Hi Everyone,
I guess it’s time to break the silence. I am in Kenya using 3 days that I had originally expected to use in Cameroon. But less than two months ago, after tickets were secured, I was invited to participate in a conference in South Africa, 11-14 July. It was an opportunity, quite frankly, that I had hoped for, for years. So I rearranged my inner-Africa itinerary to accommodate the conference.
OPPORTUNITY: LONG IN THE MAKING
The conference is the Men’s African Conference and is being conducted by The Master’s Academy International and Grace Ministries International, both are international outreaches of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California.
My philosophy of ministry was formed at a pastors’ conference I attended at that church in 1983. I had been a pastor for less than two years at the time. I have been back to the same conference many times since.
It’s been a desire of mine to work together with them ever since I founded ITEM in 2003. In 2014 a discussion began about the possibilities of leveraging their excellent formal training at each Master’s Academy with our quality non-formal training. In March of this year, I had a “brainstorm session” with their South African director. Nothing was agreed upon.
I consider the invitation to participate in the upcoming conference an honor and a blessing. But I will be quick to add, I have no expectations. Just let God be God! It begins with dinner on Wednesday in Polokwane, SA.
MONDAY MEETINGS
Today I met with Steven Mzungu and Jecktone Owiso ( CLICK HERE FOR PHOTO ALBUM to see their pic), two ITEM volunteers who are organizing ITEM’s ministry around Kenya’s capital of Nairobi. Steven has a burden for the coastal region as well.
I have also been recording video interviews with Steven, Jecktone, and another pastor who’s been helped by ITEM’s ministry. We hope to show edited portions of these interviews at the upcoming ITEM banquet (Sept 22).
MORE TOMORROW
Tomorrow, Tuesday, I’ll be meeting again with Steven and recording one other interview.
OH, THE FLIGHTS OVER
If you are wondering, the trip from Portland to Nairobi via Amsterdam was uneventful, unless you consider an energetic 5-6-year-old boy sitting next to you for 8 ½ hours on one flight and a big man whose arm took up the entire arm rest (and a little more) between our two neighboring and narrow seats during the next 7 ½ hour flight, “eventful.”
PRAISE AND PRAYER
Praise for more good flights, cool weather here, feeling healthy
Prayer
- in advance for providential meetings in South Africa; that God would choose to orchestrate a cooperative effort to effectively train more church leaders between ITEM and TMAI/GMI.
- for continued good health, good flights
Thank you for your friendship and interest.
By His grace,
Steve