GREETINGS in
Yahshua's Name. We just returned from our trip to Kenya
with much success. There are several thousand members in
Kenya, who Elder Duggar from Church of God 7th Day, started a
congregation with in 1971. Duggar is the one who ordained
Herbert Armstrong back in 1931 and died in 1975. It was
really an eye-opening trip to us in many different
ways. The brethren down there are extremely poor, but
have such high spirits it was amazing. Most do not have
even the simple conveniences such as electric, running water or
indoor plumbing, but none of them complained in the
least. It also taught us that material blessings are not
always a real indication of one's spiritual condition. It
was such a testimony to us. We drove to a different
congregation almost daily in small public transportation called
Mutatos. These are 10-passenger mini-van that they cram
in about 22 to 25 people. We were told that before the
government tightened the laws for the crowding of these vans they
even had people sit on top of the roof of the van, but again no
complaints. One young girl had waited 6 months just to
thank us for a dress she received in an earlier aid
package. Their humility won't be
forgotten. The women there especially are extremely hard
workers. We were blessed to witness the baptism of 15 new
family members while
there.
We are determined
to continue to work with the brethern there to help them with their
main problems of unemployment of about 80%, and the education of
their children which is very, very poor. We are trying to
start a project, Yahweh willing, to help them get a school property
that they can work from to create jobs and income and also not only
educate their children to the ways of yahweh, but also other Kenyan
children. The school, if purchased, could also be
privatized, so that not only would they be able to properly educate
their children in the ways of Yahweh but they could also produce
income to use for the starving poor African
brethren. This would also put the Church in Kenya on a
safe ground with the government. Although freedom of
religion is the official policy of Kenya, Sabbath keepers are
frowned upon, and not truly legitimized. With a school as
headquarters it could protect them from persecution in the future,
but most importantly teach their children how to read so that they
can learn to read the Bible. We are setting an estimated
goal of between $10,000 to $15,000 to purchase property and build a
school building. It could also be used to house fleeing
brethren from Sudan, Ethiopia, and Uganda We are also
going to be sending them aid to help them evangelize to other
areas. They have started congregations in Ethiopia,
Uganda and Sudan. We met one of the ordained elders from
Sudan who shared with us the dire need to the brethren
there. They are dying of diarrheas, starvation, and many
other things. As poor as the Kenya brethren are, each
congregation took up an offering for the Ethiopia
brethren. We also gave a sizable offering for the
brethren there. Between civil war and drought, the
situation in both Ethiopia and Sudan is desperate. Many
have fled these countries and are living in refugee camps under UN
control. You can read in out newsletter of some of the
horrific stories happening in Uganda and
Sudan.
We are calling
this project "Project Africa" Our goal is to make
Kenya self sustaining in 12 months. These people are hard
workers, and don't just want handouts. All they honestly
need is a little jump-start from the brethren around the world who
have been blessed to help them. If we could accomplish
the school building project in the next 12 months, then from the
income of this project, the Kenyan brethren would fund all the other
needy brethren from the other African countries. We truly
have the opportunity not to just help one needy brother, but to
literally change the lives of thousands of African brethren in that
part of the world. And, as I had already stated, to some
of them, it is life and death.
If anyone would like to
contribute to this project over the next 12 months, please put for
the Kenya project on your offering. Both Petra and Myself
are fully committed to help in any way possible. The love
and dedication of the brethren down there truly touched us in a way
words cannot express. We thank you for all your prayers,
and support to the African Brethren.
contact@coYHWH.com