Our Third Stop - Kenya 2019

Romans 4:17

As it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations" in the presence of Him whom he believed God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did."

Linus in class~

Part of being a missionary is trusting the Holy Spirit to direct your paths.  After we have been spent a week in the Central District, Kent & I will pack our bags.  Next stop will be the Eastern District, directed by Pastor Victor.  The trip consists of a 4-5 hour van ride to Nairobi, an overnight stay in Nairobi, a flight to Mombasa and another Van ride to Kilifi. If every goes right we will be in Kilifi for church on Sunday. 

Pastor Victor~

I first met Pastor Victor, the director of the district, as a Bible School student in Meru in 2008. We were reacquainted on the last trip in 2018. He told me a story of how he became a Pastor and the Director of the Eastern District. It is one of my favorite testimonies of all time.

Pastor Victor and many others in Kenya call me "General Linus". I've met former students all over the world who tell me; "You said something to me & it changed my life." Victor - I believe has the best story I've heard. "To call those things that are not as though they were." Here is the story from 2008.

Victor's Testimony -

"Linus when you came to Meru in 2008 I was one of the students in the Bible school in Meru. You told us about Romans 4:17 to call those things that are not as though they were. I began doing this is 2008. When I heard these words, I began to act on my faith and began saying what the Holy Spirit was showing me."

I asked Pastor Victor, "What happened?" I was expecting him to tell the rest of the story. Victor waited a long while for the promise, surprising even me.

"Nothing happened for eight years, but I kept calling those things that are not as though they were. I became a Pastor & in the next year Mike asked me to be the regional director. Then a man came and gave me money to build my church building. It took ten-years and you are in the building today which began in my heart ten years ago." Thank you Linus for helping me understand faith. 

Victor's class, where he heard the message of faith~

What a testimony from a Bible school student who believed God enough for ten-years. Holding something in his heart & seeing it come to pass ten years later. It continues to grow for Pastor Victor.

Pat & Mike Heisler~

I can't wait to see what God is going to do in the Eastern District. I am full for belief that future leaders will come forth and be trained. Soon to do what Pastor Victor has done over the past ten-years. We will revisit the schools to train a new group of leaders, to write the next chapter for the Eastern District.

Director's Obed, Victor & Stanley

Our Second Stop - Kenya 2019

Acts 1:8

"But you shall receive power when the Holy
spirit comes upon you; and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and is all Judea and Smmaria, and to the end of the earth."

Bible school at Mike & Pat's house in Meru~

After spending about a week in Kitali we will go back to Nairobi.  Our second stop of the trip will be the Meru District. Meru is in the mountains where Mike and Pat started their ministry about 15-years ago. The climate is like Colorado.  Many people think Kenya is hot but it's not.  I wear a jacket in the morning and evening because it is cool, not hot.

Pat, Mike & Linus

Mike and Pat started by rescuing kids on the street.  I'm not sure how many they have rescued over the years but they have many success stories. There are always at least 15-20 teens running around the compound.  Mike and Pat raise these kids to be ministers for the Gospel.  Many of them attend the bible schools they have started. All have the opportunity to get an education under Pat's leadership.

Mike & Pat on the long, bumpy road to Pastor Stanley & Mary's house~

A few like Stanley, the Central District Director, begin teaching in the schools. His brother Dennis, who will be our guide and interpreter, began teaching at fifteen.  He is now the assistant director of Mike and Pat's ministry.  It really is a family affair in Kenya, Mike and Pat unofficially adopt these kids and make they their own.

I love the Meru District.  It is the small beginning of a great ministry in Kenya. I like Pat's saying; "Just common ordinary people doing extra ordinary things for God". All of the directors of the district have come from the bible school in Meru. The ministry headquarters used to be the bible school.  Now, there is also an apartment where we stay.

The school in Meru has so much potential for leadership development.  Both with church planting and future bible schools. The vision of The Heart of God Ministries, is to go to the rural communities and plant schools in churches which already exist. The more leaders we can develop, the more schools we can plant in the churches in Kenya.

Linus, Pastor Stanley & his wife Mary~

Stanley and Mary are pastors of a life giving church in the district.  They are also district Director's.  Mary is a fantastic teacher of the word and Stanley was not only one of the first kids raised up in the ministry.  He came out of one of the first schools Mike & Pat started & had been preaching the gospel since.  I met Stanley on our first trip in 2008, when we helped plant the second school for the ministry.

Pastor Steven's Bible College in Isolio

 I have met so many promising graduates!  When they get a hold of the message, they become the messengers God intended them to be.  As with a box of chocolates, you never know what is going to come out of the central District.  I'm really excited about being with Mike and Pat for our week in the Central District.  It is truly is the Heart of God.

Our First Stop - Kenya 2019

Acts 1:8

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and is all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Apostle Obed, wife Jacinta & daughters~

Our first stop in Kenya will be Nairobi, we will spend the night with Dennis.  The following morning we'll continue on to Kitali.  Kitali is the Eastern District of Mike & Pat's organization.  For most American's it would be the end of the earth. To me however, it is only the beginning of an incredible journey.  This link will take you to a Google Map -   First leg of the journey~

Kitali to Eldoret to Nairobi~

 Kitali was the town that was introduced to me by Mike in 2008. It is where we planted Mike & Pat's second school. It is an incredible district with so much potential, Mike found a director for this District, Apostle Obed. Obed has become a very good friend and has been introducing me to several of his friends. One is Bishop Patroba, what a man of God.

Aoistke Obed & Bishop Patroba

I want to share some things about these two men of God. On our trip in 2018, Kent and I were introduced to Obed, Mike and Pat were busy arranging the apartment/office for the Eastern District.  We were supposed to stay there, but as usual, things didn't work out the way we thought they would.  We ended up staying in at the Jehovah Jire Hotel.  We were even in the same room where I'd stayed in 2008. Obed became our guide, driver, interpreter and very good friend during the trip.

The Jehovah Jire Hotel in Kenya~

 Obed drove us to all of our meetings and introduced us to Bishop Patroba, Obed told me Patroba's story and told me I would be preaching in his Church the next time I came to Kitali. Obed came through, Kent and I will be at Bishop Patroba's church on our first Sunday in Kenya.   I'm really excited and honored to be there and to preach in his church, it is on fire for God.

Apostle Obed & Kitali Bible School

Bishop Patroba and Obed were students together in Mike's school and graduated together in 2009. I did not meet them but they were very close friends. They both went to Kitale and started their works there. Patroba started a church and Obed went to work for Mike and Pat as District Director.

Patroba was ousted from his church and put in jail.  His church had been taken over by a corrupt Bishop. His congregation both young and old, prayed and fasted until his release. Bishop Patroba started another church in his front yard of his house.  It grew to twice the size of the first one.  Now here is the kicker - he never retaliated or told anyone about the Bishop for several years. This is what got my attention.

Both these men have become witnesses for God. They have become a witness to Mike & Pat and to me.  I am so anxious to arrive!  We will be ministering to so many leaders and graduates when we get to Kilali with the team.  It is going to be awesome!  Don't miss the reports.