February 2016 Report

Farming God's Way Ministry

February 2016

Fields and Selling

Lindsey and I, along with her parents, Alex and Lauren Carter and Levi another friend, arrived in Nairobi on the 2^nd of this month.  Lindsey’s parents stayed with us for about a week while the other three stayed until the 28^th of this month.  It is always great having visitors with us here as they make us feel that we are not alone in this.  Of course we know that we have our supporters which we are very appreciative, but there is something that makes it much more meaningful when people stop their lives to come visit and serve directly along side of us. We are so grateful that they were all able to come visit and get dirty in the fields with us.  As we did work in the fields some, much of our time was spent just hanging out, readjusting to the temperatures and the Kenyan culture.

In Jimba with pastor Daniel helping wead.

Had a good turnout in Gandini 

 Gandini clearing and leveling

Gandini making straight rows

 Gandini

 Gandini 

 Gandini digging holes

 Gandini laying blanket

 Gandini

 Gandini

Gandini

 Gandini

Singwaya we only cleared the plot. We will return later to dig holes and lay blanket.

Singwaya

Mjombini we only measured and placed our markers in the field.  In this sand if you dig the holes to early you will find yourself digging them again before planting.

As you should already be aware, my wife and I will be moving back to the States in the first part of June.  Therefore, the remainder of our time here will be spent in the fields teaching Farming God's Way and we will also be selling as many things as possible. We are also trying to help the Taylors get as many things sold as possible. However in their 15 years working here they have acquired a little more than Lindsey and I. As I’m writing this I am waiting on a call to close the deal on James’s land rover, the little moped/scooter, all the weightlifting equipment and many of the tools.  Hopefully today will be a good day of selling things. Wish it were cooler outside. 

During this month we have started Farming God's Way plots in Gandini, Singwaya, Mjombini, and still working with pastor Daniel in Jimba.  We have also gotten everything ready to be sold. Before our visitors left we were able to spend time on the beach and visit both Tsavo East and West.

 A night at Driftwood before our friends left us.

Just holding snakes with Lindsey's parents JW "Buzzy" and Tammy.

Prayers

Pray for us that we will be able to sell everything we need to sell and that we would finish well with FGW ministry. 

Pray for the Strader family as they continue to minister.

Pray for the Churches and Bible Institute in Kenya.

July 2015 Farming God's Way Report

Farming God's Way Ministry

July 2015

516 Mission Team

This month began with a little relaxation as we had guest come up from Mombasa for the holiday.  We had a great time visiting with friends and discussing life on the mission field.  The week after they left we began to prepare for the 516-mission team that arrived that Friday.  Once the team arrived, the very next day they went on the safari, which is a tough day. If you have ever been, then you understand what I am talking about. Yes it is a fun day, but the roads and the dust are tough on you. That was on Saturday and then on Sunday we all took the long trip or safari out to Singwaya to visit the church there.  We had a great service with them and had lunch there as well.  Singwaya is one of our favorite churches as they always bring lots of energy.

The Team on Safari in Tsavo East Game Park

Haller Park

 Cape Buffalo and Warthog

Monday we all loaded up and drove to Mombasa where we ate dominoes and then visited Haller Park (a zoo). Afterwards we went to Miritini where we got settled in the rooms we would be staying at for the rest of week.  We stayed there in the Miritini Guest House because it’s only a short drive from there to where we were doing the basketball camp.  Tuesday we started our basketball camp.  We did the camp at Mrereroni Primary School near the Midiani church where Brother Elley is pastoring.  The school was predominantly Muslim with kids from ages 5 to 18. Even though they were mostly Muslim and we did have a small issue the first day, almost all of the students took Bibles.  We started the camp off each day by breaking the students up into groups and then praying over the camp.  From there we sent them through 5 different stations.  Three stations with basketball drills, one with snacks and songs and the last station was the Bible lesson.  After the camp each day we stopped by the church to work on the building.  By the end of Saturday we had put a baptistery in the ground along with a floor in the church.  We also put a very nice roof on the building.  The week as a whole was awesome as we completed another basketball camp, passed out over 200 Bibles and put a roof on the church building.

      

Basketball Stations

Pastor Elley Digging out holes by hand and Miranda moving rocks

Removing Grass and Carrying Rocks for the Floor of the Church

 Moving Rocks and digging holes

 Great job on the messages guys

James explains about baptisms

Eating beans and Ugali (corn meal & water).  Very heavy Trusses

Coconut milk quenches the thirst.

 

 Our cafeteria for the week.

 Elley's wife broke her leg in motorcycle accident (Taxi's). My vehicle breaks down again.

 We brought cement to the Bokole Church for the floor.

We all had to hold Kenya's van on the road because of the mud.

 Setting up for Cinema and Mike Vickers shows us how to build trusses.

 Digging holes for the poles and a huge hole for the baptistery.

 Drawing water from the creek.

Ben and James cross the river with motorcycle in a dug out canoe

We returned back to Malindi from the camp after church Sunday.  Monday we loaded up and headed to Pastor Daniel’s field where we put in about two and half hours of work removing stumps and clearing grass in order to prepare the field for next years planting.  Afterwards, we visited Getrude's field so I could show everyone what Farming God's Way is supposed to look like.  We all were so tired after working in the fields that morning and thankfully Getrude made us chai (tea) and fried bread like little sugar coated donut holes.  They were amazing. 

Huge poisonous centipede.  maybe 6-8 inches long.

Cutting grass with slashers

Cutting grass and digging up stumps

 These guys cleared a lot in only a few hours

Overall this was a great month of missions as we were able to share the gospel with so many people. We always enjoy playing with the students at the camps and working in the villages. Also, it is just so good to be able to partner with Pastor Elley and the work he is doing in and around Mombasa.  He is such a good example of what we all should be doing.  Pray for he and his wife as they minister there. Thank you all so much for the prayers and support and making it possible for us to host mission teams.  I personally wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for going on mission trips.  Thank You.

Prayers

Continue to pray for the fields and the tribes up north as well as the churches and pastors here on the coast.

Support Needed

Monthly Support:  We need an additional $1,500 a month to reach full support. We are still praying the Lord through His churches will help reach our final goal.

Clayton & Lindsey Howell, Farming God's Way Ministry of Pauline Missionary Baptist Church PO Box 299 Monticello, AR. 71657, 870-367-3085