ELDORET, KENYA

Greetings in the name of the Lord,

Wow, it has been an unbelievable trip and apologize for not getting updates posted as planned.  I've had limited time as well as my computer just will not connect to the internet here in the guesthouse we are stay in.  I finally have been able to borrow a modem this evening in order to post a message to everyone. 

It has been over a week since I posted and we arrived in Eldoret last Monday  morning on a flight from Nairobi.  It was quite an eventful flight as one of the passengers on the plane noticed a couple of the Crossings guys had on OSU shirts/caps. He inquired where we were from and he shared that he had taught school at OSU Tech in Okmulgee for 5 years and is not back in Eldoret at Moi University as a professor there.  Eldoret is where he grew up but got his degree from OSU and taught for five years before returning to Kenya.  It was/is an awesome connection.  He was so thrilled to hear our story that he invited us to come to the University to share with the Vice Chancellor and the VP of HR for the school.  It has proven to be a divine connection and the University wants to collaborate with C-CADE on communtity initiatives with water wells.  This is HUGE for C-CADE.  We have already identified 3 projects that will start as early as next week where we will be drilling wells in a very  remote village that we had a chance to visit.  The village has one water source, a pond, that overflows in the wet season which is just coming to a close now.  Over the next month, it will dry up and the 3000 people have no water source for many miles.  They also are needing a church in the area and Pastor Martin Shikuku of Glory Baptist Church in Eldoret and one of our board members has already agreed to bring on a young man in the village to join the new Bible School class the church just started 2 weeks ago.  Glory BC is going to work to help the village establish a church there.  Also, two others in the area want a well drilled.

The meeting at Moi University has also opened up doors for us to have our water tested by the University along with other business opportunities with HIV and Hepatitis tests. 

But, on with why we are here.  We had invited 21 pastors from all over Kenya to come for water well drilling training along with pastoral/theology training.  All 21 pastors were able to be here for the 9 days and you talk about amazing men of God!!  We have been so engulfed in the way these men worship and serve God.  Unbelievable time!  They will be departing tomorrow afternoon for their homes.  Please pray with me for their safety.

Well, we had come to drill 2 wells but was very fortunate to be able to complete 3 wells and to drop pumps in 2 other wells.  Two wells were drilled at two different churches that were desparate for water in their community.  Both wells went extremely well and we were able to finish them in 3 days.  We were also able to drill 1 well at the Eldoret Childrens Rescue Centre that was in dire need of a well on their property.  We were able to drill it close to the administration office and it will be completed tomorrow.  The team from Crossings has been awesome and know this has been an amazing trip for them. 

We have seen lives changed drastically for the better now that they have fresh clean water for the first time.  It is really almost impossible for us Americans to comprehend not have access to clean water.

Saturday was a very day a with a Bible School graduation at Glory Baptist Church where 4 men completed 2 years of biblical studies.  I was blessed by being able to preach, even with only 5 minutes warning.  The graduation was immediately followed by a wedding in which Pastor Michael Milligan from Crossings was able to perform for a couple there in the church.  That only took about 3 hours with all the gala celebration they do for their weddings.  That was followed by the dedication of the well we drilled at the church last year.  It was a really special day.

Sunday was a wonderful day as well.  We had several different churches where several of us had a chance to preach and give testimony.  I preached at Bread of Life Church where we had just drilled one well and topped off another with a pump last week.  It was a great day of celebration and we dedicated the well that afternoon.

Today, the professor from Moi Unversity wanted me to meet a friend that is running for governor of the district and he loves what we are doing to help the people of his district.  He is going to help us with many new projects in the area.  Great connection.

I think I will stop for now as it is very late and need sleep.  So much more to share when time will allow. Thank you for continued pr ayers.  They are so felt by us all.

I will try and post some pictures tomorrow. 

Blessings to you all.

WELCOME TO KENYA

Wow! I am back in Kenya.  It has been really good to see dear friends again after being away for over a year. Today is Sunday and Jimmy Tangai and I were up early and off to visit a church here in Nairobi, Ridgeways Baptist Church. Unfortunately, the pastor, Elijah Wanje, Jimmy's cousin, was not there as he is in the U.S. but we enjoyed our time with the members.  Wonderful time of worship.

Today has been a much needed rest day and just waiting on the Crossings Community Church team to arrive this evening in Nairobi.  8 men from Crossings have all been trained on the water well drilling technique and will be involved in training 20 pastors from throughout Kenya that are coming in to Eldoret tomorrow morning.  We will fly from Nairobi to Eldoret early in the morning and come together with the pastors at the Reformed Church Guest House where we will be staying during our 9 day stay in Eldoret.

I do have a couple of important prayer requests today.  Brother Joseph Ogwang, our Kenyan Director for C-CADE received word that two family members passed away while we were in Malawi.  We decided last night that he should return to his home in Migori to take care of the final burial on Monday.  So, Joseph left last night at midnight and traveled home to be with the family today and tomorrow.  Joseph plans to join us in Eldoret early Tuesday morning as we begin the training.  Joseph has been involved in all of the wells that C-CADE has drilled since 2010 and is a great teacher.  Pray for his family during the burial services tomorrow for a cousin and the son of another cousin as well as for Joseph as he will then take a bus ride to Eldoret to join us on Tuesday.

The other big request is for the 20 pastors that are traveling today and tonight to be there tomorrow morning and for us as we fly to Eldoret in the morning. 

This is going to be a wonderful time together and I look forward to sharing with you the day-to-day events of what God is doing here in Kenya.

Have a blessed Sunday.

P.S. Below are some pictures from Malawi.  The first picture is of Pastor Gary Jamar, Pastor from Morris Memorial Baptist Church in Ada and founder of Malawi Orphan Ministries. 

The picture of the little girl sitting next to me is one of only hundreds of children in the area that were intrigued with what we were doing.  She stood out for several reasons because of her bright smile and eagerness to help.  We finally had a chance to get the kids involved when bricks were needed and you see her in another picture carrying bricks on her head.  So cute!!

Pics & Videos from Malawi

WHAT AN AWESOME WEEK

There is so much to share with you but due to limited internet connection, I just wanted to post this week has been an awesome week.  I don't know that I have ever experienced a trip like this one before.  We traveled for about 2 hours east of Llongwe on Sunday and arrived at the orphanage property that is stunningly beautiful.  Brother Gary's orphan ministry has almost 16 acres that sits right on Lake Malawi, the third largest lake in Africa.  Beautiful sandy beach with a picture like what it probably looked like on the banks of the Jordan river back in Jesus' day - fishermen boats sitting on the water just off shore, children running all over the beach, cattle and goats walking across the sand.  Picture perfect setting with great sun rises. 

We started training Monday morning with 8 area pastors and by Wednesday afternoon we had already completed our first well that was 36 feet deep with 18 1/2 feet of water in the borehole.  By Thursday morning, the well was almost clear and the ladies began using the water for cooking and washing dishes.  That is a first for us to begin using the well so quickly after drilling.  It is a great well and will be such a wonderful part of the orphanage.  Currently, they are feeding over 200 children every day, one meal.  We had a great time being a part of that work, as well.

On Thursday, we started Well# 2 and pretty much left it to the pastors to do the whole thing and they had made great effort and reached water level by the end of the day.  They were back at it early this morning and by the time we left, they were putting in the casing and expecting to complet that well by tomorrow.  It was the most amazing thing!  These pastors worked so hard and were so committed to the effort.  We left knowing that they would be able to carry on the work with 2 other wells already planned to be done in the few weeks.

We are heading to Kenya tomorrow morning and I'll be able to post pictures and more details once we get there. 

Stay tuned.

Greetings from Llongwe, Malawi

Hello Everyone,

We finally made it to Llongwe about 1pm on Friday and were met by Pastor Akim and Martha Chirwa and their son Titu and Pastor Owen Mkangawire.   Akim is one of Pastor Gary’s trustees for his ministry.  What a delight they have been. We spent much of today in their home as Kemp and Joseph Ogwang went to pick up the additional supplies we need to do the well; i.e. PVC pipe, steel pipe for tripod, and 1” square tubing.  Unfortunately, they did not have what all was needed and it won’t be available until next week.  So, we will travel about 1 ½ hours east of Llongwe tomorrow and start drilling as soon as tomorrow afternoon.  Someone will come back on Tuesday to pick up the remaining items needed.

Brother Joseph serves as the Kenyan Director of C-CADE and has done more than 13 wells since we started C-CADE back in 2010. I had him come to Malawi to help train the team.  Joseph is an awesome Man of God. 

Pastor Gary’s ministry is making a difference in many children’s lives.  Currently, the ministry is serving 400 meals a day to children that might not otherwise receive a decent meal for days. 

The weather is wonderful.  Warm with a real nice constant breeze blowing. 

Thanks for all of the prayers and words of encouragement.  Keep them coming.

AFRICA, HERE WE COME

The time has finally arrived.  We have been anxiously awaiting this time as we venture into new African territory for this ministry as well as return to a place that has deeply impacted this ministry over the last 3 years, Kenya.  Tomorrow, September 19th, I will be leaving and traveling with Pastor Gary Jamar from Ada, Oklahoma to his orphanage in Malawi Africa (www.malawikids.com) where we will be drilling a water well there on their property along Lake Malawi.  Kemp and Kim Ward from Water4 will be traveling with us, as well.  We are so excited about this opportunity.  What is really great is that the money for the well was collected by the third grade classes at Plaza Tower Elementary School in the Moore Oklahoma School district.  Teacher Mary Jane Crosby had been teaching the children in her class about water and invited me last year to come and share about our drilling wells around the world.  They were so excited and set out to raise money to drill a well.  The kids were able to raise over $750 to help drill this well in Malawi.  How exciting is that!!!

After we finish in Malawi, Kemp, Kim and myself will travel to Kenya where we will meet up with a team of 8 men lead by Michael Milligan of Crossings Community Church in Oklahoma City in Nairobi and then travel to the city of Eldoret.  We have invited 20 pastors from throughout Kenya to come to Eldoret to be trained on the water well drilling process as well as some theological training.  The purpose is so the pastors can return to their geographical area of Kenya and be able to help their area with water wells.  In other words, they will bring the people in their area fresh clean water and be able to share to Living Water of Jesus Christ with the lost.  What a wonderful way to show the love of Christ while providing them with the necessity of good clean water.

Brother Sam Kirui with Barnabas Leadership Ministries (www.barnabasleadership.org ) will also be on this trip.  What an amazing man of God.  Sam is from Eldoret area of Kenya and his leadership will be so helpful as we minister to the 20 pastors coming for the training.

Please be in prayer for the C-CADE team, Brother Gary, the Crossings team, Sam, Kemp and Kim, and the pastors as we gather together over the next 3 1/2 weeks.  Also, be praying for the lost souls that will be reached by the efforts of this trip. 

I do plan to do periodic updates of this blog while on this trip.  So, be sure and check back occasionally to see what God is doing in Malawi and Kenya.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.  I am most humbled.

Brad