Sosoni Youth Seminar

Dear friends and family,

It has been a while! We sure hope this note finds you all doing well. What an exciting time this is. We are overjoyed by the amazing things that the Lord continues to do in Africa. We ask that you would continue to pray for us and especially for the young men and women who are serving in Kenya.

Below is an update from one of the young men in Kenya who you should know by name. Duncan Ziro writes about a recent youth seminar held in a remote bush area known as Sosoni. The first sentence of his report tells all – his passion is for the young people in Kenya.

Did you know that 71% of Africa’s population is below the age of 25? Targeting the youth is the future of Africa’s church!

Read below for more from Duncan…

Youth ministry is where my heart is. I enjoy working with the youth. The last youth seminar I taught was at Sosoni Church of Christ. I was together with Rodgers Gona and Benjamin Loda.

Rodgers Gona acting out a point as he teaches on Spiritual growth.

A youth burst in laughter during the Bible drill competition.

Drama time.

Benjamin Loda teaches on HIV/AIDS

One of the groups meets for an after lesson prayer.

God is good. With the little resources we managed to pull together, we feed all the youth and teachers for two days. There were a few complexities here and there but at the end all of us were happy and nourished. I taught on the topic ‘Changing from within’. Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support. We really appreciate you. Thank you Intercede. May Glory go back to God!

Duncan Wanje Ziro

Team Kid Encampment

Hello friends! I sure hope and pray this note finds you all doing well.

I am excited to report to you that INTERCEDE is growing and continuing to give hope around the world! This month, I would like to share with you a little about INTERCEDE’s ministry in Mexico. Below is a brief update from our brother and co-worker Max Zamorano.

How are all of you?
I write my report to you all! I want to write about some things that I am encouraged about! It is the children’s work in Monterrey, Mexico. For the last two years they've called it “Team Kid”. This is an encampment outside of Monterrey where the little kids and big kids are taken. They are 2-years through High School kids that participate. The 16th of September Church goes all out on this encampment. Kiddos that attend this congregation get to go. Then each kid invites a friend and they go also. So altogether about 100 kids and adults get to go. There is a lot of work involved both for the congregation and for all involved. There are cooks, teachers, chaperones, camp administration, etc.
There is a lot of work involved in this effort. One individual who stands out on this Team Kid Encampment is Beatriz Cavasos, or as we call her, Betty. A few years ago she started this program paying for it out of her own pocket, and having it in her own home. This year, the camp will be held on August 8th through the 11th. Pray for this effort and for all the work that goes into it.

For HIS Cause,
Max R. Zamorano


Thanks again to all of you who prayerfully and financially support the ministry of Max, Betty, and others through INTERCEDE! Let’s be in prayer for the Team Kid Encampment in August!

John Kahindi Chengo

This note is from John:

My name is John Kahindi Chengo. I am a Giryama in tribe and I live on the coast of Kenya. I was born in 1980 at Malindi District Hospital. I am the first born of five, with two brothers and two sisters. I went through 8 years in primary school in my home village of Msabaha and attended secondary school from 1996 to 1999.

My desire was to get a Degree in Biomedical Sciences after secondary school, but this has been impossible due to the fact that I do not have the financial means to pay the school fees. A degree was too expensive so I took a one year certificate in 2001-2002. After this, I thought that I would join for the degree, but still finances were a problem. So I took a diploma of the same course from 2002-2005.

After 2005, I also thought of immediately starting the degree course but up to now, am still waiting for God to help me get the fees. In 2000, I enrolled in a Bible school at Uzima Christian Training Center in Malindi, and I still take the Bible classes up to this day because I also want to be a Christian doctor. I have the desire of reaching people, sharing with them how to be spiritually and physically healthy. To achieve this, I am equipping myself with God's knowledge and with medical knowledge.

God is faithful enough and I believe that he will help me get the fees and the proper knowledge.

We would like to raise the money needed to help John get his degree. What a blessing he could be to the ministry on the coast! Imagine, a Giryama Christian doctor serving with us fulltime, among the poorest of the poor in East Africa! He would be the first doctor, and a Christian at that, willing to give his time in service to God’s people on the coast of Kenya! His father has agreed to pay for all other expenses, so this is a partnership; we’re not footing the whole bill.

$3,500 is needed to pay for John’s first year at college.

If you would like to make a contribution to this cause, please make your check out to INTERCEDE and mail to the address below or go to: www.intercede-intl.org/donations

INTERCEDE
PO Box 2788
Mesilla Park, NM 88047

Personal Update

Hey friends!

We sure hope you are doing well. I have so much to share with you, I’m not even sure where to begin!

Well, we’re all back in the US, getting settled into a new lifestyle. Between us we have 4 different jobs in order to support ourselves and the ongoing ministry in Africa. It keeps us hopping for sure! They are good jobs, and we are so very grateful to have them. Our three beautiful girls are enrolled in school and having a good time. Things are new and different for them – remember, Ginger and I are returning “home”, our children are not. This place is completely new to them. (If I had the space here, I’d share with you some of their cultural blunders! Maybe next time.)

We are thankful for where we are and the life we have now, full of blessings. That isn’t to say that our hearts don’t ache for the place we called home for nearly ten years. I stay in regular contact with Ziro, Kaingu, Muramba, Makaya, Masiga, Gitau, and many others. Two of them, Jeremiah Muramba and Isaac Masiga, were very close. Jeremiah was married in December, Isaac in February. Both invited me to their weddings and I would have loved to have been there with them. Moses Gitau’s wife has breast cancer and had to have a mastectomy. He has written me several times about the “Hard Times” that has befallen his family and the struggles her sickness has brought. Oh that I could be there to encourage him.

These are our friends, our brothers and sisters. My heart aches and my eyes swell up if I spend too much time thinking about them. They all have a special place in my heart and nothing will ever take that away. But time and distance have a way of wearing on our memories. I pray I won’t get lost in the crazy, busy life in America and forget my friends.

But too, these memories help me as I head out to work each day. I leave motivated to make a difference. My paycheck doesn’t simply pay my bills and feed my family, it also helps those I gave my life to in Africa. It makes it all worthwhile knowing that through INTERCEDE, I can still serve my African brother and sister.

Please take the time to pray for us and INTERCEDE and all that the Lord continues to do in Africa – these are exciting times! Let’s work together for something more, something greater. I know we can make an eternal difference in the lives of men and women across Africa and beyond.

Visit http://www.intercede-intl.org/

Makaya Family Thanks You!

Happy New Year! We certainly hope and pray that you are having a good start to a new year.

I just wanted to write you a quick note concerning Prince Makaya and his family. I’m sure you’ll remember that we wrote to you asking for help in raising money for their children so that they could return to school. Many of you responded generously, and thanks to your generosity, Corban, Carmel, and Caleo have returned to school. Please take a moment to watch this brief video they sent to us.

And thank you!

Trouble in Kenya

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I truly hope you'll take a moment to read over this note. And after you're done, all I ask is that you pause for one short minute to pray.

I have not written about the situation in Kenya. Maybe some of you have heard, maybe not. I would like to share more with you now whatever the case.

On December 27th, there were elections for president in Kenya. Elections in Kenya are never peaceful, nothing like what we experience in the US. (Another reason to be thankful.) Rioting, tribal conflict, and killing, always mar elections in much of Africa and Kenya is no exception. (The picture to the left was taken in Mombasa.)

But this time was particularly brutal. The opposition party has claimed the elections were rigged. European Union observers agree. But the incumbent president has shown no intentions of stepping down. It is estimated that more than 600 people have been murdered and that more than a quarter of a million have been chased away from their homes. And these numbers are expected to increase as the demonstrations and riots continue even today. Here are some words from friends and coworkers who are still in Kenya experiencing the turmoil firsthand:

• “The disputed elections have caused the ugly head of tribalism to rear its head in a shocking turn of events. Most of the deaths have been the result of ethnic cleansing and violence against people who are perceived to be government friendly as well as shooting by police - in many places they are using live bullets to ‘disperse’ rioters.”
• “The country has been shattered and over 250,000 people have are now refugees in their own country.”
• “His Kalenjin [a Kenyan tribe] neighbors are mad at him and threatening to burn his house down and cause he and his family harm”
• “The situation is critical. There is widespread looting, clashes with police, and rioting.
• “Gunfire just outside their home.”
• “The Minister for Internal Security has banned all live broadcasts on TV concerning the situation.”
• “Things are not well here. Kuna fujo zhomu. [There are serious problems.] Shops are closed. People are hoarding food. Hali si mbidzo. [The situation is not good.]”
• “When you called I had just come from Malindi talking to Christine Khadija’s parents. Parents here are really worried for their children traveling upcountry. As I was typing this email, Luganje called too expressing his fears if the students travel to Nairobi. I encouraged them to leave everything to God. This is not easy brother because deep inside me I am also a bit worried. Always remember us in your prayers.”

The people are rioting. The candidates are arguing and spew bitter words at each other in the media. International mediators from all over have tried to bring peace and reconciliation. All have failed. Kofi Annan, the former United Nations Secretary General failed. Condoleezza Rice has tried as well. Now let’s bring it before the only one who can bring true peace. Please pray now for peace, safety, and healing before things get worse.