Updates From Samburu
Posted on December 16, 2011 - Filed Under Prayer Requests
The amazing work of God continues as we have now received 3 or 4 emails from our Samburu friend. He reports dozens of baptisms in several places. They are meeting, training and planning for spreading the Gospel. Pray for these faithful servants. Pray for them to remain encouraged, diligent and obedient. Pray for those in leadership to be wise and courageous. Pray for some who are trying to learn to read that God would grant them an unmeasurable understanding of written language in His word.
Prayer Items
Posted on September 21, 2011 - Filed Under Prayer Requests
• Praise God for the small rain we have had and ask Him to send rain to the many drought-stricken areas that are affecting so many lives.
• Thanks to God for the Ashville team and their hard work ministering in five different villages in August. It was the first time in Africa for most of them and it was a very African week.
• Pray for the new believers to connect with a church in their area to learn more of what it means to follow Jesus and be obedient to the Lord. Some of these are moran who stay apart from the community and must be reached as a separate group.
• Pray for local churches to be diligent in reaching out and teaching the new believers.
• Pray for communities and school committees as we continue to encourage them to organize and manage their preschools properly.
Dressed to Impress
Posted on August 16, 2011 - Filed Under Prayer Requests
“Why did you bring these women here to disrespect our culture?” Huh? You had to be there. While our medical volunteers were here, we were forced (another story) to hire Kenyan nurses to oversee the clinic operations. Early each morning Charlie drove down the hill to pick them up. The first day, ALL of them showed up wearing trousers. A big no-no. As diplomatically as possible, I go and fetch kangas, a cloth wrap and Charlie asks if they would please put them on. “People are staring”, he explains. And they were. These women work in town, where I suppose it is becoming more accepted for women to wear slacks. But up in the villages, it isn’t done or approved of. While 2 of the nurses complied, the other 3 refused. And every day, they all continued to dress in a way that they knew was offensive. I’m not sure why they did this or what they felt they had to gain. No one said anything during those days, but this week as Charlie was meeting with elders to discuss details concerning the next volunteer group, he was finally confronted with the question. “Mama Joseph has never disrespected us in this way”, they continued. “Why did these women come here and do this bad thing?” One can only wonder. As for me, I’m still wearing a dress. Change may be certain, but it is also certainly slow.
Rain and other news this week
Posted on August 11, 2011 - Filed Under Prayer Requests
No matter how long you live in a place, you can still be surprised. The rain this week is probably the biggest surprise. It is coming down steadily today. All day, so far and its 3 o’clock already.
In spite of the rain, or because of it, we had a couple of visitors today. They shared a cup of chai on the porch with Charlie and before they left, Charlie took the opportunity to give Joshua a bicycle. This young man continues to travel to villages, taking the News of God to many who have never heard. He goes where God directs him. Recently, he has been following up with some of those who made professions of faith at the medical clinic in July. They are making plans to start a preaching point near some of these new believers since they do not have a church nearby. He goes, many times, where there are no roads. After receiving the news about the bike, he shared that his bike had just broken. Literally, the frame had become broken and he didn’t know what he was going to do. Isn’t it incredible to watch how God supplies needs and involves us in His work? Continue to pray for the work and for more like these two who share the burden of reaching the unreached.
VALUABLE VOLUNTEERS
Posted on August 6, 2011 - Filed Under Prayer Requests
We had a great week in July with the medical team from First Baptist Church of Alexander City, Alabama. We set up camp in a village and were able to see almost 500 people in 4 days. Each one heard the Gospel in their own language shared by members of one of the village churches. The evangelism team was faithful to work hard each day. The team from Alabama was cheerful and tireless. There were challenges to be overcome, for sure, but it was a great time and we were encouraged. Samburu Baptists worked hard to serve their own people, many of whom walked for days and arrived before sunrise. FBC members demonstrated the love and joy of Christ in everything they did. What a blessing to work alongside all these folks.
We now look forward to another team from Alabama (what’s in the water there?) arriving in barely 2 weeks. This group will again be working up in the villages, going to a different place every day. Begin right now praying for their travels and their work. We are asking God to use these volunteers to strengthen and encourage the local church. We’ll work to reach each segment of Samburu society, men, women, children and the elusive moran. The team will be divided into 3 groups and will focus on evangelism and discipleship training. Pray also that as people listen to God’s word, they will answer ‘yes’ to the call to trust, obey and serve.
You Won’t Believe This One
Posted on July 30, 2011 - Filed Under Prayer Requests
For those of you who know our place and some of our friends, this news will come as a surprise. While in Nairobi this week for shopping and (more) docs, we received an update via email from James L. Yes! An email! Charlie has showed him more than once over the years how to use email and even signed him up with a Yahoo account at a local internet cafe. Okay, its not really an internet cafe, just a few computers in the dining room of a Belgian woman’s home who lives in Maralal. Anyway. He spoke of a good turnout at Sunday services in a “down” church that we are trying to bring up and gave a report that a woman we sent for medical treatment has improved and been released. Meisi si Yesu!
His message was very brief and I’m sure he had to get Laila (internet provider) to type it for him as he doesn’t know how to actually use a computer. As we prepare for Stateside in October, I’m counting this one as a big accomplishment…it only took 10 years.
Volunteer Team Arriving Today
Posted on July 10, 2011 - Filed Under Prayer Requests
Pray for a team of volunteers who arrived in Nairobi last night and are driving up to Maralal today. They arrived safely with all their luggage, praise the Lord! We will be setting up a medical clinic in a remote village, where we’ll camp for the next several days. Pray for the health and safety of the group. Pray that God’s love will be evident in their ministry. Pray for the local Samburu church who will be assisting with translation and evangelism through stories and song. And pray for all, that we will be open to the ways in which God wants to use us and the things which He wants to teach us.
FINISHING WELL
Posted on July 6, 2011 - Filed Under Prayer Requests
Sometimes things go so well, that we pray we won’t do something dumb and mess up the amazing thing that God is orchestrating. Other times, they go so poorly that we become discouraged and frustrated. These last 3 years have mostly been in the good category. Dozens of churches have been started, hundreds of Samburu have been baptized and local believers have taken the responsibility of evangelism on themselves. They have worked in their community to start preschools, sponsored by the village Baptist church. They have gone to their neighbors to tell the Gospel and help them start a church. And some have reached out even further to take the news of God to their enemies.
We couldn’t ask for things to be going better, and yet, we do. We continue to beg God to provide men of integrity to lead churches. We ask him to bring other men who will have the burden for going and telling that some are demonstrating. We ask that He show us the places we should go and the things we should do. For without His guidance and wisdom, our efforts are nothing but busy work. As we look forward to finishing our third term on the field, pray for us to hear His voice, discern His plan and be obedient to the same.
A Light at the End of the Tunnel, by Charlie Daniels
Posted on June 26, 2011 - Filed Under Prayer Requests
As I sat and watched each of the four Evangelism Teams being introduced at our recent meeting at Lomwatta Baptist Church I was reminded of the vision that the Lord placed on our hearts in September 2006. “For every Samburu man, woman, and child to have the opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We will do this by planting reproducing churches in villages and population centers. As this is accomplished, these reproducing churches will carry the Gospel and the vision into the neighboring tribes of Pokot and Turkana”.
I sat there in the midst of these Samburu, who have caught this vision in their hearts and minds and are making this a reality as we speak. I am humbled and so blessed to be a part of this glorious outpouring of God’s Spirit and work among the Samburu people.
I sat there thanking God for His faithfulness in continuing to work in and among the lives of Samburu believers who have taken the “mantel” of the Gospel upon themselves and have committed themselves to the task of reaching their own for Christ.
Please continue to pray for these teams as they boldly “GO” and proclaim the Love, Forgiveness and Salvation that comes through our Lord Jesus Christ to their neighbors, family and to those who are in the ends of Samburu.
“This vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming- it can hardly wait! And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time.” (Habakkuk 2:3 Message).
IT’s Coming!!! I can see it.
Peace Between Enemies
Posted on April 3, 2011 - Filed Under Prayer Requests
You can’t believe what Charlie heard today. A few days ago, there was an attack and Pokot raiders stole 7 cows from Samburu. A Samburu elder walked 9 hours down to meet with Pokot elders and ask for the cows back. “Please, we have peace. Let us not do this thing.” The normal course of action is retaliation. The Pokot elders agreed and returned the cattle. God is bringing peace to the land. After hearing today’s story of Creation and The Fall, this wise man stated, “This soil does not belong to us, these cows belong to God, so why are we doing these things?” Pray for this Samburu elder as he continues to learn the Word. He said he knew he could have been killed when he went and it is true, he could have. Now, instead, he has news of God to bring as he meets again with Pokot elders tomorrow.
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