http://www.mimosalane.org/events/event-africa-mission-2009.htm

God is good all the time, all the time God is good. God called me to go on this trip, WOW, what an experience He sent me on. It was a time to serve Him doing what He wanted done, and it got done, too. He sent and used seven people to reach a lost place. He helped us to show mercy, kindness, to love from the heart, and to feel compassion for the Samburu people. While prayer walking I could see through Gods eyes what needed to be done and to show Jesus to these people as I became more like Him. I think that I grew closer to Jesus and became more like Him every day by hugging someone that was without hope and giving them a gleam of hope, telling others about our God and our Savior Jesus Christ, and assuring them that they can know without a shadow of a doubt that they can have eternal life with God. This experience was so far past my imagination. You will have a hard time comprehending what I tell you without experiencing it first hand.

In Africa, they say pole, pole, slow, slow. There is no time schedule, just sun up to sundown. The women awake and get water to begin their day while the children herd the sheep and goats. The men take it easy under the trees until it is time for food and chai.

We were representatives for Christ from MLBC in Texas in America and were treated like ambassadors every day and everywhere that we went. From the bottom of my heart to yours, thank you so much for your prayers and resources that you gave. God did not waste any part of me including my weaknesses. You will never know all God can do with you and through you until you allow Him to have all that you are. I love each of you and I thank you again. Amen!!

Your brother in Christ, Larry ONeal

Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. John 4:35b

I am so blessed that God chose me to send into His fields. The trip to Africa far exceeded my expectations. My human expectations limited Gods power. I thought that we would possibly plant some seeds, but I never thought that we would be a part of such a bountiful harvest. The hearts of the Samburu are so hungry for the One who promises them living water, which provides cleansing, eternal life, and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord spoke of the spiritual harvest of souls for salvation and I experienced this first hand.

There are so many beautiful memories from this trip and I will share one of them with you at this time. Our second day in Maralal, Bob and Karen were teaching at the church and the rest of the team went out into the streets to evangelize. Three of us along with our interpreter walked along the road leading us into town. When we reached town we stopped under a tree and started witnessing to a group of 6 when a man who had been partaking of homemade brew came up to us. With a very loud voice and his finger wagging in my face he was being a distraction and preventing those around us from hearing the Good News. Bernard, our interpreter, said something to him in Swahili and he moved the group away from the man, but he was persistent and was back in my face. By this time, Larry was becoming a little concerned, but we just moved our group again and I continued with my presentation. I had come to the place in the presentation where they now had a choice to make, which road were they going to choose? Each of them professed that they wanted to take the road that leads to God. I began to pray with them and the man who had been so disruptive came close and instead of yelling, he became calm and quiet as he repeated the prayer along with the rest of the group. This was such a beautiful picture of Gods love for all people, and just as He calmed the sea, He also calmed the soul of this man.

The only thing that God expects from us is to show up and He will speak through us. His love flowed through me as I witnessed to the Samburu, held those precious children and looked deeply into their bright black eyes, smiled at the Mamas and Elders, and walked among them shaking hands and saying supa. I must admit that I was moved beyond words and would have gladly stayed there.

Each of us felt the prayers that were voiced on our behalf while we were away. It is a great joy to know that we are part of a praying church that loves the Lord and has a heart for missions. Your prayers were a direct result in the fulfillment of Gods plan. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest. Matthew 9:37b-38

To Him be the glory,
Carolyn ONeal

I honestly had no idea what to expect going to Maralal. I mean, I had vague ideas, but had no idea how much I would come to love this country and these people. Everyday I woke up excited about what we were going to do, who we were going to meet, and how God was going to work that day. The day we went to the first village and saw all those people walking in, singing praises to our God, surrounded by his beauty, brought tears to my eyes that I wasn’t even expecting. To see these people, who live in such primitive conditions, (ones that would possibly make most people shudder) being so excited to see not only us, but to hear what we had to share with them about our God, blew me away. The Samburu may not have much in the terms of material possessions or in the eyes of the world, but they are so very nice, loving, hospitable, happy, kind and open people that I have ever met. Some of us would do well to learn from them. I can honestly say that I fell in love with them so very much, and in so short a time. The church service we attended was quiet possibly the best one I’ve been to in a long time. Even though we were crammed on the little wooden bench, surrounded by the Mamas and their children for over 2 hours, and it wasn’t quiet the entire time, you could just feel the presence of God. There were a lot of those moments on this trip. Even just standing outside, I knew he was there, it was so hard not to. I feel like I can’t even begin to place into words exactly what I felt and learned on this trip, It’s too much for me to even comprehend now, let alone try to share with someone. I guess the phrase, “you just had to be there” is relevant here. But I do know that I am so blessed that God allowed me to go on this trip, to meet these people, and share his love and word with them. To get to help Charlie and Sandra (who are some pretty amazing people) in the work that they do was truly a blessing. As I sit here typing this, I’m still surrounded by all the gifts the Samburu gave me, and it just makes my heart soar thinking of all the good we did on behalf of our God, and all the work that is still to be done there. I know for me personally, this trip changed my life for the better, and I found out once again just how good my God really is. I know that I can’t wait to go back.

Ashley Yates

At home, one of my prayers was to see that God would use me to win my first person to Christ. At home I share my beliefs at my apartment complex, at work, at the mall, wherever I go. I have had a few that I could pray with for a need, but not for their need for salvation. So the first day when we got to evangelize in town the nerves were jumping as to where to start. So I jumped on board direct to the point. I had come to share Gods love and His Son Jesus love and sacrifice for them and me that we might have a relationship with Him. When it came time to accept or reject, not only did one man accept but three others that had been in the group believed, confessed with their mouth, and accepted Jesus gift of salvation. This was only the beginning this prayer was answered many, many times over. Thanks to the church and ABF that prayed for safety, the words to say, and how to express Gods love!!! I know your prayers were answered.

PAUL D. CRANE II (-:

I have asked each team member to share a brief paragraph on his/her perception of the trip, and that will be my final Team Report 8 that I will send over the weekend or early next week. Last night, we had a blessed debriefing and prayer time with Charlie and Sandra.

Please continue to lift us up in prayer during our long flight home. We look forward to seeing you all on Sunday…

Love in Christ, Bob & Team

We then went to another village up in the mountains where a ministry has been established. In fact, some of them came all the way down to Maralal to attend our church service yesterday. We did the water purification systems training and distribution and the children’s activities for about 150 children. Then, we begin meeting with some of the folks who had not yet accepted Christ. Thirty two people prayed to receive Christ in this village.

WOW…what a day–89 people won to Christ! Charlie will now work at establishing a ministry point at the first village and after doing training on baptism, he will have the privilege of baptizing these new converts.

Tomorrow, we leave for the Lake Nakuru area and will have the opportunity to be on safari (our one day of rest) on Wednesday prior to traveling to Nairobi for the long flight back home on Thursday & Friday. Please pray that we will have the opportunity to share Christ many times at Lake Nakuru.

This evening, we tearfully said good-bye to our translators and presented them with a love offering our team had collected for them. They have walked with us for five days as we have seen almost 200 persons won to Christ, have distributed 101 water systems, and have ministered to literally hundreds and hundreds of children.

We love you, Mimosa Lane, and attribute much of what the Lord has accomplished over the last week to your prayers…

Bob & Team

I was blessed to have the opportunity to preach the message and had people seated all around and behind me. At the end of the message, the pastor and I extended an invitation, and 33 people were counseled with and prayed to receive Christ!! So, after praying with them, the praise and worship started again, praising God for these new children of His and continued into the afternoon.

We have completed 50 more water systems for visiting two villages back up in the mountains tomorrow…we will also again do children’s ministry and one-on-one evangelism. Please be in prayer for us as the trips to the villages tomorrow will again be physically quite hard. Tomorrow is our last day in this area as we head to the Lake Nakuru area on Tuesday, then back to Nairobi on Wednesday to fly out on Thursday for the two day flight home, arriving on Friday evening.

We just continue to be amazed at the folks hunger for the gospel and the Samburu Christians’ love for the Lord…

Bob & Team

When we first arrived, they invited us to view the killing of the sheep and goat that they were going to cook for our lunch. So, we observed how they kill and drain their animals, drink their blood, etc. then, as they begin skinning the goat, I asked if I could skin it, and they allowed me, then Larry, Carolyn, Paul, and Ashley to have a turn at skinning it. (You can be assured that Karen was way back from this activity). They cooked the sheep and goat over the open pit and we ate with the elders.

Then, I was asked to do an orientation with their new converts…a new church has recently started in this village. We then walked about 20 minutes down to a cold, muddy river where I had the opportunity to baptize 19 adults in the river while the group sang glory to God. Wow, this was probably one of the most moving experiences of my life..

Tomorrow, I preach in the home church here in Maralal, and the ladies are teaching children’s Sunday School. Then, we will prepare 50 waters systems as we go to two different villages on Monday to again do water system training, evangelism, children’s activities, etc.

Some of you have asked about our seeing animals…we have seen zebras, camels, elephants, emus, gazelles, impalas, and water buffalo as we have traveled from village to village. The country is beautiful and the people are even more beautiful and so appreciative of our being here.

Thanks again for your prayers and support,
Bob & Africa Team

We continue to be burdened by the level of poverty in this place but encouraged by the openness to the gospel. Our team members have all fallen in love with the Samburu people. We have now had the opportunity to lead a total of 72 people to Christ in the past two days. Tomorrow, we have another rough trip to another isolated village area and minister to the adults and children. Please be in prayer as we will be sharing Christ and providing them with water purification systems.

We also continue to be blessed by the ministry of Charlie and Sandra Daniels as we see fruits of their labor since leaving our church to come to this place. Their hospitality has also been a blessing to our team. For those of you who know the Daniels family, you might enjoy knowing that their older sons, Travis and Sam, arrived as we did and we have had opportunity to renew relationship with them.

Again, thank you for your continued prayers. Internet access is very limited but I will continue to update as much as possible…

To God be the Glory, Bob & Africa Team

Each of us shared. The elders from each village selected the 25 homes that would today receive water system training and the initial systems. In addition to our water training, Karen did training for school teachers in the villages, Ashley and Carolyn did activities with the children and shared the bears that our children had made for them at Camp Gap as well as candy and other items. We were then surprised as each of us received gifts that they dressed us in with colorful beads, hats, belts, necklaces, etc. As they presented them to us, their women gathered around us to sing and chant songs glorifying God.

The group presented Charlie and Sandra with a home that they had built for them there in the mountains so that they do not have to travel back and forth from Maralal each time they come to be with them.

Area pastors and translators invited a group who had not received Christ to listen, and I shared, then gave invitation for them to meet with us individually and receive more information. Out of 40 to 50 folks in the group, we led 21 individually to receive Christ, and many of them were village elders who will have so much influence in their villages.

Tomorrow, Karen does her children’s leadership training, and I conduct the pastors training/conference while our team does door to door evangelism here in Maralal. Tomorrow afternoon, we will do evangelism in a local retirement center. Then back to the mountain areas and repeat, as the Lord leads, today.

Thanks for your prayers…we love you, Bob

Please be in prayer for our travel tomorrow, then we will be in six different villages in the Samburu country the following six days. I will be preaching in each village as well as in Charlie and Sandra home village church on Sunday, and our team will be doing one on one evangelism and water purification as well as ministry to the children.

Thank you again, Mimosa Lane, for providing us the funds for the water purification and for the tremendous send off that you did for us on Sunday morning…

We love you,

Bob
Mimosa Lana Baptist Church