Dexter Church of Christ: Kenya Missions Work

Thanks for your prayers over the items in the last newsletter. The Lord heard and answered each of them in a wonderful way. Our annual Elders/Leaders Meeting was very successful and other meetings after that have been great! I wish I could tell all about each, but already below there is a lot of info. Please do pray over the items in the prayer list, God is hearing us and you!

Nairobi Great Commission School Extension Program – Eldoret

We had a successful two weeks of the NGCS Ext. Program. Sammy Kibet taught on Back to the Bible,

making sure all the students were Christians and I taught on How to Study the Bible. Below is a report sent to the Churches by the Principal of the school. See prayer requests below!

To Our Beloved Christians,

I am happy to greet you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I would also like to share with you a short message about the good progress of our school.

We thank God for being with us through the initiative of this project. We managed to open this school on 17^th Sept., 2007, officially. During that day of orientation, NGCS in Nairobi managed to send us their representative lecturer, Tom Opondo. Brother Tom gave us some positive encouragements about our vision of this school. He was also very much pleased with our strategies.

Currently we have eight students, seven men and one lady. They are committed and disciplined students. They also are doing very well in their classes.

Lastly but not the least, our dear brothers and sisters, you need to understand that this school belongs to you and is one of our church projects. So in order for this school to succeed, all of us need to support it in terms of prayers and financially with material support. In terms of foodstuff, support we accept and appreciate things like maize, beans, peas, firewood, wheat, potatoes, vegetables and millet. Through your assistance, this will lower our students fees burden and at the end everybody will be happy and the glory goes to God himself.

Thank you very much and God be with you also.

Sosten Kering - School Principal

P.S. The next session will be from 12^th – 23^rd Nov. Stephen Bii will teach OT Survey and David Kibet Kemboi will teach NT Survey.

P.P. S. I was visiting with one of the students and he mentioned that before the first class, he believed in evolution not creation. Now he believes in creation and that God is a living God! That God wants to have a personal relationship with him!

Next year, we have four more sessions planned and a practical somewhere. Each session costs in total $425. The students pay $300 total (or $38 each, which can be as much as a month’s salary here in Kenya). So we are trying to raise support for these extra monies as well as trying to raise some support to help each student in school fees.

2. We do not have electricity at the school. I went to apply and they told me it would cost $8,400, as I would need to buy a transformer as we are over 600 meters from two transformers in the area. Praise the Lord, they are moving one of the transformers within the 600 meter range, so we should only have to pay about $800 or less. Keep praying, God is working to help us! We need this so the students can study at night and we can have meetings at night with lights so we can see what we are reading on the paper!

3. Pray for our leaders. I and two elders went to a cluster of 4 churches. A long weekend, as in that cluster, one church leaders refused to repent when asked to, in another church the leader was caught in the act of adultery, the third church is allowing a man to sit in the church who just took his third wife. The fourth church has good leadership and is looking to evangelize and teach others. They want to break away from the other churches, which are draining them spiritually.

5. Upcoming elections in Kenya, we are told the dates might be before Christmas. Pray for peace and that the Lord will put in the government His man to rule us for 5 years. And for the election of the 210 Parliamentarians who will serve Kenya and not themselves, as the last parliament did.

This has been a busy week, not only having ‘regular’ work, we have put out a “Youth Challenge Newsletter” and a General newsletter for the 107 churches here in our work area. The girls have helped by gluing on labels and stamping on return addresses on the envelopes. I told them we have one more newsletter to go, to the Americans. They both said to greet you warmly for them. Below is a song that Kirsten copied into her song book, she asked if I could send it to you as well. It is called, “Small Comforts”.

Every day’s a challenge,

There are victories to be won,

Battles to engage in

Before the day is done.

There are trials and burdens,

But joys as well to know,

To help us deal with troubles

As on our way we go.

Prayers can be most helpful

To lighten loads until

We feel a sense of peacefulness

That prayer does so instill.

We can turn our thinking

To God’s most tender love,

Then life will be much sweeter

As we lift our thoughts above.

Kirsten bookmarker that she made me says: When you talk to God, you’re sure to find He’ll give you joy and peace of mind. He’ll hear your thoughts and clear the way to care for needs you have today!

They will begin vacation from school on the 23^rd of November and return in early January. Their rabbits will keep them busy, as now they have 22 babies and the adult rabbits to search for food for. Feeding them is more of a chore, as the food supply becomes depleted as the rains have stopped and the weeds are not growing. If that is not enough to keep them busy, we have about 90 broilers to slaughter around the first of December. They were very happy to have made about $1.40 on the jogoo project (roosters) as well that they raised and sold along with Majimbo’s (our night watchman) and mine.

Dear God, today I want to talk with you about men. I pray that every man will see his worth as you see him. I pray that each one will realize their importance and find their identity in YOU, not in position or profession or sports or fame or drugs or whatever. May you gain wisdom and knowledge of YOUR will and YOUR Word…and will rise up to become great men of God, leaders in their families, work places, churches, and communities. When their lives are changed and spiritually tuned in to YOUR will, then the world will feel the impact. May they grow spiritually strong. May their influence be positive and far- reaching. And may YOU be glorified, Worthy One. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

In Service to Christ,

Keith, Grace, Kirsten and Ruth Gafner

Right place, I was told by a person starting an orphanage here in town, whom I have given some advice, that I am in the right place, just where God can use us. Then, the next day one of the Christians thanked me for being here. Help us to stay here as you think of your budgets for 2008. Thanks

Our Sponsoring church is: The South 11^th and Willis Church of Christ, 3333 S. 11^th Street, Abilene, TX 79605. Please, if you desire to begin sending some support to us, please note on the check that it is for Keith and Grace Gafner. If you are sending support for NGCS Ext. Program (8 students) talked about above, please note that on the check. Thanks

Kenya Missions Update

October 26, 2007


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