Kenya: A Final Report on my Missions Trip!
“Thank you” doesn’t seem enough to express my deepest gratitude to you for your partnership with me, financially and/or in prayer. I just have to trust the Holy Spirit to impart my joy to you and for you because of all you’ve enabled me to do on this latest ministry trip to Kenya!”
Early this morning as I further contemplated my trip to minister in Siaya, Kenya /
It occurred to me that this was a sacred trip! /
Early this morning as I further contemplated my trip to minister in Siaya, Kenya / It occurred to me that this was a sacred trip! /
Video: Sunday service, 17 people accepted Christ!
A Sacred Trip:
Early this morning as I further contemplated my trip to minister in Siaya, Kenya, it occurred to me that this was a sacred trip. I’ve never associated those two words with any of my trips before. But even now, that sense of the time being sacred is still with me. What do I mean by this?
I can try and break it all down in three categories:
Salvations (especially among young people)
Ministry – from the youngest of orphans to a 70-year-old bishop, to the young man I’ve been mentoring – Wesley Bremer;
Substantial Open doors for future return trips.
Salvations:
We had a total (a conservative count) of 114 responses to a salvation invitation given in four different Sunday worship services! That is most sacred of all!
Ministry time:
Ministry time was very sacred as well! The heavens seemed quite open when I taught repeatedly about the nature of God the Father – commonly known as The Father Heart of God. If ever there was a “now message” for a culture, this is it. It seems that the majority of the Kenyan culture is a “fatherless” culture, and the Christian culture barely knows anything about God the Father.
I’m still moved and even stunned at the overwhelming response of the people to this message – especially as I taught through the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15) – with particular focus on the father in the parable. A 70-year-old bishop was almost in tears when he said how he wished he had heard this teaching decades ago.
Ministry to a 14-year-old girl named Sherry! All she knew was rejection. She was born out of wedlock in a very scandalous situation, Sherry has been rejected by all family members and seemingly everyone in society that knows about this situation – one she had nothing to do with.
I had literally just finished teaching on the Father heart of God from the Parable of the Prodigal Son when Pastor Paul (our host pastor) asked me to pray for Sherry (in the picture above). At first, it seemed odd to me that he brought her up before about 85 bishops, pastors, and worship leaders.
I worried that this 14-year-old would be overwhelmed and intimidated (Sherry was there with a bishop’s wife), but God had this one set up to bring an extremely powerful demonstration of Himself as our Father.
Immediately, I felt led to ask Wesley to join me and for us both to get on our knees in front of her, hold her hands, and by the Holy Spirit I began to look into her eyes and tell her she is accepted by the Father and the Son, by us, that we value her, that she is just as important to God as I am, that we care for her, that she has a destiny with God and that He is going to use all of what she’s had to endure for His glory.
Video: Ministry to a girl named Sherry!
I know for certain that no man or men have ever spoken to Sherry in that way. What I didn’t know and couldn’t see is that virtually everyone in the church building was in tears – including the men – who never cry in public. Furthermore, Pastor Paul said the presence of God was so strong that the women dropped to their knees.
But Wesley and I were so focused on Sherry that we were oblivious to all of that around us. And we literally saw Sherry’s countenance change dramatically before our eyes. It was like a cloud of shame was lifted from her and her eyes – which were “cloudy” – brightened and her face beamed with a marvelous smile – one of the best smiles I’ve ever seen.
I told the people afterward that we had just witnessed a living demonstration of the Father heart of God and to take this back to their congregations and treat people the way He treats and loves us. Apparently, due to lack of funds for this precious orphan, Sherry had not been to school in seven years. When this was made known, leaders rushed forward to give money toward her tuition!
More Ministry time & FM Radio:
Ministered to Widows: On another day, I had some very tender ministry to about 30 widows to encourage them in their very small businesses (think fruit and vegetable stands in a rural area). These women also feel rejected and unimportant, so I went to each one of them before I spoke and touched each of their hands.
I also spoke encouragement to them from the Father, along with what His Word says about them. And I gave them the same strategies from Proverbs that I used years ago for success in outside sales, to help them to set themselves and their businesses apart from their competitors. I can tell you there was much rejoicing in that place!
Video: Listen as Pst Paul skillfully translates from English to Lou, the local language!
FM Radio Ministry: Pastor Paul and I were able to do two months of radio broadcasts live, thus eliminating his need to drive an hour round trip every week to the radio studio to translate for my weekly radio broadcasts. Our ministry together for these broadcasts went off without a hitch!
Stamina: My great concern was stamina for this two-week, packed schedule for ministry — but through the prayers of many — stamina was hardly even an issue! In fact, I ministered for 11 consecutive days (though I won’t do that again) before I had a day off.
Substantial open doors for future return trips:
Please join me in praying for God’s favor and timing for each of these open doors!
One Anglican bishop asked me to return and preach evangelistically to their school of 10,000 girls (yes, 10,000) and also to preach in his church.
Another Anglican bishop asked me to come and preach in his church and to his school of 1,000 students.
Two bishops said they want me to do a pastor’s conference of 500.
One of the largest universities in Kenya is about a half-hour away, and Pastor Paul knows the most influential campus minister there; he’s going to speak to him about bringing me in to speak to the students.
The pastors are already discussing putting on a major evangelistic crusade in Siaya and asking me to preach that crusade.
Reflecting on Ministry times over the 2 weeks…
For additional Kenya Trip Blog posts: bradabley.com/blog
Thank you to my partners and friends for sending me to Kenya! Thanks also for your financial and prayer support. I could not do these missions trip without a network of people just like you!! God bless you for being part of the team!
