending of calamities in Africa - war, violence, famine, poverty, disease; as soon as Kenya’s situation calmed down, it is now Zimbabwe’s turn with another election-related unrest. To make it worse, South Africa is now suffering the loss due to xenophobia-related violences all over the country.
In the face of many challenges of Africa, our preachers keep seeking to be the light which Jesus calls them to be. Our Bible schools and churches continue to touch the lives in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan, D.R. Congo, Malawi, Zambia and Namibia. Even in the midst of these challenges, we’re asking God for expansion in 2008. And already we are seeing the signs of this expansion everywhere. In Kenya, Nairobi Bible school is searching for a way to expand its facility. The kindergarten is praying to purchase a permanent premises. Meanwhile, Edward Ouma, Kenya church overseer, is constructing to expand his Funyula church structure to build a headquarter for our Kenya churches.
In the month of January, Pastor Nicholas Alalia visited Moshi, Tanzania, and delivered a contribution which the brethren in Kenya and U.S. raised to help Embokoi church construction. Hard works of Rev. and Mrs. Tukai have been bearing fruits in the land of Tanzania through various ministries like Bible school training, church planting, orphanage and vocational schools. Please pray for Tukais’ health as they frequently get stricken by malaria due to the local climate.Also, on the first week of February I visited southern Sudan where Edward Kinyanjui and his wife Josephine are serving as our missionaries. The Lord made them now ‘approved workmen (2 Tim. 2:13)’ who have gone through some fiery tests, especially since they moved to Juba last year. Having served in south Sudan for years, Edward established two Bible school classes, one in Nimule and the other in Juba. Nimule Bible School has previously produced some 20 graduates while new Juba school has currently 8 students who will be graduating by December this year. He gained a strong influence in Juba community through University of Juba campus mission and by taking a role at a pastors’ fraternal. Sudan is trying to recover from the 20 years of civil war. In such a dire environment, Kinyanjuis learned to stand humbly and sincerely as Christ’s ambassadors in this massive fishery of gospel.
Philip Mwaura, our missionary to Namibia, is back home in Mombasa at the moment, ailing with pneumonia. His wife has been also suffering with severe high blood-pressure. Please pray for Mwauras as they are trying to recover from these ruthless diseases before their prolonged return to Namibia. Having completed their research work, upon the return to Namibia this time they’ll be concentrating on establishing a ministry base in the capital of Windhoek, and that should pave their way for Bushmen evangelism.
You might be interested to know that we have now four churches planted in the eastern parts of D.R. Congo: Uvira, Kazimia, Baraka and Bukavu. It is quite obvious that God is now building our international ‘community’ as we kept trusting in His promises of expansion in Genesis 17:1-8. What has started as a humble vision in Kenya over a decade ago is spreading to different places for the glory of God! We also trust that new churches will come up soon in Sudan, Namibia and Zambia as the Bible schools are already in process to be rooted in those nations.
And whether you pray, give, or come visit us, you can be a part of this exciting work. Prayers and encouragements of friends like you sustained us at such troublesome time as recently when Kenya was walking on a risky bridge as a nation. Indeed, we’re thankful for your steadfast partnership and friendship. More adventures lie ahead of us as we still have many African states to take with power of the gospel. Keep standing with us until God’s purpose will stand in Africa through you and me.
Yours and Lord’s,
Paul Lee (& Eunice Jae-Un)
Nairobi, Kenya
June 2, 2008
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