Kenya Missions Update

Hey All,

I wanted to send out a quick update to those who are following my stay here in Kenya. I appreciate all the support and prayers of my followers. It has been a busy couple weeks since my arrival. We jumped right into it when we got here and it doesn't look like its going to slow down. I thank God for the group I am with as I know the Lord has prepared us for his ministry. Today I have a day off to rest. Here is an overview of what a normal week should look like (which by the way there wont be a normal week, the saying around here is TIA - This Is Africa.): Monday - free day, Tuesday - morning devotion at Manna Bible College and Home Fellowship in the night, Wednesday is bible study at the church, and Thursday will be a day for ministry in the slum most likely. Friday is another day of rest to prepare for Saturday kids club and worship practice at night, Sunday is church and possible youth events in the evening. With another kids program to launch in the coming months, lots of ministry opportunities and work to be done, this schedule is highly subject to change. Although its coming together nicely, as I have mentioned in the past we are setting up the Potters Field Ignite base here in Kenya so there was not much structure before arriving.

A little more detail about what we are doing. We are attending a church in Rongai, headed by Pastor George. The fellowship is very welcoming and has been a huge blessing and encouragement already. The Saturday kids program has around 120-150 kids that come on any given week. Personally i have committed to working with the teens 13 and up. There was about a group of 25 this last Saturday. I am very excited about this as I will be working with them on Sundays as well, building a relationship with them and growing together as we study the Word of God. We also help with teachings at the home fellowships, and bible studies. The home fellowship was a very African experience and was a blessing to see ministry take place in that setting, as I got to share the word.

We spent a day going through Kibera (the largest slum in Africa) and checked out a couple of the medical clinics. They were busy as you could imagine with over a million living in this slum. There are ministries that could use much assistance and volunteer work within the slum, as well as other local slums that we will be working in. My experience in Kibera was so fast paced its almost surreal, but I saw enough to know we have a blessed life. They sure were entertained as it started to rain and three "muzungos" (white people), were walking through the mud soaking wet. We had a real Kenyan experience is how Pastor George put it. The Kenyans are always apologizing that we are here in the country this time of the year, "its so cold they say", we just laugh and tell them how warm we are.

I am so blessed to be here, its humbling, encouraging, exciting and different all at the same time. I appreciate your prayers as I would not be able to do this without them. I could use prayer in the specific area of the teens ministry, that the Lord would equip me to reach into their world and connect with them. As a team, we need vision to make wise ministry decisions and that we may each listen to the voice of the Lord as he guides and directs.

Mungu Akubariki (God Bless You)

Austin Hiatt

Teaching at Saturday Kids Club

 

 

Too Cute

Head bone connected to the Neck bone...