The PCEA Marsabit Church dedication was interesting and entertaining. Borana and Samburu are the main tribes here, and the dancing and singing reflected these cultures. Our group also participated in the singing, which was a first.
Building this church was very difficult. It was built over a period of four years encompassing COVID. The costs rose and available money shrank, but with God’s help, the church was completed.
Read MoreI want to thank you for your prayers and your support! It has been a busy season in ministry and in the life of our family: since the beginning of this year, we expanded both the infrastructure and staff at Mother Esther School; we hosted the Kenya Mission Conference for partners in ministry; we continued emergency food relief in areas where drought has taken a toll, and we trained 65 lay-pastors to return to their communities and share the love of God. With all that is going on, we also welcomed our son, Jeffrey Kariuki, to the family in February.
Read MorePCEA Urisho Church in Arusha, Tanzania was dedicated in June with a happy celebration. The church is located on top of Mount Meru, just outside Arusha.
From our base in Kikuyu, it took all day to drive to Arusha for the dedication. We got to the border at noon, and it took about two hours to cross because of the paperwork for the vehicle. The main language of Tanzania is Swahili, and very few people speak English.
Read MoreThe dedication of PCEA Kwen-Siro Church on July 1 was the culmination of a week of mission celebration on the Kenyan coast. The celebration started on Tuesday when many went door to door in Sagalla evangelizing and inviting the town people to the church dedication on Saturday. Most of the Head Office including the Moderator, Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General attended.
Read MorePCEA Ng’alalya Church was dedicated on June 4. The new church is located about 1.5 hours east of Kikuyu. It is a growing area and has a lot of potential. I can see them expanding in five years. In the meantime, we have helped them with a church where they can grow their capacity and members and do much on their own. The closest PCEA church is PCEA Bethany, the mother of Ng’alalya, which is 10 kilometers (more than five miles) away. This is too far for children and the elderly to walk.
Read MoreToday we dedicated our fifth Linda’s Library. It was at Gituamba Girls’ Secondary School in Limuru. The occasion was moderated by the Moderator of Lari Presbytery, Rev. Karanga. The celebration was filled with dancing and singing by the girls along with many speeches.
Libraries take students to a new level of learning. They open up new worlds, new ideas, and new opportunities. Libraries positively affect language and reading skills and help to improve students’ grades.
Read MoreThrough years of faithful partnership, the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) and The Outreach Foundation have built many churches in East Africa. Outreach East Africa Mission Consultant Stu Ross recently sent this joyful news about a recent church dedication:
This Ndigu-Ini congregation was started in 1992 when members from the area felt their walk to their church was too far, especially for the elderly and the very young. They organized themselves and worshipped in an open field on the chief’s homestead.
Read MoreWe just received this prayer request from Lauren Scharstein, Deputy Director of Mission for the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) in Kenya:
Dear friends of PCEA,
Receive Christian greetings. We ask that you join with us in prayers for peace and security, as Kenyans go to the polls to elect a new president on Tuesday, August 9, 2022.
Read MoreWe are saddened to announce the recent death of Eunice Muindi, wife of the late Rt. Rev. Bernard Muindi, former moderator of the Presbyterian Church in East Africa, former pastor of the Riamukurwe Parish at Nyeri, and visionary advocate for the needs of vulnerable children at Nyeri and beyond. Rev. and Mrs. Muindi were great partners and friends of The Outreach Foundation.
Read MoreClean drinking water is a much sought-after commodity in East Africa. The Outreach Foundation and the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) have partnered to bring water to thirsty villages. East Africa Mission Consultant Stu Ross recently sent a report on this life-changing partnership:
Water is life! Over 50% of Kenyans don’t have piped water. It has to be fetched, mainly by women and children, in 20-liter cans. The water may be up to 15 km (10+ miles) away, which makes this an all-day job, two-three times a week. Consequently, mothers are not at home and children miss school. In Maasai land, where water is far away in many villages, children and adults aren’t able to wash regularly and skin disease is common. Diarrhea and dysentery are also widespread diseases where water is either not available or not clean.
Read MoreThrough generous gifts from many donors, hundreds of families in Kenya recently received food and supplies. Lauren Scharstein, global worker and Deputy Director of Mission for the Presbyterian Church of East Africa, sent this note:
Hi!
We have received the wire transfer for hunger relief. Thank you! With the funds that you sent, we were able to deliver:
Read MoreIn 1994, Mzee Toronke came to know Jesus Christ through the teaching of two local pastors, Rev. Nakeel and Rev. Maina. Since that day, Mzee Toronke has slept with a Bible as his pillow; he literally rests on the promises of God.
Mzee Toronke was born in a remote area of Kajiado, Kenya in 1925. He spent his early years tending to livestock, walking hundreds of kilometers looking for water and fresh pasture. As he grew older, Mzee Toronke married and started a family. Eventually, he had six wives and twenty-one children.
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