Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. (NIV)
When the first information meeting was held for this Water4/Kenya mission trip back in January, everyone involved that it would require an immense amount of prayer. Anything worth doing for the Kingdom of God typically does. So from our very first preparation meeting the entire team has devoted considerable time to praying for every aspect of this trip: the funding, the travel, the wells, the supplies, the pastors, the weather, and so on.
As is God's want, he has been incredibly faithful. He has answered our prayers in greater abundance that we could have hoped for. To date, we have completed the two new wells at Exodus Baptist Church and the Bread of Life Ministry here in Eldoret. Our team also installed an Access 1.2 hand pump on an existing well at Bread of Life. Tomorrow we will complete the installation of a pump on a new well our team dug at the Eldoret Children's Rescue Centre and put in another pump on an existing well at that location. For those of you keeping score at home: 3 completed new wells and 2 new pumps on existing open wells. That's not a bad week's work, but we know that it is all because of God's grace that we had the success that we did. A picture of the new well at the Rescue Centre is below.
While most of the team began the drilling at the Rescue Centre on Saturday, I had the opportunity to begin three days of theological training for the twenty pastors who had just completed the well training. I wish that I could adequately convey to you the passion of these men. They serve in difficult areas of their land, places that you and I would not choose to go. Refugee camps, deserts and regions dominated by militant Muslims are just the start of the list. And yet, despite the hardships, there is nowhere else that they would rather be other than serving God right where he has placed them. Some of these men gave up far better paying careers to be obedient to God's call on their lives. One pastor serves 10 separate congregations, some of which require a day's travel to get there...because he does not own a vehicle.
Also on Saturday, I had the blessing and privilege to perform a marriage for a couple at our host pastor's church, Glory Baptist Church. Music, dancing, a bridal procession that lasted 30 minutes, praise songs and even the offering was taken. It was humbling that this couple was gracious enough to allow me a role in the start of their new life together. The entire ceremony lasted well over two hours. I'm not sure that I have fully recovered even two days later.
On Sunday, our team split up and helped to lead worship, teach and preach in five different congregations on Sunday morning. Some of our team were not expecting to share in front of an entire church, but when they were called upon to give a brief testimony, they knocked it out of the park. Experiencing the "full body" worship of the Kenyan people - clapping, jumping, dancing...everything just short of a conga line - is quite a change for most of our team. There is such exuberance and unbridled joy throughout the entire worship service. And lots, and I mean LOTS, of loud music. Our day concluded with an combined worship service of the entire team and all of the pastors.
Tomorrow we will conclude the pastor training portion of our trip. Each pastor will receive a certificate and we will have a commissioning service to wrap up our time together. Our time here has far exceeded any expectations. I guess that says as much about our small expectations as it does about the greatness of our heavenly Father.
Soli Deo gloria,
Michael
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