Merry Christmas!

As we reflect on the past year we are reminded of the tension of living a Kingdom life. This year has brought us both challenges and blessings.

Ben & Atara's Wedding

October Festivites
Our eldest daughter Atara married Ben Parkinson. Ben is a quality guy who adds value to the family. He and Atara are settling into a life together. We celebrated the 'joining' together with exuberance!

Sue with cast feeding Shiloh

November Challenges

Sue fell and severely fractured her arm in multiple places requiring not simply a cast, but the insertion of a titanium plate.

One week later Doug's mother Janey passed away. She had lived a rich life of long service in Congo and later in the US. She left behind a legacy that is still palpable.

Sue & the Grads

December
VSM - We have just completed three weeks of intensive courses. What made this last series of classes special was that it marked the completion of our Diploma Program for several students who will now graduate in June in Daystar University's program.

Empowering the poor

Finally, due to the generosity of the Children's Program of VCC Pomona, we were able to purchase goats for Maasai pastoralists whose economy is dependent on livestock. The distribution of the animals resulted in a celebration that reminds those of us who live in abundance how much we take for granted.

While the past quarter has been difficult on a number of fronts we are overwhelmed with gratitude for you faithful prayers and support. With Christmas now upon us we remember . . . . For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8.9

Christ is Born!

Sue and Doug

Growing despite Drought

Drought conditions in Southern Kenya

The Ordination ceremony for the Pastors was delayed because the community had taken their goats and cows in search of water. Despite the fact that these Pastors had been eagerly waiting for this ceremony for months, the possibility of losing their animals, which is their entire livelihood, took precedence. They've had to travel further and further away from their villages and the precariousness of life here is almost tangible.

Maasai Community Gathered

Despite these challenges, perseverance is not an option, but a necessity. The same qualities that have developed a toughness in the Maasai have served them well in their approach to their faith. Once a commitment to follow Christ is made, it is taken with great seriousness.

Wives of the Pastors

The charge to the Pastors and their wives during the service was that the Pastors would respect their wives and include them in the ministry. The charge also included a strong encouragement to put an end to female circumcision which often ends in the death of young girls.  Both of these challenges were a strong challenge to the culture.

Proud Pastors with their Certificates

                                                                                                                                             


The Ordination ceremony and the accompanying certificates represent an endorsement of a leader in the eyes of the community.





                                                                                                                                                       

Celebrating with Dance!

This event not only brought joy to the Pastors and their families, but to the whole community who broke out in dancing.                              

Please Pray For:
Transitions - Karen Vineyard Church has just moved to a new venue, hired new Staff, and is filled with new faces. Pray for sustained continuity to follow our vision and fresh inspiration for the future
For Doug as he participates in the Vineyard Institute Board meetings in Columbus, Ohio, Aug.26-28.
For Atara Brown, our eldest daughter, who marries Ben Parkinson in early October.

"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;" Romans 5.3

Among the Poor

"there need be no poor people among you . . .: Deuteronomy 15.4

About three years ago we launched Vineyard Economic Empowerment (veekenya.org). Vineyard Economic Empowerment (VEE) is a NGO whose main objective is form an independent, self-reliant and sustaining society through small business or enterprises. There are now 200 people involved in this effort to address poverty with 150 now making regular contribution to loan pools in their regions. Our method is called table- banking. Table-banking is a group strategy funding strategy where members of a particular group meet once a month, place their savings, loan repayments and other contributions on the table and then borrow either long term or short term loans from the pool of funds.  Two examples of this are Bridget and Gladys:

Masai Entrepreneurs

Bridget writes "I was given a loan of KES 10,000/- to do a saloon, with it I managed to buy a blow dry, basins and combs and few other items to start off. Am happy that i can now earn a living through it. Thanks to VEE."

Bridget Muhoja

Gladys says, "I was given a soft loan of KES 10,000/- by VEE which I was able to purchase the stock for my green grocer and shift from an open place to a kiosk, and now am happy that my business is doing well. Every month I have enough to feed my family and repay my loan.  It may not be much, but I have no stress like before." 

Gladys Luka

In God's kingdom finances play a vital role, but also provide a spiritual metaphor which Paul expresses in 2 Corinthians 8.9, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for you sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."





Prayer Requests 
For our health
For August VSM Courses and our preparations
For the Strategic Planning process for VSM
For Karen Vineyard Church and our planning process as we grow

for the kingdom,
Doug and Sue

The Measure We Use

In Luke 6.38 Jesus says, "Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." We feel like we have been positioned to measure generously and have given accordingly.

Lavington Vineyard Church's First Service

 Church Plants
The Association of Vineyard Churches Kenya, planted 5 new churches last year bringing the number in Kenya up to 75 churches. We, Karen Vineyard, planted the 76th church - the Lavington Vineyard Church - which went public on Easter Sunday. Half of the 150 people in attendance were sent by our church along with a generous measure of financing.

Teacher Edward Khaoya

VSM Africa - Kenya

People are to be the recipients of our good measure. Thanks to your generosity, leaders from fifteen churches, including non-Vineyard churches participated in April courses.  One course focused on Advocacy and Socio-Economic Justice and the other on Suffering.  Both courses were founded in Scripture and touches on issues close to the African Church's heart.  

Edward, who taught the course on Socio-Economic Justice, pastors a church near Lake Victoria which leads the community in reaching the poor and advocating for their
 rights. 

Pastor Byamungu addressing class

Pastor Byamungu
Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo where Doug was raised, Byamungu now pastors a church in Nairobi which is comprised mostly of refugees.

Jane, in purple, was a first time student at VSM this term. She has recognized that her views on suffering were not entirely Biblical. She feels she has been changed by the course so that she might help to change others.







Uganda Update
We are flying to Kampala in early May to do our second series of courses. We hope to pour out a good measure to leaders from around the country.
Sue will be teaching on leaders and their finances, while Doug will be addressing leadership structures.

 

Please Pray:

For our safe travel to and from Uganda

For the Ugandan students to be transformed by the Holy Spirit

For our networking with Ugandan leaders from around the country

For discernment as we assess future investment in Uganda