What is the significance of May 5th? OK, other than Cinco de Mayo?
It is the day that Rick Ellis and Tom Spence are to touch down in Nairobi, Kenya as part of a mission to train 300 pastors from Uganda and Kenya. The following day they will travel to Eldoret, which is near the Ugandan border.
Preparations for this trip have been underway since the beginning of the year and grow in intensity every week. How do two men from a one traffic light town end up blessed to equip pastors to equip their saints half way around the world?
Well…
In late 2012, Tom was invited to be the speaker at a conference of 300 pastors from Uganda and Kenya. This is not your typical conference held at the Embassy Suites with plush surroundings, croissants, and room service. This is in one of the more remote, and surely among the poorest parts of East Africa. It is held in a huge tent (actually 3 tents connnected). Most of the pastors are poor and some don’t even have Bibles—or at least a complete Bible. While getting to the conference from this side of the world will be a big undertaking, the journey of these pastors may be no less challenging.
When Tom shared his calling to minister to these pastors for a short time in May 2013, Rick Ellis volunteered to acccompany him.
This is more than spreading the gospel. It is a chance to equip pastors to share the gospel, make disciples, and to lead their congregations. There are 3 conference days with 3 sessions each day.
The topic areas are discipleship, evangelism, and leadership. Following the conference, Tom and Rick will visit a local orphanage, share the good news with all of the children, and make donations to help with their greatest neeeds.
Tom will also preach in the church of our host, Bishop Chriss Lusweti, on Sunday. On Monday, Rick and Tom will make their way back to the USA sans a few hundred Bibles and donations to help feed these pastors duing their time away from home and in whatever way we can best help the orphanage.
The cost of this mission is $7,000. If you would like to support it, you may make a designated offering to the Burns Flat Cumberland Presbyterian Church or the 1st Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Mangum. Please note “Kenya Mission” on your check.
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