KENYA FEBRUARY 2021 NEWSLETTER REPORTS
MOSES RIANTO

LIFE CHANGING STORY – TITUS MUSENYA

Titus is an upcoming evangelist at Ololepo Baptist Church. Pastor Joel, who leads this church, shared with him the good news of Jesus Christ and he was converted and he prayed for him. Titus started coming to a church under a tree. One time Rev Okongo, who is president and founder of Unite 4 Africa visited this church and immediately noticed him and he started praying with him. Rev Okongo started to mentor him and pray with him. Rev Okongo noticed Titus passion to serve God at Church and in his community. Titus was doing manual jobs together with other young men, to fill sand to Lories. It was very tough but Titus had no option. In order for him to be able to help at church and do evangelism, Unite 4 Africa empowered him with a motorbike on July 13th, 2020. Titus life changed as he moved from manual job of filling lories with sand to using his motorbike as Taxi. He is able to help more with Church and can take care of his wife and his parents. Titus says, he is grateful to God and Rev Okongo as he was able to buy 15 goats and he uses the motorbike to do evangelism, fetch water for his family and use it for Taxi to generate income. This has greatly impacted Titus life, and he now one of community opinion leaders

Fig. 1 & 2 Titus when he as doing the hard work of harvesting sand

Fig 3 & 4 Titus preaching at Church and on his motorbike

BIBLES FOR MAASAI – OLOOSIYIAMALIL, PURKO

As the year 2021 began, the Maasai of Oloosiyiamalil have every reason to thank God for the provision of Maasai bibles. This is a purely Maasai community 54 kilometers from Mailtisa. Through Unite 4 Africa, Joyce Nott blessed us with bibles for the new converts. We were able to bring together 15 Churches from this area, with each sending 10 to receive the bibles. In total we gave out 222 Maasai Bibles. The Bible is what many have missed since many couldn’t afford or don’t even know how to get. Thank God for Unite 4 Africa that reaching into most remote part of the local communities, and many are now blessed with a bible.

Fig 5 & 6 Part of the churches that received bibles

PRAYER REQUEST

• Please pray a girl we rescued while being given away in early marriage. We have put her in a boarding school. Pray for her school fee and her education
• Pray for Resia, a girl from Zion Baptist that got blind just after completing her high school. She is struggling to get treatment and cope with the new way of life and her mother is a widow. She will need to learn a new way of communication
• Please pray for a men training we intend to have this month of February. Its “Men End Fgm” training where only men are invited. It’s a sensitive matter for the Maasai community and many may shy off to attend the training

KENYA DECEMBER 2020 NEWSLETTER REPORTS
MOSES RIANTO

LIFE CHANGING STORY – JACKSON LETUNKA

Jackson is a young Maasai man, who gave his life to Christ at a young age. He decided to leave the cultural practices of the Maasai and join the Church. He worships with Zion Baptist Church Mailitisa. He is very active and assists in youth programs, evangelism, leading in church Sunday service program and always present for all church activities. It is through this active leadership role, that Rev. Okongo, president of Unite 4 Africa noticed him among the youth and decided to mentor him for more leadership role and empower him so he can serve more. U4A supported Jackson with a motorbike on March 1st, 2019. Jackson became more active in coming to Church early, fetching water to clean the Church for a whole year in 2019.
Jackson used the motorbike as Taxi to pick and drop clients for business. He was able to raise capital to buy cow milk from the Maasai villages and sell to town dwellers at higher price. Through the milk business, Jackson was able to buy 30 goats each at Ksh.4000 ($40) and one cow at Ksh.35000 ($350). Jackson is now taking care of his mother and contributes to church ministry. He is thankful to God and Unite 4 Africa for empowering him.

Fig. 1 Jackson delivering milk to customers at Mailitisa using his motorbike

Fig. 2 Jackson, using the motorbike to carry home a sheep he bought

SUPPORTING WIDOWS – MAILTISA

Covid-19 has hit everybody hard and many are suffering. The local Maasai widows many times depend on well-wishers to help support with food and helping for school fee for their Children. During the month of November, widows at Zion Baptist Church Mailtisa, through Rev Rianto of Unite 4 Africa, received foodstuffs that will last for a month. Unite 4 Africa has been supporting the vulnerable Orphans and widows in many communities as this is the ministry to reach those who are neglected and undeserved.

Fig.3,4 Widows receiving food at Rev. Rianto home. Over 30 widows benefited with the food

PRAYER REQUEST

• Please pray for Kenya, as schools close for Christmas and children in boarding schools travel back home
• Pray for the rains as draught looms and maasai are starting to move in search of pasture for their animals
• Pray for local pastors as they continue to minister in Churches despite the hard times

 

MEDICAL SUPPLIES – MAILITISA DISPENSARY

With the effects of Covid-19 being felt all over, the local dispensaries and clinics that serve the local communities are affected most with lack of medicine supplies and resources to help the locals. Rev. Moses Rianto of Unite 4 Africa and chairman of Mailitisa dispensary approached the Korean Missionary to help supply the local dispensary with medicine. We thank God for this provision and the partnership to serve the local community. Please continue praying for Gods provision of health supplies to these communities.

Fig 1, 2 & 3 Rev Moses Rianto of U4A and Korean Missionary who donated Medicine to Mailitisa Dispensary

RELIEF FOOD DISTRIBUTION – PARGISO COMMUNITY

Many local families continue to suffer as the Covid19 pandemic strains the economies. The Maasai are part of those communities that are affected most. The partnership of Unite 4 Africa and Hami Imani Africa saw the local community of Pargiso benefit with food for 80 families. We continue to pray that the Pandemic goes down and that treatment may be found or vaccine. Pray for these families as the draught is also now biting huge and even their animals don’t have pasture to depend on.

Fig 4, 5 & 6 Rev Moses Rianto with local leaders help distribute the food

EMPOWERING PASTORS – ENKORIKA

Many pastors are called to serve in the local churches but do not have the necessary education or Bible knowledge to be able to minster well. It’s due to this that Unite 4 Africa together with its partners empower the local pastors with basic training and discipleship skills so that they will be equipped for ministry. Bible schools are far in the Cities and are expensive for the local pastors to afford it. With the basic bible and discipleship training, the local pastors are empowered.

Fig 7, 8 Pastors training at Enkorika

PRAYER REQUEST

• Please pray for the rains in Kenya
• Pray Churches as they have reopened in Kenya
• Please pray for pastors as they lead Churches at these hard times
• Pray for school going teenage girls, as they face challenging times of being given away in early marriage and Fgm

 

 

CHALLENGES FOR GIRLS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a tremendous effect on school going girls in many communities where education is already not a priority, it is affecting girls’ education. Thousands of girls are out of school, most of them adolescent who have become mothers.  A lot needs to be done in these communities in terms of quality of and access to education, and COVID-19 worsens a situation that is already bad. In Kenya, this period of pandemic, statistics already show an increased number of school dropouts by adolescent girls due to forced marriages and teenage pregnancies.

School has long been a safe haven for vulnerable girls. Those who were in boarding schools received support and protection from the government. But now that they are confined to their homes, what will happen? Most girls have no food, basic supplies like sanitary towels nor the resources to study from home. Unfortunately, many vulnerable girls have been exposed to harmful cultural practices like Female Genital Mutilation and early or forced marriage.

Over this period going forward, our focus is, on advocating and talking about the importance of keeping girls in school and building awareness on proper hygiene and how to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It is girls’ education that produces exceptional gains in areas of health, infant mortality and the economic well-being of families. We held our first meeting at Olgulului, Soul Winning Church. With almost 100 girls and mothers to sensitize on importance of girls health and education and harmful cultural practices such as FGM. We gave out sanitary pads to all the girls, masks and some food for mothers.

Fig 1&2 giving out sanitary pads to girls at Soul Winning Church Gulului

Fig. 3 Mothers who attended the girls training

PASTOR EMPOWERMENT

Local pastors in the Maasai and other rural communities face a lot of challenges doing evangelism and reaching members who stay kilometers’ away from the church. It is because of this reason; Unite 4 Africa has been empowering pastors with Motorbikes so that pastors can do ministry work effectively and can support family in fetching water and easy transport to local market. In the month of July, Titus from Ololepo Baptist was blessed by U4A with a Motorbike to do ministry.

Fig 4&5 Titus Receiving a Motorbike from Rev. Moses Rianto of U4A Kenya

FOOD RELIEF FOR NEEDY COMMUNITIES

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the fragility of not only our health systems and economies but also our food systems. The concern is that thousands of families face months, if not years of uncertainty over the next meal. Finding food has been a constant challenge in recent months for many local communities. It is for this reason, Unite 4 Africa and its partners are supporting feeding of vulnerable and most needy families among the Maasai in Kenya.

PRAYER REQUESTS

• Please pray for Kenya as Covid-19 is on rise
• Please pray for the girls’ safety from harmful cultural practices
• Please pray for Churches in Kenya as they reopen

COVID-19 continues to affect every part of the world, disrupting people’s lives, creating fear and hardship. Where can we find strength and hope at this troubling time? What might faith look like in a time of COVID-19? How might God be calling us to respond to the impacts of the pandemic?

Unite 4 Africa is already taking steps to help minimize the spread of the disease through physical distancing and hygiene measures and encouraging people to self-isolate and seek testing when they have symptoms (where available). But it is equally important for all to discern how you can be the hands of Jesus, reaching out to the most vulnerable at this time.

We are praying for our brothers in America at this time for God to intervene and bring normalcy. What happens in the Americas is felt in Africa, what happens in Asia is felt in Europe, and the like. This indicates to us that the people of this world are our brothers and sisters, that we are all one family under God.

What happens to some of us will ultimately have impact on all of us. Our world today desperately needs God’s intervention and an integral solution that encompasses the whole creation. Indeed, we must examine our consciences, return back to God, and hold onto each other with love.

The question we all ask ourselves, is in Micah 6:8

“What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

COVID19 SENSITIZATION AND AWARENESS TRAINING – MAILI TISA, KENYA

As the effects of Covid19 continues to be felt in the local communities in Africa, the more the need to reach out and help train and teach those communities that do not read and write on the importance of washing hands and keep hygiene, social distancing and using of Masks. Unite 4Africa has been among first ministries in Kenya to respond and took initiative to provide Buckets and hand washing soap, with training on safety measures among the Maasai community.

Fig 1, 2 & 3 Rev. Moses Rianto helping to train and distribute buckets
and hand washing soap in different communities.

COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT – RELIEF FOOD

With the effect of Covid19 forcing the government to close many sources of livelihood for the Maasai, like cow markets and the Kenya – Tanzania border, many families are facing hard times feeding their children. Unite 4 Africa and other partners like PIPEs and Unveiling Glory have provided food to different communities reaching over 400 families with many depending on them.

Fig. 4 & 5 families receiving food

PASTOR EMPOWERMENT

Many Pastors go through hardship ministering to the local churches and doing evangelism. This time of Covid19 makes it even harder for the local pastors to reach out and minister to church members and Unite 4 Africa has been in front empowering local leaders and pastors through training and empowerments. This month Pastor James Kilamoi of Oloshaiki Church was blessed by Unite 4 Africa with a new motorcycle. He will be able to reach more for Christ as, he can now travel long distance and will be able also to take his wife with him to Church.

Fig. 6 & 7 Rev. Rianto handing over the Motorcycle to Pastor Kilamoi

PRAYER REQUEST

• Pray for God to bring solution for Covid19
• Pray for the local communities suffering for lack
• Pray for school going children
• Pray for local pastors as they battle to reach many for Christ

Moses Rianto
Mission Outreach Director

The world is presently facing a pandemic with the coronavirus (Covid19). This disease is now on every continent. It’s in most countries now and it is spreading person to person around the world. It is for sure a very challenging moment for the church and Christian ministries, to rise up to the occasion as God calls us in the book of 1 Peter 4:10, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” I see an opportunity for the Church to seize the moment and seek the Lords guidance, as God has placed in our lives people, Nations to whom we are called to minister and help. Jesus Himself when He saw the misery of mankind under the power of sin and death, did not remain on his heavenly throne, but came down to this world. He made time for us, heal the sick, strengthen the weak and encouraged those without hope.

I believe there are people who are hurting both on the outside physically and in their hearts in need of a Saviour.

HOPE COMMUNITY CHURCH TEAM VISIT – KENYA

The people of Kenya are grateful for the love and encouragement from the team. They visited two communities in Maasai and we were blessed. They worshiped with us under a tree church. Prayed for the Church and encouraged the local community to seek God. We thank God for their courage using the rough roads, being rained on. We saw their love for us and we pray for Gods blessing upon their lives and families.

Fig. 1, 2 US team worship at under tree Church – Namelok Church

Fig. 3, 4 US team interact with community and donate dresses for girls

COVID19 – COMMUNITY SENSITIZATION AND EDUCATION

As the Covid19 spread all over the world, here in Kenya some communities do not understand what’s going on and are finding it hard to believe that there is an unseen enemy who is slowly bringing down the economies of the world. It is due this reason that Rev. Moses Rianto in partnership with PIPES int’l offered to go into the community to sensitize on hand washing and other hygiene practices that will help them prevent them from getting the virus. We bought buckets with tap and liquid soap to demonstrate on how they should do it. We pray many well-wishers will come out to help such communities and empower them with knowledge on how they should protect themselves.

Fig. 5, 6 & 7 Rev. Moses with Area chief handing over buckets and soap to community

PRAYER REQUEST

• Please pray that God may bring an end to covid19
• Pray for the uneducated communities in Kenya
• Pray for Gods provision for the local community at this difficult time
• Pray that many will give their lives to Christ, the only source of hope and protection

The year 2020 has started well for the pastoralists in Kenya with the heavy rains continue pouring. There has been a lot of water and grass for the animals. This also came with lots of damage and destruction to roads and property. Many have been misplace by the floods. Kenya right now needs prayers. Desert locusts have destroyed lots of grass and farmlands. Please pray that God may provide a lasting solution to control the locusts.

HOUSE OF HOPE

In the month of January we have ministered to both orphans and widows in our community, empowering them so that they can be able to live normal lives like other people. Widows have been making baskets that they can sell for income generating and orphans be empowered with goats. And others have received mosquito nets and mattresses.

Fig. 1, & 2 widows fellowship at HoH making baskets for sale

Fig. 3 & 4 An orphan receiving mosquito net and a mattress, while Dr.David is holding goats to give to orphans

Fig. 5 House of Hope impacting lives within the Kisumu region

MEDICAL OUTREACH AT MAILTISA AND LUMBWA

During the month of January, we had a great opportunity for a medical outreach in two locations, Lumbwa and Mailtisa. We had a visit by the Korean doctors, who use acupuncture for treatment of the many diseases. Over 400 people were treated while a few were referred to local hospitals here for more diagnosis. It was a new experience with Maasai to see how acupuncture treatment is done. Many have testified being healed and others have seen huge improvement in their health.

fig. 6, 7, & 8 Korean doctors during a session at Zion Baptist

AUDIO BIBLES IN MAASAI – MAILTISA

During the last year 2019, we partnered with Spear Africa to provide Audio Bibles to Maasai women who could not read and write. And in the month of January, 35 more received Audio bibles in Maasai language. We assessed the impact by receiving testimonies from those who have used it. We see that God it is transforming families. Men and children all gather around the mother to listen to the Audio bible. Some women can even memorize some Bible verses’ by listening to the Audio Bibles.

Fig 9 & 10 Women gather to give testimonies after receiving the Audio Bibles

SALVATION – TURKANA REGION

During the month of December and January, the Baptist Church did lots of evangelism among the Trukana people and now we have over 2000 new converts worshiping in 67 under tree Churches. Please pray for God to help them grow spiritually and the provision to build shelter/roofing for the churches

PRAYER REQUEST

• Please pray for House of Hope Choir. They are in need of a keyboard and drum set
• Please pray for Kenya to get control of the desert locusts that have invaded half of the country
• Please pray for provisions of school fees for House of Hope orphans
• Please for provisions to fix Zion Baptist road that cut off by the heavy rains
• Please pray for Church construction building for Trukana people