2013, No. 1 (24/1/13)

Dear Brethren

The New Year has started off differently:

§ Rain instead of the usual hot weather with clear blue skies

§ Very busy with a 10 day safari to north Kenya, and teaching PTC students

§ Many visitors to the services

Miathene

After preaching in our New Year’s Day service on Hebrew 13:8, I left with 2 of our young people for 10 days in north Kenya. Dominic has finished one year of the PTC. Jimmy is a fairly recent church member. We stopped for the night in Miathene (east of Mt. Kenya) with Paul Kianji, with whom I taught when I first came to Kenya in 1968! The church here has been in upheaval since one of the Pastors refused to accept his dismissal . We have been forced to go to court to seek to get him removed. The wheels of justice can go so slowly. I encouraged the other Pastors to re-gather the sheep and seek to meet in another place.

Rendille

(1) On 2nd. January we drove up to Korr, one of the main centres for Rendille people. I was a bit apprehensive because Patrick Ochieng’, the trained missionary leader, has had to go because of serious failures. But we found the 20 or so faithful members and the 3 evangelist-leaders together.

image

[Joseph Ogom has just a few years’ education, so at least he is literate! Ruygon Nadesol and Godana Dabalen have no formal education. These are the ones leading the church. PRAY they may be faithful, especially in taking the gospel far and wide. Perhaps someone from outside can come to help them for a while until the Lord should be pleased to raise up more qualified leaders.]

We were encouraged by the 40 or so adults and young people who gathered for worship on Sunday morning. The place of meeting we call ‘the shade’ is behind Nadesol and Ogom. Further back is the permanent stone building that has stalled because of the problems. We also made some visits outside the town to the goobs that surround. Farakoren is more than 20 kms. west and we went with a young man named Gabriel who has just completed his Secondary Schooling. He is from a Catholic background but professes to be saved. He was in our High School Camp in Nairobi in December. We were able to preach the gospel to around 25 adults under a tree outside the goob. Afterwards as we drank delicious tea in Gabriel’s sister’s hut I asked her what she had learned from the preaching. It was encouraging to hear her say, ‘Everyone has sin and must change’. It was my opportunity to press on her that only the Lord can bring about that change. Before leaving some leaders requested that we bring a church so that there is regular preaching, and that we help them in supporting the Early Childhood Development (ECD) teacher.

image

[This is the Nahgaan goob (village). We are standing outside the hut of Ali Leeba (2nd. left). He professes to be a Christian but hardly ever comes to worship as he stays with his animals in the ‘foor’ = a temporary settlement as they move about looking for pasture for the animals.]

image

[Timo Galgatho (1st. left) is inside her hut. She is a widow, baptized upon profession of faith in Christ. Widows do not remarry so can face hardships with children to care for. We asked her about the dried branches at the entrance to the hut which say she has participated in the ‘sooriyo’ tradition. She says she does not participate but the wazee (men leaders) force her. We have suggested that such believers come to the town at such times to be with other Christians.]

(2) On 7th. January we drove the 30 kms. south to the Lekuchula goob at the foot of Mt. Bayo. Again I was not sure what I would find as there had been rumours that another church had sought to take over our Primary School. This proved to be quite unfounded as we met with Mario and the 2 faithful ladies here – Ntiito and Nduruba. They told us they meet for worship on Sunday with up to 20 present. One of the things we have to seek to do soon is to help both Ogom and Mario with simple materials to help them in their preaching.

image

[At the Lekuchula goob multitudes of animals – camels, cows, goats and sheep – leave early morning. We go under the tree outside the goob to have our devotions together.]

image     [

Dominic & Jimmy are with a ‘moran’ (young unmarried men who look after the animals). He slaughtered a goat for us to eat.]

(3) On 8th. January clip_image002
we drove another 25 kms. south-east across the now dry Malgis River. Raphael Bulkash is labouring to plant a church among the 4 goobs of Ndikir. We were pleasantly surprised that the Government has built one classroom here as the beginning of a Primary School, has sent a Headteacher, and has listed Trinity Baptist Church as the sponsor! Spiritually Raphael is finding it hard with no positive spiritual response. However, we were so encouraged when we visited more interior Losidan where we also sponsor a Primary School. The village leader is an illiterate man called Lepakio. When we arrived he went from hut to hut waking people up to come and hear the preaching, and even stopped men from playing their favourite board game. On arrival we received the sad news that a lady had died a few days before after giving birth. She was a third wife and it was her first child. This was the occasion to talk about death. Why do we die? How does Jesus Christ save us from death? We also had to pay attention to a boy who had fallen into a fire and had a severely burned back. As we later drank tea with Lepakio I remarked that it is hard for him to follow the message of the gospel for it is a straight and narrow way and demands leaving the old life. His reply was gripping. ‘Did you not see how I sought to bring everyone to hear the Word? That is how much I desire it for myself! I wish I am like Nadesol, although illiterate like me, yet able to tell others the word of God.’ We pray that the Gospel is beginning to take root in a place where there is total spiritual darkness.

2013

Please pray for wisdom and strength, and especially for the Lord to use the following ministries in the first few months of 2013, in addition to the normal weekly ministries.

(1) Pastoral Training Course (PTC) in January & March.

(2) Resumption of Meaty Forum, 2nd. Friday of each month.

(3) AGM, 9th. February.

(4) Reformed Baptist Association of Kenya (RBAK) meetings 15-18th. February here in Nairobi.

(5) Ministry in Pokot North at the end of February.

(6) General elections on March 4th. that we earnestly pray will end peacefully, not like 5 years ago.

(7) 35th. Anniversary of beginning of Trinity Baptist Church, Nairobi, 15-17th. March, with Pastor Geoffrey Thomas as our guest.

(8) Reformation Conference in west Kenya (Mumias) 10-14th. April at which hundreds are expected to attend!

We thank God for your continued fellowship, support and prayers.

In Christ’s service,

Keith & Priscilla Underhill

2013, No. 1

Dear Brethren

The New Year has started off differently:

  • Rain instead of the usual hot weather with clear blue skies
  • Very busy with a 10 day safari to north Kenya, and teaching PTC students
  • Many visitors to the services

Miathene

After preaching in our New Year’s Day service on Hebrew 13:8, I left with 2 of our young people for 10 days in north Kenya. Dominic has finished one year of the PTC. Jimmy is a fairly recent church member. We stopped for the night in Miathene (east of Mt. Kenya) with Paul Kianji, with whom I taught when I first came to Kenya in 1968! The church here has been in upheaval since one of the Pastors refused to accept his dismissal . We have been forced to go to court to seek to get him removed. The wheels of justice can go so slowly. I encouraged the other Pastors to re-gather the sheep and seek to meet in another place.

Rendille

(1) On 2nd. January we drove up to Korr, one of the main centres for Rendille people. I was a bit apprehensive because Patrick Ochieng’, the trained missionary leader, has had to go because of serious failures. But we found the 20 or so faithful members and the 3 evangelist-leaders together.

Joseph Ogom has just a few years’ education, so at least he is literate! Ruygon Nadesol and Godana Dabalen have no formal education. These are the ones leading the church. PRAY they may be faithful, especially in taking the gospel far and wide. Perhaps someone from outside can come to help them for a while until the Lord should be pleased to raise up more qualified leaders.

DSC_0364

We were encouraged by the 40 or so adults and young people who gathered for worship on Sunday morning. The place of meeting we call ‘the shade’ is behind Nadesol and Ogom. Further back is the permanent stone building that has stalled because of the problems. We also made some visits outside the town to the goobs that surround. Farakoren is more than 20 kms. west and we went with a young man named Gabriel who has just completed his Secondary Schooling. He is from a Catholic background but professes to be saved. He was in our High School Camp in Nairobi in December. We were able to preach the gospel to around 25 adults under a tree outside the goob. Afterwards as we drank delicious tea in Gabriel’s sister’s hut I asked her what she had learned from the preaching. It was encouraging to hear her say, ‘Everyone has sin and must change’. It was my opportunity to press on her that only the Lord can bring about that change. Before leaving some leaders requested that we bring a church so that there is regular preaching, and that we help them in supporting the Early Childhood Development (ECD) teacher.

This is the Nahgaan goob (village). We are standing outside the hut of Ali Leeba (2nd. left). He professes to be a Christian but hardly ever comes to worship as he stays with his animals in the ‘foor’ = a temporary settlement as they move about looking for pasture for the animals.

DSC_0358

Timo Galgatho (1st. left) is inside her hut. She is a widow, baptized upon profession of faith in Christ. Widows do not remarry so can face hardships with children to care for. We asked her about the dried branches at the entrance to the hut which say she has participated in the ‘sooriyo’ tradition. She says she does not participate but the wazee (men leaders) force her. We have suggested that such believers come to the town at such times to be with other Christians.

DSC_0357

(2) On 7th. January we drove the 30 kms. south to the Lekuchula goob at the foot of Mt. Bayo. Again I was not sure what I would find as there had been rumours that another church had sought to take over our Primary School. This proved to be quite unfounded as we met with Mario and the 2 faithful ladies here – Ntiito and Nduruba. They told us they meet for worship on Sunday with up to 20 present. One of the things we have to seek to do soon is to help both Ogom and Mario with simple materials to help them in their preaching.

At the Lekuchula goob multitudes of animals – camels, cows, goats and sheep – leave early morning. We go under the tree outside the goob to have our devotions together.

DSC_0367

Dominic & Jimmy are with a ‘moran’ (young unmarried men who look after the animals). He slaughtered a goat for us to eat.

DSC_0366

(3) On 8th. January we drove another 25 kms. south-east across the now dry Malgis River. Raphael Bulkash is labouring to plant a church among the 4 goobs of Ndikir. We were pleasantly surprised that the Government has built one classroom here as the beginning of a Primary School, has sent a Headteacher, and has listed Trinity Baptist Church as the sponsor! Spiritually Raphael is finding it hard with no positive spiritual response. However, we were so encouraged when we visited more interior Losidan where we also sponsor a Primary School. The village leader is an illiterate man called Lepakio. When we arrived he went from hut to hut waking people up to come and hear the preaching, and even stopped men from playing their favourite board game. On arrival we received the sad news that a lady had died a few days before after giving birth. She was a third wife and it was her first child. This was the occasion to talk about death. Why do we die? How does Jesus Christ save us from death? We also had to pay attention to a boy who had fallen into a fire and had a severely burned back. As we later drank tea with Lepakio I remarked that it is hard for him to follow the message of the gospel for it is a straight and narrow way and demands leaving the old life. His reply was gripping. ‘Did you not see how I sought to bring everyone to hear the Word? That is how much I desire it for myself! I wish I am like Nadesol, although illiterate like me, yet able to tell others the word of God.’ We pray that the Gospel is beginning to take root in a place where there is total spiritual darkness.

2013

Please pray for wisdom and strength, and especially for the Lord to use the following ministries in the first few months of 2013, in addition to the normal weekly ministries.

  1. Pastoral Training Course (PTC) in January & March.
  2. Resumption of Meaty Forum, 2nd. Friday of each month.
  3. AGM, 9th. February.
  4. Reformed Baptist Association of Kenya (RBAK) meetings 15-18th. February here in Nairobi.
  5. Ministry in Pokot North at the end of February.
  6. General elections on March 4th. that we earnestly pray will end peacefully, not like 5 years ago.
  7. 35th. Anniversary of beginning of Trinity Baptist Church, Nairobi, 15-17th. March, with Pastor Geoffrey Thomas as our guest.
  8. Reformation Conference in west Kenya (Mumias) 10-14th. April at which hundreds are expected to attend!

We thank God for your continued fellowship, support and prayers.

In Christ’s service,

Keith & Priscilla Underhill

2012, No.17 (31/12/12)

Dear Brethren,

First, we give thanks to our God for sustaining us through another year. The Church in Nairobi has grown and remains united. The ministry is well received with sermons digitally recorded and published for the website, as well as videoed. We have 2 men serving as ‘Interns’ with a view to ministry. There have been monthly meetings called ‘Meaty Forum’ where up to 100 young adults have gathered each time to listen to a panel on various relevant subjects, the last being on The Centrality of Christ. The Pastoral Theological Course (PTC) has continued with 4 completing their 3 years of study, and 4 more so far accepted to start.

Second, we give thanks to you brethren in the Lord who read this for your fellowship expressed in messages, prayers and giving. The following ministries remain almost totally dependent upon you:

  • The ministry in Pokot North, where there are 5 trained leaders, 2 of them Kenyan missionaries,
  • 12 churches with a total of about 200 baptized members, 10 primary schools, and 1 secondary school that we sponsor.
  • The ministry in Rendille, where there have been 2 trained leaders (I reported about the resignation of one of them in No. 16) and 3 evangelists. There is one established church, and 2 church plants amongst a people who are largely unreached with the gospel. We run 7 nursery schools and sponsor 2 primary schools.
  • The PTC of about 7 students who come to Nairobi 6 times in the year for 8 days of teaching.
  • Providing school fees for secondary school for needy children, especially those of our church leaders in different parts of the country.

High School Camp from 6th to 12th

121212 High School Campers

December we hosted more than 40 High School students, double the number we had anticipated. It was organized by our 2 Interns who dealt with 8 of the studies on ‘Our Distinctive Doctrines’. We designed this Camp especially for the children of our church leaders in various parts of the country, and they came from every direction. We do not want them to feel isolated but to have meaningful contact with young people from other likeminded churches. A number of parents reported that their children had been greatly impacted by the truth taught.

Elders & Deacons

On 28th December we had our very first day-long retreat for the Officers of Trinity Baptist Church, Nairobi. The main reason for calling it is because we 2 Elders feel overburdened and we wanted to put before our brethren the Deacons the need to take off our shoulders as much as possible that is not included under ‘prayer and the ministry of the Word’. There are so many opportunities before us beginning with the densely populated area around where the church building is located. There are more than 30 other churches that are in close fellowship with us, operating under our Government registration certificate. There is the monthly Meaty Forum and opportunities developing amongst University students. We have a 28 page magazine called Grace & Truth that we aim to publish 4 times a year. There is the possibility of a radio station and even a digital TV station. Then there are opportunities in South Sudan and Ethiopia. PRAY with us that the Lord will raise up labourers for His harvest field.

121228 Elders & Deacons

Rendille

I shall be on safari away from Nairobi for the first 10 days of the New Year, God willing. Two young men will accompany me, Dominic one of the Interns, and Jimmy a new member. Please PRAY for me as I shall need great wisdom and stamina.

(1) Our first stop will be Miathene where the dismissed former pastor has refused to step down but it seems he is now willing to talk with me.

(2) On Wednesday 2nd. we head to Korr where our Kenyan missionary has recently had to resign. 7 young people from Korr were at the Camp and I look for much encouragement from some of these who are believers in the Lord. There are 2 active evangelists, one who has just 5 years of schooling and the other none. There are more than 30 church members whom we shall seek to encourage in the Lord.

(3) Before heading back to Nairobi on 10th we shall spend a few days with our Rendille missionary Raphael Bulkash in Ndigir where he is seeking to plant a church.

Leave mid-April to mid-August 2013 God willing, we plan the following basic schedule:

Mid April Leave Nairobi for Liverpool, UK.

April 23rd Leave Liverpool for Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

April 26th to 28th Missions Conference in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, USA.

May in Lorain, Ohio with Jonathan and family.

End of May return to UK.

June through mid-August with children Deborah and Matthew in Liverpool, and visiting interested brethren and churches.

Mid-August return to Nairobi, Kenya.

We hope we will have the opportunity to see many of you.

In Christ’s service,

Keith & Priscilla Underhill