Bride Held Hostage

   

This past weekend Doug traveled to Bondo near the shores of Lake Victoria and on the border with Uganda.  Torrential downpours at night and mud everywhere made the event an interesting one.

Paul Odhiambo, one of Doug's VSM students married Liz, a local girl.

Bride price is still very important in African culture as it not only compensates the bride’s family for the loss of a helping hand, but because it perpetuates relationship.

The bride price is often paid in installments, not only because the groom and his family may not be able to pay it in its entirety, but also because continued payments over the years guarantee contact with the bride and her husband.

Often families need the assurance that their daughter is being treated well. 

However, this day some chose to abuse this custom. The wedding was delayed for five hours, in part due to the demand for more money by those claiming to represent the bride’s family. Tensions ran high when it became clear that hooligans, perhaps brought in by distant relatives, were keeping the bride from entering the church until more money was paid. Doug spent a good part of the afternoon sequestering the bride and bridesmaids in his car far from greedy hands.   
Negotiations ensued until an uneasy peace settled on both parties and the bridal party was permitted to begin the long, swaying dance into the church hall. 

The crowd erupted in dancing and singing at the top of their voices as weddings are seen as a critical reinforcement in the circle of life.  Marriages and the expected children that will come from this union guarantee the preservation of life.

The long delay at this wedding and the subsequent joy at seeing the bride and groom arrive, reminds us of John the Baptist’s prophetic words regarding Jesus ~

“The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice.” John 3.29

Doug and the other VSM Africa instructors are busy preparing for the next term which will begin on the 2nd of December. . .

For the kingdom,
Doug and Sue

Giving Hope to Others

Mignon McLaughlin wrote, “Hope is the feeling we have that the feeling we have is not permanent.” Sometimes hope needs to be seen and felt. It needs to be demonstrated. Jesus both proclaimed and demonstrated the kingdom of God and thus gave people hope. We are called to do the same whether it be in alleviating poverty by starting businesses or teaching people to pray.

Vineyard Economic Empowerment in Uganda

Baking in a charcoal  oven

John Gitau (seated far right), who leads the Economic Empowerment Program Doug started four years ago was in Uganda recently training people how to start businesses. John is both a pastor and an accountant for a business.  Rather than just leave the training theoretical, John had people demonstrate.  The cake John is holding was made by a woman (Eva in the pink shirt) who started a bakery and the green liquid soap is the product of a man who has started his own detergent company. The cake was made using a homemade charcoal oven!  When people can see what can be accomplished with a small loan they find hope and encouragement.

Making Green Detergent

Empowerment through Prayer

Hands on.

Most churches in Kenya are run by Pastors who do everything in their churches will their people observe. Our goal is to get them out of their seats and believe that they too were created for ministry. When Doug arrived for this seminar seen in the photos, the room was heavy with people oppressed by poverty and hopelessness. In this meeting it took Doug about 30 minutes to convince the people attending this seminar that they too could hear God and pray for people. By the end of the morning 90% of the attendees had experienced the work of the Holy Spirit and had prayed for someone else.  Quite a number were healed as people’s giftedness was activated. By the end of the seminar the heaviness had lifted and people had a renewed sense of hope because they were part of the solution.

Everyone involved.

Well done team!

Paul wrote to Timothy, “That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.” (1 Timothy 4.10)

Please Pray:

For our safety and protection

For Sue, the  Administrator of Vineyard School of Ministry, as she coordinates our program with Daystar University.

For Doug’s meetings with the Vineyard International Board in London later this month.

For Karen Vineyard Church as it grows and prepares to plant another international church across town.

A Little Goes a Long Way

 Abundance can be the enemy of gratitude. . .

Randy Knutson teaching

Living and working with people who have little has reminded us to be grateful.Last month the Vineyard School of Ministry conducted two courses. One course focused on African Leadership and the other on Tribalism and Conflict Resolution . We also offered a leader’s seminar which combined these two topics and was entitled 'Transformational Leadership.'

Jacinta is a Worship Leader

Those in attendance received certificates for having attended the Leadership seminar. This recognition of accomplishment is significant in a culture with little affirmation Simple gestures that acknowledge someone’s commitment to grow are received with joy. 

Pastor Peter from Western Kenya

Masai Pastors

 

Donations made it possible to buy Bibles for these Masai Pastors. 

You would have thought Christmas

had arrived early!

Many thanks to all who have prayed for us, 

particularly with our housing situation. We have moved into a different home and are getting settled.

"This service you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God."
                        2 Corinthians 9.12

On the Other Side of the Tracks

Kampala, Uganda

The humble slums of Kampala, Uganda give one an insight into the context of  the average church planter in Africa. Hardship, deprivation and poverty are relentlessly present.

Doug spent last week in Kampala exploring the possibility of launching a Vineyard School of Ministry Africa satellite campus in just such a setting.  Along with partnership leaders from the US, Doug conducted a sample course with thirty plus Ugandan leaders.

 The youthful enthusiasm of these pastors and leaders is infectious. The hunger to learn is great and we hope to launch classes in Uganda this September. 

Timothy, Doug, Vincent and Andrew

 Please pray for:

• A wise and discerning expansion of VSM 
• Wisdom in prioritizing our time
  
•  Our housing situation. . .our landlord has asked us to leave so they can 'renovate' the property, which means they want new tenants who will pay much more than we are paying. Our rent has not been raised in 5 years and is below market value. We are attempting to negotiate a compromise. Pray we have favor, wisdom and discernment in our meeting with the landlord this week.

“I am not alone!”

Sara Nyokesa is part of a church plant in Western Kenya. Her first chance to take VSM courses was this April. In listening to the stories from other students – all of whom are either pastors or other church leaders – she realized that she is not alone in ministry. Many of the struggles Sara has in her church are similar to those of other church leaders. She took great encouragement in this. Sara’s husband is a teacher and she has one child, a daughter. 

This feeling of 'I am not alone!' is very familiar to us. We feel the prayers and support of our friends and family and are grateful for all of you. As we have said before, we could not be doing what we do without all of you surrounding us. . .

These past few months have been a very busy season for both of us. Doug, with others, has taught April VSM Africa courses and is now preparing for next term.  There is interest to bring VSM Africa to both Uganda and Tanzania which we are working towards. It seems there is momentum happening and we are watching this ministry unfold around us. Sue has been busy administrating VSM, as well as her other roles in financial mentoring and consulting.

We have set up a Facebook page for VSM Africa and invite you to join us at 

'vineyard school of ministry africa'

We had the joy of leading a group to Israel in April. It was great fun having people come together from Kenya, South Africa, the UK and the US. We were a total of 26, with Zac being our youngest participant at 14 months old! Friendships and memories will be shared for so many years to come.

Yes, it has been a busy time, and we are rejoicing in all that we see God doing in our midst!! We look forward to seeing you in June for our annual trip to the states.

Blessings and peace,

Doug and Sue

 

Three Fold Prayer Request

We are in a season of great excitement and anticipation of seeing what will happen in the coming weeks and months here in Kenya. This blog is essentially a threefold prayer request. . . 

UGANDA
Doug is currently in Uganda doing a Leaders Seminar in the capital city of Kampala. Ugandan leaders are interested in establishing a satellite campus for the Vineyard School of Ministry Africa. The purpose of this trip is to build relationship with the leaders in Uganda, and explore future possibilities to train and equip Ugandan pastors.

 Please pray for a sense of unity, common vision and kingdom values. Prior to leaving for this trip, Doug had been made aware that there are some involved in playing power games, exhibiting greed and slandering other leaders.

Vineyard Training in Uganda

 TANZANIA
Annually, there is a gathering of AVLN representatives (African Vineyard Leaders Network) who meet to pray, strategize and plan together about the future of the Vineyard within African nations. The meeting this year is scheduled for March 4 - 8 in Arusha, Tanzania. Doug has been asked to do a presentation about VSM Africa at these meetings. These dates coincide with Kenya's national elections, and Doug will be traveling with others on the 4th of March, election day.

Please pray for inspired, fruitful meetings. Pray for safety and protection for Doug and others as they travel to Tanzania on election day, and for Sue and those who will stay in Kenya.

Rioting following 2007 elections

Last week, Kenya held its first televised presidential debate in the history of the country. This is one of several ways in which Kenya is trying to not repeat its history. After the post election violence of the last election 5 years ago, the people are hoping the upcoming elections will yield a very different result. Instead of riots and violence, Kenyans and expatriates alike are on the edge of their seats in anticipation of what will hopefully be a peaceful and organized election process.

Please pray with us that the elections will be fair, transparent and a non-violent process with the end result being an increase in justice and righteousness in Kenya.

Thank you for your prayers and support!

For His Kingdom,

Doug and Sue