The Vision of Ukunda Missions School

For those of you who have been following this blog, I hope that the vision of Ukunda Missions School has become clear to you. 

The Lord is doing something powerful in Kenya.  Many Kenyan Christians are being mobilized to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.  In the future, where will missionaries come from?  How many Americans are willing to risk their lives, leave everything, and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in difficult places?  Unfortunately, not very many.  On the other hand, there is a great mobilization taking place in Africa.  African Christians are being called by the Lord to leave everything and preach the gospel. 

You can compare this to the parable  that speaks about the laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16).  The owner of the vineyard came in the morning hours, looking for laborers to work in his vineyard.  Some responded to this call, and he promised to pay them a day's wage.  Later on in the day, he came  again looking for laborers.  And again at the end of the day, he came again looking for those who would labor in the vineyard.

 In the same way, the Lord has been looking for laborers who will work in His vineyard.  In the early hours of the day, at the day of Pentecost, He called the Jewish people, and some left everything to go and work in the harvest fields.  As history progressed, the time came when He called the British to go into the nations of the earth and preach the gospel.  The British sent thousands of missionaries into the earth.    Then the Lord visited America, and thousands of Americans responded to the call and went into the nations. 

Now, the day is coming to an end, and the Lord is still looking for laborers to bring in the harvest.  Unfortunately, many Americans,  Britains, and Jews, are no longer willing to respond to the call, so the Lord turns to Africa,  In Africa, there are thousands of willing laborers, who are willing to leave everything, to risk their lives, and to go and work in the vineyard of the Lord.  This is the vision of Ukunda Missions School, to help mobilize the African church in missions.  If we are successful, thousands of missionaries will be sent into the difficult parts of the earth.  Thousands of missionaries will be sent into Islamic nations, to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ with signs and wonders following.   

Those who are called to labor late in the day will be paid extra, more than they seem to deserve.  I believe that the missionaries whom God is calling and sending from Africa in these days, will walk in amazing grace, amazing miracles and power.   When others have grown tired and weary from their labor, those who are called late in the day will work wholeheartedly to bring in the final harvest.  

I am extremely encouraged by what has already been take in place in Ukunda Missions School.  Already, laborers are being trained here.  Already, they are beginning to bring in the harvest.  They are already planting churches in Islamic dominated areas.  They are already preaching the gospel without fear.  If we are able to continue working in this vision, many missionaries will be mobilized.  

If God enables you, would you consider giving a generous gift to this ministry as this year comes to an end?  I know that there are many worthy ministries that need your support, but I also know that God is doing something special here.  If the Lord lays it on your heart, please listen to His voice and give whatever he tells you to give.  

In January, we are beginning a three week evangelistic outreach into Islamic dominated areas along the coast of East Africa.  I believe that during this outreach, hundreds of Muslims will open up their hearts to the Lord.  Some will be chased from their homes as they do so.  We need to help them find places to stay, to train them, and then send them out again to preach the gospel.   Please prayerfully consider helping us in this endeavor.

If you would like to invest in this ministry, you can click on the paypal button that is on the sidebar.  Or, you
can send a check to:

More of Jesus Ministries
595 Old Hershey Rd.
Elizabethtown, PA 17022

Please indicate that your gift is for "Ukunda Missions School"

I will be coming to the USA on January 13, and staying for two weeks. If you would be willing for me to share the vision of UMS and the testimonies of what is happening here with your church, please contact me at vaughnmartin7@gmail.com   

Return to Belgium

Well, as 2013 comes to an end, I decided I needed to return to Belgium and spend a few weeks with my family.  One of the most difficult things about being a missionary are the times when it becomes necessary to travel alone for extended periods of time.   I only do this when I am certain that the Lord has spoken to me.  I know that if I am following His voice, He will take care of my family.  I thank God that every time He asks me to travel for extended periods,  He also speaks clearly to my wife. 

Elisa and Walschap

The Lord has certainly taken care of my family.  I am back in Belgium now, and I see my daughters becoming women of God.   Yesterday Elisa led worship in our church in Brussels, Capitol Worship Center.  At moments in the church service, there was such a strong, tangible presence of the Lord.  When Elisa sings prophetically, the glory of God begins to manifest.  

Ruby

Our daughter Ruby experienced a real spiritual breakthrough this year.  Ruby (14 years old)  is very different from Elisa (16 years old).  Elisa is to some degree an introvert.  She enjoys spending hours alone with the Lord as she worships and studies the word.  Ruby is quite a people person, always surrounded by friends and invited to all the parties.  If you put her alone in a room and expect her to make good use of her time, you might discover that she spent all her time texting her friends. 

Ruby has always exhibited a lot of love for friends and family, and a commitment to the Lord.  However, during the past year we became concerned about her spiritual life.  It seemed that although she was a wonderful daughter, she didn’t seem to be very excited about spiritual things.   Her life seemed to revolve around her friends.  As any father of a teenage daughters knows, this can lead in troubling directions.

That all changed this past year.  A youth group started up in Brussels, attended by a lot of English speaking youth.  For the first time in her life, Ruby has many Christian friends.   And somehow, her spiritual life has really changed.  Every time I called her from Kenya, she told me about the scriptures she has been reading, and the things they are studying in youth group.   She has become so excited about spiritual things.  Yesterday, as Elisa led worship at our church in Brussels, I watched Ruby weeping and weeping in the front of the church.  When I asked her later what had happened, she told me that God had touched her, and that her heart was filled with an overwhelming sense of gratefulness as she saw the gift that God had given her when Jesus died on the cross.

Julie riding Walschap

And finally, Julie (9years old) is growing up.  Julie is such a unique child.  There is something very special about her, in the way she talks to God and follows Him.   She loves the family pets, especially Walschap the horse.   Walschap is enormous.  Julie always looks so full of joy when she rides him.

Ilona

In everything, I am very grateful.  Ilona is a wonderful wife, and has taken such good care of things while I have been gone.  I see God’s hand moving so strongly upon my family, and I know that our best days are ahead of us.  

Traveling with Francis

While the students were embarking on their three day mission trips two weeks ago, I decided I shouldn't just sit alone at the school.  I decided to join my friend Francis on a ministry trip.
I met Francis on the streets of Mtwapa a year and a half ago, while I was preaching on the streets there.  When I met him, he insisted that we work together, and that I come to Tana River where he was ministering.  You can read about my first trip to Tana River HERE.  Since that time, we have been working together, and I have really come to appreciate his boldness.  He called me today, and told me that he was preaching on the streets of Garissa.  For those of you who don't know anything about Garissa, the Muslims there are far more aggressive than our Muslim neighbors here in Ukunda.  Garissa is near the Somali border, and there are many Somalis there.  To preach on the streets there is risky indeed.

In any case, I decided to travel with Francis to Nairobi.  This seemed like a fairly simple trip, with little potential for excitement, but I felt the Lord leading me to go.   I travel frequently between Nairobi and Mombasa.  It is about an eight hour journey.  The only danger is the numerous deadly automobile accidents that take place on a daily basis.   The road passes through Tsavo National Park.

In any case, as we approached Nairobi Francis wanted me to stop and visit some friends of his that lived nearby.  He assured me that the road to their place was good.  So we left the main road, entering a place known as "Lukenya".  We traveled a few kilometers on a road that got worse and worse.


  Soon, this was my view:    


  Francis wanted me to follow this footpath with my auto to get to the town where his friends lived.  Needless to say, my confidence in his driving instructions was dwindling.  Saw some wildebeest running around.

Some kids in Lukenya.  

The Roman Catholic cathedral of Lukenya

We finally made it to a small settlement inhabited by stoneworkers.  I was impressed by their labor in the hot African sun.  A skilled stoneworker can cut about 70 of these stones in a day's time, work that will earn him about $6 or so.  The next time you feel like complaining about your job, you might want to watch one of these guys!

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The rock quarry

Finished stones, ready for sale

Francis preaching in Lukenya

Francis immediately started preaching and praying for people.  I joined him.  Here he is preaching in the open air, without any kind of sound system.  After preaching, one of the women insisted that we stay at her family home, which she said was just nearby.  It turned out to not be so near.  We ended up driving 15km on very bad roads in the middle of the night.  Here is the road during the daytime.  At night, it seems a lot worse, especially for a 2wd vehicle.  

Not what I wanted to see ahead of me after a long day of following Francis' driving instructions

When we reached the woman's home, we prayed for her husband who suffered from blindness.   He told us his seeing improved with the prayers.  My heart went out to this family.  In the past, they were a prosperous, upper middle class family with a successful business selling stones from the quarry.  The problem was, people knew they had money, and their home was located far from the town in the middle of the bush.  In Africa, this combination of factors makes you a target for armed gangs.  Their home was raided five times by thugs.  They would lock themselves inside their home behind the iron bars, but the thugs had ways of getting inside.  On one occasion the thugs broke a window, poured some gasoline inside, and lit a match.  The family was forced to come out, and to allow all their possessions to be taken.  The father was too old and blind to do very much, and the boys were too young to put up a fight.  

So now the family is living there with very few possession, and a destroyed business.   Crime can really destroy a family's prospects in Africa.  If you live far from other people, you can really be in danger.  As you drive along the highway, you may see abandoned buildings.  In many cases, these buildings were abandoned because they were located too far from other homes.  Armed gangs came and took everything, until eventually the owners gave up and left.  Sometimes the gangs raped and murdered the inhabitants.  

We prayed for the family, and I felt the Lord's peace and protection descending upon them.  I believe that they will never again be robbed in this way.  

Saturday morning, we continued on to Nairobi.  We visited some of Francis friends, and held a meeting with them.  Saturday evening, I left to finish some of my own business in Nairobi.  

The main reason I joined Francis is because he is a part of our ministry here at UMS, and I wanted to see what kind of work he is doing out in the field.  Francis will be moving to the UMS school, and will be leading evangelistic teams into difficult areas.  The things I respect most about Francis is his boldness, his faith, and his tireless preaching of the gospel.  

Time is short.  We don't have years to spend slowly reaching out to the Islamic world with a lot of development projects, hoping that one or two of them will appreciate our generosity and listen to what we have to say.  We need to go and preach the gospel boldly, without fear, without being intimidated, without waiting too long, without trying to "buy" their acceptance of us.  The power of the gospel alone is more than enough to reach them.   

 There are so many Muslims who are hungry for the gospel, if the church is willing to go and preach the gospel.  God will confirm His word with innumerable signs and wonders, if only we do our part.  Francis is doing a good job of preaching this great gospel, and it is a privilege to work with him here at UMS.  

Ken and Robert and their mission to Shimba Hills

Getting Started

At 7:30am, Robert and I set off for our mission to Shimba Hills, a place where we had never been before.  Katana prayed for us as we left.  When we arrived at the buss station, we realized that buses to the place were scarce.  So we took a motorcycle taxi, and by 9:00 am we were in Shimba Hills. 

We stopped at the main trading center.  As we walked along a young man offered us a ride in his private car and  gave us a brief overview of the place. This ride increased our confidence and helped us better understand the place where we were ministering.  He dropped us at Mkelekeleni center, a location which is surrounded by the Digo community who are predominantly Muslims.

Outreach

We sat outside a shop.  We were welcome there by five men who were on a business meeting.  Despite most of these men being Muslims they showed much interest in our mission and even began to advise us went further advising us on how we could succeed through door to door witnessing and open air meetings.

When these men embarked on their meeting Robert took a walk across the street and there he met two ladies who were selling foodstuffs. He shared with them the gospel for about a half an hour and the two became the first fruits of the mission.  It happed so fast at a time and a place that we did not expect though the two had Christian background.  The harvest propelled us into more steps and actions We had to bid bye to our first hosts so we excused ourselves in their meeting and prayed  with them. They were so grateful for the prayers.  They had faith that the business project they were planning to undertake would be successful because of the prayers

We decided to go back to the main trading center at Shimba Hills so that that we could get place to keep our bags which were dragging us. Before we left the center we encountered an old man who was in pain as a result of a wound on his leg. We prayed with him and he testified that the pain had  reduced.  He shared with us about other problems he was facing in his family. We encouraged him and at the end he gave his life to Christ.

As Robert continued encouraging the old man, Ken joined with some youths in a game of drough (A common game in form of a chase.) By this time most of the people knew that we are preachers and address us as pastors. They informed us on where to get a public address system just in case we were to hold an open air meeting. For this to take place we would need a permit from a local authority. Fortunately two assistant chiefs (area administrators) were in a restaurant across the street. One of the youths volunteered to take us and introduce us to them.

The chiefs were very much welcoming but were a bit reluctant to allow us to operate in the area.   One of them advised us, “For the safety and security purposes, why can’t you go some kilometers ahead into Christians’ villagers?  This is an Islamic stronghold and we would not want to see any commotion.”

We  insisted that our mission was to speak to the Muslims and that we would only preach the gospel and peace.  They changed their mind and encouraged us to stay and preach the word. They assured us of our safety and gave us their cell phone number in case we needed their assistance.

One of the chiefs even requested us to visit his family because they needed prayers.  We promised to do so. 

We got a guest room in trading center at a very fair price. We rested for an hour.  At two at two we took a lunch and started witnessing. Several people gave their hearts to the Lord.  We went to an Islamic area.   In the first homestead we met Omari and his wife. They received us well and allow us to pray with them. Then Omari escorted us to the next home. There was another old man who was eager to listen to the message. He shared with us what he was going through. He had problems with jiggers which affected both of his feet.  He received Christ and we prayed with him for healing.  He took our contacts and promised to introduce us to his working mates who are bounded in alcoholism.

Robert praying for a new believer

This old man also led us to the next homestead. There we met another hospitable Muslim man. He shared with us about the family and financial challenges he had as he was expecting his child to join secondary school next year and he had no saving to cater for his school fees. We prayed with his family. He was so grateful and gave us fruits to take with us.

Ken speaking to a man about Jesus

From there we crossed to the other side of the where we met a lady and her children.  She opened her heart and told us how she was desperate to receive back Christ as she had been a Christian in the past, but was pressured to become a Muslim when she got married.   She told us:  “We have talked with my husband of late and he too has been considering converting to Christianity. I wish he was here so you could speak with him.”   We prayed with her. 

We continued preaching the gospel Saturday and Sunday.  In the end, we saw quite a number of people give their hearts to the Lord.   We tried to organize a Sunday morning meeting for the new converts, but it didn’t succeed.  Starting a church there will require more time and effort than we were able to give on only a three day mission. 

On one occasion we were walking through the Islamic area (a place we had taken to calling the “cousins” zone) we passed by a Muslim lady who was selling mangoes. We looked at each other silently agreed to buy the mangoes and get some time to share the gospel. So when one of us was busying selecting mangoes the other was sharing the word. The lady became very attentive. At the end when we asked if we could pray with her to receive Christ she nodded in affirmation.   So we prayed with her. 

A Miracle

The lady who is seated was nearly deaf.  She experienced healing when we prayed for her

On another occasion we met a group of ladies, and they welcomed us to pray for them.  One of the young ladies had a serious hearing problem.  She could only hear sounds when you shouted at her.  We prayed for her ears to be opened.  Afterwards, she was able to hear a normal conversation.   We thanked the Lord for this miracle. 

All in all, the mission was a success.   Many people heard the word of God, and quite a number decided to follow Jesus.  We thank God for what he did during this mission. 

Alex and Rodgers and their mission to Shimoni

Rodgers

Alex

The last week of the month of November was an exciting one. We had a visiting teacher from the U.S.A by the name Alejandro. He taught us on evangelism and multiplication.  On Wednesday in the evening and our patron (Vaughn Martin) came and asked the students not to make plans for the following weekend. Little did we know that he was about to send us out on an outreach. On when the students met together, Vaughn asked us to use the day for praying on where God was to send us.  So we prayed, and God laid in our hearts i.e. Alex and Rodgers to go to Shimoni.

DAY ONE

The following day was on a Friday 29^th November and we had been given ksh. 2,000.00 (Two Thousand Only) for the mission. At 9:00am we went to the stage boarded a vehicle for Shimoni. We arrived in Shimoni at midday. What surprised us was that as soon as we alighted from the vehicle we discovered that everyone was aware of our visit.  There is a lot of religious tension in that area, and even the potential for violence.   Because of this, there was some controversy with the authorities as to whether or not we would be permitted to preach the gospel there.  There was a strange rumor going around that there were foreigners going around gouging out peoples’ eyes to sell, so we were under suspicion.  A young man from one of the churches agreed to go around with us as we ministered, so that people would not be frightened.

 Shimoni is a small town built on the caves and the town is full of Muslims, and mosques are everywhere.  It is also a tourist town, where tourists come to enjoy the beach and take boat to Pemba islands in Tanzania. The people in Shimoni are fish farmers and they also do land cultivation and small businesses.

The people in Shimoni believe so much in witchcraft.  They believe in a god that controls the town called “mwana ngoto”.  They believe this god takes the form of a big snake living in caves at Shimoni. There are only six churches in Shimoni and they face a lot of resistance from the Muslims although they do have freedom to preach the gospel.

We introduced ourselves to one of the churches.  We met a person who gave us a place to stay, meals to eat, and everything we wanted.   Afterwards, we did a spiritual survey of the area and embarked on our mission.    We started going from one person to another, from one man to another, speaking to them about Jesus.  At the end of the day on Saturday at 7:00p.m we had prayed with 10 people to receive Jesus. We thanked God for what he did and that was our first day.

DAY TWO

The second day of our mission was an exciting one.  When we prayed together in the morning, I felt the Lord leading me to look for a construction site, and to ask the foreman if I could minister to the laborers.  We found a construction site, and the foreman agreed to allow me to speak to the workers.  10 of them gave their hearts to the Lord. 

After this we started going from house to house.  We used the methods that Alejandro taught us the week before.  He showed people a lot of love.  Sometimes he would buy fruits for them to eat as he spoke to them.  We did the same, loving the people we met, sharing food with them, and by the end of the day we saw 10 more people give their hearts to the Lord.  Five of them were Muslims.  We had so many contacts  that it seemed like we could have started a church there. 

DAY THREE

The third day was not as busy as the first and second day. We woke up early in the morning and prayed at between 6:00am – 7:00am and at 9:00am I was already in one of the churches.  The pastor allowed me to preach in both services i.e. the first and second services. The services were well attended and at the end of the second service I prayed for the sick.  Many confirmed that they were healed.   We prayed for the unsaved people in church and two people gave their lives to Christ. Two of the new converts from the day before attended the church service. 

In the evening I believed God and prayed for the daughter of the family who hosted us who was sick.   She was not in her right mind, extremely confused and in pain.  On Monday, when she awoke, she was in her right mind, completely healed.  She went and cooked us breakfast. 

God’s power was so evident for the three days and we thank God for it. We thank God for everything because our mission was a successful one.

Angel and Helen and their mission to Tana River

Angel and Helen chose Tana River as their destination for last week’s mission. Tana River is quite a journey from here, 8 hours by bus on terrible roads. Originally, we gave each student only about $12 each to cover their transportation, food and lodging for three days. Obviously this wasn’t enough for some of the places that students chose to go. Angel was so convinced that she needed to go to Tana River that she was willing to spend all her money on a one-way bus ticket and trust God for the rest. In the end, we didn’t ask her to do this, but she was certainly willing.

Angel

Helen

Helen is one of the older students. She carries a deep conviction that the Lord has called her to minister in Northern Yemen to the Muslims there. If you look at her age and resources, this might seem unlikely. However, when I see her ministering effectively in a place like Tana River, then I start to believe in her calling. I believe that one day she will go to Yemen and minister there.

Vaughn and Alejandro praying for us as we went out

Here is Angel’s report:

We left UMS and traveled to Mombasa on Thursday evening to book a bus to Tana River. WE felt like God had prepared a way for us, because there were only two seats remaining on the bus that could be booked. After booking, we spent the night near Mombasa, and boarded the bus at 6am Friday morning for Tana River.

After traveling a few hours, the bus had a flat tire. While it was being fixed I spoke to the Muslim lady seated next to me. Our conversation attracted the attention of other Muslims seated around us. Nobody got born again, but at least they heard the gospel.

We arrived at Tana River at 2:30pm. We visited a church, and prayed for the women there. Later that afternoon, we went to the hospital. We met some very sick people there, and prayed for them. We also shared the word of God in the hospital, and 6 people gave their hearts to the Lord, including one Muslim lady. At 8:30 pm, we went to the rooms that the church had provided for us. I shared the word of God with two young men who worked there, and they also gave their lives to the Lord.

On Saturday morning, we began sharing the word of God with some Muslim neighbors. To be honest, their reception was rather cold at first. Two ladies really resisted what we had to say, but we spoke to them anyway. After that, we met a young man who used to be a Christian had married a Muslim woman and converted to Islam. As we spoke to him, he told us how strongly he desired to come back to Christ. His Muslim wife joined us later, and we spoke to both of them.

The woman in the green had serious mental problems, unable to answer simple questions without great confusion.  After prayer, he condition was improved

We left that community and went to a neighboring community called Kibuyu. In Kibuyu we were warmly received. People seemed very hungry to hear the word of God. One young Muslim girl prayed with us to receive Christ, although she seemed very afraid to do so. We prayed for many people and their children. We prayed for an insane lady and several sick people. One Muslim lady prayed with us to receive Christ. 

We prayed for many children, and dedicated them to the Lord.

In the evening, we went back to the same hospital that we had visited the day before. Many of the people we had prayed for the previous day had already been discharged. The previous day an Islamic man had tried to prevent us from praying for his daughter, but we prayed for her anyway. Today, she was healed and discharged from the hospital. Many others had also received healing. It became much easier to preach to those who remained, and to pray for them, because of the testimonies from the previous day.

We met one young man who had been deeply wounded in his heart offended by the church. Because of this, he had backslidden. When we preached to him about the love of Christ, he opened his heart to the Lord once again. We returned to our rooms and slept.

When this Islamic woman thought we were bypassing her house, she insisted that we come in and share the word of God with her.

Sunday morning, before church, we visited an Islamic area and spoke to the people there. One couple prayed with us to receive Christ, although they did it in secret because of their fear. Another lady seemed somewhat unfriendly, so we passed her by. After we had prayed for the Islamic couple, we were surpised when this lady came and said to us “Why are you bypassing my home?” She really wanted  us to visit her. She welcomed us into her home. When we shared the word of God with her, she served us a drink and listened carefully to what we had to say.. We prayed for her, and she let us know that her doors were open for us to come back and share the word of God there again. 

When we got lost, the young boy in front was given to us as a guide

As we left that community, we got lost. Some women were kind enough to send their son with us to show us the way. Before we left, we stopped to speak to some Somali men who were selling miraa. When we spoke with them, they became quite hostile when we mentioned “Jesus”. We continued to talk, and eventually things settled down and they listened to what we had to say.

We prayed with this young man.  He really wanted to get saved, but he feared.  Unfortunately, he never took the step

When we tried to pray for this Muslim woman's child, she refused.  Later on, as she witnessed the results of our prayers, she brought her baby to be prayed for.  She allowed us to remove the charms on the baby that were given by the witchdoctor.

Chemi Chemi church, started by Francis and Timothy.  We ministered there on Sunday

All in all, we thank God for all the things he did during our three day mission. We returned to UMS with a lot of joy and thanksgiving.

Wilson and Vincent and their mission to Kilifi

Vincent and Wilson are two young men with a lot of faith.  You can listen to Wilson’s testimony in an earlier blog post HERE in which he talks about his salvation earlier this year, and the amazing things that God has done in his life. 

Wilson

Vincent

Praying for Wilson and Vincent as they are sent out.

Here is Wilson’s report:

During our three day mission, Vincent and I felt led by the Lord to go to Kilifi.  In Kilifi, we preached the gospel of Jesus Christ in the streets, from door to door, in the Kilifi District hospital and in the church. 

When we first arrived in Kilifi, we had an opportunity to pray for a man on the streets whose hand was injured by an accident.  After pray in for him we proceeded to the Kilifi district hospital.  We prayed for the sick children there, and six of them were instantly healed.   We also prayed with a woman with chest problems who gave her life to Christ, and told us her story.

This woman is married to a witchdoctor.  This man has been pressuring her to give up one of their children as a sacrifice to the devil, so that he can obtain more spiritual power for his business.   The woman was resisting this pressure, and she felt that her sickness was caused by her husband, as a way of trying to force her to do what he wanted her to do.   We prayed for her to be delivered from these evil spirits and their plans to murder her child. 

We continued on, preaching publicly about the love of God in the market place and at the boda boda stage.  Many people listened to our words, and many were blessed.    One young man came and told us that he wants salvation, but he feared his friends.  We were not able to pray with him. 

When evening came we started looking for a place to sleep.  We were finally offered a room to sleep in by the AIC church (African Inland Church).  A prayer meeting was taking place there, which we attended until 2am, after which we slept.

On Saturday morning, we began preaching door to door.  Many of the people we spoke to were already Christians, so we prayed for them and moved on.  One young man was a barber.  He was very happy to here us speaking about God’s love and salvation, and he gave his life to Christ. 

We moved once again to Kilifi district hospital whereby we were very happy to hear many people talking and testifying about the healings that took place in their lives after we prayed for them the day before.  Most of the ones testifying to us were parents whose children we had prayed for.  Their testimonies lifted our faith and even our salvation greatly.   Many of those we prayed for had returned home the same day because of their healing.  We continued sharing the word of God and praying for people until late in the afternoon. 

On Sunday morning, we visited the church service at the AIC church.  We were asked to pray for the people there.  When we finished, we asked all the women and children whom we prayed for to testify.  They all testified of the healing power and change that they observed taking place in their lives. 

The woman whose husband was a witchdoctor came with her daughter to be prayed for at the hospital.  The daughter had a lot of pains and wounds on her legs.  Her chest was heavy and her stomach was aching.  We were able to pray for her deliverance and her healing.  She was instantly healed.  She immediately testified when we prayed a fire came into her body and consumed all the pain and it was no more. 

After we left the hospital we approached a young man who was selling shoes.  He told us that his family members are devil worshippers who wanted to give him as a sacrifice to the devil.  He was in fear for his life.  We prayed for him, and he gave his life to Christ. 

All in all, we saw God’s favor upon the mission.  Our only difficulty was finding a good place to sleep.  We only wish we had been given more time to continue preaching to the people in Kilifi.  

Dorothy, Pharez, and Victoria and their mission to Lunga Lunga

Commissioning Dorothy, Pharez and Victoria for their three-day mission

(written by Dorothy)

On  Thursday, 28^th of f November, we were given a special assignment by our school.  We were told to  spend the day in prayer, to find a partner, and to go with that person to the place that the Lord would send us.  As we prayed, I felt the Lord telling me to go to Lunga Lunga, a town near the border of Kenya and Tanzania.   I clearly felt the words “Police Station Lunga Lunga” entering my mind.   Two other ladies, Pharez and Victoria decided to join me in the mission.   Our teachers commissioned us, gave us a small amount of money, and sent us to Lunga Lunga. 

Victoria

Pharez

Dorothy (she usually looks happier than this photo)

Friday morning we boarded the matatu and left on the two and a half hour journey to Lunga Lunga.  When we reached the town I felt frustrated.  It looked much smaller than I had expected, and there didn’t seem to be a police station.  We inquired from the matatu tout if perhaps there was a bigger “Lunga Lunga” nearby.  He indicated that there was, so we agreed as a team to continue our journey.  Eventually, we ended up at the border of Tanzania and Kenya.   As we reached the border, I saw the sign “Police Station Lunga Lunga”.  I knew I was in the right place. 

I told my partners that I was going to see the police officer in charge of the station.  They didn't think this was a very good idea, and questioned me as to why I wanted to do this.  I insisted, and entered the police station.  I met the officer in charge, a woman.  When I told her why we were there, she told me courteously “Go preach to the Muslims over the border.”  I asked her what requirements were needed to cross the border, but she told me none were required.   I knew that the Lord was speaking to me through this lady, and that we needed to cross the border into Tanzania. 

So we boarded motorcycle taxis “boda bodas” and drove through the border zone towards Tanzania.  As our team traveled one of the motorcycle drivers prayed with us and gave his heart to the Lord.   

We entered Tanzania and found ourselves in a town called Hororo.  We began to walk through the town and prayer.  We did a little bit of “spiritual mapping”, as we investigated  the spiritual condition of the town.  We discovered that only three churches existed in the town, and that the dominant religion is Islam.  Afterwards, we found a place to rest for a few hours and some food to eat. 

Friday evening we went out for outreach.   The first people I encountered were two Masaai’s. As I spoke to them a young muslim man walked up to us and tried to disrupt our conversation by asking me when this Jesus I was preaching about was coming.  I answered him back by telling him that my Jesus spoke about his coming, and I am very sure of his coming.  Then I asked him about Nabbi Issa, (the Islamic name for Jesus) that the Koran says is coming to judge the earth.  The young man had no answer for me, and he sat down and began listening to the gospel.  After I finished, all three men prayed with me to receive Jesus Christ as their savior. 

After leaving these young men, we met a Muslim woman and her daughter in their home.  They welcomed us and gave us seats to sit on.  We presented the gospel to them, and they were deeply convicted by our words.  As we were about to pray for them, the daughter shouted at the mother, “What will Dad do when he finds out?”

 I told them that it was not an issue of their Dad, but for them.  We prayed together and they received Jesus Christ.   After praying, they told us about their father.  He was a well-known Islamic witchdoctor, whose powers were feared by many. 

The next day, I had an encounter with a Muslim man.  I shared with him about Jesus.  He told me that his wife goes to church together with his children.  His wife was formerly also a Muslim, but converted to Christianity.  The man admitted that since her conversion he has seen real transformation in their lives.   He told me that he truly believes that Jesus is the son of God, but that his time for salvation is not yet.  I asked him why, and he told me that he was frightened.  He had received several threats from Muslims because of his wife Fatima’s conversion to Christianity. 

The conversation broke my heart, because the man had such a desire to come to Christ, but he didn’t know where he would go after he converted.  He told me that Muslim converts fear going to church, because they are watched and monitored by other Muslims.  He suggested that I should organize a home fellowship where he and others could go and learn more about the gospel.  I tried once more to lead him to salvation, and once more he refused.  So I prayed for him and let. 

In total, our group prayed with 14 Muslims to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, and 23 non Muslims during our 3-day mission.   There is such a hunger for the gospel here. 

The few churches in the area did not seem to be very strong.  As people came to the Lord, we tried to direct them to the churches, but they kept asking us if they could meet with us instead. 

I give God all the glory for opening this door for us, and my heart yearns to reach out into the harvest fields to bring in the harvest.  

Rest Day

After a very eventful week, Alejandro decided to treat the students to a day off  on Monday, Nov. 25th,  at one of the local hotels.  The students really enjoyed the day.   It was a great time of fellowship and fun. We had one teaching session together, that seemed to be especially blessed.  The rest of the day was spent in swimming, eating and relaxation.  

The Grand Opening

We decided to hold a "Grand Opening" for Ukunda Missions Church.  There were several reasons for doing this.  We wanted the surrounding community to know who we are, and what we are doing, and to invite them to an event with a meal in which we can introduce ourselves.   

So we planned the event, inviting the neighbors, and pastors from nearby churches.  We hoped for about 200 people to attend.  

The Grand Opening was held on Sunday, October 24th.  In the opening meeting, we dedicated "Vaughn Martin Otieno" to the Lord.  Not sure if that has any significance or not.  

A New Mosque

100 meters from our school, there has been a flurry of construction taking place the last few weeks.  A very large mosque is being erected.  I guess this is okay.  If our preaching of the gospel did not bring forth a reaction, I would wonder what we are doing wrong.  

It must be remembered that most people who grow up in the Islamic faith never really had an opportunity to choose their religion. Anyone born in a Muslim community is assumed to be a Muslim, and can only leave if he is willing to forfeit everything, including his possessions, family, and even his life.  For this reason, there are many "secret" believers, who know that Jesus is the way to the Father, but who are unwilling to declare their faith openly.

In any case, we will continue doing what God has given us to do.  Salvation has come to Ukunda, and our voices will be heard above their voices.  

Cooking in Africa with Vaughn Martin

A lot of people have been asking me how I cook so good.  So I decided to make a short tutorial, to share a few of my secrets.  

Step One: Take a hunk of  frozen beef and place it directly on the gas burner.  Remember, it is much better to defrost meat quickly rather than slowly, because it takes less time.  

Step Two:  while meat is being defrosted, chop up a large onion and a potato.  Always remember: peeling potatoes wastes time and nutrients!

 By the time you have finished chopping, the meat should be ready to slice.

Step Three - chop the meat.  By this time, the meat should be blackened on the outside, but still  a bit frozen on the inside.  You should be able to force a knife through the frozen areas.  

Beef is the recommended meat.  For some reason, Kenyans prefer chicken over beef, so beef is cheap, less than $2 per pound.   You can afford to cook a generous hunk of it.

Step four - put everything in a frying pan, and turn gas as high as it can go.  Dribble a little bit of cooking oil over everything, but be careful.  Too much oil can hinder the charring process.  Remember to use a frying pan with thin steel.  Thin steel heats up a lot faster, saves time, and helps everything char better.  Frying pan will start to warp after its been overheated a few times, but don't worry.  Thin-steel frying pans are cheap.  

Step Five:  Add ketchup, salt, and some hot chili peppers.  Your meal is now ready to serve!  Sometimes even two or three times a day!  Entire meal preparation time is only about 5 minutes.

Voila!