Kenya and Burundi Update January 2023
This is Why We Do What We Do
This was my fifth trip to Kenya and my first trip to Burundi. I departed Tuesday, January 17, from Charlotte. My trip to Kenya and Burundi was met with a 24 hour delay due to the flight from Detroit to Amsterdam being cancelled. The delay only caused me to miss the first service in Mombasa, Kenya. While in Mombasa (Jan. 18-24), which is located on the Indian Ocean on the East side of the African continent. I preached four services at Elevation Church and taught our leadership conference.
I am happy to announce that they will be launching our school of ministry in March. We are expecting over 50 students to begin their matriculation based on present enrollment. We are anticipating great things from the first cohorts. Pastor Alex Maduki and his congregation were a wonderful host for me and Rev. Anthony Wanjuki, who made the two week journey with me. Rev. Wanjuki has produced two graduating classes of forty students for our school of ministry in Kenya. He has worked with our ministry for over 6 years and has a great desire for teaching and training.
On Tuesday, January 24, we transitioned from the Indian Ocean to the mountains of Burundi. Bujumbura is surrounded by mountains and is on the shoreline of Lake Tanganyika, which is the longest fresh water lake in the world (418 miles) and the second deepest fresh water lake in the world (4,820 feet). Four countries Burundi, Tanzania, Republic of Congo and Zambia have shoreline on this massive lake. We joined pastor Antoine Ndayisaba at the Zion AME church in Bujumbura for our leadership conference and school of ministry graduation. We celebrated 17 graduates from our first cohorts in the Christian Life Series. We will have two new cohorts, one in Christian Life and the other in Biblical Leadership beginning in March. Moreover, Pastor Ndayisaba is enrolling in our three year diploma tract with Global University. We praise God for the tremendous advance that Pastor Antoine has made in teaching and training.
On Friday, January 26, we transitioned from Burundi back to Kenya. We arrived in Embu for the final four days of ministry. On Friday, we had our leadership conference at the Shunem Christian Prayer and Retreat Center. The conference was well received and their was interest from several pastors about starting a school of ministry. The evening concluded with joining Central Gate Assembly of God from PI with an outreach service. I enjoyed preaching in the open air environment in the busy business section of PI.
On Saturday, January 26, we drove to Muranga to our leadership seminar hosted by Bishop Ben Irungu at Muranga Assembly of God. The conference was most successful and there is keen interest in RLHM returning. There was interest from several pastors about our school of ministry. We returned to PI to continue our outreach with Central Gate Assembly. On Sunday, January 24, I preached at a Central Gate Assembly for Rev. Anthony Wanjuki and at their open air crusade. Pastor Anthony’s church plant just celebrated its first anniversary.
On Monday, January 25, I taught at Police Inspector Henry Ndonye’s request. Inspector Ndonye is over the Eastern Region of Kenya. He asked me to teach on the Holy Spirit. It was a wonderful time of teaching followed with questions and answers. The interaction was very informative. Police officers wives were the primary attendees.
The afternoon we made the three hour drive to Nairobi airport for me to begin the journey home.
It was another great trip of international ministry. God blessed us, kept us safe, and provided such wonderful opportunities to preach, teach, and to share the “Good News” of the Kingdom of God! I am looking forward to our next trip to help build healthy leaders in Ghana.
Words are inadequate to express our appreciation for your continual prayer covering and financial support of RLHM. Our sincere prayer for you is that “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you (2 Cor 13:14).
Blessings on the Journey,
Richard and Anita