I wanted to write to you to report on the recent Kenya trip by Threefold Cord Ministries of Omaha threfldcrd@cox.net and website www.threfldcrd.org
Bob Doering supervises this ministry and was the one working with Pastor Francis Macharia in Nakuru in Kenya. Bob took the slides of this trip. Bob was accompanied on the trip by Terry Hitsman of Omaha, Lynn and Ellie Gorley from Starksville, Mississippi, and Dominic Macharia from New Jersey (Pastor's son). I now know many more details about his ministry and I am in awe at how God uses such men in powerful ways. Terry was constantly holding children and orphans the whole trip (Slide15). I (Robert Bowman) was not able to participate, having been delayed by 9/11/01, when the trip was first scheduled.
Pastor Francis left Kenya some 8 years ago. He felt a calling from God to minister to defeated churches and congregations in America, regardless of denomination. He spent years moving from church to church doing this ministry. In the past five years his ministry has taken a different course. God blessed his ministry with a love offereing that was the largest amount King of Kings in Omaha has ever contributed in a single day for such a ministry.
Other links involving Pastor Francis at http://www.kingofkingsomaha.org/ministries/world_missions.htm
Kenya is a land of great beauty Slide5, Slide6. The land is materially poor, but spiritually rich Slide4. The ministry in Kenya has blossomed. Many of the churches have the name Good News Slide30 . The money has been used in a variety of ways:
· Orphans - Some has been used to support orphans. Their compound is in some of the pictures (Slide38, Slide39). You will also see water trucks Slide40and41. The city of Nakura has not repaired the water system.You will see some of the ophans playing soccer with a new ball (Slide44). They paused for a group picture Slide48. Not only are the orphans fed by these funds (see mounds of potatoes and vegetables prepared by the ladies in Slide42and43), but they also get education. Not every one can go to school, for it costs for the school and for the uniforms (Slide45, Slide47) The uniform is a prized possession (Slide46). The children also made a video and tape of this singing Slide55. More orphans at Slide51 Slide52 Slide53. The orphans constantly collect around pastor, in the compound Slide50 Slide54 and on the street. Pastor warned Bob not to give them money, for they would only take it to go buy glue which they use to escape the pain of their existence. Many children in Kenya are in poor health (Slide14). The ones who now work in the compounds to prepare the food for the orphans have themselves often been drug addicts and street people who have been discipled by pastor or one of the families in his congregation. The Good News churches basically take in those who commit to Jesus Christ and teach them God’s ways for a number of months, feeding them bread and the Word. Money from the ministry does not go for this, since the people themselves do this discipling. Pastor hopes to buy this field for expansion of the ministry (Slide58).
· Pastor Francis’ house - a family in Buffalo heard about all that Francis and his family had sacrificed to bring in the children off the streets. They insisted that the funds be used for the complete construction and that the house be big enough to host missionaries. You and I would consider the house to be more like a church than a house. It is more like the church described in Acts where everyone shared with each other, according to need (Slide12). Bob and Terry stayed there and they were completely cared for by Pastor and his family (Slide13). The first few days they even had their laundry done, but then realized Pastor’s wife and kids were doing the work and so they did their own (Slide11). The kids were incredibly devoted to pastor and the ministry and were awesome to work with, according to Bob. Bob noted that the house was constantly overrun by many folks constantly who are part of the ministry (Slide10).
· Marriage - Pastor’s daughter was married during the Kenya trip, so it was even busier than usual. When pastor found out about the dates of the trip, he had his daughter move her wedding to this time. In the pictures you will see here in the wedding dress, her husband has the train wrapped around him after the ceremony Slide3 and carries it during the rest of the day. The wedding celebration begins early in the AM, there is hours for the service, and then celebration until nearly midnight. Here is the cake, with orphans just to the left of the picture, first in line to receive (Slide2). Pastors sent out and supported by Francis and their families came from Kenya and many surrounding nations. Many used the motorbikes provided by some of the funds donated (Slide27).
· Village Churches - In the pictures you will see some of the Good News churches. Bob pointed out some that had been built by donated funds (Slide31 Slide33 Slide35 Slide36). Cheaply constructed churches are also beautiful ones (Slide20). The people face tremendous challenges. Coffee trees in the plantations are laden with beans of excellent quality, ready to harvest, but there are no jobs. The people stay around mainly because there is shelter there. You can see them crowded up in many of the homes (Slide19). The ministry or the building of a church, or the medical missions that come there are about the only contact that they have. Despite the incredible poverty, the people are happy (Slide25). The happiness and poverty of the people in Kenya and Haiti stand in stark contrast with this nation where there is incredible material wealth and so much unhappiness (Slide4). The babies are carried on mother’s back while she works during the day (Slide28 Slide62). The temperature ranged from 50 – 82 during the time the team was there. Kids are everywhere (Slide17).
· Medical missions- Pastor goes out with 4 doctors, ministers, and other health care workers on missions(Slide21). This picture has the team members and the Americans (Slide29). On a typical visit, they will treat and pray for 200 – 400 people a day (Slide24). The children get antimalarial pills and parasite medication (Slide22). Medications are a large part of the cost (Slide23). One of the doctors goes back a week or so later to follow up with those who were sicker or needed care . This is much better than when I went to Haiti because there was no regular source of care. Those who were sicker, like the pregnant women with blood pressure problems, had no place to go later to get care. We were able to restore hope for a time, but could not sustain it. Haiti was littered with buildings where American missions had been there for a short time, but they were empty and falling apart.
The people prepare for the Sabbath Slide63 Slide64
Long straight hair, is it possible? Slide59 Slide18
There are other pictures noting the incredible beauty of the land (Slide5). The pink edge to the lake is all flamingoes (Slide6). The driver had to warn Bob that this was not an American tourist park with docile animals and to please close the window. Final slides of the land on the trip out (Slide65 Slide66and67slide 65 – 67)
Chronological Slides 1 - 67 with captions
Text by Robert Bowman rbowman@unmc.edu