December events

During the last weeks before Christmas we have had the Sunday services in the Dagoretti Corner facilities like before, but other gatherings and Bible studies during the weekdays in various places: in our home, Steve’s home, Ashford’s home, in the Arboretum –park, in a food court of a mall, in a city café… We have shared the Word, eaten, and had good fellowship times.

December 7-8^th p. David Kisaame from Nambale visited Nairobi. We had a Bible study and a dinner in our house. He stayed overnight with us, and the next day we accompanied him with the group to the matatu station for his trip to Kisii (he went to see P. Moses also). During his time here he was able to meet John, Steve, Genesis, Ashford, Nancy, Beth, Florence, and Esther. He desires to visit Nairobi more often.

Another memorable event was last Thursday’s party in Ashford’s house. He had arranged a ‘private’ matatu drive for the group – he lives in the outskirts of Nairobi. His wife Salome and the two sisters-in-law had cooked a traditional Kenyan meal. We ate, talked, laughed, and prayed together. P. David finished the Book of Romans –class.

December 20^th was the last Sunday service with us. Since we will leave now for Finland, please keep praying for the future plans for this group.

Life on Mission field is great!

I (Hanna) had a great opportunity to spend 3 months on Mission field in Kenya, Nairobi, with wonderful people. I cannot find enough words to share with you how exciting time it was!
I am so thankful to God that I could be in the middle of precious Kenyans and get to know some of them. I and my missionary friend, Saija, many times amazed God´s grace toward us. God wants to use us, who are weak and unable, in His plan.
It is not about us it is about Jesus!
I am willing to go back if God opens the way.
"But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) in enough for you (sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully); for My strength and power are made perfect (fullfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in (your) weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!" 2.Cor.12:9 Amplified Bible

Hanna Häyrynen

More Kenyan people

We introduce you some more friends from Nairobi:

Florence: (nickname Nightingale) We met her in the park. She loves singing gospel songs and desires to make a recording one day.

Beth:
She got saved recently and have been in the fellowship since then. Please pray for her life situation and protection for her pregnancy.

Ashford:
A man who has his own magazine- book-DVD-business in the center of the city. We were invited into his house recently, and we met his family also.

Thank you for your prayers!


In the photos: 1) Florence 2) Ashford, Beth, Nancy, Genesis, and Steve

Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into His harvest. Mt. 9:38

We (Jukka and Helena) did pray, and God did sent us to see the great harvest in Nairobi. We met many, whom God brought to our fellowship. These people are ready for the Grace Message of the Finished Work of Christ.

We left Nairobi, but Nairobi didn't leave us.

So, pray with us that The Lord of the harvest would sent us back to Nairobi, to live there.

TRIP TO NAMBALE

The weekend 20-22.11.09 we (p. David and Minna) had the opportunity to travel to Western Kenya, to the small town of Nambale, near to the Ugandan border, to meet p. David Kisaame who started Greater Grace church there about 5 months ago. In the ‘mini conference’, there were p. Duane George from Baltimore and p. Sam Muhima from Kampala, Uganda, as visitors. It was a privilege for us to meet and have fellowship (fun) with these men of God. For us, going there meant 10 hours in a bus on Kenyan roads, but it was worth of it all.

From Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon there were meetings and raps in p. Kisaame’s church and in another church. People came to listen to the teaching from some other churches, too, whose pastors are attending p. Kisaame’s Bible school. The biggest group of people was there on Sunday, maybe 100. The messages were about the grace and love of God, the sacrifice of Christ, eternal security, the faithfulness of God etc. There were many people who probably heard this kind of teaching for the first time ; they checked with their questions if they heard it correctly – can God be this good, really?

The hospitality of the local people was abundant. We enjoyed many delicious meals in their simple homes. One night, after the dark had come, we ate in the light of one single lantern, but the love between us lighted our hearts.

The transportation to different places in Nambale area was arranged by the local ‘taxis’: motorbikes! We had two passengers sitting behind the driver, p. Duane and p. Sam on one, p. David and Minna on another. We really enjoyed the rides!

The people there were open and friendly. Please pray for p. Kisaame as God is using him starting this amazing work of GGWO in Nambale, Kenya.

Serving the children

The area where we have our services is full of little people. They have welcomed us warmly. Every time we come they run to us to greet us and asking many times "How are you? How are you?"
We have Sunday School for the children on Sundays before the service.
They really like to listen Bible stories and sing.
We also play football with them and they like it very much.
We have been blessed through their joy and friendship.
Pray for these precious little people that they would grow in God´s grace and knowing their value in the sight of God!

Kenyan people

Here are some precious Kenyan people that you may pray for:

Matthew:
Young man, we met him in the park. Attends in the Bible classes and services. Invited the team in his house for a lunch recently. Likes to sing, to give edifying testimonies, and share the Word. Has a heart for people, often brings others with him.

Charles:
Friend of Matthew, young man. Have been in the classes. Likes to study the Bible.

Kelly:
Young man, we met him in the outreach near to the church. Comes to the classes, brought his wife and two sons to see the "Gospel of John"-movie. Sweet quy, has good questions.

John:
Got saved with p. Juha in the park. Young man, attends services and Bible classes. Please pray for his health. Has a painting job.



Steve:
We met this young man in the park. Been saved a couple months. Has attended the classes and services. He is a freelance graphic designer, looking for work constantly.

Genesis:
The guy who lives in the Kibera slum. His wife Faith just got a baby girl, "Blessings". Pray for their health and his work situation.

Nancy:
Young woman, we met her in the park. Desires to follow the Lord, has attended classes and services. Likes to laugh with the girls. We prayed for a job and God answered the next day.

Sharon:
Teenager girl, still in school. Quiet and sweet girl, attends faithfully in classes and services, often with her little sister, Joy.

Thank you for your prayers!

African wedding in Kibera 17.10.2009

We got an invitation to African wedding through our friend Genesis.
The wedding was held in Missions Outreach Church in Kibera slum.
The bride was beautiful and bridegroom was handsome.
The experience was unforgettable. People were singing (loudly), dancing and rejoicing.
The atmosphere was joyful! The dancing people around us got even Finns excited
and we were also moving along the rhythm!
The bishop who did the wedding gave very fundamental instructions about Christian marriage.
We were privileged to be in the wedding.

Visiting the Kibera slum in Nairobi

In a photocopy shop near to our house we met a young man called Genesis. He is a Christian and has come to church and Bible study a few times. He lives in Kibera slum with his pregnant wife, Faith.

Saturday, the 10.10. we had an opportunity to visit his home, meet his parents-in-law and a group of children and and teenagers, that he is investing in by playing soccer and studying the Bible with them.

In the slum people live in tiny "houses" that are crammed together, built with mud and some pieces of metal. There's no running water, everything is dirty and trashy. As we walked on the narrow paths between the houses, trying to avoid the big puddles (it had rained the night before), we were overwhelmed with the amount of people, children and adults, the smells, the heat, the noises, food being fixed on the street, clothed being washed in the water on the streets, clothes and shoes being sold, chicken, dogs, goats running among it all.In every corner little kids were greeting us with 'How are you?'-choir. We tried to stay together. Alone we would have not dared to enter there, but with Genesis it was ok, we didn't get lost.

After eating a simple meal of fruit, bread, and eggs that we bought and brought to the house of Genesis' parents-in-law, it was time to meet the group of children and teenagers. We spoke to them about the love and the plan of God in their lives. The teenage boys and the younger children were divided into groups. Genesis told p. David that the teenage boys need to get convictions about Christian relationships. We encouraged Genesis to keep up the vision that God has given him.

What touched us really was the fact that we mainly saw happy faces there. Children played happily like everywhere in the world.
Genesis' mother-in-law told us how God had saved her husband after many years of prayer, and delivered him from the curse of alcohol. Her testimony was just about the faithfulness of God, and how the life of the family has changed since then. We prayed together the further blessings of God to that home in which the six people lived in the space of a few square meters.
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We had been praying in the morning that God may use us to love and encourage these people with the Word and kindness since we cannot change their living circumstances. God was teaching us,too, a lesson -through them - about being satisfied with what you have in the will of God.

Our first service!

We found a suitable place for the Bible school and services on the outskirts of the town. There is peace and quiet. It`s little bit like countryside but it`s still along one of the main roads. The place is in our use on Sundays from 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm. We started the service at around 2.30 pm. We were good crowd there. God brought many of our new friends and they had invited their friends. We started with praying and singing praises to the Lord. Pastor David Rouquette preached about the fullness of truth and grace in Jesus Christ (John 1:14-18). Jesus revealed the nature of God, truth and grace. Jesus didn’t come to condemn us but He came to save. We are saved by grace (Eph.2:8). This same grace helps us in our Christian life (Tit.2:11-12). When we are in Christ we can have the truth and grace. After service we had fellowship and we heard some testimonies. We had blessed time together! This is a small beginning but it isn´t worthless because God is with us. “For who has despised the day of small things?” Zech.4:10

Trip to Kisii

The weekend of Sept. 17.-20.
Our team visited the Kisii area in western Kenya, 375 km from Nairobi.
We traveled about 5 hours by the public transportation, which was an experience in itself. During the trip we were entertained by a bus preacher who used the opportunity to collect money from some passengers, by a health product salesman, and very loud African music (the earplugs were useful). We passed through the Maasailand, very dry desert like area, since there has been a severe drought in parts of Kenya for a long time. But the more we traveled towards west, the greener the landscape became. The Kisiiland is an area with mountains, little rivers passing through the valleys between them, and everywhere there are maize fields, tea plantations, banana and avocado trees and other green vegetation.

Pastor Moses Kenyanya
received us in Kisii town. He has got to know the GGWO ministry for a short time, and met P. Schibelli, P. Kisaame, P. Haatanen etc. and visited the Uganda church in Kampala conference. Under him there are several small village churches, whose pastors desire to be trained by Greater Grace ministry. God willing, they will start a Bible School this fall there by video classes. These little churches have originally Baptist background, now they call themselves Greater Grace churches.

We visited 3 of the churches and 2 little village day schools, maintained by the believers there, during the weekend. Often the church building is used as a school during the week and for the services on Sundays. Our hearts were deeply touched by the song performances of the kids and the sincere work of the teachers in very simple circumstances without textbooks and almost no salary. P. David encouraged the staff to go on in their precious call
and Hanna taught them a Bible class using her picture materials.


We told them that in our country it is almost not allowed to teach the Bible in most of the schools, so they are lucky to receive that every day.







One of the churches were we visited was located in an interesting place. After we had taken the taxi and been driving a long way the road started to look quite impossible, stony and muddy but the African driver didn't care and managed to continue. However the road was worse and worse and it went uphill all the time. Finally we came to place, in which he admitted that we should get off and continue by foot. So we did and ended up walking maybe two more hours, going all the time uphill and the path was getting narrower, in the middle of fields and rocky slopes. We were companied by cows, chickens, and goats, who move there freely. Every now and then we passed
by local people. They either greeted us with a smile or stared at us embarrassed or afraid. Some of the younger children had never seen a white person and ran away being scared. Later we heard from some people that they believed that our skin is so thin that if you touch it, the blood will come out easily. Finally we reached the top of the mountain, where the church was. Tired but happy. We felt like eagles seeing the breathtaking view.


In the churches we had great services with a lot of singing or dancing and p. David preached Finished Work messages which were received with much appreciation and joy and we visitors
were invited time after time to come again. All the time they were asking us if the Bible classes (videos) will start for sure. After the services we had fellowship with the people. Their life circle is very small, and they have no idea of life in other countries, no electricity, running water, but what we had common with them was the love for God, his Word, and for His people. They sent greetings to the Finnish churches especially! They showed us great hospitality: we were invited
after the services to eat together a simple meal in their houses (mud huts that often had just the door as a source of light). Little note concerning the way of transportation in these places: One time we returned to Kisii town in a small car with 14 people in it.










Please pray for these people: P. Moses and his family, his brother P. David & family (below), p. Shem, p. Laurence, p. Samuel, p. Benson and others.