Calvary Outreach is a ministry devoted to proclaiming the simple Gospel message to a world in need of salvation.
Where is the church plant likely to be in Kenya? The church plant will be in village in the western highlands of Kenya, about 200 miles northwest of the capital city of Nairobi.
What will it be like in the village? It is a rich agricultural area. The climate is good with fairly constant daytime temperatures between 75 and 80 F and relatively cool nights (60’s). The dry seasons (less rain) are in the summer and winter months. English and Swahili are the official languages in Kenya. The village will be west of the Great Rift Valley at over 6,000 feet above sea level, approximately 35 miles north of the Equator. Health and safety concerns in Kenya Health and safety are serious concerns in Kenya. AID’s is common and 1.2 million people are living with HIV and AID’S. An extensive series of shots, taken as a precautionary measure for the many tropical diseases present, are required to go to Kenya. Malaria also exists in Kenya and in addition to oral medication which needs to be taken, repellent and netting at night are recommended precautions. There is limited medical help in Kenya, we rely primarily on the medical supplies we bring, and even in situations where medical evacuation is requested, unless it is a life or death emergency, flights may not be available back to the U.S. Various stomach disorders are likely during or immediately after the trip. Transportation in Kenya will be in rented vans and the normal safety issues of traveling on narrow and sometimes poorly constructed roads from and to Nairobi and to the church plant, prisons, and schools is probably the greatest risk. Additional risks may exist both on the road and at our hotels, being a large American group. Ebola is not a health concern here. People in the Village There are many different tribal groups in Kenya, over 117 different languages are being spoken, but English speakers are common as well as Swahili. Agriculture is the most important form of work in the area. Grain, cotton, sugar, corn, peanuts, and sesame are the primary crops. The average annual income for Kenyans is $360. In Kenya a total of 66% of the residents call themselves Christians with 26% of the people practicing indigenous beliefs, and about 8% are other beliefs. It is believed that most of those who call themselves Christians are nominal in their beliefs or have become involved in cultic practices. Who are we working with? Pastor Morris Ogenga and his wife Aidah of Uganda will be who we will be partnering with and who have been instrumental in the planting of over 100 churches in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. We will also be working with the pastors and the congregations of the previous plants in Kenya as well as many pastors and interpreters from local congregations. These include the nearby Eldoret Community Bible Church, Kitalale Community Bible Church, Soy Community Bible Church, Mwaita Community Bible Church, Webuye Community Bible Church, and Tafina Community Bible Church. The vision God has given to Pastor Morris Morris is very concerned by the amount of cults moving into eastern Uganda from Kenya. Similar to the challenge in Mbale (where his home church is located) by the introduction of the Islamic University, this movement is causing tremendous confusion among the lost and in new believers. Establishing a strong network of Bible believing churches in western Kenya is what Morris believes is God’s desire for the people of the area. Our role (US based churches) in the vision This vision is dependent on getting funds to buy land, build churches and pastors houses, and to have short-term missionaries come to Kenya to evangelize the villages where these churches are to be built. Approximately $45,000 is required to buy land, build a church and pastor’s house, and to support the pastor the first year. Past involvement in Kenya, 2003-14 Many mother churches have been planted in western Kenya in the major cities by several partner churches. Calvary Chapel Houston Metro, and members from six other churches partnered together to form a team which planted a new mother church in Syokimau (Nairobi) in 2009. The gospel and testimonies were shared at an orphanage in Syokimau and a school in the second largest slum in Nairobi. Thirteen men’s, women’s, and youth prisons in Nairobi were a big part of the ministry. Since then, six additional village churches have been planted in the west. Kenya 2015 Approximately 25 short-term missionaries will plant a church in a village in western Kenya near the Ugandan border. The team will be made up primarily of members from Calvary Chapel Houston Metro and other churches primarily in Texas. The church plant is planned for July . Evangelism will be concentrated around the new church and at nearby schools. Ministry opportunities will include hut to hut/house to house/shop to shop personal evangelism, preaching and testimonies at crusades at the church site and in schools and prisons, and a one day youth conference. We will be staying in a hotel in Kitale. Costs and Dates July 2015 and estimated cost per missionary as $3750. Costs include airfare, lodging, transportation, and meals. The future of mission efforts in Kenya Plans are for 200 evangelical Bible churches in Kenya and expanding in Tanzania. If you are interested in being a short term missionary to Kenya, Uganda, or Tanzania, heading up a team from your church to partner with Pastor Morris, or giving financially to support this important ministry, please contact Jason Gross at 281 513-1847, [email protected]. Team formation begins in November 2014, so please don’t wait if God is calling you to be involved. Please join us in serving God to fulfill His great commission in Africa. |