May 2015 Report Survey Trip North

Farming God's Way Ministry

May 2015

The month of May began with one full week of vehicle maintenance and house maintenance in preparations for the trip north to Garrissa.  We did however; manage to visit all of the fields on May 6 the day before James, John and I left for Nairobi.  The three of us left for Nairobi on Thursday the 7^th to pick up Bro. Chad Graves, Ryan Copico, Daren Clements and Aaron Johnson. We got checked in our hotel and were going to watch a movie while waiting on the group, but our car wouldn't start.

Before we get everyone we must call the fundi (pronounced like foondy, who is a skilled worker). We had a bad relay switch therefore causing the car not to start.

We spent Friday and Saturday showing the guys around Nairobi, visiting the Great Rift Valley and climbing Mount Longonot, which is an inactive volcano.  We saw lots of animals and we got to hike back to the truck in the pouring down, very cold rain. We had an awesome time with the guys just hanging out and discussing ministry and life with one another.  It's times like that which are so refreshing and encouraging to a missionary living on the foreign field.

Looking over the Great Rift Valley

 Ryan and I stalked some wildlife and got about 20 yards from this cape buffalo.

 

The lights quit working on the way back from the mountain.

James and I repairing the lights.

We had a white water trip planned for Saturday morning but the water was to high therefore we settled for seeing Fourteen Falls

The Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi. Meat served via sword.

 

Visitors at the table

 

One night we took the guys to Little India for delicious Indian food. Its a line of about 15 different restaurants with all kinds of Indian food and when you sit down your surrounded by guys shoving menus in your face. It was fun and really good food.

Afterwards everyone tried Pawn. Its not so good.

   

Sunday we split up into two groups and went to two different churches in the slums where the visitors taught.  That evening we spent time just visiting another church and pastor at his home.  It was such a great weekend and the actual trip had yet to start.  Oh, and we only had to work on the Land Rover twice (one bad relay fuse and one bad light switch). 

Daren, Aaron and John at Silanga Landmark BC

Bro. Chad, James, Ryan and I at Makina BC

 

Sunday evening we visited pastor Walter Matete at First Landmark BC at Dagoreti Corner in Nairobi.

The survey trip begins.  Monday we got up early and started our trek to Garrissa, a 5-hour journey, but at least the road was good and we only had one flat.  

 We only had one flat on the way to Garrissa.

 Ryan is scared and screams in my ear.

 Orma huts.

We arrived in Garrissa around 11 am Monday and got checked into the hotel, which was actually very nice.  Garrissa is a rather small town. On one side of the river is Garrissa with mostly Somali Muslims who don’t like Christians and the other side of the river is Mororo and Madogo where it is ok to be Christian. After lunch we got in the Rover and started our search for churches. We quickly found a church and went right in to meet and talk with pastor Fred. He talked to us about the churches and people in Garrissa. 

Pastor Fred gave us the number of pastor Eliud whom we met and had a great conversation with as well. He pastors the church, which was attacked in 2013 by three terrorists, who threw a grenade inside killing 17 and wounding many others. He was not the pastor at that time, but was called to be pastor soon after the attack. However, he was hiding in his house with his wife and daughter when the Garrissa University attack was happening. We learned from him and even the other pastors that they are only allowed to meet for church on Sunday morning from 9-12 and they must have guards outside. Also we learned of another American missionary Roger Sheenstra and his wife who have lived 100 kilometers interior from Hola.  They have been working among the Orma for many years.  Also they speak Orma fluently.  We believe if we can contact them, that would be a great contact as well.

This was hanging on the wall in the Church.

Eliud lives there on the church compound with his wife and daughter.

Pastor Eliud led us to pastor Joseph, whom we met and talked to the next day on Tuesday. 

Pastor Joseph then led us to pastor Sammy in Mororo who brought us to pastor Katiso. 

Pastor Katiso in Madogo is building a church building.

From there we got contacts for pastor Boniface and Tobias. We met with Boniface Tuesday evening when we returned to the hotel. Up until this point we had heard from every person we met that Garrissa was very dangerous for Christians. We were told that as Americans, we were looked at as spies, missionaries or CIA and that we were definitely not wanted in that town and we should not be on the streets. However, all of those guys lived on the Mororo side of the river and only two of them have lived there for a long time.  They all spoke of the underground church there which is made up of converted Somali Muslims. They told us that the pastor of the underground believers was shot and killed so they haven't met in several months.  Boniface had a different story from the rest of the guys since he actually lived on the Garrissa side.  We feel he was honest about the dangers, but told us it was okay for us to be in Garrissa and let us know that it was not the way the other guys explained. He seemed a little upset with the others, we assume because they moved to the safe side of the river and he still lives on the Somali side.  

Boniface gave us contacts for the American missionary Jason Witt who has lived in Garrissa since 2008 with his wife and 4 little girls. We spent all day Wednesday with him visiting his 30-acre farm, which was given to him by three different tribes on the Mororo side of the river.  He was never a farmer until moving there. He said when he moved there he needed a way to reach the community since they are mostly Muslim.  Farming is his way of working with them and building relationships with them.  He seems to be doing a very good job. It's awesome because he had no idea how to farm before moving to Garrissa.  He has taught himself everything.  Jason was definitely the best contact there and after having dinner with his whole family and the other missionary family who just moved there, we also learned from them that living in Garrissa is not the way everyone said it was.  The family said that for the most part they don't feel unsafe living there and when they do feel unsafe they leave the area for a month or so and then come back. However the facts of the attacks are still very much real. 

 Jason Witt and his family on the right and Emily and her child on left. Emily's husband couldn't make it to dinner.

 

I'm trying to help Jason with his new tractor. 

 

 Jason has an impressive water system going to his crops.

 Jason explains to us what all is going on around their farm.

After our visit in Garissa we made the 5-hour trek to Bura and then Hola where we stayed the night. The road to Bura and Hola was terrible.  It was so bad that you actually drive on the dirt road which is beside the paved road. Once in Bura we drove out to the edge of the Tana River where a nice family spoke with us and showed us around.  

 This is the first thing we see as we make the turn to go to Bura. 

 

The family who showed us the Tana River.

The hippos come on the bank at night and eat their crops.

 

This is the road to the river.

 

Crossing a ditch in the road where the Tana has backed up.

Afterward we went ahead to Hola where we stayed the night. We visited with a pastor there at another African Inland Church who gave us some information on Hola and Bura.  We got to work on the radiator that evening.  The next morning we visited with Samaritan Purse which was definitely one of the best contacts we made.  They told us a little more about Roger who lives 100 Kilometers interior among the Orma.  After our visit with Samaritan Purse we headed back to Malindi. 

Yep, we took the radiator out in Hola.

Samaritans Purse I believe was one of the best contacts we made. 

Goat crossing going to Hola.

 

The road is actually to the left of where we are driving and notice the holes ahead in the actual road.

We left Hola after our visit with Samaritan Purse and started back toward Malindi.  After the 4 hour drive we finally arrived and got cleaned up and just relaxed that evening.  The next day we went out to the fields and pulled weeds. 

Getrude's plot.

Daniel's Plot.

Bro. Chad preaching the Sunday before they leave.

The whole trip was so good.  I wish i could put all the pictures in here and share with you every detail because it was certainly a trip to be remembered. We were very encouraged by the guys and we made some great contacts to work with in the future. We did get contacts for an Orma convert (Bocha) who lives in Garsen which is only 1 and half hours from Malindi.  James, John and I visited with him the following Wednesday after the group left.  He told us of the underground church there as well and also he has two guys that are working with him who have been through bible college.  So we left Garsen understanding that there are three guys working among the Orma there who speak Orma and already have a foot in the door there. Praise the Lord.  

Overall there seems to be a few people working among all the tribes up and down the Tana.  However, there are still very few Christian Orma.  Our plan now is to make contact with Roger to learn from him and also we will continue talking with Bocha about the work there in Garsen.  We are praying for the Lord to lead us in the next step to reaching the tribes up and down the Tana river.

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: Support is now at 85 percent, therefore we need $1,500 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