IcFEM Spring 2012 Newsletter

Interchristian Fellowships’ Evangelical Mission IcFEM - Mission (Europe)

NewsletterNewsletterNewsletterNewsletterNewsletterNewsletterNewsletterNewsletterNewsletterNewsletterNewsletterNewsletterSpringSpringSpringSpringSpringSpringSpringSpringSpringSpringSpringSpring201220122012201220122012201220122012201220122012

Accelerating Community Transformation

““““To make well prepared and fully equipped To make well prepared and fully equipped To make well prepared and fully equipped To make well prepared and fully equipped followers of Jesus Christ”followers of Jesus Christ”followers of Jesus Christ”followers of Jesus Christ”

Matthew. 28:19-20

The Village Discipleship SchoolsThe Village Discipleship SchoolsThe Village Discipleship SchoolsThe Village Discipleship Schools The Discipleship schools took place over 8

months in 2011, with the aim of learning a full

understanding of the way of salvation and the

full implications of discipleship.

Based in 14 Local Transformation Units that

cover 54 villages, over 600 students attended

the schools, mainly aged between 30 and 50,

but including some much older like Paul

Wanyonyi who, at 72, is more than happy to be

taught by 22 year old mentor Jessica!

It was soon found that a Kiswahili version of

the manual was needed, and this was quickly

done – no mean task as the manual runs to 80

pages and covers 18 topics. Any church in any

country would find it a valuable course of

study. It is not a handbook of doctrines, but a

complete manual of discipleship.

There are many testimonies to the impact the

course has had on peoples’ lives. Leonard

Musungu, Chaplain of Shiloh Fellowship has

seen how denominational unity has been

achieved and students become able to

fellowship together although coming from

different churches. “People have begun to un-

derstand concepts as explained in the Bible”.

Others, like Ann Akute – a mother of 4 who

recently moved from Nairobi to Shiloh village

notices the monumental transformation in her

spiritual life from the time she began to attend

the classes. “I can now speak with confidence

and boldness on topics like faith, repentance

and holiness.”

After the lesson on Forgiveness and Faith,

couple who had separated after a sharp

misunderstanding were counselled and

encouraged to reconcile.

Supervisors empowerment

Ang’urai official VDS launch meeting at HQ

Even experienced pastors have benefited –

Rev. Wilson Kundu Konyelo says “I have

served as a senior pastor for a long period of

time but when I joined the school I discovered

that I was unable even to answer the obvious

question of who God is! Through the self

discovery and discussions in our classes, a

lot has been revealed to me and my

understanding of God and the Bible has

grown”.

At the end of the 8 month course, a 5 day

conference was held at Headquarters before

commissioning 500 participants to go and

make more disciples.

Solomon Nabie writes: “It is so exciting indeed

what the Lord is doing through the

schools. So many who never were committed

Christians have come to the full knowledge of

the saving grace through Christ and have

given their lives to Jesus. So many stories are

similar saying they now have come to a

turning point in their life where they have

made a resolve to truly follow Jesus whatever

happens. They are ready and are going to

count the cost and grace all to following and

being a disciple of Jesus.

Our Village discipleship Schools vision is TO

MAKE WELL PREPARED AND FULLY

EQUIPPED FOLLOWERS OF JESUS

CHRIST- Tim.3:17

Our mission in this is TEACHING PEOPLE IN

THE VILLAGES TO OBEY ALL THAT CHRIST

HAS COMMANDED – Matthew 28:19,20

We have committed to a goal of discipling

8000 people in 3-5 year who will also go and

commit to disciple 50 people each in 5 years

(10 every year at least)

We hope by this, the cracked and shaky

foundations will be rebuilt and established,

providing a solid community ready to move

the nation towards God’s Kingdom formation.

IcFEM IcFEM IcFEM IcFEM ---- Mission (Europe) Mission (Europe) Mission (Europe) Mission (Europe) NewsletterNewsletterNewsletterNewsletterSpringSpringSpringSpring2012201220122012

The Village Discipleship Schools The Village Discipleship Schools The Village Discipleship Schools The Village Discipleship Schools ---- Continued Continued Continued Continued

The conference at the end of the course

Mission’s Intercessory Programme

Solomon addresses the delegates

The Rev Nick Wynne-Jones, Christ Church, Beckenham, was able to speak to those at the final conference by phone


The “Jiko”The “Jiko”The “Jiko”The “Jiko”

Keep in touch!Keep in touch!Keep in touch!Keep in touch!

If you change your address, or email address, please let the IcFEM-Mission

(Europe) office know – and keep updated:

www.icfem-mission.blogspot.com

www.icfem-mission.org

The “Jiko”The “Jiko”The “Jiko”The “Jiko” – combined cooking stove and pot holder. The fire goes into the arch at the bottom

and the pot is held firmly by the ribs above it. Result – much less fuel is needed; the fire is

safely contained and all the heat goes into the pot. And, as you can see from their hands, this

is one that they have made themselves! This is a wonderful development to replace the three

stone open fire, with its hazards of smoke to damage the eyes and projecting logs to trip

over.

Here it is – the home produced

“Hand-bike” which is the practical

self-propelled wheelchair for Ki-

milili roads – and for off-road. The

front wheel is driven by cranks

operated by hand – you can see

the chain connecting the handle-

bars to the wheel.

Because they offer the promise of

mobility, they are now popularly

known as “promise chairs” rather

than just as wheelchairs!

Here it is!Here it is!Here it is!Here it is!

Residents of Malinda Village in Chesikaki

Local Unit have a reason to smile in the new

year. This follows the completion of a water

project at Malinda FYM Primary School.

The borehole which was launched on January

21st this year, is one of the 9 projects under

the IcFEM’s Water Sanitation and Hygiene

(WASH) Programme. The programme

targeting 7 local transformation units began

last year as a partnership between IcFEM and

The Water Project (TWP).

Villagers were bubbling with joy as they

recounted how they had suffered under the

yoke of water borne diseases like typhoid.

“This comes as a huge liberation for the

community in Malinda,” remarked the school

Head Teacher Mrs. Esnas M. Simiyu. She

noted how pupils were forced to ferry water

from home for use in school which sometimes

interfered with learning.

There was a sigh of relief as pupils, teachers,

the local community and government


Village breaks from dry pastVillage breaks from dry pastVillage breaks from dry pastVillage breaks from dry past

functionaries drew water from the borehole

during its official handover-signifying the

end of a dry era.

Among those present were the area

Education Officer, a Public Health Official

and the Deputy District Water Officer


As yet another charity appeal drops through

your letter box, do you ever ask yourself “Why

am I being asked to pay for another country’s

welfare? Can’t they do anything for

themselves?”

Well, be surprised, because here in Kimilili

district in Kenya, IcFEM is doing just that.

IcFEM is unique IcFEM is unique IcFEM is unique IcFEM is unique - and not just because of its

unusual name (pronounced “I see fem”)

which stands for “Inter-Christian Fellowships

Evangelical Mission”.

It is unique because:

It is a Kenyan initiativeIt is a Kenyan initiativeIt is a Kenyan initiativeIt is a Kenyan initiative. It was started by, and

is run by Kenyans who share the same

background, customs, experiences and way

of life as those they work among;

who speak the same languages as them –

Kiswahili, English and 2 or 3 local dialects;

who know the traditions, problems and

challenges of daily life as it is lived in Kenya.

It is not an imported organisation imposed by

Westerners who have a different cultural and

linguistic background.

It is unique because

It is CoIt is CoIt is CoIt is Co----operativeoperativeoperativeoperative – it is not trying to set up yet

another Church or Party. It works “inter” -

that is among, between, together with,

existing Christian fellowships.


It is about CommunityIt is about CommunityIt is about CommunityIt is about Community. It starts work in the

villages by meeting with the residents and

discussing what their needs are and how they

can be met. From this conversation,

“fellowships” are formed with at least 25

members who undertake to lead the “lines of

ministry” in their village.

Forty such fellowships are co-ordinated into

self-governing groups called Local

Transformation Units which, under the

Mission’s lead, promote the acceleration of

community transformation. Already over 20

Local Units have been formed, co-ordinating

the development in 1000 villages.

Become a Village Transformation SponsorBecome a Village Transformation SponsorBecome a Village Transformation SponsorBecome a Village Transformation Sponsor


It is Comprehensive.It is Comprehensive.It is Comprehensive.It is Comprehensive. The Mission recognises

that God is concerned with the whole of life,

and therefore mentors the fellowships in 12

areas of ministry – Evangelism, Families,

Youth, Senior Citizens, Disabled, Relief and

Welfare, Agriculture, Health, Education,

Savings, Sport, Music and Drama – all this

based on a true understanding of Discipleship.

In asking you to become a “Village

Transformation Sponsor” we are not intending

to hand out “Aid” – an impersonal lump sum

paid over to a country’s rulers.

We are not asking you to support an individual

so that she will have an economic advantage

over her neighbours.

We are asking you to support the

transformation of a Community.

But how can £18.50 support a whole village?

Because it is enough to pay the expenses of an

IcFEM team member to travel to a village and

train the fellowship in community

development.

We are inviting you to become partners in the

team which supports this Kenyan initiative.

Jesus said “The kingdom of heaven is like

yeast that a woman took and mixed into a

large amount of flour until it worked all

through the dough”.

You don’t make bread by putting a bag of

yeast beside a bowl of flour.

You don’t make bread by putting yeast into

separate, individual rolls.

You make bread by mixing yeast into the whole

bowl of flour.

So the vision of the mission is to engage

Communities on a journey of reconciliation

with God, of self actualisation and fulfilment.


IcFEM IcFEM IcFEM IcFEM ---- Mission (Kenya) Mission (Kenya) Mission (Kenya) Mission (Kenya) Private Bag, Kimilili 50204 Kenya

Phone: +254 55 21252 Email: [email protected] www.icfem-mission.org www.gap-volunteers.icfem-mission.org

Registered in Kenya under the Societies Act No: 19347

Just wanted to share today's good news.

Finally, after a few hitches (challenges they

are called here!) and a lot of prayer, we are

ready for the first patient! We now have our

registration, licence, room & darkroom

completed, couch & chest stand built locally,

film, chemicals, etc.

I finally got some animal bone today and set a

proper couple of test exposures 55kV+2MAS &

62kV+2.5MAS and hand processed the film (15

secs in automatic processor chemicals in a

tank). Praise God the machine works OK even

after such a long time in storage & set up.

No test objects here so the film has animal

bone, coins, aluminium handle and a bottle of

lotion which all seem to show OK. So on to the

first patient! I am the radiographer at

Simon Daniell reports on good news of the Simon Daniell reports on good news of the Simon Daniell reports on good news of the Simon Daniell reports on good news of the XXXX----ray installationray installationray installationray installation

present so I hope I learnt well. With me are

Kiprop, our lovely Clinical Medical officer,

and Margaret, our super Nurse

Administrator.

Last year Toby Geear took part in a 3 km Marathon which he completed in 4.44 This year he

improved on his time AND raised an even bigger sum. The current total is £690.80 but with

Gift Aid of £141.25, it makes an amazing total of £832.05 !

Toby Geear took part in a 3 km Marathon Toby Geear took part in a 3 km Marathon Toby Geear took part in a 3 km Marathon Toby Geear took part in a 3 km Marathon

IcFEM IcFEM IcFEM IcFEM ---- Mission (Europe) Mission (Europe) Mission (Europe) Mission (Europe) 16 Campbell Drive, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, HP9 1TF, UK

Phone: +44 (0)7583 407 563 Email: [email protected] www.icfem-mission.org

Charity Registration No: 1107038

IcFEM Spring 2012 Newsletter

Documents

Transcript of IcFEM Spring 2012 Newsletter