Update: answered prayers and continued attack

Following on to the good news from the previous post, Tom is doing well in Poland. Here is a note he sent to Connection Ministries, forwarded on by Jerry Waggener:

Thanks Pastor Jerry for the support, prayers and love. Indeed I am happy to be in Poland almost week now. I am spending much time resting in bed and enjoying the presence of my family.

Anna is happy I am here and that she can help take good care of me.

My broken thigh bone (Femur) is responding well and this is my 7th week. They say on the internet that it take 8-12 weeks to recover almost fully so I am praying that by then it is well. So I am really resting and thanks for prayers.

Regards

Tom

Evans also continues to do better. He's still recovering and wrote yesterday, "I have to visit the hospital again, but all in all God has been gracious to me and now I am well." He also wrote that the children are doing fine and always ask about their friends from America.

We praise God for the positive developments, but at the same time Satan has not relented in his attacks - a couple of weeks ago, the church lost one of their senior members to malaria. George Ochieng was a leader at the church, serving as an interpreter during Sunday services. In the midst of their continuing loss and with the leaders that remain stretched ever thinner, they need to see God move in power and repel Satan's continual attacks.

Summon Your power, O God; show us Your strength, O God, as You have done before.
Psalm 68:28

Tom in Poland!

Not long after posting earlier this week, I heard from Tom that he has made it to Poland and is there with Anna and the children now. He made the trip much sooner than he had expected and there are so many reasons to praise God for it - for one, the whole family is together now and Tom has finally gotten to meet his new son John (who's now more than 3 months old!) For another, Tom has more confidence in the Polish doctors than some of those in Kenya and he hopes to get better advice and treatment for his ongoing healing. Most of anything now, though, Tom finally has the chance to just relax after over a month of chaos in Nairobi.

Prayer is needed for those in Kenya as they continue to manage things while Tom is gone. They're no strangers to doing this of course since he has traveled a number of times, but still we pray God's blessings on them. Pray also for Tom's time with his family, that they would be given new strength, be brought closer together as a family, and that God would speak to and direct them in their time away from the "field."

A few more updates

A few days ago I had the chance to talk with Tom directly for the first time in several weeks. Most of our conversation revolved around catching up on everything that had gone on and the whirlwind of emotions and thoughts he and his church have been through over the past month. After we talked through the events and reactions both in Kenya and here in New Mexico, Tom closed that part of the conversation with the thought that there is nothing to do but to keep pushing forward. I encouraged him that we are all still behind the work going on in Korogocho and want to see great things happen there, and our prayers are still with them.

While things continue to move forward at the school and church, something else at the front of Tom's mind is how to get to Poland as soon as he can. He still hasn't met his son John or seen Anna in close to four months, and as of our conversation was waiting on word from the doctors as to when he would be able to fly out. We are hoping it will be before the end of April, but I haven't yet heard confirmation from him whether this will be the case.

I am so anxious to hear how things are going with the church, the children's new home, and all the other "ministry" things, since it has been now over six weeks since we've heard anything specific. Patience is the key, however, as there is clearly still much to sort out - emotionally, physically, and logistically - from the accident. I am being challenged to remain confident that God will continue the healing and ultimately move His kingdom forward, and this can only take place in His time. I ask you all to stay strong in prayer; to ask God to act as a refuge, provider, and healer on behalf of the Abungus, Evans, and the rest of those in Korogocho; and finally to remain confident that He who began a good work will indeed carry it on to completion.

Prayers being answered

Tom got out of the hospital a couple of days ago, and from everything I have heard is progressing amazingly quickly in his recovery. Pray that it would continue as smoothly as it seems to have so far. In addition to Tom's recovery, praise God that Evans is steadily healing. I got to chat with him briefly and trade emails yesterday and he is doing significantly better, getting the treatment and medications he needs, and noticing improvement every day. For a while after the accident he couldn't talk due to his injuries, but he's now able to. Evans, like the others with whom we've had contact, is incredibly grateful for all the prayers and asked more than once for them to keep coming as they are still deeply needed.

As I write this, the members of Victory Christian Centre in Korogocho are waking up on Sunday morning and getting ready to head to church. I don't presume to know what goes through the heads and hearts of anyone living in a context so different than my own, but with so many of their leadership directly affected by what happened things at the church must look a lot different this week and will for a while. Pray that God would continue to fill the church with His presence this and coming Sundays, that His true Word would be preached, and that in His power the kingdom would grow even further in Korogocho. We know that's the heart of Tom, Anna and the rest of the leadership there, and thank God for their partnership and participation in the Gospel and the spread of God's love.

Updates

In the wake of the car accident in which several of our friends in Nairobi were involved last week, we've decided to use this blog, for the time being, to keep everyone up to date on what's going on in Kenya and what prayer and financial needs they still have. Here is the latest:

Tom has already begun physical therapy at the hospital in Nairobi, and may get out of the hospital this week. Evans and Hillary (Tom's father) are both also receiving the medical care they need for their injuries. Ben's funeral will take place March 19th; the delay was Tom's request as he very much wanted to be present for the funeral.

Anna is still in Poland with the children, and has expressed multiple times her gratitude for the support that Celebration and other churches in the US and Europe have provided through this time. Tom's sister Evelyn is taking care of Tom, Evans and Hillary, and I've asked her to keep us apprised of how things are going, as well as any other needs they have so we can continue to stand with them. It is a huge blessing to have someone as capable and efficient as Evelyn to help manage things through a time like this.

To everyone who has prayed or given financially, thank you very very much for all you're doing. I am confident that God will show His power even through this and use it to advance His kingdom in Korogocho. If you haven't yet given but would like to, you can always do so by writing a check to Connection Ministries with Kenya Medical in the memo line, and mailing to:

Connection Ministries
Kenya Medical
PO Box 1973
Oregon City, OR 97045

Jerry Waggener is managing the funds transfer to Kenya, so feel free to contact him (jerry@connectionministries.com) or me with any questions. In the meantime, please keep praying for healing for Tom, Hillary and Evans, for peace and discernment for Anna and Evelyn, and for God's comfort on all of them. Thank you all again, and we will keep you up to date on any news as we hear it.

In Loving Memory: Ben Oliech

Benedict Oliech

September 9, year unknown - March 2, 2011

It's hard to know where to begin this post. There are so many wonderful things I could say about Ben, and I know I speak for Justin and Alisha as well when I say that we were blessed beyond measure to spend time with him last September. Ben was a true servant to Christ and to those around him and, despite living his life in economic poverty, everything about him reflected the spiritual riches he had found in Christ. To spend time with Ben was to feel the love of Jesus in a real and tangible way.

Ben was born in a village in Kenya, and lost both parents during his teen years. Circumstances forced him to move to Nairobi and eventually to Korogocho slum. It was in Korogocho that he first heard the Gospel, at an evangelism rally put on by Pastor Tom Abungu. Sometime after this, Tom began to disciple Ben and through Tom's efforts and God's redemptive power, Ben was transformed into a joyful, selfless, talented and ambitious young man. He devoted himself to service at Victory Christian Centre, playing keyboard at church worship services, helping care for the children at the school and orphanage, and starting a youth ministry at the local secondary school. Alongside his housemate and closest friend Evans, Ben shared the love of Christ daily with people throughout Korogocho, and his testimony has reminded people a continent away that there is joy in the Lord.

Ben's tireless service to the ministry in Korogocho won't soon be forgotten, nor will his brilliant smile. It was a smile that reflected total joy, peace and contentment in Christ, regardless of the circumstances around him. The worship songs he played so skillfully reflected that same attitude, and though we mourn his passing we rejoice that the Ben's faith has now become sight. The temporary problems and distresses of this world are now permanently behind him, and he will forever sing praises to his Savior in Heaven.