KENYA – SEPTEMBER 2011
Posted on: THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2012 6:29 AM
A privileged invitation from Bayleaf Baptist Church, North Carolina, to join one of their short-term teams on a mission trip to Kenya finally came together. Mally and I departed from OR Tambo international airport [Johannesburg] on Sunday 12 September 2011 at 14:00, en route for Joshua Nkomo International Airport in Nairobi. We landed at about 18.30 having enjoyed excellent hospitality from the Kenyan Airways cabin crew.
The N.C. team was expected to arrive on a KLM flight at 20.30. All went according to plan and by 21.45, four minibuses with 18 team members, some very jet-lagged, set out for Kasarian; a small country town situated on the on the mountainous slopes of the eastern wall of the Rift Valley about 70 kilometres directly south of Nairobi.
Our accommodation at Whistling Thorns, a country hotel/lodge, was very comfortable, quiet and most conducive for team building and ministry. From here we would travel for about an hour to our daily assignments in the Rift Valley.
Mally, was going to teach pastors’ wives and women from the Sermon on the Mount, while my assignment was to teach pastors the “Biblical Principles of Victorious Christian Leadership” from Joshua.
THE PEOPLE OF THE RIFT VALLEY
The area in which we would be ministering is sparsely inhabited by Maasai herdsmen and their families. These are pastoral farmers who exist solely from the proceeds of their herds of cattle and flocks of goats. Milk and meat are their staple diet.
They live together as clans – four generations in bomas made from thorn trees on the inside of which there are mud and stick huts/homes for each family/wife and her children. Polygamy is practiced. The men are the traditional herders and caregivers for the animals, while the women seek to raise the children and care for the homes. It is not uncommon for the men to be away from home for long periods, in search of grazing for their animals. Kenya is experiencing one the worst droughts in its history. This is not only taking its toll on family life, but also had huge implications for us and our ministry. For starters, many of the men were away seeking better pasture.
The nearest neighbours may be a kilometre or more away. As they are living in one of Africa’s most viable natural wildlife habitats these people share their lives and the environment with the vast variety of wild animals which migrate to and fro, seeking food and water in the Rift Valley.
The Maasai are nationalistic and want to preserve their culture. We found them friendly, hospitable and very willing to receive us and the ministry which we presented.
DAY ONE
Up at 06:00. Another glorious day in Africa. It was time to be in the WORD. Read Hebrews 1-4 and Psalms 34-35. Hebrews 1:3 was a solemn reminder of the Saviour we were meant to be proclaiming among the Maasai. “He is the radiance of the Glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” “Dear Lord, help us to exalt you alone and show us your infinite power in all our efforts to reach these people.”
By 08:30 we were through with breakfast, team devotions and seated in the minibuses ready for the drive to Lerujat, where we would teach for the day. The drive was bumpy, roads or what remains of them were atrocious, but the scenery was stunning. The Rift Valley has a charm of its own. Very rugged, dry, flat, but full of life. The fauna and flora are wonderful. God is majestic in His creation. Animals, birds, creatures everywhere, so diverse, but all attracting attention to their designer who is The LORD GOD. CREATOR AND SUSTAINER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. We were overawed. Thank you, Jesus, for this display of your AWESOME MAJESTY.
When we arrived at Liberty Baptist Church, the pastors and their people were waiting for us. Some women were already cooking on the open fires. A discreet distance from the activities were two church members busy dressing the goat which had been slaughtered for our midday meal. Having been raised in central Africa, I had to see for myself – as expected they were doing a very good job and the meat looked even better. I felt hungry already!
Soon we were teaching. Women under one shelter being taught by women, men in another being taught by men – sounds like something I had read in the scriptures. There were eight pastors in my group, others were still on their way. We spent the morning in Joshua 1 and 2.
Chapter 1 – Three unchangeable dynamics of victorious Christian leadership:
1. Trust in the GOD of History
2. Dependence and direction from the Word of God
3. Obedience to the God of the Word.
Chapter 2. “Rahab, a beacon of hope.”
As always, the most rewarding moments in teaching came when we broke for the midday meal of roasted goat and vegetables. AND it was GOOD. Most of the pastors huddled together and began discussing the lectures. Those who had grasped the truth ensuring that the others were brought “up to speed”. Iron sharpening iron, the Oral Tradition of Jesus’ day still effective in conveying THE TRUTH to those who need to be enlightened. Thank you, Jesus.
All too quickly the day was over, and we were on our way back to the lodge. Tired, sunburned, dusty, but inwardly enjoying hearts which were filled with joy and gladness at having had the undeserved privilege of bearing the wonderful truth of the Gospel to those who were wanting to be taught. Hot shower, supper, team talk, and we were ready for bed and some most enjoyable sleep.
DAY TWO
Started with readings from Hebrews 3-4 and Psalms 36-37. Heard the Lord saying to me that “Help is always near”. This made greater sense when we arrived at Liberty Baptist for day two of the Seminar. I was immediately informed that I would not be teaching until later in the day. My services had been requested at Magadi, a region some 40 kilometres away. The local chief and community leaders had decided on a day of prayer for rain and discussion on how best to tackle the water crisis. Someone had suggested that before any prayer be made the gathered community should sit under the preaching of the Word of God in the hope of hearing a message form the LORD. The community agreed and decided to request the visiting Mzungu – [white fellow] preacher/teacher to please be God’s spokesman for the opening session. While humbled at the privilege and somewhat nervous, I was nevertheless most excited about the opportunity to preach to this very diverse congregation, the majority of them men.
I REMEMBERED GOD’S WORD TO ME MY DEVOTIONS THAT MORNING… “GOD’S HELP IS ALWAYS NEAR”. Thank you, Jesus.
The journey to Magadi didn’t take long, but it did reveal the devastation which the drought was having on this region. We were now in the lowest basin of the Rift Valley. A dry and parched landscape that seemed to go on forever. Dust devils /whirlwinds pumped sand, leaves, twigs hundreds of feet into the air. They were everywhere – a sure sign of the severity of the drought.
Often, we passed people with their empty container laden donkeys, sometimes as many as 15 in number, looking for water. We stopped for a photo opportunity. While I was standing outside the vehicle, trying to comprehend the devastation, I became strangely aware of eyes watching our every move.
Human eyes. Then I saw her; a young lady with a baby in her arms, sitting under a tree (what was left of the tree) trying to find some respite from the early morning searing heat of the sun. She looked so alone in this wilderness. I wondered what she was doing out here with such a young baby on a day like this.
But, none of this was my business… or was it my business? I waved and greeted her; she affirmed our presence. Our Kenyan pastor spoke a greeting in Maasai, and she spoke back. I knew that they had to be thirsty and so suggested that we give them some water. There was a half-bottle on a seat in the vehicle. Her appreciation was expected, but that wasn’t what caught my eye – it was the manner in which she and her “little baby drank in the sweetness of the water”. Soon it was finished. And what now? I walked over, replenished her supply, handed her two tracts, and soon we were on our way again. As we drove off, I thought of the simplicity and smallness of giving someone some water. Why was I feeing so blessed? Then it dawned on me. “That even a cup of cold water given in Jesus’ name has huge potential for the exaltation and promotion of the Gospel of Salvation. “Dear Lord Jesus, please influence that lady to read and consider the tracts given to her, please open her eyes to the Gospel and take good care of her and her baby.” This was my prayer as we drove on.
There are no community halls in the Magadi region and so the people had gathered in a church for the prayer meeting. It seemed as if every local leader, male and female, from the chief down, were there. About 150 people. Thank you, Jesus. I was dressed in a red Maasai blanket. “This will show that you are one of us,” said Pastor Peter. A very warm welcome greeted us, tremendous sense of “community” electrified the congregation. There was a vibrant feeling of anticipation. Worship was lively, introductory speeches brought more joy and then it was time to preach. God had laid Acts 17 on my heart. Paul preaching on Mars Hill, at the Areopagus [School of Lawyers], unpacking some of the wonderful attributes of our Sovereign God and showing that mankind’s chief end is “To Glorify this only true and living God by enjoying Him forever.”
THE HOLY SPIRIT MOVED UPON THE CONGRGATION IN GREAT POWER CONVINCING THEM OF THE TRUTH THAT WAS BEING PROCLAIMED FROM THE SCRIPTURES. Thank you, Jesus. This resulted in a great calling on God for His intervention in the lives of the people of the Rift Valley. We could not stay too long, Lecturing awaited me at Lerujat, where I taught for the rest of the day.
Joshua 3: 15 Leadership Traits of a Godly Pastor
Joshua 4: Significance of the Ark of the Covenant in the life of the Children of Israel.
Reinstitution of Circumcision [This presented the opportunity for Exposition and discussion on male and female circumcision in Africa AND the Biblical demand for “CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART]. Soon the day was spent, and we started our journey out of the Valley en route for home. Some of us noted a few cumulus clouds gathering over the western wall of the valley. Nothing to get excited about, it seemed, until we started our ascent of the eastern valley wall. AND PASTOR PETER’S MOBILE PHONE RANG – WITH TREMDOUS PERCEPTIBLE EXCITEMENT IN HIS BODY LANGUAGE THAT FOLLOWED.” Clouds have come out of nowhere and it is raining heavily in the Magadi Region,” he said.
FOR AN HOUR OR MORE THAT EVENING GOD DUMPED SO MUCH WATER ON MAGADI THAT STREAMS BEGAN FLOWING AND WATER POINTS BEGAN TO FILL. NEWS OF THIS UNUSUAL EVENT SPREAD LIKE ‘WILDFIRE’. Thank you, Jesus.
I remembered my devotions that morning. “God’s help is always near”, and appreciated again the Glorious privilege it is, TO BE IN THE SERVICE OF THE KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS, SO undeserved yet so marvellous. Thank you, AGAIN dear Lord Jesus, for CALLING me to be a part of your team to take the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth.
DAY THREE
Started the day in the Word: Psalms 38-41 and Hebrews 5-6. God’s word for the day: “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.” “Thank you, Lord, for the promise, now we can out to evangelize in the confidence that our dear Lord will bless all our efforts.”
THE ATMOSPHERE WAS ELECTRIC ……we were back at Magadi, about ten kilometers from
where the previous days prayer meeting had taken place…This was to be the venue for our second ‘Two day pastors conference’ Many people had come, they were energized, most chatty and soon we discovered that much of this had to do with the copious rain of the night before…….THIS WAS AN ACKNOWLEGEMENT OF THE POWER OF GOD TO HEAR AND ANSWER PRAYER…..Thank you Jesus.
An announcement was made to all of us in the team: WE WILL HAVE TO EXTEND THE TIME OF COMMENCEMENT BECAUSE TOO MANY OF THOSE WHO ARE ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE ARE AWAY HARVESTING WATER AT NEARBY POOLS AND DAMS, BEFORE IT SEEPS AWAY INTO THE PARCHED EARTH.
Flexibility is a wonderful gift – it makes ministry exciting, there’s never a dull moment. We used the time to build relationships with our new hosts and learned a lot about this region and its people. One young man told me of how he in his lifetime had killed three full grown stock marauding lions with his Maasai spear and shield. This was confirmed by his friends and I was told is expected of every Maasai MAN. I was speechless when asked if I had killed a lion and became the laughingstock when I confessed that I struggle to kill a chicken!
10:00 and we were up and lecturing. The pastors, their wives, and men and women were there, as well as a number of folks, including the Chief, who had attended the prayer meeting for rain the day before. They wanted to meet and listen the Mazungu’s [White people] again.
The sense of the presence of God convincing Men of the infallible truth of the Word of God [Joshua 1] was most apparent. So that, the first session ended with the suggestion that each man find a secluded spot and spend a few minutes in private meditation and prayer. Silence fell over the church campus as we all endeavoured to seek and find God.
Session 2: Joshua 2. And again, we could sense the Holy Spirit moving in our midst – thank you, Jesus. Almost 13:00 (lunch time) and I asked one of the young pastors to close the session for us. He was constrained to make an appeal. “Any pastor who has heard the voice God calling him re-consecration is invited to come and stand before the Lord, and we will pray for him,” he said. Without hesitation two elderly Maasai herdsmen in their traditional loin-cloth dress, stepped forward and walked to the pastor. He was somewhat amazed, and with halting tongue asked why they had responded. Spontaneously, came the reply, “It’s not only pastors who need and want this God that we have been hearing about. We herdsmen also want Him in our lives.” There was hushed silence for just a moment, and then the pastor asked me if I would lead these men in the Way of Salvation. We counselled and prayed together. The Spirit of God affirming their sincerity to seek and find the Saviour.
AS THE LAST AMEN WAS SPOKEN A YOUNG MAN GRABBED ME AROUND THE SHOULDERS WITH BOTH ARMS… “Pastor,” he said with great intensity, and pointing to one of the men just counselled. “Pastor, my fadder, my fadder, this is my fadder.” I soon realised as the interpreter clarified that one of these men who had just found Christ in
Salvation, was the father of this young pastor. He confessed that he had been ministering to and praying for his dad for some time. HALLELUJAH! THANK YOU, JESUS.
We were called to join the women for lunch. Someone gave thanks for the meal AND PRAYED AGAIN FOR RAIN. Roasted goat and vegetables. The aroma was so good, and it looked even better, but I couldn’t eat. I introduced Pastor Daniel, whose father had just found Christ, shared the joys of seeing souls come to new life in Christ and then took a walk through the village. “I wanted to take a moment to ponder again on the WONDER OF GOD’S GRACE WHICH IS GIVEN FOR THE SALVATIN OF HOPELESS AND UNDERSERVING SINNERS. “Thank you, Jesus, for Salvation which has come to my life and the lives of these men today.”
With great joy we said goodbye and affirmed our hopes of been together in the morning for the second day of the conference. Once again, we were grubby, dusty, sun burned, and weary. The road seemed bumpier than yesterday. We hadn’t travelled to far before we noticed something startling – a growing dark cloud over the eastern wall of the valley, about 10 kilometres away. “That’s where we are headed,” said our driver.
With every kilometre passed, the sky grew darker and clouds more threatening. Then the odd large drop of rain began to fall. It was awe-inspiring, especially after the many prayers for rain that had been prayed. Now it was starting to rain, big drops, falling faster and faster, until we could not hear ourselves speaking. A cloudburst of note, like standing under a waterfall. It took less than a minute for evidence of the volume of falling water to start showing on the ground. Little pools, rivulets, could be seen everywhere. After 10 minutes, which seemed like an eternity, these had grown to sizable ponds and streams flowing strongly towards the lowest depressions where the damming effect could be seen taking place before our eyes. WOW, what an awesome display of God’s almighty power in blessing the parched earth.
We stopped to allow some of the pastors to disembark at their village. Everyone was exuberant, this sudden provision of abundant water, was making its impression on the community. Praise and thanksgiving were expressed by some of the Christians, a sober testimony to the grace and providence of God. Thank you, Jesus.
It rained hard for a long time in the valley, and all night over the eastern valley wall where we were staying. After supper, some of the team spent a few hours on the dining hall verandah, enjoying the sound of the falling rain while we exchanged salvation testimonies and argued the “unfathomable issues of Theology”.
DAY FOUR
Cool crisp morning after the rain, mud and slush everywhere – what an amazing contrast to the heat and dryness of the drought.
Read Psalms 42-46 and Hebrews7-8. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in
trouble.” This was such an encouragement! “Be still and know that I am God.” Dear Lord, teach us more about the meaning and means for “being still”.
We travelled well and arrived early at Magadi village for day two of our second seminar. The same group of men had gathered, the chief was present for the third day in a row. Thank you, Jesus, for this committed Child of God, whose testimony is a powerful witness in the Magadi region.
ANOTHER BLESSING – Pastor David and his father are present. Praise God!
I’m interrupted by the chief, before I can begin lecturing. He has cut and whittled a Maasai stick which he now presents to me, informing the delegates, “that every Maasai must have a woodie” [stick]. It’s made from the ISITETI TREE, the hardest wood found in the Rift Valley. Question? How did he know of my special love for African hard woods? Such spontaneous meaningful kindness. Thank you, Jesus, for these life enriching Kairos moments.
While we mingled with the local folk, before teaching began, most of the exuberant chatter was around the many blessings we had enjoyed over the past few days, ESPECIALLY THE COPIOUS RAINS. I was in a circle with a group of younger men. Excitedly, and without warning one, blurted out, “Hey... Mzungu Pastor, you are a ‘Rain Maker’.” Without hesitation and for the benefit of all in the group I quickly corrected the young man, by indicating that I was just an ordinary Christian like himself with no claim to supernatural powers. “God has been gracious in hearing the prayers for rain which have been prayed by believers and unbelievers. And He has answered for the benefit of all in this region,” I said. All affirmed the point /truth that I was trying to make – and God was PRAISED.
Teaching from Joshua 3, “15 Traits of Biblical Leadership”, was once again used by God to inspire this group of men. Relationships were growing between us and they appeared a little less reserved. Interaction started to flow, and it took one and half hours to get through the lecture. This was followed by a request for a time of Q and A, which was acceded to. I had a hunch that this would prevent any further time of teaching from Joshua. I wasn’t wrong. These men were ready, with the most challenging questions, sincerely and relevantly put together. It ended up being a most profitable time for all. Other team members suggested that we do not spend enough time wrestling with the right questions which people are asking.
Soon the day was over. It had been a very blessed two days in Magadi. Thank you, Jesus. As we left, it was with the acknowledgement that these were some of the sweetest Christians many of us had met, and we wished that we would have the opportunity for our paths to cross again.
DAY FIVE
My time in word from Psalm 47 and Hebrews 9-10 once again revealed the superb Theology of the Assurance of Salvation, found only through Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise God for the life changing, hope generating Gospel of Salvation. I needed this; today and tomorrow we will be busy with home visitation through which we intend to evangelize Maasai families living in the Rift Valley.
Our team was assigned the Tamakura District. A very “back of the woods”, most rural region.
Boma 1: Three men joined me under a tree/shrub. The ladies met on their own with Mally. Had a meaningful time discipling these brothers who had recently come to Christ in Salvation. Shared
with them about the need to “Walk in the light/truth of the Gospel” from 1 John 1: 5-10. A very blessed time of teaching and prayer.
Boma 2: Large three generational clan.11 men met with me under a tree. Heathen unbelievers, in bondage to sin, yet very anxious to talk to the Mzungu. Initially it was typically African, conversation was about our cultures, families, wealth and homelands. When asked if I may tell them about MY GOD, they expressed a desire to listen. Using John 3:16 as a point of departure I had the joy of sharing with them God’s Biblical plan of redemption – from Genesis to revelation – there was intense concentration. No one moved. My interpreter wrapped up the presentation with an invitation to the men to consider Christ and his gift of Eternal Life. The senior man, head of the clan, spoke on behalf of all the men, thanking us for our kind visit, informing us of his decision on behalf of the men present, that they would like time to think about these truths. BUT insistent that we should visit again, as he for one would like to learn more about our God.
Boma 3: Oh, so sad, a clan devastated by the drought. They had lost nearly all their cattle and goats. Even members of their family had died. Only the few women and young children were at the boma, which had been reduced to half it’s normal size as there was no longer any good reason for a larger area. The men and boys were far away looking for better pasture for what remained of their livestock. Mally, ministered to the women and children. So good to be able, with confidence, to present the Gospel of Hope in a place of hopeless despair. Thank you, Jesus, for being a God for all seasons.
DAY SIX
Another glorious day in Africa, cloudless, bright, breathless, already warm at 07:00 in the morning. We all knew that this was going to be a “COOKER” of a day.
Time in the Word from Psalm 48-49 and Hebrews 11 was refreshing. “Remember the OT Saints who through faith, conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.” Lord, give us FAITH today,” I prayed.
It was a long drive to Oletetesi Baptist Church, much further north in the valley. A large congregation had gathered and wished to be taught. Mally’s and my assignment changed from evangelism to teaching. She had a church full of ladies, and taught them the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5. I met with 35 men and felt led to teach them some of the Biblical principles of Holiness from the life of David.
OBEDIENCE: The place of the moral law in the life of a believer – Psalm 19
HOLINESS: What it is and how to get there. Psalm 24.
Once again home time, came too quickly. These people were friendly, sincere, and most of all hungry for the Word of God. To soon it was time to leave. Thank you, Jesus, for your bride and the sense of belonging which we experienced here today.
DAY SEVEN
We started the day in the Word: Psalms 50-53 and Hebrews 12. This verse from Hebrews 12: 14 caused me to think again about our absolute dependence upon the providence of a merciful Saviour. “Strive for peace with everyone, and for holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” It was the Lord’s Day, and this challenge certainly set the tone for worship and ministry. Mally and I were asked to return to the Tamakura district. We were overjoyed, because we had not been back since the heavy rains, and beside our inquisitiveness to see how these had affected the region, we were delighted at the opportunity to re-connect with the many friends we had made.
The drive to Naibor-omom Community Church, situated a considerable distance off the main road through the valley, raised our sense of anticipation. It didn’t take long for suspicions to be blown away beyond our imaginations. As we started our descent into the valley, for as far as the eye could see in the Larujat and Magadi regions, everything was green, green and greener. In the four days since the rains, the countryside had been transformed. Pools of water everywhere, trees refreshed, green grass covering the plains, AND NOT SURPRISING, BUT MIND BOGGLING WAS THE FACT THAT SO MANY WILD ANIMALS SEEMED TO HAVE MOVED INTO THE AREA AND WERE NOT IN THE LEAST CONCERNED ABOUT OUR PRESENCE. Families of giraffe, herds of zebra, brown gazelle in ones and twos, many Thompson Gazelle and groups of ostriches. They had obviously read the natural elements correctly and were here to benefit.
The Worship service was blessed with a church full of people, MALLY shared a message for the women, lively praise and worship, message from Acts 17 – Paul preaching/teaching the Athenians about the attributes of Almighty God, and then exchange of gifts. All so meaningful. Now it was time to say goodbye… for real. This is the last time we will see each other. We prayed one last time, for each other, and that God would be Glorified in our respective lives and ministries.
Our departure was with the acknowledgement that Our dear Lord had blessed the past week and all its activities, beyond our expectation and deserving. Thank you, Jesus.
DAY EIGHT
Hebrews 13 and Psalms 54-55. The Word affirmed God’s faithfulness to His children, and his commitment to keeping us from been moved from our firm foundation.
By 07:00 our team of five was well on their way to Narok, a small town in Kenya’s central Rift Valley region. It took four hours to get there, mainly because of traffic. Our destination was a Christian school where we would teach classes. Very inspirational ministry. Learners were more than eager to learn. The day gave us an opportunity to experience/observe urban life in the valley. The contrast was significant. We arrived back at the lodge in time for supper, followed by a rich evening of assessment of the eight days of ministry.
RE-ENTRY
Our hosts spoilt us with two days of sight-seeing out of the rural third world into the urban/city first world. One quickly appreciates that both have their ups and downs, strong points and weak features. We must be “ALL things to all people”.
HOMEWARD BOUND
The flight to OR Tambo landed at a few minutes past midnight. But, as always it was very good to be home – there’s no place like home!
Mally and I want to thank all those who made this mission trip possible. It has been life transforming. We return with a deep sense of appreciation for the Kenyan people who taught so much about our Lord and how to live for His Glory. Thank you so much Kenyans – these Mzungu’s will always have fond memories of you, your churches, your country AND ESPECIALLY YOUR LOVE FOR JESUS.
FOR YOUR PRAYER MINISTRY
Pray for:
· End to the drought in Kenya
· Millions of Somali refugees in northern Kenya
· Churches of the Rift Valley, and their pastors and members
· Recent Maasai converts
· Ongoing fruit from the evangelistic efforts among the Maasai
· That God will sustain His church as we continue to strive for global evangelization.
With praise and thanksgiving to our dear Lord Jesus Christ for counting us worthy of being His co-workers.
Trevor and Marilyn Eayrs
October 2011
