Kenya Prayer Update #11

Habari zenu (Hello everyone),

I have some cool bits of news for you all and some things to pray for as well coming up. As of today, we have at last finished the digging, refining, and cleaning of all the footings and footprints of the foundation of our new church building. I wasn't at the jobsite today, so I haven't got a photo of the completed job yet, but that will come soon. God be praised for His provision thus far, and for prospering the work of our hands as we work to expand His Kingdom. He has kept us safe in the whole process, preventing cave-ins or whatever else could happen in 7-8 foot trenches and holes! Starting tomorrow we will begin the process of filling back in the footings, which will begin with pouring an even couple-inch layer of concrete to level everything off and provide a base. Be in prayer for us that we would be able to work very quickly in this part of the process, as the rains are projected to arrive soon. If the rains arrive before we finish the footings, they could erode and wreck all the nice digging we've done and generally provide complications because of that... so we're hoping to be able to work quickly. God knows the land here needs rain, and it certainly does, and we have an army of farmers that have been praying for rain, so it is a good thing that it comes. In an effort to beat the rains, we'll be working from 6:00am now instead of 9:00 and we're planning to introduce a night shift to increase the amount of work we can do. As always, pray for laborers, pray for diligence, and for God's will as we work crunch time to get everything in shape before the rains.

We finished up the Book of Romans this past Sunday, bringing the church's 2 1/3 year journey (interrupted by Pastor Josh's trips to the States over the summers) to an end with Paul's final warning against division and his exhortation "to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil" (16:19). Romans is a wonderful book, a fascinating study of anthropology, theology, soteriology (basically all the -ologies) and a diamond amongst diamonds in the Bible. After all the material presented in its pages, amazingly simple whilst profoundly depthful, Paul presents this final reminder to be wise in good and simple in evil. In the context of Romans itself, Paul understood that this letter would produce a lot of controversy, firstly among the Jews and Gentiles who received it, and then throughout church history amongst different churches, denominations, and individuals. He knew it would become very easy for people to fall into the trap of arguing over theological camps (think of the endless arguments produced by Romans 9,10,11 regarding Reformed Calvinism vs. Arminianism (though both are flawed in their own ways), free will vs. predestination (though both are equally present realities instituted by Almighty God), God's plan for Israel and its relation with the church (though Paul and the rest of the Bible are abundantly clear that God's promises do not have an expiration date, nor are they subject to change), and probably more that I'm not aware of), and thus warns people to be wise in what the Bible actually says and simple regarding the evil of this brand of division, which occurs even amongst born again believers. And in our modern context, to which the Bible indeed speaks, being the enduring Word, Paul warns against how easy it is to fall into the studies of conspiracies and secret societies and cults and the occult, which has become rather a fad in modern Christianity. He says to be wise in what is good and simple towards evil. There are so many believers who dedicate more time to studying the moon landing, or conspiracies within the government, or chem-trails, or challenging age-old scientific realities like the curvature of the earth than they do studying the Word of God. Many Christians know more about the methods of operation and practices of the Illuminati, its leadership structure and membership and rituals than they do about the work and purpose of the Church in fulfilling the Great Commission in accordance with Matthew 28:18-20. More hours are spent listening to crime and cult podcasts than are spent seeking the will of God and worshipping Him, and we wonder why we don't hear his voice louder than the conspiracies we've stuffed in our ears. Certainly when it comes to the Word of God, we ought to be educated and know where we stand on theological issues, but we cannot become dominated by constant argument and squabbling over vessels of honor and dishonor when contextually God is announcing that He can turn dishonorable vessels into honorable ones and that His Kingdom has been opened to both Jew and Greek. And all the other things people study -- the evils of the occult or of the government or of societies -- are really of no import when considered in light of Scripture. Where is their eternal substance? They are just things that are better left in the simplicity of the term "evil," and treated as such. Anyways, that's my bit of insight for the week I learned on Sunday, I hope you will be blessed by that truth.

I had my first Swahili exam on Friday -- classes go well and I'm learning quickly; I even made 100% on the test. Guitar classes are going well too; I've actually got an opportunity coming up on the 14th to play with some of the young adults at church at a local hospital. It would be awesome if you all could pray for our preparation as we work together a setlist and practice. We'll be going for a couple hours that Friday morning to play worship music and share the Word with some of the patients there. The crew will be one guy on guitar, three vocalists, and then myself also on guitar. I'm excited as it will be my first opportunity to use my guitar to serve the Lord, and I'll get to do so with some of my good friends. Pray that the sick would hear the promises of God and come to repentance and a knowledge of Him.

The well at the apartment where I live ran dry last Monday, so we have been without running water for a little while now. They've been working on it though and we should have some new water back soon. They had to drill a whole new borehole (I'll put a photo of the drill on this huge truck). The borehole is finished; I guess they just have to run some tests and connect it to the waterline before we get it back, so probably just a few more days. We've been filling up five gallon buckets to do our dishes and flush the toilets and clean and we've been showering at the church. Laundry... has taken a sabbatical... haha! I'm not too worried about the water situation, I actually find it to be an adventure of sorts. There's something strangely endearing about losing power every week, not having water, getting electrocuted by the shower (that's been fixed), and all the other things that happen in Africa that could never happen in the States. It's awesome out here; I wake up in the morning and never have more than a general idea of what is going to happen in the course of the day. I honestly love it.

Continue, too please, in prayer for the Congo. Maybe you've heard by now, but recently there with the warfare and chaos going on, there have been a number of executions of Christians who refused to renounce their faith in Jesus Christ. In one instance there were at least 70 who were martyred for their faith. Our brothers and sisters under such persecution there are certainly in need of prayers for strength, courage, boldness, and perseverance, as they suffer for our Lord. God is certainly with them in their trials and continually gives abundantly of His grace, joy, peace, and patience to endure such atrocities as are being committed. Remember these martyrs for the honor they have won for Christ and for the awesome example of faith that they challenge us with. I read in a book on the martyrs of the Spanish Inquisition once of a martyr who asked another "Are we amongst those who follow Him whithersoever He goeth?" Christ went to the cross. And He says that "Where I am, there will my servant be also." He goes now to the lost amongst humanity; on the streets, across the oceans, in the workplaces, into any sanctuary of darkness where one or more of His faithful bondslaves will follow Him. The martyrs of church history and the martyrs of the Congo have died, as it has been said, as the seed of the modern church.

I think this is the last thing I'll write to y'all about tonight -- a nifty sort of announcement -- I have a website now, courtesy of Ethan Sailor of Martyras Media. Ethan does all kinds of website building and web development, and he didn't know it but he's getting a shoutout today, so go to him for all of your web-based needs for a professional, sleek new look for your business' webpage. All of my email updates are logged on there, as well as a collection of photos I've sent along. He did an incredible job, go ahead and check it out (zionmarsters.org). I have been reluctant to ask for financial support for my trip here, both leading up to and during it, because God blessed me with a job this past summer where I was able to save enough money to come out here and live comfortably, and I know the value and power of prayer far surpasses that of money. But I'm going to work with Ethan to put a giving option on that website so that, if you perceive God leading you and you've already prayed for me, you can give there. It would be a wonderful blessing when I go to book my plane tickets home and I also hope to be able to bless the church family here with some gifts for their friendship and for receiving me so well. Lord willing, that will be available on there soon. Another place you can give, if you perceive God calling you to, is on the Great Commission Ministries website, and everything there will go directly towards our building project. We don't have, as an organization, enough money to build this building, so we are going as far as we can with what we have and relying on God to provide as we continue to walk in faith.

For photos this email, I've got a couple cool sunsets, one reflected off a building, two views of part of downtown El Doret, you can see some of the shops and people walking and driving around, some cool ants I found that live at the very end of that leaf (it's cool), and the borehole-drilling truck outside our apartment.

Thank you all so much for your prayers. I see them evidenced with each day's blessings. Mungu awabariki,

Zion