July 15th Update

What felt like an incredible addition to our full summer has already begun.
Jeremy and Jessica Wood left for Nairobi, Kenya Sunday (July 6) and
Sarah Leon and Bryan Larson left Thursday (July 10) for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Ian Danley, Shiloh Kimmel, Pat McCormick, and Yak Dengor Mayiik leave in less than a week (July 21).

I made my first trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in September of ’06 with Wayne and Sarah Leon. We were guests of Alan and Becky Andrews of the Navigators. It was an incredible experience and created what we have thought of as a sort of convergence in timing and relationships that have led to a most recent trip back as well as now the second summer of what we are calling “Children’s Workers Trainings” in two cities in Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Nairobi, Kenya. For very detailed descriptions of these previous trips and last year’s trainings check out our blog at the above address.

For Neighborhood Ministries, it is an extraordinary privilege to partner with our African friends to see many children’s workers trained for work with children in the slums of two major cities. We are aware of a few things.

Our team will be impacted powerfully by this experience. Learning will happen that will gift vision and lessons for each one, and therefore for our ministry.

Second, we have been invited to participate in training African workers, to advance their kingdom work into the slums, with a particular focus on children. This is very humbling.

And, finally, we are aware that this convergence of opportunity comes directly from the Lord, and His reasons for this assignment remain somewhat of a mystery. So, we walk toward this opportunity with great anticipation and hoped for revelation.

PLEASE PRAY with our team:

For the four CWT (Children’s Workers Trainings) and the four Kids Clubs that will accompany each. The God is Big curriculum is being translated into Amharic and Swahili for the camps.

The first week of ministry is in Addis Ababa (Mekanisa slum) and Debre Zeit in Ethiopia: July 28-Aug. 1. The team will meet all day July 27 for planning.

The second week of ministry is in two slums (Ngomongo and Kariobangi in Nairobi, Kenya: Aug. 4-8. The team will meet all day Aug. 3 for planning.

Pray for our team, their travel safety and jet lag

Pray for the weeks in both countries where there will not be direct ministry, that our team will meet the people they are supposed to be in relationship with, see parts of the countries they are in, and participate in developing leaders in the ministries we are partners with

Pray for our team’s health

Pray for the workers and children who will be attending both training and camps

Pray for the African team leaders in all four locations, for their planning, for the resource needs they have, for their team development and for follow-up once we leave

And Pray for NM that we would be good stewards of this incredible opportunity, wisely navigating what this means for our mission

UPDATES FORTHCOMING ON THE BLOG … STAY TUNED