Never Off Duty

November 27, 2021

Sometimes our schedules get super busy and other times we wonder if we're doing enough (the latter not as often), but one truth remains, "We're never off duty." This is a truth that we learned early on in our lives, our marriage and our ministry. There is always someone watching and as long as we call ourselves his, we have a duty to exemplify him. Another truth we must remember is that we're called to serve with God and not for God. "Apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5c)

We've experienced an extremely busy season, but as we stop and reflect we are so thankful and excited about all that the Lord is doing. He is faithful. He is using us despite our weaknesses. He is expanding and strengthening his Kingdom. To God be the glory.

In October, we were able to host a short term team that shared the gospel with over 1,000 people in 5 days with many decisions to follow Christ. We led a cohort of colleagues in their first term as we participated in a training better preparing us to engage in the M-task (Missionary task: Entry, Evangelism, Discipleship, Healthy Church Formation, Leadership Development, Exit to Partnership). Adam was able to lead one of the main sessions and Suzie led one of the breakout sessions. We sat in on 8 language evaluations of colleagues studying Kiswahili. We spent a weekend at a Lodge retreating, fellowshipping and collaborating with our Inbound Training Team. We carried on with our times of weekly discipleship that the Lord has blessed us to lead. We ended the month at a meeting of the Affinity Leadership to report on work being implemented by the Inbound Training Team and to hear from the other teams in leadership. It was also a sweet time of fellowship. Sometimes you don't realize how much you miss in-person meetings until you get to one and are so refreshed and encouraged once again.

In November, we hosted a small group of IMB Trustees. We were blessed to put them to work as they visited various units serving in Nairobi. There were a number of people that professed Christ in those days. Praise Him! We're thankful for the blessing of trustees and the way they serve us. Adam was able to make a trip "up country." He went with a colleague and 3 national partners and they were able to train up the church and share the gospel with a number of people there. We've been training personnel preparing to come and serve in SSA (Sub-Saharan Africa) with a video call on Fridays. We have a great group of 13 adults there. There are a number of other activities taking place like baptisms, joining our church here in Nairobi (we were presented before the church on Nov 28), video calls with mentors as they continue onboarding and mentoring first term personnel, we've both been volunteering to substitute teach at Rosslyn Academy as our schedule allows it and implementing our monthly/bi-monthly Nairobi City Team meetings that have proved to unite our hearts and give us vision and motivation to carry on in the task.

One specific story we want to share with you is about *Gina. A letter was written to our church here in Kenya. A lady was struggling and wanted help. Somehow the letter was misplaced and could not be found for a number of weeks. Finally, the week before the team came in October, the letter was found and read. A few members from the team were able to visit this lady and present the gospel. She was moved by a testimony she heard, that she would not have heard if that short term volunteer hadn't been here. She put her trust in Jesus and her life was radically changed. Our journeyman, Mackenzie, has been discipling her and through reports from her and from *Gina herself, she is a new creation. She has plugged into the church, has turned her life around and was recently baptized. She's no longer being taken advantage of and is no longer longing to turn to alcohol to numb her body and mind from the suffering she was facing. Continue to pray for her to stand firm and lean in on Jesus every day.

Praises:

*Many have come to know Jesus as their personal Lord & Savior.

*The Lord is using his army to reach the nations.

*Emma and Collin got engaged on October 8th.

*Emma also finished her final semester of University and is graduating on December 3rd.

*In the midst of busy, God is providing times of rest.

Prayer requests:

*Suzie will be traveling some in December.

*Pray that as we share and disciple, we will be able to share the reason for the Christmas season.

*Pray for safety as many take some time for vacation during this holiday season.

*Pray for Baylee and River to finish the semester strong.