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O
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m
X
®̂ n
o o .
X T
o
—
1—
ru
T
W
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SUND Y i n Y A s w 2 k \ \ \ ,
u m a p i l t )
I t i s j u s t a f t e r n o o n , a n d
t h e
c h i l d r e n a r e g e t t i n g
r e s t l e s s . . . many o f t h e m h a v e
b e e n a t
t h e
c h u r c h
f o r
w e l l o v e r a n h o u r
a l r e a d y .
T h i r t y w i g g l y
l i t t l e
b o d i e s
a r e
w a i t i n g f o r t h e w o r d
f r o m
t h e w o r s h i p t e a d e i l s
t h a t
i t i s t i m e
f o r
t h e " c h i l d r e n
t o g o
up t h e h i l l
t o
S u n d a y
S c h o o l . " I t
i s a
v i r t u a l
s t a m p e d e w h e n
t l i e
announcement
comes.
As
we n t h e c o n g r c g a t i o i i
s t a n d
a n d
s i n g
a c h o r u s
i n
S w a h i l i ,
c h i l d r e n
r a n g j i n g
i n a g e s f r o m
t w o
t o
1 2 l i m b
t h e r o c k y h i l l t o
t h e
t w o - r o o m Sunday
c h o o l
w i n g .
A f t e r t h e c h i l d r e n a r e
g o n e ,
t h e a d u l t s m o v e u p
t o w a r d
t h e f r o n t
of
h e
b u i l d i n g . We a k e
a d v a n t a g e
of h e r e l a t i v e
q u i e t t o s h a r e
commurt-
i o n
a n d h e a r a s e r m o n
( s o m e t i m e s
o n l y i n S w a l i i l i
sometimes
t r a n s l a t e d
from E n g l i s h ) .
We
r a y
f o r
t h o s e
w h o r e
s i c k n e e d e n c o u r a g e m e n t ,
a n d f a | c e
t o u g h d e c i s i o n s .
We o r s h i p t h e
L o r d i n s o n g .
Once
you
h a v e b e e n
h e r e
f o r
a w h i l e ,
you
d o n ' t
n o t i c e t h a t t h e
s e r v i c e
c o n s i s t e n t l y
r u n s t h r e e h o i j r s
o r t h a t th r e e
l a n g u a g e s
a r e
o f t e n u s e d .
You d o n ' t
e v e n n o t i c e when
t h e
I s l a m i c
m u e z i n
from
t h e
|
n e a r b y
mosque
b e g i n s h i s c a l l
t o p r a y e r
o v e r
a
l o u d s p e a k e r a t
1 p . m . : t h e r e
i n n o G o d b u t
A l l a h . . . . " You r e t o o b u s y
w o r s h i p i n g t h e
One r u e
G o d
w i t h H i s p e o p l e .
|
Ok u n d a y s , l e a s e pray
w i t h u sfor h e Body o f
C h r i s t t h a t m e e t s i n
Narok
—
i- o m
t h e
c h i l d r e n
who w r i g g l e
i n w o r s h i p t o
t h e
a d u l t s
who
t r u g g l e
t o g r o w .
Pray
f o r
t h e l e a d e r s h i p
t o
grow i n
w i s d o m ,
e x a m p l e , a n d
n t h u s i a s m .
S o m e o f h e m a n y
w r i g g l y
b o d i e s i n M a a s a i l a n d .
MOND Y j u m a t a t t i )
A f t e r t h e l u r r ) ' o l a c t i v i t ) ' on S u n d a y ,
t h e
P e r r y s a r e
a l l v e r ) ' r e a d y f o r a down t i m e ( w h i c h
i s
a
9 0 ' s
way
of a y i n g s a b b a t h ) .
Whenever we a n , we
r y t o
make Mon da y
u r
s a b b a t h . We s u a l l y d o n ' t go
i n t o
Narok o r d o
any
b i g t a s k s
on
t h i s d a y . We s e
t h e t i m e f o r r e a d i n g , c a t c h i n g up on
c o r r e s p o n d
e n c e . p r a y i n g ,
a n d
s p e n d i n g t i m e a s a f a m i l y . S o m e
t i m e s
y o u ' l l
f i n d
E r i c
a n d
Megan
down
t
t h e
b a s k e t b a l l
c o u r t , where Dad p a t i e n t l y t e a c h e s t h e
f i
n e r
p o i n t s o f
h o o t i n g h o o p s .
Monday s u a l l y
g o e s by
much
t o o q u i c k l y
P l e a s e pray t h a t we
a n
o f t e nfind a
a b b a t h
r e s t
on Mondays. Pray t h a t
o u r f a m i l y r v i l l
h a v e t i m e
t o r e s t
a n d e l a x t o g e t h e r a s we n t i c i p a t e a b u s y
w e e k . P l e a s e
a l s o
prayfor r i c
a n d
m e s p a r e n t s ,
t h a t we v i l l h a v e p a t i e n c e , w i s d o m , a n d m u ch
l a u g h t e r a s we pend
i m e
w i t h Megan.
TUESD Y Ju m a n n e )
We
r e b o t h a r o u n d home on
T u e s d a y
m o r n i n g s ,
s o
we
t a k e t u r n s w a t c h i n g Megan and d o i n g s o m e
of
h e
h o u s e h o l d a n d o f f i c e c h o r e s . On u e s d a y a f t e r n o o n s ,
Megan g r a b s h e r cup
of
a t e r and
h e r b a l l , s a y s a
l o u d
" b y e - b y e , " a n d
r u n s
s t r a i g h t
t o
J o s e p h i n e , o u r
h o u s ew o r k e r .
I
s p e n d t h e a f t e r n o o n i n t h e
o f f i c e : d o i n g i n a n c e s ,
w r i t i n g b u s i n e s s l e t t e r s , w o r k i n g on M a a s a i l i t e r a c y
m a t e r i a l s , s k e t c h i n g o u t n o t e s
f o r
a
women s
B i b l e
s t u d y . F o r E r i c , t h e
t i m e
i s
u s e d
f o r s t u d y a n d
s t r a t e g y : t al k s w i t h teammates about m i n i s t r y
p l a n s , w r i t i n g o u t n o t e s f o r a
v i l l a g e
t e a c h i n g v i s i t ,
d o i n g
a grammar l e s s o n i n S w a h i l i ,
o r
c a t c h i n g up
on m i n i s t r y r e a d i n g .
Ow T u e s d a y s , l e a s e
prayfor
t h e
c r u c i a l
(but
n o t - a l w a y s - e x c i t i n g l )
f f i c e w o r k t h a t
n e e d s
t o b e
d o n e . M a n y of
t h e s e t a s k s a r e t h o s e
t h a t
h e l p
k e e p
us in touch with and ccou n ta ble
to
o u r
t e a m
and
s u p p o r t e r s . Pray
a l s o
for t h e p r e p a r a t i o n t h a t t a k e s
p l a c e
o r
t e a c h i n g a n d
u t r e a c h ,
t h a t t h e
Lord w i l l
g i v e u s t h e
w o r d s
a n d i r e c t i o n n e e d e d
o r
w e e k l y
m i n i s t r y . And, r a y f o r
t h e
i t e r a c y s t u d e n t
e s t i n g
I i l l b e
d o i n g
t h r o t i g h o u t t h e y e a r .
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WEDNESDAY Jumatano)
Narok s much
i k e
a
b u s t l i n g f r o n t i e r
town of h e
Old West
i l l e d
w i t h d u s t y t r a v e l e r s ,
t r a d e r s ,
and
q u i t e a
f e w
" w a t e r i n g " h o l e s .
Cows
n d g o a t s o f t e n
b l o c k
t r a f f i c , and p u b l i c t r a n s p o r t
v e h i c l e s
crowd
the s t r e e t s .
E r i c n a v i g a t e s h i s
p i k i ( m o t o r c y c l e ) t h r o u g h
Narok
town
and
up
a
s t e e p
h i l l
t o
t h e
c h u r c h
most
Wednesday f t e r n o o n s . There, n a
s h a c k made
of
o f f - c u t
b o a r d s , E r i c m e e t s w i t h o n e o f h e y o u n g
men
r om
the N a r o k church, Charles
Odhiambo
T o g e t h e r , t h e y
i n v e s t i g a t e
e v e r y t h i n g f r o m t h e
r o l e
of
p i r i t u a l g i f t s
i n
t h e c h u r c h t o e x a c t l y how
. . .
t h r o u g h
t h e
c h u r c h ,
t h e
m a n i f o l d
w i s d o m of
God
should be made known o
the
r u l e r s
and
u t h o r i t i e s
i n h e a v e n l y r e a l m s . . . . " E p h e s l a n s 3 : 1 0 (They r e
w i l l i n g
t o
t a k e s u g g e s t i o n s
on
t h i s o n e ) They p r a y
f o r e a c h
o t h e r
and f o r t h e c h u r c h . As h e y l o o k
over
N a r o k and
i n t o t h e i r
own e a r t s ,
there s
much t o p r a y a b o u t Pray h a t E r i c and CharUs
c a n e n c o u r a g e
and
t r e n g t h e n
e a c h
o t h e r , and
h a t
C h a r l e s w i l l
c o n t i n u e i n G o d ' s e n e r g y
and
direction.
Wednesday t 5 p.m. s f e l l o w s h i p t i m e . P e o p l e
from t h e
Narok
c h u r c h g a t h e r
t o s i n g , h e a r
S c r i p t u r e , p r a y , a n d
— i n
s h o r t
—
t o r e n e w s t r e n g t h
i n t h e
m i d d l e of
t y p i c a l l y s t r e n u o u s w e e k .
R e c e n t l y ,
t h e p r a y e r
t i m e h a s
b e e n
c e n t e r e d on
t h e
n e e d s
of
h e
y o u t h
of
h e
c h u r c h .
Pray
h a t
God
w i l l b u i l d up t h e Body of C h r i s t
i n
Narok
d u r i n g
t h e
f e l l o w s h i p
a r i d
p r a y e r on
W e d n e s d a y s .
Pray
abo t h a t
God w i l l
c a l l
and
q u i p p e o p l efrom o u r
c o n g r e g a t i o n
t o
e n c o u r a g e and
e a c h
our
o u t h .
THURSDAY Alhamisi)
L i l l i a n ( w i f e ofJohn S a i t e i ,
t h e
Narok c h u r c h ' s
m i n i s t e r ) and b o t h
t r y
t o h u d d l e
u n d e r
t h e same
u m b r e l l a w h i l e w a l k i n g a l o n g a n a r r o w , muddy
p a t h .
" D o n ' t g e t
t o o c l o s e
t o
t h a t b u s h ,
s h e
w a r n s
me, nd g l a n c e down t o
s e e
a t h r i v i n g s t i n g i n g
n e t t l e p l a n t
The r a i n s
h a v e b e e n e x t r a o r d i n a r y t h i s
y e a r ,
and t h e Narok R i v e r i s
r u n n i n g
s w i f t a n d
muddy
n e a r
t h e t r a i l .
L i l l i a n
h o l d s
our B i b l e s and
s o n g b o o k s s a f e
from t h e
r a i n i n
a g r e e n p l a s t i c b a g .
P i c k i n g o u r way
among
t h e
r o c k s and p u d d l e s ,
o u r
p r o g r e s s t o
M a r ) ' ' s
house s
s l o w .
F o r t u n a t e l y ,
w e
a r e o n Africa
time,
which mea ns that t e a a nd a
w arm
welcome
i l l b e
w a i t i n g
w h e n e v e r w e r r i v e .
Mary
s
g l a d
t o s e e
u s ,
amazed
t h a t
w e h a v e come
t o h e r p l a c e i n
t h e
r a i n .
We e t t l e on
b e n c h e s
a r o u n d
h e r h e a t e r a n d
c o o k i n g f i
r e
— a
s m a l l m e t a l
j i k o . L i l l i a n
p u l l s o u t
t h e
s o n g b o o k s , a n d w e
i n g
t o g e t h e r w i t h n g u v u ( g u s t o ) , o u r
v o i c e s
p r a i s i n g
God ve r
the
sound
of ain
on
he
t i n
roof.
We
d r i n k t e a
and
L i l l i a n
g i v e s
a
s h o r t
d e v o t i o n . Most
o f he conversation i s i n
Maasai,
o r which I am
t h a n k f u l .
As
w e p r e p a r e t o
h e a d b a c k
t o town, w e
a s k Mary o r h e r p r a y e r r e q u e s t s
and
p r a i s e s . T he
l i s t i s l o n g and comes r o m h e r h e a r t . S i c k n e s s ,
f i
n a n c i a l
n e e d s ,
a n s w e r t o p r a y e r s , h e r c h i l d r e n ,
and
g r a n d c h i l d r e n . . . . We
p e n d a
l o n g
w h i l e
i n
p r a y e r
w i t h h e r . God h e a r s , God c a r e s , God o v e s
y o u ,
God
s
f a i t h f u l
. . .
t h e p a t t e r n
of
h e
r a i n
on
the r o o f choes
o u r
words.
A
ew
minutes
a t e r we r e back
o n
t h e t r a i l ,
accompanied by
Mary
i t
i s Kenyan t r a d i t i o n t o
walk p a r t of h e
way b a c k
w i t h v i s i t o r s ) . I
am
r e l u c t a n t
t o l e a v e
M a r y ' s s i m p l e home, e c a u s e i t i s
w a r m , e c a u s e i t i s a
s h e l t e r , and
b e c a u s e we et
w i t h the Lord
here.
On
T h u r s d a y s ,
l e a s e
p r a y o r
John a i t e t and
E r i c ,
i l l i a n
and
me
s
we
b i t
d i f f e r e n t
e o p l e
from
t h e Narok
o n g r e g a t i o n . Prayfor
h e h e a l i n g
e n c o u r a g i n g ,
c h a l l e n g i n g , and
l e s s i n g work of o d
i n His e o p l e . Prayfor h o s e i n Narok who do no t
y e t know e s u s i n t h e i r l i v e s ,
and
or h o s e who r e
s t r i v i n g t o
o l l o w Him.
E r i c
b e c o m e s " P i k i
Man
n W e d n e s d a y s
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FRIDAY
Jumaa)
T h e r e
a r e
o v e r 20
m a l l
CMF o n g r e g a t i o n s
s t r e w n
a l o n g t h e
Mau
s c a r p m e n t ,
a
t r i p of a n d t h a t r i s e s
o v e r
4 , 0 0 0 e e t a b o v e
t h e p l a i n s o f
a r o k .
Many
F r i d a y s , E r i c c a n
b e
f o u n d among
h e
I l d a m a t
Maasai who i v e
i n
t h i s c o o l , f e r t i l e
a r e a o f
cedar
trees and wheat
i elds.
One e c e n t
F r i d a y , E r i c
and Jo hn a i t e t t r a v e l e d
o v e r f o u r
h o u r s t o meet
w i t h elders in a
remote
c h u r c h .
The c t u a l
b u i l d i n g s t o o d a t
t h e
end
o f
rutted
track
in t h e m i d d l e of i eld.
Eric now
s t a t e s t h a t h e
has
been t o the
en d
o f he e a r t h
"Can
a widow
r e m a r r y ? "
T e a c h
u s m o r e
a b o u t
g i v i n g . How
a n
we h a r e
t h e
G o s p e l w i t h y o u n g
p e o p l e ?
We
e e d h e l p t o p u t
a r o o f
n
o u r
c h u r c h
b u i l d i n g . " P e o p l e
i n
o u r
c h u r c h a r e a n g r y w i t h e a c h
Sometimes
t
i s j u s t a s
d i f f i c u l t
t o
i nd p e a c e
and u n d e rs t a n d i n g o v e r c h u r c h i s s u e s a s t i s t o
t r a v e l
t o t h e b ui l d i n g s w h e r e t h e y m e e t .
P l e a s e r a y f o r t h e
b e l i e v e r s
among
h e I l d a m a t
M a a s a i .
P r a y f o r
m a t u r i t y
and n i t y among
h u r c h
l e a d e r s . P r a y o r E r i c a s
h e
e a c h e s , c o n f r o n t s ,
and
e n c o u r a g e s
t h e s e c h u r c h e s .
E r i c
and
ohn a i t e t t e a c h i n g l e a d e r s h i p l e s s o n s a t
O l e t u k a t ,
o n e
o f h e c h u r c h e s
among
h e
I l d a m a t
Maasai.
SATURDAY umamosi)
L i l l i a n s d a u g h t e r G r a c e r u n s
t o g r e e t u s
a s
our
t r u c k p u l l s up
t o t h e
g a t e .
P e o p l e
f r o m
t h e n e a r b y
s l u m g a t h e r a r o u n d a
s t a n d p i p e , i l l i n g
p l a s t i c
w a t e r c o n t a i n e r s .
S e v e r a l y o u t h t a l k
and l a u g h
on
t h e
s t e p s
t o t h e Sunday
c h o o l
b u i l d i n g , w a i t i n g
f o r c h o i r
p r a c t i c e . John
a n d E r i c
h e a d
t o
t h e
church
o f f i c e
t o d i s c u s s sermon p l a n s . Down
h e
h i l l
a
l i t t l e ,
a t
t h e e n t r a n c e t o t h e
c h u r c h
b u i l d i n g ,
I
s e e
t h e
c o l o r f u l h e a d s c a r v e s
and h e a r
s i n g i n g a s
t h e women a t h e r
t o c l e a n
t h e c h u r c h a n d h a v e a
f e l l o w s h i p o v e r t e a . T h i s i s a S a t u r d a y a t
t h e
Narok
c h u r c h — t i m e
o f
l a n n e d m e e t i n g s
and
a s u a l
c o n v e r s a t i o n s ,
a
t i m e
o f
a u g h t e r
and
p r a y e r ,
a
r e m i n d e r
o f
od's p r e s e n c e w i t h t h o s e who o v e
im
G i v e t h a n k s w i t h u sf o r t h e e o p l e o ft h e
Narok
hurch
Our
ime f s e r v i c e
with the
church
at
Na r o k
w i l l
end
a r l y i n 7999. h > / t < f p mynutU
u s
t h a t
G o d
i l l
ma ke His e o p l e i p
N / t r n k
r p / i d y
o f t h i s y e a r .
Over h e
coming
o n t h s , pray ar
t i c u l a r l y
forJohn and
i l l i a n
S a i t e t and h e
c h u r c h l e a d e r s h i p .
Thank
you f o r p r a y i n g
E U C , i T l e l e c U ^
E r i c , M e l o d i c ,
and Megan e r r y
E v e r y
day n c l u d e sfun
i m e w i t h
Megan
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Eric,Melodic,
egan e r ry
MINISTRYWITHTHENAROK CHURCH nd
LITERACY
WORK AMONG HE
MAASAI
RIBEOF
KENYA
P O Box501020
Indianapolis,IN
6250-6020
E-mail:
E m e i per r y@ m af.org
THE
PERRY
POST
CMF NTERNATIONAL rayer N e w s l e t t e r
August 1998
Ministry V i t a l Signs" Everywhere
Each
Tuesday a f t e r n o o n ,
s e v e r a l
young
women
close the doors t o t h e i r
p l a c e s
of work
or
hom es and
g a t h e r t o g e t h e r
a t
t h e
Narok
Church. This f e l l o w s h i p
group
w a s organized by t h e
women
hemselves when
t h e y r e c o g n i z e d
t h e i r
need f o r
growth
i n God's
W o r d ,
r a y e r , and encouragement i n
t h e i r
l i v e s
R e c e n t l y ,
when E r i c had
t o
be
away f o r o t h e r
r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s ,
t h e e l d e r s and m i n i s t e r of h e Narok
Church
went ahead w i t h t h e i r r e g u l a r meeting
w i t h o u t
him. They
have m ad e
p l a n s f o r
t h e growth
of h e church and
use
of h e p r o p e r t y
on
t h e i r o w n
I n
remote
v i l l a g e s , Maasai m e n
and
w o m e n
c o n t i n u e
t o s t r u g g l e
t h r o u g h
t h e
d i f f i c u l t t a s k
of
e a r n i n g t o
r e a d and w r i t e i n t h e i r h e a r t l a n g u a g e . Committed
l i t e r a c y
t e a c h e r s a r e
encouraging
and
t r a i n i n g
r e ad e r s
in
their own communitiesso
hat
local
Maasai
churches can
grow
i n
God's Wor d.
Th e signs
say
that the thin gs w e have been working
and
raying
toward
o r the past ou r years are
happening God's
people
i n
Narok
and i n
Maasailand a r e
t a k i n g
on
t h e work
of
His
Church;
t h e y a r e
growing,
m a t u r i n g , and r e a c h i n g o u t . We
a r e n o l o n g e r
c e n t r a l t o
t h e work i n
l i t e r a c y
o r t o t h e
r o l e of
h e Narok Church
i n i t s
community. Though
i t
i s
sometimes an u n s e t t l i n g f e e l i n g t o f i n d
w e
a r e
working o u r s e l v e s out of a ob, h i s
i s
what l l of us
have
been
asking of h e Lord, and He as
been
abundantly
f a i t h f u l
to
a n sw e r
us
As we look
around a t
t h e
changes
t a k i n g
p l a c e w i t h i n
our m i n i s t r i e s ,
we have a
m i x t u r e
of r e s p o n s e s :
joy
a t
h o w t h e Lord i s
answering
p r a y e r s
f o r s t r o n g
b e l i e v e r s
and
a
mature church
a
sense of completion a s
we s e e our s p e c i f i c t a s k s w i t h i n t h e Narok
Church
and Maasai l i t e r a c y being t a k e n on
by
n a t i o n a l s
and
a n
increased
need
fo r
pr ayer
as our
hands-on
wo r k b e c om e s
l e s s
and we
ncourage our Kenyan
b r o t h e r s
and
s i s t e r s i n l e a d e r s h i p and i n t h e i r walks of
f a i t h .
Please p r a i s e God n d
pray
w i t h us
i n
ministry
Megan o
Receive
Competition
Changes
a r e
everywhere
t h e s e days; not only
i n
m i n i s t r y , b u t
i n
our
a m i l y
l i f e a s w e l l . We e c e n t l y
found
o u t
t h a t we
r e
going t o be a f a m i l y of o u r
Lord w i l l i n g , M e g a n w i l l be joined by a baby
b r o t h e r
or s i s t e r
i n e a r l y Ma r c h 1999 Melodie
i s
doing f i n e and r e c e n t l y had t h e
fir s t u l t r a s o u n d
(a
r o u t i n e
p r a c t i c e here) w i t h her doctor i n
N a i r o b i .
M e g a n
has
not m a d e t c l e a r whether
she
p r e f e r s
a
boy
or
g i r l , b u t
i s p r e t t y
e x c i t e d
about "baby."
We
a r e a l l
f i l l e d w i t h
p r a i s e
f o r t h i s
b l e s s i n g
from t h e
Lord
Please
praise Godand r ay
w i t h
us o r h i s
n e w baby
The
Perry
amily i s always on t h e m ove
z/ lima
M e g a n s i n g s
i n
S w a h i l i
w i t h
her f r i e n d Grace.
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Margaret
Wangui s an
a c t i v e p a r t
of
h e y o u t h
group a t t h e Narok Church and a grow ing C h r i s t i a n .
Shecomes
from
a d i f f i c u l t
home
ituation
a n d h a s
worked h a r d t o
pursue an
e d u c a t i o n . For t h e p a s t
t h r e e y e a r s ,
we ave been h e l p i n g Margaret w i t h h e r
s c h o o l i n g . She h a s j u s t
completed
h e r second term i n
a i r l s
b o a r d i n g
h i g h
s c h o o l
n e a r N a i r o b i . Please
praise od
and
ray
w i t h
us o r
Margaret.