April 2010
News from Nairobi!
Greetings from Nairobi!! I was to leave Nairobi a couple days ago for Home Assignment in Canada, however the travel ban in Europe postponed that plan and gave me opportunity to contact you by email instead.
In December we were privileged to have guests from NL – Pastor Paul & Mrs. Margaret Foster, Dwight & Cynthia Petten and Allan Paddock were with us for three days. During those days we packed in a visit to the baby elephant orphanage, and ministry at Overcomers Children’s Centre where they distributed Christmas gifts to the children and to the ladies group from the village behind the Centre. They also visited Kibera and Pan Africa Christian University with the Potters, and were part of the annual Christmas party for our Kenyan workers!!
In January, I traveled to Turkana for the dedication of the new church, medical facility and nursery school in Lokwatubwa and the new maternity ward for the health facility in Namoruputh. It was an exciting time to celebrate God’s provision for the new Christians and the communities. A very special guest for the occasion was Mrs. Audrey Clarke from Toronto, who actually raised the funds for the first water system in the area and for the new nursery school building. The Nursery School children sang the Kenya national anthem for the first time at a public gathering. The local government authorities, health and education officers, and other leaders expressed their thanks to the church for the development taking place. You can get more information and pictures of the celebration from Deborah Sirjoosingh’s report at www.paoc.org or www.africalive.spaces.org
Since then I have been very busy with the day to day busyness of the office and property, and planning ahead for things that need to be done while I am on Home Assignment. In early April we enjoyed a few days in Mombasa for our annual missionary retreat. This year we were excited to have our missionaries from the southern Africa countries join us, and also Guy and Jane Penney from West Africa. We were also blessed to have our guest speaker, John Caplin, and his wife Dawna from BC; Darcy and Leanne McAlister (PAOC Personnel & Family Life Director); and Hailey Armoogan (PAOC Children’s Ministry/Communications Specialist) and Geri Sweet who came to minister to the children.
In the midst of all the busyness, I have been able to take time to visit the kids at Overcomers Children’s Centre and Lighthouse Academy. It’s always a pleasure to be with them and to see how children with so little are so happy, and so thankful for what they have. Underneath their smiles many of them have very sad stories. We thank God for Pastor Vincent, Pastor Simon and others who are willing ‘to look after orphans and widows in their distress’ (James1:27). Thank you for enabling us to help them with school fees and supplies for the kids.
This year we have been able to add Alex to the list of sponsored kids in High School. I’ve known Alex for several years, and his family has gone through some very difficult situations. Alex had been attending a day school near his home in one of the Nairobi slums, but his mother feared for his life because of the gangs operating in the area. She sent him to stay with a family member up-country where he attended another day school. When he came to my office late last year he told me – without any complaints whatsoever – he was happy that he was able to attend school under any circumstances and he knew his mother was doing her best. However, I later found out that he was being badly mistreated by the family he was staying with, and his school marks had dropped drastically. So, when funds became available, we arranged for him to attend a boarding school where he is safe, and he is now repeating Form 2 (Grade 10). The picture shows Alex with his younger brother Moses.
At this point, the airline says that even if air traffic moves in the next day or so, it could be a week before I get out of Nairobi due to the number of people stranded here. Some of our missionaries and retreat guests are also waiting for flights.
Thank you so much for being part of our ministry in Kenya!! We depend on your prayers and financial support for everything we do. Your cards and emails are a great encouragement to us. I look forward to seeing some of you while I am in Canada.
May God bless you with His presence and peace in every situation.
Serving in Kenya on your behalf.
Prayer requests:
Pray for the referendum being held later this year to decide on the proposed new constitution for Kenya;
Pray for the children of Kenya – many of them are living in very difficult situations;
Pray for our travel and safety in Kenya, there is still a lot of carjacking, theft, etc on the roads and in residential areas;
Pray for those who are stranded due to the airline closure.
July 2009
Greetings from Nairobi!! It’s winter here, and yes, it is cold – sometimes only 14º in the middle of the day!!!! We’re wearing sweaters and rubbing our hands together to get warm. I keep thinking of the many kids in the slums with no sweaters or warm blankets!!
The highlight of the past few months for me was to host our first team of ladies from the Women’s Ministries of PAON/L under the leadership of Sandra Noel. The five ladies came prepared to give of themselves to touch the hearts of children, women and pastors in this country. They not only worked hard physically, but ministered effectively as they opened their hearts and poured out God’s love to the people they met.
On their first Sunday in Nairobi they attended the 8am worship service at Nairobi Pentecostal Church. From there they ministered in the morning service at Lighthouse Christian Centre in Kawangware slum. While Pastor Althea Hillier preached in the main service, some of the ladies went outside to teach the children. Afterwards they met with the ladies from that church for a time of interaction and prayer.
Monday and Tuesday were spent at Overcomers Caring Ministries Centre, where they ministered to orphans and underprivileged children in the mornings, and to the ladies group in the afternoons. The children still carry some of the momentos they were given and they remember what they were taught. The team identified with the ladies group and encouraged them in the Word of God as they gave testimony of how God has helped them through struggles. As they prayed together, the Holy Spirit ministered.
The team traveled to Turkana where they ministered in two churches and at the three nursery schools under Deborah Sirjoosingh’s ministry. They were thrilled to at last see and be part of the Lokwatubwa Nursery School that PAON/L women have been sponsoring. With the local pastors, Rev. Johannson and Mary Nachii, the team took part in the first service to be held in the new church building in that village. It has been exciting to see the development taking place as they move from the church with stick walls, to having three new buildings for the church, school and health facility. The bricks for the buildings were made on site, baked in the hot sun.
Only eternity will reveal the full impact that this team had on the people they met with!
Other blessings:
“I am so grateful because you have made my life easier. Right now I am able to meet the needs of my children e.g. provide food and shelter through the business that you enabled me to start. …, the people around me are benefiting because of that business because I also taught them how to make the soap. Now they are able to earn a living.”
I received this letter from Jane, a mother of four who was not able to provide for the basic needs of her family. With the help of funds from the PAOC Merry Christmas World campaign, she and three other ladies were trained to set up their own small business by making liquid soap to sell. Now she is extending her hand to help others in the same situation! Her letter ends with, “The Bible says that ‘blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy’ (Matthew 5:7).”
School fees – every year we get numerous requests to assist students with Secondary (High) School fees. Most Secondary Schools are boarding, and many families are not able to pay the fees of $600 to $800 per year – so many kids do not get High School education. With the help of gifts from friends and church groups, we are able to help some of them. This year we have assisted four kids with full funding, and a number others with a portion of the cost. Thank you so much for your kind gifts that have provided for these kids.
Thank you so much for your prayers and financial support as we minister in Kenya. It is a privilege to be here on your behalf.
Serving with you,
Janice
Prayer Requests
Please continue to pray for us as we travel around the city and on the highways!! Traffic jams are normal here and there is a lot of theft, carjackings, etc.
Pray for the water shortage in the country, and especially in Nairobi. In some areas of Nairobi the water supply has been turned off for almost two months. Those who can afford it have water delivered by truck and pumped into storage tanks. In other areas people have to walk long distances every day to find water vendors, and some have to go out at 4 or 5am to access running water, or to buy jerry cans of water.
Pray for the children of Kenya. Many are living in desperate situations and life gets even more difficult as food prices increase.