October was rough, but November was much better. To read more (and for pictures), here’s our November newsletter (pdf).
November update
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Tag Archives: CCBTI
Karibuni
30 June 2019
Karibuni! “Welcome back!”
We arrived back in Kenya at the end of April and began to get settled the beginning of May. We’ve overcome some unexpected challenges in re-acquiring our vehicle (which we’ve now paid for twice) and applying for new work permits. We’ve dived into to language learning (as we’re needing to add Swahili to our Maa and Samburu). We’ve been delighted to host guests — some of the Hausers, our good friends who serve as missionaries in Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire, and the Sapps, representing our support partner Crossroads Christian Church. We’ve also hosted a number of our Maasai friends and co-workers, working together on curriculum development and planning meetings for CCBTI and DTI.
More than anything else, we’ve been struck by the warmth, or even intensity, of the homecoming welcome that has been extended to us these first two months of our fourth term. To read more (and for pictures), read our June newsletter. (Note that the pdf is optimized for viewing online; if you would like a higher resolution copy for printing, just ask!)
We also posted a small photo album from last month. If you missed it, check out our May 2019 photos.
Francis Yenko and Joshua work on editing Joshua’s next Maa language book.
first graduation! (Ewaso Ng’iro)
On 30 November we reported the beginning of our CCBTI graduation season in Maasai Land, as the first cohort of pastors from Kajiado County celebrated completion of the CCBTI program. This past weekend saw the graduations of the smaller cohort from Narok County at CCC’s training center in Ewaso Ng’iro, on 8 December.
Join us in celebrating with Peter Otuma Nanteya, Walton Tumate Nkowua, Peter Lerionka Pion, Wilson Ntinana Kuyoni, Maina ole Salenoi, Peter Talata Parkesui, and their congregations! Ntinga Sam Tome (on the right in the first picture) attended both graduations.
first graduation! (CCBTI – Kajiado)
Sometimes you plant carrots. In two to four months, you get a harvest. Sometimes you plant avocado trees. Tend it diligently, and you’ll start to get repeated harvests each year — but not right away. There will be a few years with nothing to show for your labors. But slow, steady growth will be occurring nonetheless.
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Ministry & discipleship is often more like growing trees than growing carrots. Results don’t always come overnight. Patience is required. Some of you may remember that we returned from our first home assignment for our second term in 2010 to discover that the Maasai Discipleship Training School had not had any sessions while we in the States. It had a five year drought before we were able to help Francis Yenko and the CCC relaunch it in 2014 at a new campus, during our third term. Then in 2016 the newly rechristened Discipleship Training Institute (DTI) went mobile, reaching new areas of Maasai land. Since we began in 2010 to work to reestablish this ministry, the harvest has been tremendous. But we had to wait longer than for carrots.
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There was a similar story of a slow wait and long work for the establishment of and harvest from the Community Christian Bible Training Institute (CCBTI). First the Turkana Bible Training Institute (TBTI) was transformed into the initial campus of CCBTI. Then in 2016 we were able to help the Community Christian Churches (CCC) to successfully establish two branch campuses of CCBTI in Maasai Land. This year sees the first graduations of the Maasai branches of CCBTI. Today, 30 November 2018, believers gathered from miles around in Ng’atataek in Kajiado County to celebrate the CCBTI graduation of a group of Kenyan and Tanzania Maasai pastors. The CCBTI graduation for the Ewaso Ng’iro campus is scheduled for 8 December 2018.
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Here are some pictures from today’s graduation in Ng’atataek. Those who are kneeling are the graduating pastor-students being ordained. The washing of feet was a public demonstration of the nature of servant leadership. As we are still abroad in America, Ntinga Sam Tome, our colleague and the administrator of the two Maasai CCBTI campuses, sent us these pictures.
EDIT (28 January 2019): I just realized that I forgot to include the names of the ten graduates. They are: Joshua Papa Kimeshwa, Joshua Sinkira Lekoke, Nchoke Kakeu Naipenyu, Jackson Moikan Laisa, Moses Ntete Laisa, Leimaduk ole Solonka, Philipo Naisango koole, Jackson Kapaito Mayiasek, Noah Ikayo Nkoye, and Musanka Sakaya Korema.
2013–2017: An Overview
Successes and failures and ongoing challenges. During our first eleven years in Kenya, we’ve seen our share in each of these categories. In this update, we want to share with you some of our key successes from our third term (2014-2017) as we continue to work with our support partners in the work of expanding Christ’s Kingdom in Kenya.
To learn more, read our August 2018 update here.
new church plant: Oltarakwai CCC — 2018 June 10th
photo credit: Thomas ole Pesi
CCBTI update
We may be in America, but we continue to be engaged with our ministry in Kenya, mostly behind the scenes. The two CCBTI branch campuses in Maasai Land are still going well. Last month (June 2018), Sam Ntinga Tome was in Ewaso Ng’iro to teach Life of Christ and Gospel of Mark. Here are a couple of pictures.
update: October 2017
CCBTI (Community Christian Bible Training Institute) classes, a new book published, Kenyan politics, home assignment update, and a very important baptism.
For details and pictures, read our October newsletter.
update: July–August 2017
We have big news: Kenya’s Elections are next week and we visit America starting in October!
For more, read our latest newsletter.
Expanding Christ’s Kingdom: June 2017 update
Last month we shared with you our team’s vision — unhindered disciple-making — and new mission statement: “to be a catalyst of God’s Kingdom Expansion in Kenya and the world through our own actions and partnerships with CCC and others.” (“CCC” is the Community Christian Churches with whom we partner — these congregations now number well over 200.) Then we listed the first four of our eight key values which provide the foundation for our mission strategies — Christ-centered, Prayer-powered, Empowerment of nationals, Holistic Ministries. Our other key values are Partnership, Church-focused, Community, and Culturally Appropriate.
To read more, including an update on our Community Christian Bible Training Institute (CCBTI) — now expanded to three campuses! — here is a pdf copy of June’s newsletter.
A day in our life in Kenya
What’s it like to be missionary in Africa? Our days revolve around teaching national Christians and our six children, whom we (mostly Ruth) homeschool. To read more, visit today’s post on CMF’s blog, which was written by Ruth.
UPDATE (1 January 2019): As we are continuing with the same work, but are now with affiliated with MissionStream, we have archived a PDF copy of the blog here.
