Poster - Worship Slides

Poster - Front-and-Center Slides

Poster - Event Slides

When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.Isaiah 41:17

The sun was just rising as we headed down the escarpment westward into the Great Rift Valley, getting an early start to avoid the traffic, trucks, push carts, goats, vendors and everyone else who use the roads in daily Kenyan life. We were loaded with hymnals, water, food and camping gear that would be needed over the week-long trip.

The first stop at the ELCK Matongo seminary gave us a chance to visit with the students, faculty and our missionaries there (the Becker and Steele families). Through generous gifts from Schwann's and other donors, the LCMS supports scholarships for many international students at Matongo, and this was a great chance to visit with them, hear their stories and plan with administrators and missionaries for the coming academic year.

Next, Sean and I aimed for northwestern Kenya to the town of Kakamega for the official opening of Project 24 Lurambi, the eighth children's center in this joint ELCK/LCMS program. Deaconess Rispa (a recent Matongo graduate) and the newly formed board hosted delegations from each site plus ELCK leadership as part of the annual State of Project 24 Forum. While site managers and treasurers presented reports, finance sheets and accounting of their progress, I was busy reviewing numbers and taking notes. It was a blessing to see how this team has grown and matured each year.

It was a joy to hear of how the Gospel is spread into the homes and communities through the children at the centers and their chaplains and church leaders. Some of the centers even highlighted their sustainability practices, including farming, animals, vegetable gardens and corn mills, which are significant as the ELCK provides for these children.

It is a blessing that the Lord has moved people to be part of Project 24 and led to the establishment of this eighth center. To support this newest center, the ELCK took the initiative to adjust their resources so that more children can benefit. This center builds upon a two-year ELCK effort to train evangelists to reach out and serve the people groups in this part of Kenya.

Our travels took us on roads that were new to us and it was wonderful to explore some new parts of Kenya. Before reaching home, we connected with our boy scout troop to help some scouting families explore an area new to them, the Aberdare highlands.

It was a delight to see the work which our Lord continues to bless on this quick trip to western Kenya. Sean and I were thankful to come home to the rest of our family at the end of the week (although we were all ready to go back to the Aberdares and the cooler temperatures at night!).

John Wolf is the Africa Region Project Manager for the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. He and his family, with the support of LCMS churches like Saint John’s, are serving in Kenya. Please keep them in your prayers! We encourage you to follow their family blog, www.hereiamsendmesendme.blogspot.com, which is also where you can sign up to their mailing list and make donations.