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DOVE AFRICA MISSIONS UPDATES

PROTECTION AND PROVISION

I recently travelled to a small dusty village in Tana River County to visit one of our kingdom workers. The area has no tarmac roads. Most houses are manyattas with palm-tree-leaf roofs. Daily weather is hot coupled with strong winds that you can easily hear while sharing stories in the house. If it’s your first time, they can chase away your sleep. The soil is sandy and water is a meagre and scarce resource except for those people living along the famed River Tana. The danger with River Tana, however, is that fetching water from it can sometimes lead to loss of life because it provides a permanent residence to both crocodiles and hippos.

Four years ago, a couple from our church in Nairobi closed down their business and relocated to this village with a call to bring souls to Christ. With boldness, they testify of God’s protection and provision (but with my Nairobi mindset I still see more need than provision). By the way, these stories were being narrated under clear skies with the display of a full moon and stars -- what a beautiful scene in the middle of “nowhere.”

In this village, girls are given in marriage from thirteen years of age. Currently, there is a law against the same, but such old savage cultural practices still prevail. Anyone who reports such cases to the police is considered a mole or a snitch who wants to erode communal culture. Preaching here is prohibited due to strong Islamic culture—but you can pray to your own God in your house.

For you to evangelize in this area you must change your normal. Evangelism is mostly done through outreach projects. In that line, DOVE missionaries are training young women in tailoring. The project is doing well and the first cohort has just graduated. Through this, they minister to the heart and plant a seed of righteousness before planting a seed of economic empowerment. Women in this culture are bound in shackles and chains of pain and trauma. No one except Christ can liberate them. 

 

It is almost unbelievable that one day, a village Sheikh sent his wife to the missionaries’ home for prayers. She was very sick and they had tried everything possible. The only remaining option was prayers from a born-again Christian and when our missionaries prayed for her she got healed. That’s the God we serve, He is able to do beyond what we can think or imagine.

Our missionaries are introducing a health initiative to reach out to the community. The rationale behind it is that health is such a personal thing and for any patient to be treated he or she must share very personal details. Having a born-again resident nurse moving from door to door to treat patients in their homes will be a game changer for spreading the word.

 

I was fasting partially during my visit for two reasons. First, I was led to do so in my spirit and secondly, this is a spiritual war zone so I had to wage war. During early-morning intercession, I was led to pray mentioning different names of God. The name Jehova Nissi stayed in my mind and spirit for a long time. The Lord was saying, “Raise me as a banner.” Even if you don’t see your anticipated victory. God will be true to His name.

By David Oyagah

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