IMPORTANT - PRAYER NEEDED

We will be leaving early Saturday morning for a very important trip to DR Congo.  I will be traveling with my oldest son Timothy who will on the conclusion of my portion of the trip remain behind in Congo with Pastor Oloo.  They will then return to Kenya by bus a week later.  Timothy will have the opportunity to preach one Sunday morning at our church in Uvira, DRC along with many other ministry related responsibilities.  What an honour, joy and privilege it is to serve the Lord with my son.  God has called him to be a missionary and he decided long ago that he was not going to wait until after graduating from Bible College to begin serving the Lord.  He has gained a wealth of experience and has begun putting that experience to use.  God has burdened him for the Congolese people and he is doing his best to reach them. 

The main purpose of our trip is to travel about seven hours south of Uvira into the Baraka region to meet with the church that has been started in Sebele.  We will be spending a few days with them preaching, teaching and laying the final preparations to opening up a branch of our bible college in that area.  It is difficult to put into words the tremendous need and opportunity that has presented itself to us in this area of Congo.  The last time we were in this area we saw Satan put up an enormous fight.  This is the area where we were harassed at night by the police and early the next morning as we were leaving they pulled us off of our vehicle and "arrested" us, accusing us of being political spies and not preachers.  The day after we left the village of Sebele the rebels came out of the forest, attacked the village, killing many and sending the rest into hiding.

As a matter of fact we desperately need your prayers as we have already seen Satan do his best to keep us from making this trip.  Last week when applying for our VISA at the embassy we were unexpectedly DENIED a VISA for DR Congo.  During the last two years we have monthly applied for at least two VISAS for our men and have never been turned down.  We were told that because of a directive from the government some VISA issuing policies had been changed.  Until we could meet the new requirement which basically was an officially stamped letter from a certain government office in Congo, we would not be given a VISA.  During our initial trips into Congo we took the time to visit all the government offices, explain who we were, what we were doing, answering questions AND collecting papers.  Well it just so happened that one of the officials we visited and one of the papers we collected and filed away is what they were looking for.  Earlier this week the restriction on issuing us a VISA was lifted.  Halleluiah, thank you Jesus!

Early Monday morning around 2 am my phone rang.  When I answered the phone a voice on the other end told me to listen to his instructions carefully.  He said he was outside our gate with a gang of men and they wanted me to open the gate to let them in.  If I obeyed they would only take our money and things, but if I refused they would use their guns and KILL us one by one.  I quickly got the attention of my wife to press our silent alarm that would bring a security team to our house.  I knew it would take them a few minutes to arrive so while waiting for them I tried to stall the one who was on the phone.  We did not know that our buttons to call the security were not working.  Over the course of the next 45 minutes we received three different phone calls with the same threats, trying to get us to open our gate "or else".  We finally succeeded in alerting security and they showed up at our house.  They parked their vehicle at our gate the rest of the night just in case whoever was calling decided to come and make good on their threats.  A report was filed with the police but we do not know if anything will come of it.

With this serious security threat taking place just a few days before my scheduled departure it required some quick decisions in order to increase our security so that I can be sure my family will be safe while I am gone.  We had to do a complete "overview" of our security needs and make the necessary adjustments, so that my families safety would not be an issue.  I will not go into detail in a public posting like this our security arrangements but they are such that I believe with confidence that if anyone tried something they would not succeed.  However I ask that you seriously keep this a matter of prayer while I am gone.  God has given Wendy the strength she needs to handle herself in these situations and she is confident of our security arrangements and the rightness that this trip goes forward as planned.

I realize that we cannot nor should not blame every difficulty we have on Satan.  However I am quite sure that Satan is trying to hinder this trip.  The fact that we are going to begin training people in an area that he has controlled is not something that he will allow to happen without a fight.

I ask all of our friends, supporters and prayer partners to make this trip a matter of prayer.  We leave early Saturday morning.  I will be returning to Kenya one week later and Timothy will be returning two weeks later.

Thank you in advance for your prayers,

Bro. Mickey and family

A NEW NATION IS BORN

On July 9th, South Sudan officially became the 54th African nation and the 193rd nation of the world.  South Sudan has been in an almost constant state of war between the mostly Muslim north during the last decade and has seen almost two million killed in the conflict.  It has been a long struggle but independence has been achieved.  South Sudan becomes a new nation

We have many South Sudanese refugees in Kenya and have the privilege of having fifteen attend our Christian School.  Most of these fifteen have been saved and we are hopeful that the others will soon accept Christ.  These Sudanese children have lived through and seen things that are beyond description.  Because of the unimaginable atrocities that they have experienced gaining their trust and confidence is an effort that only comes through time and God's help.

South Sudan is open to the preaching of the gospel and to missionaries and mission work.  The many false religions of the world have begun to spread their poison in this new country.  How I wish we had a man that was ready and willing to be sent to this great needy area.  I can't help but think of Ezekiel 22:30 - "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none."    Where is that man who will make the sacrifice to go to this dangerous but ripe land?  

Some of our South Sudanese students

The Grace Bible Baptist Church has a prayer that God would allow them to be part of going/sending/supporting someone to the Regions Beyond of South Sudan.  Will you be that one?  We are praying - will you pray?

ALL NIGHT PRAYER MEETING

James 5:16 ...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

The Grace Bible Baptist Church has a tremendous need at this time and we desire to know the mind of God concerning it.  With our human reasoning it does not seem that there is anything WE can do with our own hands that will bring an answer to this need.

However.... there is God.

God has taught us over and over again that He will take care of us.  We have seen God provide miracle after miracle and make what seems impossible possible. We need God to do it again.

Last Friday we had the first of three all night prayer meetings.  The people of the church met together at 9:00 pm and we prayed till daybreak.  What a blessing to see the young and old come together in prayer asking God to meet a great need.

Over the next three months we will meet monthly for an all night prayer meeting along with the people taking one day a week and spending it in fasting and prayer.

Would you please join us in asking God to meet this special UNSPOKEN prayer request of the Grace Bible Baptist Church. 

FASTEST GROWING IN ALL AFRICA

There are 54 countries on the continent of Africa consisting of thousands of towns.  Africa has the highest birth/growth rate in the entire world and has the second highest population of any continent with over 1 billion people.  Anybody who has visited an African town or city will attest to the fact that there are people everywhere.  Recently the U.N. released a report naming Nakuru as the fasting growing town/city in all of Africa. The growth rate is an astounding 13 percent per year. 

See   News article  and youtube video .   

A few months after arriving in Kenya in January 1998 God began to direct us to the town of Nakuru.  We knew that there were a lot of people in Nakuru and that there was a great need but little did we realize that in just a short time God would begin sending people to Nakuru from all over country.   The growth has been steady but in the last few years it has rapidly increased.

What does this growth rate mean for us?  One of the most noticeable changes is the increased COST of LIVING.  Rents have increased dramatically and the price of land has quadrupled in the last couple of years.  Whereas before many things were cheap compared to the capital city of Nairobi, now things are comparably as expensive. 

However the biggest change is a greater OPPORTUNITY.  Literally there are people, people everywhere.  Although the number of Baptist churches have increased in Nakuru since 1998 from one to seven the burden and workload to reach all the people is greater than ever.  The amount of lost souls in line walking towards an eternity in hell is increasing greatly by the day, literally increasing faster than anywhere in all of Africa.

In the thirteen years we have lived in Nakuru we have seen for various reasons seven missionary families come and go. Certainly some of them God moved on to other ministries but one thing is sure - the opportunity to minister in this place has grown greater than ever.  I have lain awake at night thinking about all the opportunity we have in this city to reach those around us and what could be done with more labourers.    

Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

I am praying - could the Lord possibly be sending you?

Nakuru from the air

Nakuru fastest growing in Africa

NEW CHURCH OFF TO A GREAT START

30 members of the Grace Bible Baptist Church traveled over five hours to the town of  Masimba to spread the gospel seed in preparation for the beginnings of a new church. Over a period of three days thousands of people living in this region had the gospel seed planted in their hearts.  Masimba is a staunch Seventh Day Adventist stronghold but we know that the light of the gospel will penetrate even the darkest of hearts.  We praise the Lord for the 43 precious souls who made a profession of salvation during our soulwinning time in the Masimba region.

The weather was not favorable to us but in spite of the rain hundreds of people showed up for our open air preaching time including many of those who had trusted Christ during our soul winning.  It was a blessing to see many stand out in the rain to hear the Word of God preached.  Christians often times allow the smallest things to hinder their faithfulness to church and yet here were scores of people standing/sitting in the rain, listening intently to the Word of God!

On Sunday morning 87 people showed up for the first service.  The small building that was rented for the church could not hold the crowd so we had to shift the service outside.  Again, many of those who had trusted Christ were in the service, with a smile on their face and ready to be taught.

Pastor Matthew Mogire has a lot of work ahead of him as he follows up on all the visitors and those who trusted Christ.  He told me in a phone conversation today that they are ready to hold a baptism service for those who have been saved.  Please continue to pray for these dear people.  This is one of the more difficult places in Kenya to minister and Satan will not give up any ground without a fight.

Church signboard

Getting ready to plant some seed

The first service

Zipporah leading a lady to the Saviour

NEEMA BAPTIST CHURCH- MASIMBA

We are about to embark on a 5 hour trip with 30 members of the Grace Bible Baptist Church to the town of Masimba.  Over the next couple of days we will be saturating the community with the gospel in preparation for the beginning of a new church that will hold its first service on Sunday.  Along with witnessing door to door we will also be doing some outdoor preaching and showing an evangelistic film.

As has always been our practice, we endeavor to follow the biblical example of churches starting churches.  This new church will be pastored by one of our Bible College graduates and members of our church, brother Matthew Mogire.  Brother Matthew is from this area and has a great burden to see this region reached with the gospel.

The predominate church in this area is the Seventh Day Adventist Cult. We know that there will be much opposition to the gospel and to this new church but we are assured from the Bible that we are going with Jesus authority.

It is exciting and a privilege to be serving here in Kenya with a group of people who desire to see churches start and the gospel go forward both here in Kenya and in the Regions Beyond. 

Brother Matthew (right) standing in front of the building we have rented for the church.

Sunday School Child Passes On

It does not matter where you are in the world, children are children.  It is always a joy to work with children and see them come to the Lord at an early age.  Watching children grow up without the scars of sin brings a pleasure like no other.

We have always made children a large part of our ministry efforts.  We have a christian school with nearly 300 children.  We have seven bible clubs that meet on Saturdays with a combined attendance of over 1000.  Every Sunday we have over 200 children who attend our church service.  We truly endeavor to reach the children.

Today it was with sadness that today we had the funeral service of one of our Sunday School children.  Joy Wangui was barely four years old when God took her home.  Joy's mother received Christ in our church a couple years ago and it was with great happiness that I was able to assure her that she would see her lovely daughter again.

Joy's mother is the brother of one of our most faithful men, brother Peterson Kimani.  When Peterson got saved God truly changed him.  A drunkard who was living for himself was changed to a man who now lives for God and his family.  Many of Peterson's family have come to the Lord and his children are some of the best in the church  Peterson's wife is saved but has been holding out on joining the church.  Please pray for her.

Peterson owns a public transportation business and has completely dedicated his business to the Lord. He is not ashamed of his beliefs and willingly shows it. (see picture)  It is not often we see people as dedicated in their business practices as brother Peterson has shown.  Through his testimony his sister has been reached and she has the knowledge that heaven will bring a reunion with her daughter!

Joy's grave

Peterson's Vehicle- Known around town as the "King James"!