More info from Arnold

A further response from Arnold Kirubi describing the struggles that all Kenyans face, and his attitude in the face of these trials. If you ever get a chance to fellowship with Kenyan Christians, you will be blessed by their endurance and their faith. They are amazing. Dr. R

Thank you Dr. Randy. May the God of Heaven, our God hear your prayers and ours as well and give us a miracle. We really need one desperately.

The water and power shortage affects the whole nation. Most of our power is hydro generated and one of dams has been closed down due to decrease of water. The water has affected the rural areas more drastically as rivers have dried up, and for pastoralists have lost their livestock which is their source of livelihood. More than half the population live on 3 to 5meals in a week, and the meals are relief food. Our politicians and other leaders live exorbitant lives at the expense of the general population. They live with their heads buried in the sand and they don't seem to see or appreciate the suffering of the people. God forgive us for what we have become. Anyway, keep us in your prayers and God will come through for us. This is an opportunity for the body of Christ to minister and touch lives with God's compassion and His love. Its amazing but bad and tough times are opportunities for us believers to touch the needy with God's love and compassion. We will our best to do that. God richly bless you and keep you in his grace and peace as you serve him. Hope to hear you soon and pass our love to the brethen there.

A letter from Arnold in Kenya

This is a letter form Arnold Kirubi--a student from Kenya and fellow worker for the Gospel. We are attempting to start a discipleship blog for Kenyan ministers. As you read his letter, you can see the challenges they face. Pray for Arnold and his fellow workers in the Gospel as they deal with the everyday challenges of life.

Hello Dr. Randy!

Hope that you and your family are well and blessed. How have you been and how are things with you? We are well and blessed and God has continued to be gracious and merciful to us. We are of course going through the usual challenges of drought, starvation, power and water rationing and the many other problems that define us, and that results from bad, corrupt, selfish and miserable leadership.

I got a job in our church that has about 4000 members to lead the house group/cell group ministry. That includes getting everyone in house groups or small groups; training, discipling and mentoring leaders; pastoral visitations; writing Bible study materials and training materials among many other responsibilities. Its a great and
challenging docket and I'm honored and blessed to be given such an opportunity. That's why I was telling you that I will asking you to mail me training materials and some leadership materials. My desire though is to continue with my studies in the area of leadership so that I can work, train and mentor the next generation of African leaders who will bring change to my people-the people of Kenya and Africa. It is painful to see their pain, anguish and suffering that
they endure every day. We have suffered for far too long and we have had to endure too much pain.

We are a strong and hopeful people though and we will keep looking to that day when we will have our dawn. I have not had access to internet and immediately I do, I will forward those email addresses which are in my yahoo contact list. Network has been greatly affected due to power rationing. We get water 6hours in a week and power 3days in a
week until a miracle of rain happens. So long and hope to hear from you soon. Pass our love and regards to your family. You are in our hearts and in our prayers.

In His Service

Arnold Kirubi.

What if your plane stops flying at 40,000 feet

Two days after I arrived back home and enjoyed worshiping again at Shadow Hills I saw that Air France Flight 447 had crashed in the Atlantic Ocean. After having spanned the North Atlantic twice, and the Mediterranean twice as well, my heart goes out to those who have suffered loss in that tragic accident.

I find myself watching for updates and hoping for a rationale for why that plane went down.

The realization that it could have been my flight is very sobering and frightening. I mean, what are you going to do if your plane quits flying at 40,000 feet above the ocean?

I did not expect any problems on my flight, and it was very uneventful. However, I am reminded that there are not guarantees. I am very thankful that I am at home now with my family and work.

I believe that God is in control of the world I live in. But there are some things that happen that do not make sense to me. Why do most arrive home safely, but some do not? And tragedies are not always a result of bad choices, at least as far as I can see. But I am limited.

I guess that makes me human--and thus not God. Still doesn't make me feel any better for those families.

Thanking and praising God for another day. Asking for more wisdom to understand it all.

Another in the Kingdom

Linus and Liz have "adopted" some wonderful young adults. They are extended family, so adopting is not the legal term. It is more like providing a better opportunity for education for nieces, nephews, cousins, etc. One of their new charges is Purity. She is in a family photo that I have taken a week ago. In this photo she is reading a devotional moments after she has chosen Christ to be her Lord and Savior. (That comment is for my friend Ben.)

After dinner tonight, they were discussing spiritual things when the topic of heaven and hell came up. In the course of conversation, it was apparent that Purity was not comfortable. So I asked her about her salvation, expecting to get the typical answers. Instead, she had no response at all. So, I pressed her, not knowing that the family had this conversation in full the week before. As I pressed, the silence grew deeper. After first I did not know what to say, and I was ready to quit pressing when the resistance grew. However, I felt that still voice inside saying "Do not stop now. You must ask her to respond." So, I asked her what the problem was. Then I asked her why she would not respond. As the tension grew I was ready to let go, when the Spirit told me to ask about her pride. She looked at me then.

Purity is from a works-based salvation church. The African Bible Churches have a Presbyterian background (Anglican for you Brits out there). So, here understanding of repentance and faith-based salvation was limited. So, she struggled letting go and trying something new--faith.

She looked at me. and then I asked her if she wanted to become a Christian right now. She said yes. Oh, the joy. We prayed for God's forgiveness, thanked him for salvation, and rejoiced with her family. She had found a physical family to know. Now she is in their spiritual family as well.

God is good.

Now, how many of these conversations have I let go because I did not want to press the issue of confront? Well, too many. This was a precious moment for me and for the Kirimi family. It is also a reminder for me that this is the real reason for SHBC and our discipleship. Press through the struggles, praise God for the mountain tops, and speak his Gospel as he leads.

You'll never guess what I saw . . . .

He's everywhere!

The Kenyan people were very disappointed when he decided not to visit last week. His issues with the Kenyan government were not understood, and the masses were disappointed that "their" president did not come to visit them.

The statement says, "Barack Obama: sitting under the coconut tree."

I guess it means that he has arrived, or you can insert your own punchline here. ____________

Safari Time

Went on a safari to Lake Nakuru. Lake Nakuru is known as a migration spot for Flamingos. The two previous trips I made, we passed this lake, and you could see the pink from the highway, some 5 miles away.

We drove all day and saw some great scenery, plenty of exotic animals, and had a very relaxing time. Unfortunately, there were no elephants (the park is not big enough for them) and the predators (lions, hyenas, and leopards) were all in hiding.

Was glad to not be reading a book or studying something. It has been over a month since I used every spare minute to prepare for this trip. This feels like my first break from it.

Not that I'm complaining--I'm just saying . . . .

I will post serveral pictures as picasaweb, account shbc07.

Hope you enjoy.

Another soul in the Kingdom

There was a girl who became a Christian in church today. She spoke primarily in a tribal language, and English was not a good language for her. This means she has little education and is probably very poor. When the pastor asked for a decision, she raised her hand. But when she came before the church, she needed a translator to be able to express her true feelings to the pastor and congregation. So, God used an English-speaking preacher with a Swahili interpreter to bring his Gospel to a third language that I cannot even pronounce or spell. Wow.

It is rare for me to see someone saved during an actual sermon. I don't know how to interpret that, so I won't dwell. I can tell you that in Kenya there are many in church on Sunday, and many that do not truly believe. There is a great movement in Africa and Asia right now. Many non-believers are seeking truth in Christian churches, and there is a great harvest taking place. I am glad to be a part of training ministers for this task, and I am glad to be here to get a taste of what God is doing in Kenya--and wants to do in Lubbock, TX.

Banana Hill B. C.

Banana Hill Baptist Church (don't know why--there are no banana--only tea plantations) is the church where I preached this morning. Thomas (in the suit) is their pastor, and he is also a student of mine. They are teaming with Imani Baptist to meet the needs of HIV patients. They have recently planted a new church in their own town in order to reach more people. They baptized 12 last week. Another was saved this morning during the service.

And they give chickens to guests preachers.

Sounds like a great place, huh?

Meet Humphrey

SHBC Family. I am proud to introduce you to Humphrey. He is an associate pastor at Imani Baptist. He is a volunteer who is called to serve God. His ministry is quite extra-ordinary.

Imani Baptist, as I mentioned before, is located in a slum area of Tigoni--which gives new meaning to the word slum. The ministry that Humphrey leads is one to HIV positive men and women. He has put together a year-long class that is designed to meet immediate needs, bring evangelistic witness, educate HIV infected men and women on prevention, and to help their families cope with long-term care. They are working on their second class now, and it has 63 women and 12 men enrolled.

Humphrey holds classes at the church on Wed. and Fri. He goes on Tue. and Thu. to give home visits to the bed-ridden. The HIV infected in Kenya are considered a sub-class of society and shunned from all community fellowship. Their families are treated with great caution because little is known about the disease. So, in spite of the attempts at education, the HIV infected and their families are considered cursed and left out of work, church, and society in general.

As Humphrey is talking to me about his ministry and the work he puts in, I begin to ask questions.

Do people treat you differently? Sometimes, but I don't care.

Have you been trained? Yes, there are other churches and organizations that do this same work. We are trained once a year.

What precautions do you take? Rubber gloves, masks when necessary, avoiding all bodily fluids.

What can you do to really help them? We provide fellowship and Bible study. Many are not allowed in churches because of the disease. We also provide fellowship for the care-givers. If they are not saved, we witness to them about God's love and acceptance. Many have been saved. One is now an active member in Imani Baptist Church. Others have been on their death beds, but hope has allowed them to participate in basic life again. They know what precautions they must take, and we hold them accountable. Several have started working again out of their homes--sewing, embroidery, selling charcoal, and other odd jobs. We have seen dignity increase, and we have seen hope return.

Meet Humphrey. He knows Jesus. He has given him everything. And he is giving hope to the hopeless. Now that is what it means to be a disciple. God has given him a calling. And he is living it. Now that is the kind of man I want to work beside.

Anyone want to join me?

Another first in Kenya

I have experienced some ministry "firsts" during my three visits to Kenya.

First Sermon. (1984)

First Baptism. (1991)

First Anglican Mass. (1984)

First Lord's Supper with pita bread and coke. (Yeah, I didn't know you could do that either.) (1991)

And now I have another one.

First time I have been given a live chicken for lunch. (2009)

They were very gracious in giving me such a gift--and I was probably not as good at hiding my surprise. They laughed. I think it had something to do with cooking him. But I took the thing. Set him down in the church until time to go. Carried him out in a white plastic bag (ironic, huh--taking home chicken for lunch may look different in Kenya, but it still has the same end). I have given it to the proper people, and apparently will be eating chicken later today. Hopefully all of the feather will be gone . . . .

Who knows what will be next?

Monkeys again

It was 4 AM. I am sleeping well. And then--shake, boom, rattle, roll, silence. Yup, the monkeys were at it again. But this time, one stopped before he jumped off the roof and started talking. Little sounds--simple oohs and ohs. Very high-pitched. Sounded like a little monkey. After about a minute, he left and there was silence again.

I hope they're not planning an attack . . . . . .

Late nights

In order to help my students, I have decided to let them stay in the library until 11 PM every night. This means I must stay until everyone leaves the building. Needless to stay, it makes for very late nights. However, I am thrilled that the students are hungering to learn and study. Most of them do not have much computer experience, so they are learning much about computer typing and also computer frustrations. I have the privilege of introducing them to new literature and books. The librarian commented on all of the books they are putting up. That is a good sign.

Now, to teach them about footnotes. Apparently citing sources is not a priority in Kenyan high schools.

Order out of chaos

Most of the flower picture I have posted are from Brackenhurst. This is a remarkable facility, and the management has done a great job with it. By the way, Brackenhurst is managed by missionaries with the IMB. So, I have been enjoying SBC resources while I am here. It is amazing how once you leave Texas the Baptist politics seem to wane. Most people out here are concerned about evangelism and building healthy churches.

So, after going on my safari (which I will mention soon), I noticed that the variety of flowers is almost zero. This is also true in the wilds of the Kenyan landscape. There are beautifully manicured gardens, tea plantations (tea heaven here, by the way), and grassy areas. And then there are the wild groves of trees, water, and various animals and insects. It is amazing what can be done with the proper amount of care and supervision. The creativity that God has placed in each one of us with the command "Go and have dominion" in Genesis. There are some places in Kenya which beautifully show what people can do with God's creation.

And I am still reminded to pray for humanity when I look at the chaos that we bring upon ourselves in Somalia, Sudan, and elsewhere.

Pray for peace and order. It begins by obeying God's command--beginning with faith in his plan for salvation, Jesus Christ.

One Book Review and Test down

Well, we are down two assignments. Now we just have an exam, essay, term paper, and final. All before Friday. Yeah, the students are pretty worn out, but they will have two more classes down in three weeks--not a bad think really.

Church History Lessons: persecution and mission

Persecution and mission go hand in hand. Just observing the growth of the early church in Acts 6-12 is a reminder of the role that persecution can play in the spreading of the Gospel. The Roman Empire brutally tortured and systematically tried to destroy the Church, especially under Septimus Severus (190 AD) and Diocletian (3rd Century). Yet, by the 4th Century, when Emperor Constantine combined the Roman Empire WITH Christianity, the Christian church was so prevalent that it had spread to every major city in the known world and had become a powerful force: Rome, Alexandria, Ephesus, Antioch, Carthage. They tried to exterminate it by cutting it down. The testimony of martyrs who were faithful unto death gave new fire to evangelism, and the Gospel message grew along with the Church.

So, why does God use persecution? To motivate his people to move with the Gospel. To purify his people, so that the faithful will stand and be counted. To turn the anger and hatred of the world into testimony and dancing.

Bring on the Spice

I was taken to a local eating establishment Sunday afternoon. Beef Curry was ordered for me. I sat down and looked around. Very crowded. Was served a bottle Coke (sweeter than the stuff at home--made with pure cane sugar). Began to feel somewhat uncomfortable, like I was being watched. Noticed that everyone was amused or thought it unusual to see me. Noticed I was the only white guy.

Talk about a parallel universe. I didn't even think about being white until I noticed that they noticed.

Now, about Beef Curry. Delicious. Funny thing: my host family was served the same thing on accident. The women immediately spit it out, and the oldest child was screaming and wiping his tongue. It was too hot. I felt like I was enjoying some of Jerry S's chili. The food has been very bland for the most part, so this was a welcome diversion.

Guess I will be going there alone the next time I want something spicy.

Minsitry Opportunities

Monday evening I was speaking with a couple of students who are pastors. They were telling me about the problem they were having getting men committed to church activities (sound familiar?). One comment that was made involved the fact the men in a community would flock to hear a politician, but not a preacher. I asked if they would come to hear a Wazungu (white man). They said Yes. This got my wheels to turning . . .

What could we do to help these churches reach men through event evangelism?

Then I wondered why I am not asking the same questions about SHBC . . . .

How time flies

Monday and Tuesday have been very teaching-intensive. My students will have taken two tests in three days by tomorrow morning, and I will have graded at 44 of them (22 x 2). So, that means no free time for me. That is OK. I came for this reason, but now it gets even busier. We are starting a new class tomorrow: Church History. I am still developing the class, but am getting closer to finished. Printing notes is another challenge.

In addition, I will be grading over the next 10 days
22 book reviews (over the same text book)
3 tests (x 22)
3 essays on church history (x 22)
a term paper for Jesus and the Gospels (x 22)

And somehow begin teaching an online class that I will complete over the summer.

So, basically this is the light week for me.

Oh well, at least I'm not bored!

I'm hoping to come back again and teach only one class--and maybe do some mission work on the side.

What shall we do?

As I am on this trip, I wonder to myself, "why?" The trip is valid on its own merits. It is a privilege for me to teach these men and women who are called to ministry, and I consider myself blessed to have a church that sees the importance of this type of ministry.

However, is this the end of it? Or is God calling us to more? I have met several missionaries in the area, and there needs beyond imagination here. I saw a friend from my old youth group--its been at least 20 years--and he is serving in Nairobi with the IMB. I have also met a couple who are training pastors in Tanzania and need $100 a month to help support this important effort. There are needs in the college, and the local churches need discipleship, evangelism, and financial help. Of course, the needs are too many for one church to fill.

So I am wondering: Is it just a one-time deal for SHBC to participate in this, or do we dare think of coming as a group to serve.

I realize this is controversial because many think we should serve at home. I agree. So let's serve at home, and also consider how SHBC can best fulfill the Great Commission by going to the whole world.

Monkey Business

There are times at night when there is a large thud on the metal roof, followed by an extended rattling which reminds me of a bowling ball rolling down the side of the roof. And then silence. Now, the first time it happened I thought someone was trying to break in--but that doesn't happen in this compound, and there was not sound after the noise. I noticed that several building has large pear-type fruit laying on the roof, and I figured the noise was coming from fruit dropping from the trees above.

Not so fast.

Friday evening, I heard the large sound again, but it sounded like it was coming from the edge of the roof to the apex, then back down the other side. Then a few sharp jabs occurred, like large hail hits on the roof. I thought, the wind must be really blowing. But it was silent after that.

So I went out the next day to look for fruit evidence or tree limbs--something to explain the racket. Nothing. There are no limbs directly above me, and no fruit tree around my roof. So, what could it be?

I asked Liz. She said Monkeys. I hadn't seen one since I had been there, until today. A large monkey, don't know what kind, flinging himself from limb to limb as were driving to the compound. I was proud to actually have seen one. My hosts were amused that I was so proud. Probably thought I had monkey fever or something.

Anyway, the monkeys apparently throw fruit at each other at night and jump from building to building looking for insects. The termites are swarming, and they are unusually large. So, they are probably feeding off of them.

Still, I am locking all windows and making sure they are secure. I think I can handle a robber, but I don't know what I'd do if a live monkey came barging in a window at three in the morning.

kwahari