PCEA Mabati Church Construction - November 2018 Update

PCEA Enengetia Church
Several weeks ago while I was in the U.S. visiting congregations, the dedication of PCEA Enengetia Church in the Narok area in Maasai Land took place. Enengetia Church was established in January 1985 with five members. It grew to about 40 members. Then during the election violence and the tribal clashes of 1994, the church shrank to almost nothing. Many of the members and families left the area due to insecurity about their safety. Only a remnant was left.

Despite the dwindling numbers, the remaining members kept the faith. That faithful few are now back to forty members and growing.

Africa, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationNovember 13, 2018PCEA Mabati Church Construction, Kenya

PCEA Mabati Church Construction - April 2018 Update

The Outreach Foundation’s East Africa Mission Catalyst Stu Ross recently shared the following news from Kenya:

We just dedicated Mary Hill Church, which is located in Aberdare Presbytery. Working with our partner, the Presbyterian Church of East Africa, we have completed ten churches in this presbytery. There are two more churches on our list here to finish. By building this sanctuary, we brought the congregation from under a tree to this beautiful structure.

Why We Dedicate Churches
There are several reasons we dedicate a church. By dedicating a church, we let the whole community know that the new church is open. Secondly, many friends bring gifts of money and articles needed for the church to the dedication. Seventy plastic chairs and cash were donated at this dedication. Thirdly, it is a time thank people for all their help.

Africa, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationApril 26, 2018PCEA Mabati Church Construction, Kenya

PCEA Mabati Church Construction - December 2017 Update

Dear friends and partners,

Gandini Church was dedicated on October 12. This church is unique in many ways. Located about 90 minutes north of Mombasa one hour off the Mombasa highway in the bush, it is in a heavily Muslim area. Quite remote! So far not too unusual but here comes the uniqueness. The four-acre plot that the new church sits on was donated by a Muslim, Mzee Piro, and his wife who are now church members. Piro said he wanted to have an altar that his people could go to. Also unique about Gandini Church is that half of the members came from the Islam faith and 97 percent are from the Duruma tribe. This is the first Duruma church with PCEA.

This church started in 2004 under a tree until a mabati structure was built. The original structure blew over once before their new church was built. In 2012, they began building their new church. I received a call from the Moderator of the General Assembly last June asking if we could help with the cement floor. We agreed to help, and when I visited and learned the story about Muslims being converted, we decided to find funds to help complete the church with the assistance of the Pwani Presbytery.

Africa, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationDecember 21, 2017PCEA Mabati Church Construction, Kenya, Stu Ross

PCEA Mabati Church Construction - October 2017 Update

Dear friends,

East Africa Mission Catalyst Stu Ross writes this summer from Kenya:

Building Churches in Distant Places
Mission work is not easy…that's what Daniel and I always relay to each other when we send men off to distant places to do difficult tasks in the mission field.

We had such a challenging task. We loaded materials to build two churches in Boruhalo and Karare way up in northern Kenya not far from Ethiopia. The area also borders on the dangerous northeast province of Kenya where Somali bandits roam. The two churches are close to a town called Marsabit, a ten-hour drive from our base in Kikuyu.

We worked all day loading the twenty-foot truck. First, we loaded all the mabati for the two churches in the middle of the truck, then the steel for each church, one on the left and one on the right. Then we added the cement and all the doors and windows which were already fabricated in our shop.

Africa, Projects, MissionariesThe Outreach FoundationOctober 19, 2017PCEA Mabati Church Construction, Stu Ross, Kenya

Church Construction in Kenya - July 2017 Update

Dear friends,

Stu Ross, The Outreach Foundation’s mission staff in Kenya, has been busy this summer with visiting volunteer church teams and church dedications. In this update, Stu shares stories about three of the PCEA churches in Kenya that were recently completed and dedicated – Nagum, Olosirkon, and Suswa.

Stu writes about the dedication of Nagum Church: “This beautiful church was dedicated today, July 16. One of the remarkable things about this church is that it is in a very remote location with no water, no stores, and no roads. But people are there, and the church was crowded. The people were so happy with their new church.

The group from First Presbyterian Church in Thomasville, GA that built Nagum Church did a great job, traveling almost three hours each way to the site. This is the sixth church we have built in this growing area. The people there are asking for another church even further afield. The hospitality from this church was unbelievable; they were very welcoming.”

Partner Updates