Connections

The International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention exists to share the Gospel to all nations. The ‘missionary task’ has six components: Entry, Evangelism, Discipleship, Healthy Church Formation, Leadership Training, and Partnership. The IMB staff in Nairobi exists to help establish and grow healthy churches in Kenya and other areas of Sub-Saharan Africa. The East Africa Project and Bellevue Baptist church partner with churches in multiple areas of Kenya who also share the gospel and minister to the people of Kenya. Two of those churches have a significant impact in Nairobi. Pastor Harrison leads a church in the Tassia region of Nairobi and oversees over a dozen church plants. His wife Christine has founded two primary schools for children who can’t afford school fees elsewhere. Pastor Kennedy’s church is in Eastlands, but he and his wife Faustine operate a school in the Mathare slums. These two great organizations work in the same area with the same goal, reaching the people of Kenya for Christ.

On Thursday evening we were able to gather in Baron & Jackie Muga’s backyard for a meal with the Bellevue team, several of the Nairobi IMB staff and several people from Harrison’s and Kennedy’s churches. It was a time of fellowship, of idea exchange, of shared ministry discussion and eating great Kenyan food! Nairobi is growing every day. There is more construction going on here than any place I’ve ever seen. Traffic in town during the day is nearly impossible. Many people are moving to the city everyday for job opportunities. In other words, “But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest.”

There are many opportunities to be a part of what is going on here. Obviously, the most important thing you can do for the work here is Pray! God has placed some of his choice servants here who are tending to the harvest every day. But there are daily challenges as you might imagine. Pray that God give them all strength, stamina, provision and peace. The second thing you can do is Give. Whether it be through the Cooperative Program, Bellevue’s mission offering or through The East Africa Project, your financial support is the lifeline to people in the field. And last, but certainly not least, perhaps God is calling you to Go and join the folks in the field. There are many different avenues from short term 1–2-week trips, 3–6-month opportunities, school teaching opportunities, 2-year journeyman programs or even full-time missions. If you think this might be you, contact Ben Taylor or Ciara Craddock in the Bellevue Missions department or you can give me a ring. Adventure awaits!

I am a few days behind in posting updates and most of the team is headed home. Susan and I are getting to spend an extra day in airports and hotels due to a cancelled flight to Paris! It’s always something! More later…