Well it has now been a month since my return to England and I'm finaly starting to come down from the high I was on from the wonderful experiences of mission work.{as well as no longer having to take the anti malaria tablets.}
This Saturday {27th March at 6:00pm} I will be hosting a presentation evening at Mount Pleasant Baptist church to share with others the many amazing things that God has done over those weeks. I'm looking forward to reliving some memories and also looking forward to seeing the faith of others stirred as to the possibilities before us in nations such as Kenya.
The provisional date for my next trip to Kenya will be sometime next February but that's a long time in the future yet and there is much to focus on in the meantime.
Here's to a great evening.
Monday 22 March 2010
Thursday 18 February 2010
Last two days - Many more come to Christ.
Wednesday...
After a lunchtime meeting at the church I visited first in Mombasa we went to a small open air meeting at the Exodus church in Port Reitz. The meeting overlooked the Indian Ocean. {Or at least I did. Everybody else had to make do with looking at me!} The meeting ended with a call for prayer which several people responded to and we saw three people experience immediate healings. Please pray for a young girl of about 5 or 6 years old we prayed for. She has mental health problems and we are hoping God will bring healing to her life also.
The evening ended with a visit to Salem Church nearby which ended up being a superb meeting. They are a young but quickly growing church and over 30 turned up for this midweek meeting. We saw 5 people recieve healing.
Thursday...
This is the last day of ministry and it proved to be a very fruitful one. We spent the morning going form house to house through the slums and three people gave their lives to the Lord. We also had the chance to visit some of the local pastors and their families in their homes and pray for them, their families and ministries. In the afternoon we headed to the co-operative crafts area of Mombasa where we saw hundreds of workers hand crafting traditional items. It is a huge area and we spent the next few hours going from shed to shed spending some minutes in each and preaching the gospel. We prayed for a woman who had suffered from head pains and stomach ulcers for three years and was immediately healed and also another woman who had been suffering from headaches for the last two days who was also healed. Some of the groups of workers we preached to asked me to pray for God's blessing on their business {times are tough at the moment} and we saw a total of 26 people give their lives to Christ {in front of their co-workers as well}
It has been a wonderful 5 weeks and we have seen many great things. God has been faithful. When I planned this trip it seemed impossible but God has helped greatly, even [and especially} when their were unexpected setbacks before I left England. I estimate that there have been well over 100 people put their faith in Jesus and others rededicate their lives to Him as well as the many who have expressed their appreciation and said these meetings were a great source of spiritual strength to them. There were also aroun 100 miraculous healings {not including the ones I haven't even heard of yet} and even a deliverance from demon possession. I feel preached out, prayed out and tired out but it was more than worth it. Tommorrow I fly back to Nairobi and then late on Friday evening my flight for the U.K via Dubai takes off. I should be back in the the midlands by Saturday afternoon.
Please keep those people I've mentioned in your prayers and thankyou to all of you who have supported this mission with your prayers and financial support. You will undoubtedly hear from me again soon.
Thankyou and God bless you....Steve
After a lunchtime meeting at the church I visited first in Mombasa we went to a small open air meeting at the Exodus church in Port Reitz. The meeting overlooked the Indian Ocean. {Or at least I did. Everybody else had to make do with looking at me!} The meeting ended with a call for prayer which several people responded to and we saw three people experience immediate healings. Please pray for a young girl of about 5 or 6 years old we prayed for. She has mental health problems and we are hoping God will bring healing to her life also.
The evening ended with a visit to Salem Church nearby which ended up being a superb meeting. They are a young but quickly growing church and over 30 turned up for this midweek meeting. We saw 5 people recieve healing.
Thursday...
This is the last day of ministry and it proved to be a very fruitful one. We spent the morning going form house to house through the slums and three people gave their lives to the Lord. We also had the chance to visit some of the local pastors and their families in their homes and pray for them, their families and ministries. In the afternoon we headed to the co-operative crafts area of Mombasa where we saw hundreds of workers hand crafting traditional items. It is a huge area and we spent the next few hours going from shed to shed spending some minutes in each and preaching the gospel. We prayed for a woman who had suffered from head pains and stomach ulcers for three years and was immediately healed and also another woman who had been suffering from headaches for the last two days who was also healed. Some of the groups of workers we preached to asked me to pray for God's blessing on their business {times are tough at the moment} and we saw a total of 26 people give their lives to Christ {in front of their co-workers as well}
It has been a wonderful 5 weeks and we have seen many great things. God has been faithful. When I planned this trip it seemed impossible but God has helped greatly, even [and especially} when their were unexpected setbacks before I left England. I estimate that there have been well over 100 people put their faith in Jesus and others rededicate their lives to Him as well as the many who have expressed their appreciation and said these meetings were a great source of spiritual strength to them. There were also aroun 100 miraculous healings {not including the ones I haven't even heard of yet} and even a deliverance from demon possession. I feel preached out, prayed out and tired out but it was more than worth it. Tommorrow I fly back to Nairobi and then late on Friday evening my flight for the U.K via Dubai takes off. I should be back in the the midlands by Saturday afternoon.
Please keep those people I've mentioned in your prayers and thankyou to all of you who have supported this mission with your prayers and financial support. You will undoubtedly hear from me again soon.
Thankyou and God bless you....Steve
Wednesday 17 February 2010
Mombasa slums and Rabai village.
What an awesome day!
Firstly we spent the morning going door to door in a slum area of Mombasa and over the course of that outreach we saw three people give their lives to the Lord which included one person who decided to rededicate her life to Jesus. She was an older woman who has suffered for the last 10 years with pains throughout her body which limited her mobility and especially joint pains. When we prayed for her the pain went instantly and as she strode up and down and stretched herself to test the healing she found the pain in her joints had completely gone also. Her name is Rose Kelana. Please pray that she and the young boy she is looking after {who also committed his life to Jesus today} would continue to faithfully serve Jesus.
We also led a woman called Margaret to faith in Jesus and prayed for her healing. She is partially blind and struggles to walk. Pray that God would fully restore her health.
We also visited the Elim church in Mombasa that I'm told holds 7,000 people. It's more like an arena than a church. I imagined having a church like that one day {I wonder how many ministers have walked through there wishing the same thing. lol}
We then came to the main part of the day which I was not expecting. {I think sometimes they make their mind up about the itintery at the last minute!} The local pastor I am working with led me through the slums out of Mombasa and up a hill until we were looking down into a large valley through which flowed a large river a few hundred metres wide. {There were no houses around so by this time I was wondering where on earth he was taking me!} We then made our way to the river bank. {It turns out this is actually an inlet for the Indian Ocean that goes inland for several miles!} We took off our shoes and socks and waded out to a small boat that cost us the grand total of 8 pence to ride in and the oarsman took us over to the other side and up a stream between the mangrove trees until the stream was too narrow and shallow to continue. We then waded through the last few hundred metres and across an arid looking plain. The ground was extremely hot. {A good point to but our shoes back on} and then he led me over another hill and acorss country for the best part of an hour on foot. {There's me in a smart shirt trousers and shoes going over hill country where the ground is rock hard in the 95 degree farenheit sun having no idea when we'd reach our destination.} Eventually we came to a clearing where there was a village and over 100 people waiting for us. They sat us down at a table as guests of honour and proceded to go through a fantastic traditional welcome involving singing and dancing, using instruments I've never seen before. At one point we had to get up and dance with them {Praise God his camera wasn't working properly! lol}
I was told that this was a predominantly Muslim village and the pastors friend had begun a congregation here that met in the shade of the trees where we were now seated. The village elders sat there also so everyone came out to see us.
By the time I was invited up to speak I just preached a straightforward gospel message. {I think the only way to preach to Muslims is to be straight with them and tell them honestly what the bible says so I explained why the bible says that Jesus is the only one who can save us and take us to heaven.} At the end we called people forward for prayer and 32 people came forward to commit their lives to Jesus Christ. {The vast majority of them were Muslims}
We also had a time for prayer for those who were sick or unwell in any way. In these areas the infirmity and death rate is very high as they cannot afford medical treatment and their is no NHS. There were too many to pray for {We still prayed for many individually} so we led people in a mass prayer and asked them to put their hand on the part of their body they felt pain in. A total of 27 people reported being healed and all pain going from their body. Afterwards when my friend spoke to the chief elder {a muslim} he said "Your God has got all my 4 sons now and I am the only one left in family. Next time a preacher comes I will become a christian} Please pray that he stands by his word and God brings him into the faith. Pray also for all those who have become christians and for those who were in the faith beforehand that they with encourage and support the new believers.}
I also had the chance to sample their homegrown fresh coconut juice. One of the men broke it open before me. {That's about as fresh as it gets!} and I was also given a watermelon. There welcome and their warmth was very touching. {They even wanted us to stay in the village overnight which unfortunately wasn't possible} It was a day I will never forget. The trip back was interesting too.
We got to what I thought was the river and it had already got dark. We waded out to the boat where the boatman was waiting and it was only after I was in the boat that I found out we were travelling over the same dry rocky flats that I warmed my feet onn early in the day. Much of the water was very shallow and now I found out why alongside one part of the flats a ditch or channel had been dug. I was to give the boat somewhere deep enough to navigate during high tide. It was a fantastic experience to go through the mangrove at night looking up at the hundreds of stars you can see in this part of the world. Eventually we came to the main 'river' we had crossed earlier in the day and I was told how we has to travel near to the bank before making our way across as the tide was strong and could carry us away. The waves were a lot more vibrant than when we went across the first time. It felt quite daring. {Not quite sure how safe it actually is but it all adds to the experience}. By the time we got back to where we were staying in Mombasa it was sometime between 8 and 9p.m.
What a day!
Firstly we spent the morning going door to door in a slum area of Mombasa and over the course of that outreach we saw three people give their lives to the Lord which included one person who decided to rededicate her life to Jesus. She was an older woman who has suffered for the last 10 years with pains throughout her body which limited her mobility and especially joint pains. When we prayed for her the pain went instantly and as she strode up and down and stretched herself to test the healing she found the pain in her joints had completely gone also. Her name is Rose Kelana. Please pray that she and the young boy she is looking after {who also committed his life to Jesus today} would continue to faithfully serve Jesus.
We also led a woman called Margaret to faith in Jesus and prayed for her healing. She is partially blind and struggles to walk. Pray that God would fully restore her health.
We also visited the Elim church in Mombasa that I'm told holds 7,000 people. It's more like an arena than a church. I imagined having a church like that one day {I wonder how many ministers have walked through there wishing the same thing. lol}
We then came to the main part of the day which I was not expecting. {I think sometimes they make their mind up about the itintery at the last minute!} The local pastor I am working with led me through the slums out of Mombasa and up a hill until we were looking down into a large valley through which flowed a large river a few hundred metres wide. {There were no houses around so by this time I was wondering where on earth he was taking me!} We then made our way to the river bank. {It turns out this is actually an inlet for the Indian Ocean that goes inland for several miles!} We took off our shoes and socks and waded out to a small boat that cost us the grand total of 8 pence to ride in and the oarsman took us over to the other side and up a stream between the mangrove trees until the stream was too narrow and shallow to continue. We then waded through the last few hundred metres and across an arid looking plain. The ground was extremely hot. {A good point to but our shoes back on} and then he led me over another hill and acorss country for the best part of an hour on foot. {There's me in a smart shirt trousers and shoes going over hill country where the ground is rock hard in the 95 degree farenheit sun having no idea when we'd reach our destination.} Eventually we came to a clearing where there was a village and over 100 people waiting for us. They sat us down at a table as guests of honour and proceded to go through a fantastic traditional welcome involving singing and dancing, using instruments I've never seen before. At one point we had to get up and dance with them {Praise God his camera wasn't working properly! lol}
I was told that this was a predominantly Muslim village and the pastors friend had begun a congregation here that met in the shade of the trees where we were now seated. The village elders sat there also so everyone came out to see us.
By the time I was invited up to speak I just preached a straightforward gospel message. {I think the only way to preach to Muslims is to be straight with them and tell them honestly what the bible says so I explained why the bible says that Jesus is the only one who can save us and take us to heaven.} At the end we called people forward for prayer and 32 people came forward to commit their lives to Jesus Christ. {The vast majority of them were Muslims}
We also had a time for prayer for those who were sick or unwell in any way. In these areas the infirmity and death rate is very high as they cannot afford medical treatment and their is no NHS. There were too many to pray for {We still prayed for many individually} so we led people in a mass prayer and asked them to put their hand on the part of their body they felt pain in. A total of 27 people reported being healed and all pain going from their body. Afterwards when my friend spoke to the chief elder {a muslim} he said "Your God has got all my 4 sons now and I am the only one left in family. Next time a preacher comes I will become a christian} Please pray that he stands by his word and God brings him into the faith. Pray also for all those who have become christians and for those who were in the faith beforehand that they with encourage and support the new believers.}
I also had the chance to sample their homegrown fresh coconut juice. One of the men broke it open before me. {That's about as fresh as it gets!} and I was also given a watermelon. There welcome and their warmth was very touching. {They even wanted us to stay in the village overnight which unfortunately wasn't possible} It was a day I will never forget. The trip back was interesting too.
We got to what I thought was the river and it had already got dark. We waded out to the boat where the boatman was waiting and it was only after I was in the boat that I found out we were travelling over the same dry rocky flats that I warmed my feet onn early in the day. Much of the water was very shallow and now I found out why alongside one part of the flats a ditch or channel had been dug. I was to give the boat somewhere deep enough to navigate during high tide. It was a fantastic experience to go through the mangrove at night looking up at the hundreds of stars you can see in this part of the world. Eventually we came to the main 'river' we had crossed earlier in the day and I was told how we has to travel near to the bank before making our way across as the tide was strong and could carry us away. The waves were a lot more vibrant than when we went across the first time. It felt quite daring. {Not quite sure how safe it actually is but it all adds to the experience}. By the time we got back to where we were staying in Mombasa it was sometime between 8 and 9p.m.
What a day!
Monday 15 February 2010
Kanamai - Many healings and conversions.
Today we went to Kanamai which is just outside the Mombasa region to a village church which meets in the shade of the trees. {They don't have their own building} There is a ministry there which tends to many widows and orphans.
When we drove into the area we saw around 300 people around waiting for us to arrive and they had put on a special service for us, making us feel especially welcome with singing, dancing and also a drama presentation. It was really good.
When I had the chance to preach I chose as my subject 'The wonderful Jesus' basing it on the name that the prophet Isaiah gave him {Isaiah ch 9 v 6} and explaining why Jesus was called wonderful. I was unaware at the time that there were also muslims present as I shared with the crowd a time when a young muslim man came to our church and debated the pastor at the end and the pastor challenged him by saying 'What has Allah EVER done for you PERSONALLY?' I made the point that the young man had no response to this which was the case with so many muslims but Jesus is truly wonderful. I could spend all day speaking of the wonderful things he has personally done in my life. At the end of the preaching section I gave people an opportunity to come forward for prayer and 7 muslims came forward for prayer to give their lives to Jesus. There were just so many people who wanted prayer it was impossible to pray with people individualy as I usually do so we led those who wanted to give their lives to Christ through a mass prayer. {I counted a total of 22 people who made that commitment today although there were probably more.
We still prayed individually for many people who requested it but we also had a mass prayer for all who were sick and asked for those who could feel physical pain at the start but after prayer had no pain to lift their hands. {The interpreter reiterated the request insisting that only those who wetre genuinely healed should raise their hands} He counted a total of 46 people who had recieved a supernatural healing. {There were numerous muslims among this groups also}
Today has been unprecidented in terms of results for which we give thanks to God. We also prayed for a young girl who is due to be taken to the captial Nairobi for a heart operation but we are believing God that she has been healed. Please remember also another young girl who has athma and tuberculosis. We prayed specifically for this girl but no obvious results {as yet}. The local minister will bring a report to the minister I am working with which hopefully he will pass onto me so I'm hoping for many confirmed testimonies of what God has done here.
Tommorrow we will be in Salem church which is close to where I am staying.
God bless you...Steve
When we drove into the area we saw around 300 people around waiting for us to arrive and they had put on a special service for us, making us feel especially welcome with singing, dancing and also a drama presentation. It was really good.
When I had the chance to preach I chose as my subject 'The wonderful Jesus' basing it on the name that the prophet Isaiah gave him {Isaiah ch 9 v 6} and explaining why Jesus was called wonderful. I was unaware at the time that there were also muslims present as I shared with the crowd a time when a young muslim man came to our church and debated the pastor at the end and the pastor challenged him by saying 'What has Allah EVER done for you PERSONALLY?' I made the point that the young man had no response to this which was the case with so many muslims but Jesus is truly wonderful. I could spend all day speaking of the wonderful things he has personally done in my life. At the end of the preaching section I gave people an opportunity to come forward for prayer and 7 muslims came forward for prayer to give their lives to Jesus. There were just so many people who wanted prayer it was impossible to pray with people individualy as I usually do so we led those who wanted to give their lives to Christ through a mass prayer. {I counted a total of 22 people who made that commitment today although there were probably more.
We still prayed individually for many people who requested it but we also had a mass prayer for all who were sick and asked for those who could feel physical pain at the start but after prayer had no pain to lift their hands. {The interpreter reiterated the request insisting that only those who wetre genuinely healed should raise their hands} He counted a total of 46 people who had recieved a supernatural healing. {There were numerous muslims among this groups also}
Today has been unprecidented in terms of results for which we give thanks to God. We also prayed for a young girl who is due to be taken to the captial Nairobi for a heart operation but we are believing God that she has been healed. Please remember also another young girl who has athma and tuberculosis. We prayed specifically for this girl but no obvious results {as yet}. The local minister will bring a report to the minister I am working with which hopefully he will pass onto me so I'm hoping for many confirmed testimonies of what God has done here.
Tommorrow we will be in Salem church which is close to where I am staying.
God bless you...Steve
Sunday 14 February 2010
Port Reitz church, God's healing power.
Today has been a very good day so far. We had two good services and in our time of prayer a young ladty was immediately healed of stomach pains which was particularly appreciated becuase she was later due to sing for the church.
I also have news on pastor Daniel Safari's father whom we prayed for at hs home on friday. He had been diagnosed with prostate cancer which was described by the doctors as terminal. The morning of our visit the mans wife had been crying because she believed he was about to die. He was very thin and barely able to speak. He was no longer eating and would vomit at the very small of food and he could not even take himself to the toilet. Today I am told that after we left he ate porridge and drank tea and is now going to the toilet by himself. His voice has also improved. Please keep praying because something very significant is happening.
I am hoping we get the chance to visit pastor Rose and her son again to pray and see what God has done/will do.
I now have the itinerary for the rest of the week. Tonight we will be meeting at the home of a local pastor which doubles at his church for a time of fellowship and the opportunity to pray for local people. He is very popular and well known localy and I'm told many people have heard about tonight and are coming.
Here is the itnierary for the rest of the week in the Mombasa area.
15th February / Monday : Exodus church in Kanamai {2:00pm to 5:00pm - Alos perhaps the chance of evangelism and outreach in the area which is 25km from where we are based now.}
16th / Tuesday : Salem church {based localy 4:00pm to 6:30pm}
17th / Wednesday : Exodus church in Port Reitz {4:00pm to 6:30pm}
18th / Thursday : Evangelism and outreach at Akamba Handicrafts Industry in Chagamwe {2:00pm to 5:00pm - Don't ask me where that is. All I know is that there are people there and we are sharing the gospel which is good enough for me! Amen!}
Keep praying. I am believing God that the latter end of this mission will be even greater than the former.
God bless you...Steve
I also have news on pastor Daniel Safari's father whom we prayed for at hs home on friday. He had been diagnosed with prostate cancer which was described by the doctors as terminal. The morning of our visit the mans wife had been crying because she believed he was about to die. He was very thin and barely able to speak. He was no longer eating and would vomit at the very small of food and he could not even take himself to the toilet. Today I am told that after we left he ate porridge and drank tea and is now going to the toilet by himself. His voice has also improved. Please keep praying because something very significant is happening.
I am hoping we get the chance to visit pastor Rose and her son again to pray and see what God has done/will do.
I now have the itinerary for the rest of the week. Tonight we will be meeting at the home of a local pastor which doubles at his church for a time of fellowship and the opportunity to pray for local people. He is very popular and well known localy and I'm told many people have heard about tonight and are coming.
Here is the itnierary for the rest of the week in the Mombasa area.
15th February / Monday : Exodus church in Kanamai {2:00pm to 5:00pm - Alos perhaps the chance of evangelism and outreach in the area which is 25km from where we are based now.}
16th / Tuesday : Salem church {based localy 4:00pm to 6:30pm}
17th / Wednesday : Exodus church in Port Reitz {4:00pm to 6:30pm}
18th / Thursday : Evangelism and outreach at Akamba Handicrafts Industry in Chagamwe {2:00pm to 5:00pm - Don't ask me where that is. All I know is that there are people there and we are sharing the gospel which is good enough for me! Amen!}
Keep praying. I am believing God that the latter end of this mission will be even greater than the former.
God bless you...Steve
Friday 12 February 2010
First day in Mombasa. {hitting the ground running}
Today is our first full day in Mombasa and I am with Ken Opera {a local minister who has been here for 4 years}. They have a busy itinerary for me and today we went visiting people including the pastor of the church I will be ministering at on Sunday. {psr. Safari}. We prayed with his family and at this moment his elderly father is in the house and has been unwell for some time and is very thin.
We also visited another local pastor. Her name is Rose and we hope to be seeing her family again this week as our visit was only very brief. She has a son named Peter who is suffering from psychological problems after being drugged at a party many months ago. They told me he has shown signs of improvement but he is incapable of helping himself and has to be fed. We will pray for him during the week so please pray with me also and I hope we will see signs of recovery before I return to the U.K.
We also visited a woman whose daughter passed away last monday and she is due to travel up country to the funeral early next week. Please also remember her in your prayers.
It has now been 4 weeks in Kenya but I am believing God that he has saved the best for last. There will be much to do and I am encouraged to hear that many of the pastors in the city meet together and work together. There are many people who have come to the city looking for work who have a christian background or influence but who do not attend any church. Pray also that we will see many of these people come in to our services and events.
God bless you...Steve
We also visited another local pastor. Her name is Rose and we hope to be seeing her family again this week as our visit was only very brief. She has a son named Peter who is suffering from psychological problems after being drugged at a party many months ago. They told me he has shown signs of improvement but he is incapable of helping himself and has to be fed. We will pray for him during the week so please pray with me also and I hope we will see signs of recovery before I return to the U.K.
We also visited a woman whose daughter passed away last monday and she is due to travel up country to the funeral early next week. Please also remember her in your prayers.
It has now been 4 weeks in Kenya but I am believing God that he has saved the best for last. There will be much to do and I am encouraged to hear that many of the pastors in the city meet together and work together. There are many people who have come to the city looking for work who have a christian background or influence but who do not attend any church. Pray also that we will see many of these people come in to our services and events.
God bless you...Steve
Wednesday 10 February 2010
last day in Nairobi and heading to Mombasa
Today is the last day in Dandora, Nairobi. We will be traveling to Mombasa early next morning by bus {a nine hour trip}. The money situation has been resolved. It turns out that the emails sent to me were not reaching me. I am very relieved. The meetings are going well and the messages well received. I've not had the chance to go around the churches in Nairobi as expected {except Ngomongu on Sunday} but today should be good as some people from the surrounding churches will be meeting in Dandora today and we will have lunch together before the evening meeting later on. I'm looking forward to meeting some of the people I saw on my travels last time I was here especially the pastor of the church in Joska. The pastor and her church were having a hard time because of local opposition and people were saying a woman shouldn't be preaching or leading a church. I was told by bishop Abednego that now they have completed the work on a bigger stone church building and the church are doing very well. I am very happy about this especially as the last time I was there the sermon I preached turned out to be a very relevant and timely word for them that encouraged them greatly regarding the opposition they were facing. {As I preached I had no idea at that time of what was going on. God has His way of getting a point across, Amen}
Nairobi is maintaining a temperature of around 25 degrees which I really like. {Don't get me wrong. There is much I love about living in England but the weather I left behind is DEFINITELY NOT one of them.} Mombasa is typically 30-35 degrees {way too hot!} and a day later I'll be back in temperatures barely above freezing. Should be interesting to see how I cope with that!
Anyway, do remember the Mombasa stage of the trip in your prayers as well as the minister I will be working with in that area {Ken Opera} who is in charge of the itinerary during that part of the mission. Pray that I will handle the climate O.K [Although some of you are probably thinking 'you lucky so and so! Don't worry, I'll be suffering with the rest of you in 10 days time!} Seriously though, do please pray for Bishop Abednego and his family and they are heading to Mombasa under sad circumstances to attend the funeral.
God bless you all {and stay warm}...regards Steve
Nairobi is maintaining a temperature of around 25 degrees which I really like. {Don't get me wrong. There is much I love about living in England but the weather I left behind is DEFINITELY NOT one of them.} Mombasa is typically 30-35 degrees {way too hot!} and a day later I'll be back in temperatures barely above freezing. Should be interesting to see how I cope with that!
Anyway, do remember the Mombasa stage of the trip in your prayers as well as the minister I will be working with in that area {Ken Opera} who is in charge of the itinerary during that part of the mission. Pray that I will handle the climate O.K [Although some of you are probably thinking 'you lucky so and so! Don't worry, I'll be suffering with the rest of you in 10 days time!} Seriously though, do please pray for Bishop Abednego and his family and they are heading to Mombasa under sad circumstances to attend the funeral.
God bless you all {and stay warm}...regards Steve
Monday 8 February 2010
Challenges, souls saved and people healed.
It has been a busy and productive weekend. On Saturday evening I went to Robert Muindi's church in Nairobi {All nations church}. They are connected with 'All Nations' church in Northampton. The service went well and Robert expressed his desire that when I return to Kenya I would have more time to be with his church.
Sunday went very well. In the mother church of 'church of the Lord' which is based in Dandora,Nairobi I had the chance to lead the first session which was very well recieved before we rushed off to one of their their churches in the slum area of 'Ngomongo'. The small church was packed full of people and we saw two people who has previously backslidden return to the Lord and a number of others come forward for prayer for healing. We prayed for 5 sick people. One man had suffered from dental pain for weeks after seeing a dentist and was immediately healed along with 3 others. Please pray for a woman who came for prayer. She has contracted malaria. Given how easily and quickly we saw people healed she may be healed already but there is no harm in praying anyway.
The evening saw me back in Dandora for another service and teaching session with a positive response. Today I get the chance to relax until the evening. I will probably be ministering in and around Nairobi through to Wednesday. Thursday I will be travelling with Bishop Abednego to Mombasa {tbc} the spouse of a very close pastor friend has passed away and they will need to be there for the funeral. Please remember bishop Abednego and his family in your prayers as this is something which has touched all of them.
God bless you...Steve
ps : I am reliant on someone from England to send me the money I am being paid week by week but they are already a week late and seem totaly unaware of how difficult this makes things for me. I will need something to pay a deposit to the hotel in Mombasa on Thursday and the balance by the time I leave a week later. It is sometimes difficult to concentrate on what I'm here to do when I'm worrying whether my money is going to be sent on time. {God is helping me to stay calm ....only just!} If they send what they should be sending then everything will be just about covered but as yet I have nothing. Please pray that they would do what I need when I need it.
Sunday went very well. In the mother church of 'church of the Lord' which is based in Dandora,Nairobi I had the chance to lead the first session which was very well recieved before we rushed off to one of their their churches in the slum area of 'Ngomongo'. The small church was packed full of people and we saw two people who has previously backslidden return to the Lord and a number of others come forward for prayer for healing. We prayed for 5 sick people. One man had suffered from dental pain for weeks after seeing a dentist and was immediately healed along with 3 others. Please pray for a woman who came for prayer. She has contracted malaria. Given how easily and quickly we saw people healed she may be healed already but there is no harm in praying anyway.
The evening saw me back in Dandora for another service and teaching session with a positive response. Today I get the chance to relax until the evening. I will probably be ministering in and around Nairobi through to Wednesday. Thursday I will be travelling with Bishop Abednego to Mombasa {tbc} the spouse of a very close pastor friend has passed away and they will need to be there for the funeral. Please remember bishop Abednego and his family in your prayers as this is something which has touched all of them.
God bless you...Steve
ps : I am reliant on someone from England to send me the money I am being paid week by week but they are already a week late and seem totaly unaware of how difficult this makes things for me. I will need something to pay a deposit to the hotel in Mombasa on Thursday and the balance by the time I leave a week later. It is sometimes difficult to concentrate on what I'm here to do when I'm worrying whether my money is going to be sent on time. {God is helping me to stay calm ....only just!} If they send what they should be sending then everything will be just about covered but as yet I have nothing. Please pray that they would do what I need when I need it.
Saturday 6 February 2010
Church of the Lord, Nairobi
Yesterday saw the culmination of the week with Gospel Fire ministries in Nairobi. This evening I will be visiting Robert Muindi's church in Nairobi before beginning a week of meetings with 'Church of the Lord' in the Nairobi area starting Sunday and concluding Friday. I expect we will be in the main church in Dandora, Nairobi on Sunday morning before visiting many several other churches through the week.
Please keep in prayer the three young men who came to the service last Tuesday and gave their lives to Christ. Also for the week ahead and for Bishop Abednego {head of church of the Lord} as he organises things over this coming week. It looks like everything is falling in to place.
God bless you...Steve
Please keep in prayer the three young men who came to the service last Tuesday and gave their lives to Christ. Also for the week ahead and for Bishop Abednego {head of church of the Lord} as he organises things over this coming week. It looks like everything is falling in to place.
God bless you...Steve
Wednesday 3 February 2010
Fantastic Tuesday.
Things really took off on Tuesday. During the pre service time of prayer I noticed a group of 5 young men hanging around on a nearby street corner. I felt quite clearly that God wanted me to speak to them. I wasn't really sure I wanted to approach total strangers on the street but I didn't have any peace until I did it and so I took someone with me to interpret and introduced myself to them. It turns out these guys call themselves tax collecters. {ie : they demand money with menaces from people coming home from work} They had no work and were hungry so said they had no choice but to do this. I had no money so couldn't give them anything to eat but invited them into the church and they all came straight in. {I didn't expect it to be that easy!} By the end of the service three of them responded to the message of the gospel and committed their lives to Christ along with a member of the church who felt the need to recommit herself to the the Lord. It turns out that these men had attended the church some years back but had drifted away for whatever reason and now had got themselves into a bad lifestyle. During the time of prayer and ministry at the end we also had 2 people come forward to be prayed for to recieve healing and both were healed immediately.
The three men in question were adament about coming to the church today and one in particular said the message helped him to see things differently and that he was determined to follow Jesus for good this time. Please pray for these three men that God would meet their needs and keep them from getting back into trouble and that God would help them reestablish their relationship with him. Pray also for the other two men that God's word would stay with them and bear fruit and that we would see them again.
God bless you...Steve
The three men in question were adament about coming to the church today and one in particular said the message helped him to see things differently and that he was determined to follow Jesus for good this time. Please pray for these three men that God would meet their needs and keep them from getting back into trouble and that God would help them reestablish their relationship with him. Pray also for the other two men that God's word would stay with them and bear fruit and that we would see them again.
God bless you...Steve
Tuesday 2 February 2010
tuesday - gospel fire nairobi - so far
At the moment we are not seeing anything in the way of miraculous healings or conversions {we'll be praying for the sick friday night} but the power of God is being seen in his word. I have been greatly blessed by the times of study and preparation and the church is challenged and encouraged at the same time. Yesterday was particularly good and we had a really good time of prayer before the back to back services. We will continue having back to back sessions with two sermons/messages daily from 3:30pm to 6:30pm through to friday. Please pray that people would bring visitors and for God's healing power to be released on that night.
We prayed for a lady in the church who was sick and on medication but still coming to church. Please pray for her full recovery.
God bless you...Steve
We prayed for a lady in the church who was sick and on medication but still coming to church. Please pray for her full recovery.
God bless you...Steve
Sunday 31 January 2010
Nairobi gospel fire
i hope you'll forgive this all being in lower case. {not every key on this keyboard actually works}
i am now in nairobi with gospel fire ministries and my accomodation is sorted out for the next two weeks. i also recieved some very good news today. the last time i was here some 18 months ago i prayed for a woman who had been married for 2 years but as yet had no children. some of the local people had begun to ridicule her and point at her because of this and she was desperate for a child. today i came to the church and she gave her testimony before the church while holding two babies which were both concieved within weeks of being prayed for.
the first days service has gone well so far but i'd like people to pray for certain people i prayed for back in kisumu. one was a woman who has suffered from an illness that has left her with stomach and head pains for the last month. the pain in her stomach went immediately after recieving prayer. pray that the healing would be complete. another woman prayed for god to bless her with a child as she has been unable to concieve as of yet. {i figure this is worth praying for given recent results!} the kisumu church are much encouraged by the series of meetings and now we will be holding meetings each afternoon with 'gospel fire' in nairobi and what are called revival services each evening.
there is a man in the nairobi church called francis. he is worried about his brother in mombasa who has gone off the rails and not contacted his family for 5 years now. he got married then split up leaving 2 kids and now has married again. things seem to be confused in his life and he is even quite distant to his brother when they speak on the phone.francis is hoping god does something to turn this guys life around.
also pray for me regarding spiritual preparation. i need to find adequate time to pray and prepare which will continue to make a big difference.
god bless you all....steve
i am now in nairobi with gospel fire ministries and my accomodation is sorted out for the next two weeks. i also recieved some very good news today. the last time i was here some 18 months ago i prayed for a woman who had been married for 2 years but as yet had no children. some of the local people had begun to ridicule her and point at her because of this and she was desperate for a child. today i came to the church and she gave her testimony before the church while holding two babies which were both concieved within weeks of being prayed for.
the first days service has gone well so far but i'd like people to pray for certain people i prayed for back in kisumu. one was a woman who has suffered from an illness that has left her with stomach and head pains for the last month. the pain in her stomach went immediately after recieving prayer. pray that the healing would be complete. another woman prayed for god to bless her with a child as she has been unable to concieve as of yet. {i figure this is worth praying for given recent results!} the kisumu church are much encouraged by the series of meetings and now we will be holding meetings each afternoon with 'gospel fire' in nairobi and what are called revival services each evening.
there is a man in the nairobi church called francis. he is worried about his brother in mombasa who has gone off the rails and not contacted his family for 5 years now. he got married then split up leaving 2 kids and now has married again. things seem to be confused in his life and he is even quite distant to his brother when they speak on the phone.francis is hoping god does something to turn this guys life around.
also pray for me regarding spiritual preparation. i need to find adequate time to pray and prepare which will continue to make a big difference.
god bless you all....steve
Thursday 28 January 2010
Kisumu.
Things in Kisumu are going very well. The church is small but now they have their own building and the pastor meets with all the other ministers in the immediate area regularly for prayer and they are working together to see their part of town transformed by the gospel. The meetings are going very well and there have been no issues , no violence or problems as yet.
The church are making sure I work hard which is good because I want to make the most of my time here. After the wednesday evening meeting they asked me to preach twice this morning in back to back services as well as the evening meeting. It will be the same again on friday.
I had the chance to meet one of the ministers who lead the joint pastors group and had a very good conversation with him. It would be great to be involved in a joint evangelistic venture here when I return to Kisumu. He would like me to be involved in that. Pray that this would out in God's will and that the unity biuld between the ministries here would continue to develop and bear much fruit. {They already do more than meet occassionally and pray}
Friday evening will be a time of prayer for anything people ask for and especially healing so I wouls greatly appreciate your prayers in support of that.
It seems a very long time since I was in England. So much has happened. Saturday will be my rest day and I will gly back to the capital in the evening to begin the two weeks of ministry there.
God bless you...Steve.
The church are making sure I work hard which is good because I want to make the most of my time here. After the wednesday evening meeting they asked me to preach twice this morning in back to back services as well as the evening meeting. It will be the same again on friday.
I had the chance to meet one of the ministers who lead the joint pastors group and had a very good conversation with him. It would be great to be involved in a joint evangelistic venture here when I return to Kisumu. He would like me to be involved in that. Pray that this would out in God's will and that the unity biuld between the ministries here would continue to develop and bear much fruit. {They already do more than meet occassionally and pray}
Friday evening will be a time of prayer for anything people ask for and especially healing so I wouls greatly appreciate your prayers in support of that.
It seems a very long time since I was in England. So much has happened. Saturday will be my rest day and I will gly back to the capital in the evening to begin the two weeks of ministry there.
God bless you...Steve.
Monday 25 January 2010
Sunday in Eldoret
Sunday in Eldoret consisted of two back to back services which went well. It was a bit strange after all the experiences with the Bungoma team to be with a different group of people but it was still good. Two young men committed their lives to the Lord and we saw one healing as well. Carrying on with the theme of the names and titles of Jesus I preached on 'The Lion of the tribe of Judah' and Peter's statement in Matthews gospel chapter 16 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God'.
One of the young men who came to salvation had been involved in drug abuse in the past. {I just happened to share an account of a couple some years back who were addicted to herion who came to the Lord- I don't believe this was a coincidence} The man who came yesterday for prayer is no longer involved in drugs but they have damaged his eyesight. When I held a certain number of fingers up before him he could only count them until I was 2 metres away. We prayed for him but with no results...yet. Please pray for this man.
A young lady came for prayer for a problem she has had for 4 months now. She can walk but quite slowly and cannot run. When we prayed for her she seemed to improve slightly. Please pray that God would grant her total healing.
Tonight I will be ministering on 'Christ, the Corner stone' with an emphasis on the church being as living stones {1 Peter}. I haven't finished it yet and have a lot of notes which I need to put together to build a cohesive message. Please pray for this also and that the church would be encouraged and edified by it.
God bless you...Steve
ps : Thank you to those who have left your comments. It is very encouraging to know that there are people in the U.K taking an interest and praying for us. Do keep the comments coming. I look forward to reading them.
One of the young men who came to salvation had been involved in drug abuse in the past. {I just happened to share an account of a couple some years back who were addicted to herion who came to the Lord- I don't believe this was a coincidence} The man who came yesterday for prayer is no longer involved in drugs but they have damaged his eyesight. When I held a certain number of fingers up before him he could only count them until I was 2 metres away. We prayed for him but with no results...yet. Please pray for this man.
A young lady came for prayer for a problem she has had for 4 months now. She can walk but quite slowly and cannot run. When we prayed for her she seemed to improve slightly. Please pray that God would grant her total healing.
Tonight I will be ministering on 'Christ, the Corner stone' with an emphasis on the church being as living stones {1 Peter}. I haven't finished it yet and have a lot of notes which I need to put together to build a cohesive message. Please pray for this also and that the church would be encouraged and edified by it.
God bless you...Steve
ps : Thank you to those who have left your comments. It is very encouraging to know that there are people in the U.K taking an interest and praying for us. Do keep the comments coming. I look forward to reading them.
Saturday 23 January 2010
Second week of mission - plan details
I'm in Eldoret now after spending this morning with the team from the Bungoma church. Their is such a hope and expectation in the Bungoma church of what God is going to do in the future.
It's good to see Jospeph Karanja again after over 18 months. Today is a day to relaxand sunday will see the start of three days of revival meetings with two services on sunday and a service on Monday and Tuesday evening. On Wednesday we will travel to Kisumu for three days before returning on Saturday. There is no specific itinerary for Kisumu yet so please pray for Pastor Karanja and the Kisumu leadership for God's guidance and favour in this.
I'm really on a high at the moment and looking forward to what is going to happen next.
regards...Steve
It's good to see Jospeph Karanja again after over 18 months. Today is a day to relaxand sunday will see the start of three days of revival meetings with two services on sunday and a service on Monday and Tuesday evening. On Wednesday we will travel to Kisumu for three days before returning on Saturday. There is no specific itinerary for Kisumu yet so please pray for Pastor Karanja and the Kisumu leadership for God's guidance and favour in this.
I'm really on a high at the moment and looking forward to what is going to happen next.
regards...Steve
Friday 22 January 2010
Thursday - Christian Fellowship Evangelistic ministries {BUKEMPE}
We had a fantastic day in the Bukempe church on the outskirts of Bungoma. We saw another person recieve healing and after yesterday I decided to respond more definitely when God was prompting me. I preached on Christ depicted as a bridegroom and touched on the issue of how the relationship between a husband and wife was a picture of Christ and the church. {It certainly got people asking questions!}. Today we went over dirt tracks, fields and grass lanes for the best part of 20 minutes to get to a church in the middle of nowhere. It is called Arise and Shine Ministries and people walk for up to 2 hours just to get to the church. They have only been around for 4 years and already have two churches planted out along with a cell group almost ready to launch as well. It was a minor miracle we got there at all as we drove through a torrential downpour and the dirt track was in places a river of water. The service was great though and again God is giving me the right words to say at the right time. Arise and shine ministries have a great vision of evangelism, discipleship and church planting and have developed a large and competent ministry team. Today was my last day of ministry in this region before traveling to Eldoret tomorrow. The friendships and meetings here are something I will never forget.
Sunday will be the first day of ministry with pastor Joseph Karanja and the Gospel Fire church in Eldoret and we will be there Monday and Tuesday before traveling to Kisumu on Wednesday to begin a three day crusade there starting on the day we arrive.
Please pray for...
The churches already visited, that the meetings will bear permanent good results and changed lives.
For the relationships and ties already developed, that they will be the start of a long term fruitful ministry partnership.
For traveling mercies on the journey to Eldoret.
For great favour, fruitfulness and miracles in the Eldoret mission.
ps : Certain conversations have confirmed what has been on my heart concerning Kenya for a long time. I intend to be much more heavily involved in the work over here in the future. This is not a spur of the moment thing but I would appreciate prayer regarding the fulfilling of God's purpose in my life with regards to Kenya. This is something I've been mulling over for the last 18 months and fits in with what I have believed for the last few years what God wants me to do.
God bless you...Steve
We had a fantastic day in the Bukempe church on the outskirts of Bungoma. We saw another person recieve healing and after yesterday I decided to respond more definitely when God was prompting me. I preached on Christ depicted as a bridegroom and touched on the issue of how the relationship between a husband and wife was a picture of Christ and the church. {It certainly got people asking questions!}. Today we went over dirt tracks, fields and grass lanes for the best part of 20 minutes to get to a church in the middle of nowhere. It is called Arise and Shine Ministries and people walk for up to 2 hours just to get to the church. They have only been around for 4 years and already have two churches planted out along with a cell group almost ready to launch as well. It was a minor miracle we got there at all as we drove through a torrential downpour and the dirt track was in places a river of water. The service was great though and again God is giving me the right words to say at the right time. Arise and shine ministries have a great vision of evangelism, discipleship and church planting and have developed a large and competent ministry team. Today was my last day of ministry in this region before traveling to Eldoret tomorrow. The friendships and meetings here are something I will never forget.
Sunday will be the first day of ministry with pastor Joseph Karanja and the Gospel Fire church in Eldoret and we will be there Monday and Tuesday before traveling to Kisumu on Wednesday to begin a three day crusade there starting on the day we arrive.
Please pray for...
The churches already visited, that the meetings will bear permanent good results and changed lives.
For the relationships and ties already developed, that they will be the start of a long term fruitful ministry partnership.
For traveling mercies on the journey to Eldoret.
For great favour, fruitfulness and miracles in the Eldoret mission.
ps : Certain conversations have confirmed what has been on my heart concerning Kenya for a long time. I intend to be much more heavily involved in the work over here in the future. This is not a spur of the moment thing but I would appreciate prayer regarding the fulfilling of God's purpose in my life with regards to Kenya. This is something I've been mulling over for the last 18 months and fits in with what I have believed for the last few years what God wants me to do.
God bless you...Steve
Wednesday 20 January 2010
Firstly a big thank you to all those who are praying for this mission. We are really seeing God do some wonderful things here in the Bungoma region of Kenya.
1 / 'Jesus Christian Church' TULUMBA
We went here on Tuesday morning. It is a small congregation meeting in a mud hut church in the rural area of Tulumba outside of Bungoma. As I prepare messages on the various titles and names given to Jesus, God is helping me to see these things in a new way. At the time of prayer at the end two people suffering from physical pain in relation to their illness were relieved of all symptoms. {Praise God!}. We also prayed for a baby whose mother told us the child had malaria. Please remember this child in your prayers and ask that God grants the baby a full recovery.
For the first time during the prayer part of the meetings I felt I ought to pray against demonic causes of sickness. It was only afterwards I found out that this area is a stronghold of occult practices. God is truly helping us with knowing what to preach and what to pray. Please pray for the church also that they would be a shining light in this community in Tulumba and that their faith in Christ as the one who defeated the power of evil would grow and grow.
2/ 'In Jesus Global Mission' KIMANTUNI
Ithink this is about as far out in the sticks you can get! We travelled along dirt tracks and grassy lanes for the best part of an hour to get here. The church was another tiny mud wall building but was packed with around 80 people with others standing outside to listen to the word of God. I was going to preach on Joshua in the old testament {I used the same message at one of our A.W.E services back home some time ago} only to realise late on that I'd picked up the initial rough notes I made at work rather than the finished sermon! Thankfully as I glanced at the notes while preaching it all came back to me and the message was very well recieved. At the end 3 or four people who were not christians put their faith in Christ and committed their lives to him. Please pray for these new converts. Pray that they would learn quickly how to live as effective christians and would find key relationships with saints in the church who can guide them.
Two more people were healed immediately after recieving prayer including a man who had suffered a consistant headache for the last two years. He left the church without any pain at all!!! I would ask that you remember a young man who came forward at the end to be prayed for. He has epilepsy.
3 / Visitation.
We also had the chance to visit the homes of some people in the church to pray a blessing over their lives including the local pastor and a faithful godly woman who requested that we pray for her husband who is not yet a christian.
Wednesday - 'In Jesus Global Mission' LUMBUKA
Another church way out in the middle of nowhere. This congregation consisted of around 15 people and their church building was little wider than some corridors. The service went really well with a number of people rededicating their lives to Christ and a couple of people again healed and relieved of pain. However something different happened when I prayed for the last person to come forward {a woman and her baby} Both had chest and breathing problems. As I prayed I felt God tell me to stop praying because the root of the problem was her involvement in witchcraft and to deal with that instead. There and then she basically threw a fit and was writhing over the floor {I guess if you've never seen any thing like that It could really freak you out!} After several of us prayed with her for a few minutes she was perfectly alright. Part of the sermon before majored on the fact that when Jesus died on the cross his sacrifice not only means means our sins can be forgiven but that through Jesus we have the power to break the things that the devil uses to hold people captive.
I know some people in England struggle to get their heads round things like healing miracles and demonic possession but if anyone doubts these things then just come to places like this. It really hits you how God has the power to heal and deliver people. I really thank God for helping me in preaching what he wants the people to hear and that he is making such a difference in peoples lives. Everywhere I go people in the churches are saying how big a difference I made and that they are changed forever but for me this is all down to God. I can't get over the fact that God would take someone like me who has done so much bad in life, change him and even make him a preacher. All I've done is follow what I believed God wanted. The miraculous power is from God and He deserves all the praise. I'm just thankful that I can be a part of all this.
In the next two days we visit rural churches in Bukempe and Kimilili.
Bwana asifiwe! {praise the Lord}
1 / 'Jesus Christian Church' TULUMBA
We went here on Tuesday morning. It is a small congregation meeting in a mud hut church in the rural area of Tulumba outside of Bungoma. As I prepare messages on the various titles and names given to Jesus, God is helping me to see these things in a new way. At the time of prayer at the end two people suffering from physical pain in relation to their illness were relieved of all symptoms. {Praise God!}. We also prayed for a baby whose mother told us the child had malaria. Please remember this child in your prayers and ask that God grants the baby a full recovery.
For the first time during the prayer part of the meetings I felt I ought to pray against demonic causes of sickness. It was only afterwards I found out that this area is a stronghold of occult practices. God is truly helping us with knowing what to preach and what to pray. Please pray for the church also that they would be a shining light in this community in Tulumba and that their faith in Christ as the one who defeated the power of evil would grow and grow.
2/ 'In Jesus Global Mission' KIMANTUNI
Ithink this is about as far out in the sticks you can get! We travelled along dirt tracks and grassy lanes for the best part of an hour to get here. The church was another tiny mud wall building but was packed with around 80 people with others standing outside to listen to the word of God. I was going to preach on Joshua in the old testament {I used the same message at one of our A.W.E services back home some time ago} only to realise late on that I'd picked up the initial rough notes I made at work rather than the finished sermon! Thankfully as I glanced at the notes while preaching it all came back to me and the message was very well recieved. At the end 3 or four people who were not christians put their faith in Christ and committed their lives to him. Please pray for these new converts. Pray that they would learn quickly how to live as effective christians and would find key relationships with saints in the church who can guide them.
Two more people were healed immediately after recieving prayer including a man who had suffered a consistant headache for the last two years. He left the church without any pain at all!!! I would ask that you remember a young man who came forward at the end to be prayed for. He has epilepsy.
3 / Visitation.
We also had the chance to visit the homes of some people in the church to pray a blessing over their lives including the local pastor and a faithful godly woman who requested that we pray for her husband who is not yet a christian.
Wednesday - 'In Jesus Global Mission' LUMBUKA
Another church way out in the middle of nowhere. This congregation consisted of around 15 people and their church building was little wider than some corridors. The service went really well with a number of people rededicating their lives to Christ and a couple of people again healed and relieved of pain. However something different happened when I prayed for the last person to come forward {a woman and her baby} Both had chest and breathing problems. As I prayed I felt God tell me to stop praying because the root of the problem was her involvement in witchcraft and to deal with that instead. There and then she basically threw a fit and was writhing over the floor {I guess if you've never seen any thing like that It could really freak you out!} After several of us prayed with her for a few minutes she was perfectly alright. Part of the sermon before majored on the fact that when Jesus died on the cross his sacrifice not only means means our sins can be forgiven but that through Jesus we have the power to break the things that the devil uses to hold people captive.
I know some people in England struggle to get their heads round things like healing miracles and demonic possession but if anyone doubts these things then just come to places like this. It really hits you how God has the power to heal and deliver people. I really thank God for helping me in preaching what he wants the people to hear and that he is making such a difference in peoples lives. Everywhere I go people in the churches are saying how big a difference I made and that they are changed forever but for me this is all down to God. I can't get over the fact that God would take someone like me who has done so much bad in life, change him and even make him a preacher. All I've done is follow what I believed God wanted. The miraculous power is from God and He deserves all the praise. I'm just thankful that I can be a part of all this.
In the next two days we visit rural churches in Bukempe and Kimilili.
Bwana asifiwe! {praise the Lord}
Monday 18 January 2010
Here at last - The first few days.
Here at last!!!
Things have either gone very right or very wrong. I only found out on wednesday that I would not get my entire holiday pay before I left like everyone else. For some reason I will be paid it on a week by week basis which means I will only get the first week of my holiday pay a week after I reach here. At one point I wondered if I had the funds to complete the first week! God is in control though and I only just missed a domestic flight to Eldoret and so had to get another one that turns out to be around half the price I would have paid before.
The first couple of days in Bungoma have been excellent. They have put on a two day conference bringing in many pastors and leaders of their churches in the region. The messages went down really well and the prayer time at the end was very good too. I'm starting to recover from the lack of a nights sleep after the overnight stop in Dubai airport and God is really helping me with the messages.
The pastor of the Bungoma church wants to send me to various churches in the region over this week so I'll be travelling with him to one location, preaching then going to do the same somewhere else the same day. We have great times of fellowship and have some really good conversations. I've already met many Kenyan pastors who have established their own churches and even some than have gone into areas that didn't have a church before.
I've managed to find a way around the financial difficulty mentioned above and although things are tight God is blessing me. Numerous people have made unsolicited donations which has made a big difference. One of the things that has really touched me is how so many have been encouraged by the word of God so far. God has really been helping me and despite the fact I'm preaching twice a day I'm finding the time to write sermons {usually the same morning or the night before!}
Please pray for travelling mercies and the churches I will be visiting, for an outpouring of God's Spirit, conversions and healings. God is very very good.
Things have either gone very right or very wrong. I only found out on wednesday that I would not get my entire holiday pay before I left like everyone else. For some reason I will be paid it on a week by week basis which means I will only get the first week of my holiday pay a week after I reach here. At one point I wondered if I had the funds to complete the first week! God is in control though and I only just missed a domestic flight to Eldoret and so had to get another one that turns out to be around half the price I would have paid before.
The first couple of days in Bungoma have been excellent. They have put on a two day conference bringing in many pastors and leaders of their churches in the region. The messages went down really well and the prayer time at the end was very good too. I'm starting to recover from the lack of a nights sleep after the overnight stop in Dubai airport and God is really helping me with the messages.
The pastor of the Bungoma church wants to send me to various churches in the region over this week so I'll be travelling with him to one location, preaching then going to do the same somewhere else the same day. We have great times of fellowship and have some really good conversations. I've already met many Kenyan pastors who have established their own churches and even some than have gone into areas that didn't have a church before.
I've managed to find a way around the financial difficulty mentioned above and although things are tight God is blessing me. Numerous people have made unsolicited donations which has made a big difference. One of the things that has really touched me is how so many have been encouraged by the word of God so far. God has really been helping me and despite the fact I'm preaching twice a day I'm finding the time to write sermons {usually the same morning or the night before!}
Please pray for travelling mercies and the churches I will be visiting, for an outpouring of God's Spirit, conversions and healings. God is very very good.
Thursday 14 January 2010
Leaving tommorrow - Please pray for....
....travelling mercies. That the weather will not cause any delays or problems {It seems to be getting warmer thankfully}
...for a safe journey. {I'll be going by train to Birmingham then flying out to Dubai and then on to Nairobi where I will try to get an internal flight to Eldoret before being picked up by the first pastor I'll be working with and taken to Bungoma.} The driving practices of some on Kenya's roads are pretty dangerous. Pray that we'll get to Bungoma without incident.
...also that I will get a good night's rest and sleep before beginning ministry on sunday preaching at 'In Jesus Global Ministries church' in Bungoma with brother Moses Nyongesa.
I doubt I'll get any proper sleep on the plane so a good night's rest on saturday evening is essential. {I'll be too excited to sleep on the plane anyway!}
ps : My arrangements for accomodation during my 2 week stay in Nairobi have fallen through. I've just found out tonight. Pray that I can make alternative arrangements.
God bless you all....Steve
...for a safe journey. {I'll be going by train to Birmingham then flying out to Dubai and then on to Nairobi where I will try to get an internal flight to Eldoret before being picked up by the first pastor I'll be working with and taken to Bungoma.} The driving practices of some on Kenya's roads are pretty dangerous. Pray that we'll get to Bungoma without incident.
...also that I will get a good night's rest and sleep before beginning ministry on sunday preaching at 'In Jesus Global Ministries church' in Bungoma with brother Moses Nyongesa.
I doubt I'll get any proper sleep on the plane so a good night's rest on saturday evening is essential. {I'll be too excited to sleep on the plane anyway!}
ps : My arrangements for accomodation during my 2 week stay in Nairobi have fallen through. I've just found out tonight. Pray that I can make alternative arrangements.
God bless you all....Steve
Sunday 10 January 2010
In five days I will be flying out for Kenya. It's been a little concerning over the last few days watching the news and seeing the disruption to transport services and airports along with predictions that this cold weather will last for another week. Nevertheless I figure if God has got me this far he can be trusted to get me the rest of the way.
From Bungoma to in the west of the country to Mombasa on the east coast I expect to be kept busy. {which is how I like it}. The churches there are strongly evangelistic and are very responsive and so I anticipate seeing conversions. {They are not shy about inviting people to church}. I will be doing what are called revival/healing services which is really like a regular church service but is aimed at stirring and equipping the church to rise up and advance the kingdom of God. There is an opportunity at the end for people to respond to the message, either to commit their lives to the Lord or for a miracle of healing or some other pressing need in their lives.
Some of the churches I will be visiting are in the slum areas of the capital, Nairobi. They simply can't afford medical care so a miracle is often their only hope. It's strange when I think of it but as a new convert the idea of believing God for miraculous healing seemed very difficult indeed. Now I look back at all the things I've seen God do I can only be encouraged and greatly emboldened to believe that God will do something special and also act on that faith.
I'm going to be taking some recording equipment with me so I can get some of the accounts of what happened first hand. I will be looking to interview some of the people I saw last time and some of the people God touches this time around. Together with details {names, places, witnesses ect} these accounts will go onto a website I've been planning for some time which will feature testimonies from all kinds of people regarding their own experience of God.
I will be providing some prayer points very soon before I go.
regards...Steve
From Bungoma to in the west of the country to Mombasa on the east coast I expect to be kept busy. {which is how I like it}. The churches there are strongly evangelistic and are very responsive and so I anticipate seeing conversions. {They are not shy about inviting people to church}. I will be doing what are called revival/healing services which is really like a regular church service but is aimed at stirring and equipping the church to rise up and advance the kingdom of God. There is an opportunity at the end for people to respond to the message, either to commit their lives to the Lord or for a miracle of healing or some other pressing need in their lives.
Some of the churches I will be visiting are in the slum areas of the capital, Nairobi. They simply can't afford medical care so a miracle is often their only hope. It's strange when I think of it but as a new convert the idea of believing God for miraculous healing seemed very difficult indeed. Now I look back at all the things I've seen God do I can only be encouraged and greatly emboldened to believe that God will do something special and also act on that faith.
I'm going to be taking some recording equipment with me so I can get some of the accounts of what happened first hand. I will be looking to interview some of the people I saw last time and some of the people God touches this time around. Together with details {names, places, witnesses ect} these accounts will go onto a website I've been planning for some time which will feature testimonies from all kinds of people regarding their own experience of God.
I will be providing some prayer points very soon before I go.
regards...Steve
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