This week I am with Pastor Isaiah in Kisumu. Pastor Isaiah is one of our newest affiliated pastors, and it is a joy to stay with him and his family here. I’m in love with his little six-month old daughter – I’m going to sneak her into my case and smuggle her home. (not really.)
While I am here I am speaking at a conference in his church. Yesterday was a youth meeting – just a small gathering but they seemed to receive the word well. On Saturday there will be a day for pastors and leaders, with the theme of Equipping the Saints. One of my favourite areas of ministry, and one of my favourite subjects, so I am really looking forward to it.
Today we went to a one-day pastors and leaders conference held by a friend of Isaiah’s in Migori. This bishop had come down yesterday to meet me and we “clicked” straight away. Because Isaiah doesn’t have a car he hired one for us to go through to Migori. We were supposed to leave at 8.30, but when he went to pick up the car there was a problem with the alternator and the battery was not charged, so he had to go to get another battery. So it was almost 10 before we got away.
We had gone maybe quarter of the way when to car lost power. He still had the other battery in the car, so between the two batteries was able to get it going again. This performance was repeated a couple of times, and he ended up calling for the car’s owner who came and got the car going (sort of.)
This time we made it to the bishop’s house where, in spite of being already very late, we had to have tea and something to eat. When we got back into the car to go to the church, it was again dead. After several efforts, with no result, they gave up and called another car. Just as that was due to arrive, Isaiah tried one more time, not expecting anything to happen, but to everyone’s amusement the car actually started and we headed to the meeting.
I was supposed to have two sessions, but because of the hold-ups I ended up only doing one, and Isaiah did one. There were around 120 pastors and leaders gathered, and the response was great.
When it came time to leave, again the car would not go, no matter how much everyone tried. Again they ended up calling the owner, and he drove the car home with us as passengers. Three or four times along the way it died, and we were very glad that he was driving and had the responsibility of keeping it going.
The interesting thing for me personally was that at no point during the day was I stressed. I just had absolute peace that God was in control and that everything would work out the way He wanted. God is really doing something in me.
Another major challenge has come up in the last couple of days. I contacted Michelle, the lady in whose yard my van is living, to say that I will be home on 2nd May. She replied that she is selling the house, and that I would have till the beginning of June to find somewhere else for me and my van. Again, I have perfect peace about this, even though at this point I have no idea where that place might be. I have put out prayer requests here there and everywhere, but I just know that God is not going to have me come home from Africa to be homeless.