May 2012 Trip by Beth Cayce

Sally Gresham, Bill White, John Bender and Beth Cayce traveled the week of May 6^th to Matassia, Kenya to stay for the first time at Divine Providence’s tent camp.  The camp is named  Chemi Chemi (pronounced ché´mi ché´mi) which is Swahili for fountain.  We believe that is what the Divine Providence School is for the pastors – a fountain of living water.

Our very first experience was that of the Kenyan long rainy season and Fred Moore was correct —- the rains are gully washers.  I have never seen such deluges.  However, snuggled inside the tents on our beautiful hill, you are like a bug nestled in a warm rug.  The view from each tent is breathtaking.  You can sit on the decks and see the acacia trees dotted across the canvass of the verdant green hills and at night see the black African sky overflowing with stars swirled in the Milky Way and at the same time see the lighted skyline of Nairobi in the distance.  We even have a large Acacia tree that silhouettes the sunset.  Thank goodness tropical rain is not continuous, but it is hard when it comes.

The pastors arrived for school this past Sunday.  This group is so thirsty for the Word of God and its application.  I have never witnessed such a zeal for learning.  Sally started them on the study of Genesis and the list of questions they wanted to know were endless. They even refused to take some scheduled breaks wanting to continue class.  It is such a blessing to see how God is using this school to further His Kingdom.

Sunday morning we were able to visit former graduate Pastor Samuel’s church which is just down the hill from Chemi Chemi Camp.  Samuel’s church has doubled in size since we visited it ten months ago and it has moved to a larger location.  The congregation was so excited to see us and they were sitting in the plastic chairs we gave them last year.  They are tithing and have been able to purchase more chairs on their own.  The church is named Living Water and they told us that Chemi Chemi was a great name for the camp as truly the school was the fountainhead that had equipped their pastor.

During the service at Living Water Samuel gave his instruction to the congregation regarding how our Shepherd leads us; Sally gave a few words about how the Shepherd provides for the sheep that often need redirecting, and I got the privilege of sharing how we are all called to share the power of God’s Word.  We concluded praying for their loved ones and friends that do not know the Lord that they may be bold in their witness using the Word of God they are learning and by the example of their lives…. but to leave the timing and the results up to Jesus.

Pastor Samuel’s church has about 30 plus kids participating in Sunday school and they gave us great worship performance with accompaniment by incredible drumming.  It was such a great experience to see the fruit of one of our alumni.

We had a great Strategic Board Retreat with focus on how to continue to grow the ministry and to finish our first phase of the retreat center that will include putting in place the generator and begin the classroom construction.  God reminds us constantly that we are on His journey in His time.

Finally the goats have arrived.  Beth and John got a unique insight into how the marketplace for animals works by trekking to the local Masaai livestock lot to pick out the first four goats for the pastors provided by the Advent offering.  This unique adventure can be described as follows: intense haggling, pervasive smell of manure, the color of red everywhere as worn by the Masaai, large dangling earrings and butcher coats.  It was a one-stop market where you could buy goats alive, butchered or cooked ready for take-out.  Our four live goats were placed in the back of our passenger van for the trip back to the camp where promptly upon unloading John Bender’s goat gave him a race as it escaped under the fence.  Obviously we are neophytes in the goat business.  Thankfully the Kenyans know what they are doing.

On Sunday May 20, Sally went with the pastors on an all-day bus and church expedition.  They worshiped at one our students, Robert’s church.  They left in a bright yellow bus  for parts unknown somewhere outside  Nairobi at 8 am and pulled back in at 5pm after a day of praising and going to Nakamatt to buy gifts for the students’ secret prayer partners plus roadside shopping for  local produce   and a  final stop for fresh cow’s milk right out of the milking bucket weighed on a hanging scale.

Sally remains with our pastors teaching and being able to experience all the great adventures and personal interchanges with the pastors.  Once again they are the reason for our ministry and it is a privilege to serve with you to further the Kingdom ministry.