Samburu of Kenya

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April Newsletter

Posted on May 6, 2008 - Filed Under Newsletters |

HABARI ZA MARALAL

This month finds us back in our home in Maralal. We spent most of the first week setting up the house again as we had packed up most everything before we left. while we were away, they made several improvements on our place. The flooding we had before we left had damaged some floors. In addition to the new tile, we have a new ceiling in our living room, with bonus insulation, fresh paint and adequate drainage outside. Previously, when it rained on our corrugated metal roof, the pounding was so loud, we had to shout at each other to have a conversation over the racquet and hearing the television was impossible. It is so quiet now when the rain pours, you can hear the bugs hit the window. And the rain stays outside, where it belongs. Praise the Lord and thanks to all of you who give to Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Your generosity provides the money needed to do the work and the personnel to oversee and manage all the logistics involved. Thank you.

The last couple weeks have been spent re-establishing relationships and seeking to find where God is working. We believe that these 2 simple things are key elements in our work here among the Samburu. If we are to proceed in a way that is effective in reaching the Samburu and pleasing to the Lord, we must know how to relate His message and where and with whom to work. As an example, on Friday Charlie went to teach at a location where he had been storying previously. As he began to teach the story of Moses and the plagues, he asked if they knew where this story was located in the Bible. A woman whom we know well, answered, “What does it matter? We can’t read.” My point is not whether her answer is valid, but rather that she felt comfortable enough with Charlie to share what she was really thinking, not what she thought he wanted to hear. We have known her and her family for 6 years. We have been with them through births, deaths and family crises. And because of that, we gained valuable insight into how she feels about the methods we are using to try to bridge the culture gap and bring the news of God in a way that is easily understood and retained. And even though Charlie had not done Chronological storying here in quite a while, the people knew where in the timeline he should start…where he left off. And they remembered exactly which story he had ended with…over 2 years ago. Oral storying works. Praise God for this confirmation.

SO WHERE IS GOD WORKING?

To give you a basic update, here is a summary of what we have learned about the work that is going on and where we are to date.

There is a weekly prayer/teaching meeting held in the home of a church member just outside of Maralal town. Various ladies attend, many of whom are unchurched. This group is led by one of our Baptist women and several women have made professions of faith from this group.

We will begin a weekly discipleship teaching group in this same location (on a different day) using our storying methods.

Charlie is committed to discipling a small group of young men who are interested in a deeper knowledge of God’s Word. He also meets weekly with them and currently he is teaching on holiness.

We believe there are still a couple of groups meeting in the forest, but have not been able to meet with the leader of that work, yet. We also have yet to make a survey trip to Sononi to see how to proceed there.

And finally, there are a couple of other things we are praying about. One that is on Charlie’s heart is the group of young men known in town as “the plastics”. They are a ragtag bunch who try to scratch out a living any way they can. We have seen one young man change his life completely over the course of years we have been here. He calls Charlie his “godfather” because of the kindness Charlie showed to him and the ways he helped him when he was a drunkard. He is now sober and says he is trying to start a church in the remote town of Baragoi, which is his home place. The other is a community of people living with AIDS/HIV. We do not know of any church that is working with this group currently and wonder if it is something God would have us be involved in. Please pray for all of these concerns that we will know and obey God’s will.

“But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently for it, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.”

Habakkuk 2:3 New Living Translation

PRAYER AND PRAISE

· Pray for all of us to be daily suited for spiritual warfare as there is surely a battle for believers as we work to do God’s will.

· Pray that any who are working in the church with evil hearts and desires will be convicted of their ways and repent.

· Pray for wisdom in seeing where God is working; discernment to know how to join Him. Pray that we will separate ourselves from all that is not holy. Ask for God’s protection as we seek to please Him.

· Pray for our 2 oldest son’s in the States to have wisdom and a desire to seek God’s plan for their lives and follow Him. Pray also for God’s protection over these 2 young men’s hearts and minds.

ROSEANN ROSEANNA DANA USED TO SAY…

It’s always something. We are sitting in Nairobi right now after driving 7 hours in to bring Joseph to the doctor. With high fever for 3 days and no accurate diagnosis, we decided to be safer and not sorry. The doctor here says he is fine and our diagnosis and treatment of ear infection appears to have been okay. Whatever he had, it is finally responding to the antibiotic and we can rest easy. You never know and while we don’t like to travel for “nothing”, you can’t be too careful with a little one. On the other hand, in fact, I’d rather do it for nothing than have it be something. Thank you, Lord for the good report in a place where it can be so many other things. Thank you all for your prayers, even when you don’t know why they are needed, exactly. And thanks to our mission for providing the best medical care and support possible. One more reason to give to Lottie Moon.

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