DE JONG AFRICA REPORT KENYA PART 2 June 1, 2012

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1 DE JONG AFRICA REPORT KENYA PART 2 June 1, 2012 Answers to Prayer for the Nduluku Bible Institute Work Project (with pictures) We work together as partners who belong to God. I Corinthians 3:9 In this report we wish to focus on willing servants, working together to serve Him. We saw it happen this past fall and winter. Since most of the people of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church could not go to Kenya, they provided the $10,000 needed to purchase the materials. Many of you gave time to pray for us and the team who went. In January David and Sylvia went to Kenya ahead of time to be sure everything was ready to receive the team. At the end of January a team of five men left their families and comfort zone to go on a two week trip to Kenya to partner with several Kenyan churches with their practical skills. When the team arrived, they were pleasantly surprised to see the very nice home (a banana plantation) God provided for their stay while on the project. See the picture below. It was located about a one-half hour drive from the Bible Institute. Benjamin Nzwili, the principal of Nduluku Bible Institute, encouraged some of the students to give up their vacation time to work with the team on the project, which they did. What a difference your prayers made. The weather was good. Everyone worked together in unity. We had only one minor injury. No one got sick. One goal was to take the old metal roofs off of a dormitory building and a classroom building at the Nduluku Bible Institute and then replace them with new metal sheets after repairing the rafters and purloins. Another goal was to take out and replace 178 broken panes of glass. Men students worked with the team on the roofs and glass, while lady students helped with meals and other projects, including assisting Sylvia at the house. Regional churches provided the food for noon meals & sent women to prepare them. Each day, we gathered to start the project with prayer. Benjamin, Joseph, and David saw to it that the men had the necessary materials and transportation to do the job. Joseph took two weeks off from his regular responsibilities, to work with the team. Sylvia and Eric, Benjamin s son, prepared the morning and evening meals. The men put on 360 sheets of metal roofing after repairing the wood purloins. The students were fascinated with the electric tools the team brought with them. Some students took out broken panes of glass and replaced them with 178 panes of glass. All this took place in 7 working days! What a difference it made to see the new roofs and replaced glass. Although our men did not stay long enough to install the gutters and water tanks, there was enough money to purchase and install them and repair the old tanks. We all had time to interact with the students, faculty, board, and churches to share what God has done in us and through us. Also to observe and hear what God is doing in the lives of those we had contact with. It also lifted the spirits of the student, faculty, board, and churches to see the property take on a new face lift. The principal has written to say the churches are in the process of raising money to replace the chapel roof, and that the water tanks are full for the first time since he has become

2 principal. The lady students no longer have to dodge the rain, move their beds, or wipe up water in their dorm. God sent along some special rains, not expected, to fill the water tanks. This water will last the school for one semester. They would like to install 12 more tanks at a cost of $1,250 per tank, so they will have enough water from one rainy season to the other. That would be such a valuable investment. Benjamin, the principal, shares how that the books our team took to Kenya are being used extensively by teachers and students alike. His goal is to get 3000 more books for the school library. Pray to that end. The school opened with 19 new students after 18 graduated in March, for a total of 59 students. Many of the new students already have skills such as dress makers, and construction skills. He is asking us to pray that $ per student (for one term three terms in a school year) will come in for several students who did not have the money but are trusting God to provide. If you wish to help, we will be glad to get a picture and information about the student. One of our team, Jon, has skills with computers, so he was able to teach Joshua Muendo how to use the voice activated computer Source of Light Ministry (SLM) sent, loaded with lots of Bible helps. Jon put the Braille keys on the keyboard for him. SLM also provided Nduluku with Braille college level Bible courses for Joshua. Joshua will be a new student at Nduluku when God provides the school fees. Praise God! The principal is planning to encourage blind and deaf believers, who are called to serve God, to come for Bible training. God led us to a pastor in Zambia who pastors a deaf church. He has men and women called to ministry, with no Bible school available for training. We have put him and Benjamin in touch. We thank the Lord for the person who gave several new computers for the school to use. Pray for the tutors and students to overcome the fear of new technology, to be able to use the computers comfortably. Thanks for all your financial gifts and prayers that made it possible to accomplish these goals. David and Sylvia De Jong david@dejongministries.com sylvia@dejongministries.com See pictures below of the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Team working on the Nduluku Project.

3 The school of 59 students needed help Principal, Benjamin Nzwili, with wife, Anna The team from Pleasant Hill Baptist The work day is started with prayer Students and team took roofs off the dorm and classroom in one day Then the timber repairs began Some of the timbers had been eaten with termites New roof sheets were installed on classrooms

4 Both roofs were taken off, repaired, and put on, in 7 days Jon taught blind Joshua to use his new voice-activated computer Joshua reading his Source of Light Braille Bible College course 176 broken panes of glass were taken out Students learned how to replace the glass Donkeys bring water from the river Rainwater channeled from the roofs... Into old concrete water tanks, now repaired

5 New plastic tanks have also been installed Volunteer cooks prepared the noon meals Volunteers set a beautiful table And served delicious food African style Fellowship around the table at Nduluku A Christian provided this home for the team There were armed guards at night Principal s son, Eric, did team laundry

6 Sylvia prepared breakfast and supper here We ate around the coffee table at the house They had an opportunity to share their faith Pastor Mark preached and Benjamin interpreted Nate shared the gospel with balloons Ivan and Shawn enjoyed the children The team with Nduluku student volunteers The staff and students, along with our team, rejoice in a job done well