If you had asked me three & a half years ago what I would be doing today, running a blog wouldn’t have featured in the top 3.
Consulting and training, making a difference in my world, traveling; that would have been up there.
But God. He has this amazing sense of direction. And humor.
Three years ago my husband and I uprooted our little life and marriage from Kenya and moved to the US.
Arriving from Kenya, BWI airport, in 2011
We were what you’d call “unwilling movers”.
You know the type that can’t wrap their minds around God’s instructions because they believe they have figured out His plans and they put up a spirited fight to stay where they are because they believe it’s God’s plan to stay put.
Surely His plan cannot involve moving from cushy comfy home country to another land far far away..when the whole vision involves the said home country, right?
Yes, that was us.
It took two years to process God’s mysterious ways.
Finally and with 4 suitcases, a huge dream and 2 excited sisters on the other end, we moved.
Deeper faith
Months after settling in the US, I felt God asking me to take writing more seriously.
So seriously in fact He asked me to quit running around, stay home and wait on Him.
Controversial, right. Nothing compared the havoc it wrecked in my head and heart. And with others who heard about my stay-at-home moves.
I didn’t know it then but my little blog, rather obeying God, would be a stepping stone to other things.
Over the months, God has asked me to trust Him for the impossible and represent the orphan.
He’s stripped me of my plans and ideas and been teaching me to stick with Him in the face of insurmountable doubts and fears.
He’s privileged me to connect and impact hundreds of women through this blog; using my marriage stories and lessons to encourage other wives who are walking the early miles of marriage.
Another level of faith
At the beginning of this year, God laid it in my heart to organize a marriage conference for pastors and leaders in Kenya in March 2015.
Our mission was, is, simple; If marriages can be healed, families will be healed. Then societies will be healed and nations will be turned around.
Nothing like healing starting from the top and flowing down; from pastors and leaders to the congregation and communities they influence.
Now, the way I saw it, I thought God would give us the finances for the conference first.
You know, before all the planning began. Mmhh.
The months rolled by and no money was coming in (i.e my husband did not get that big bonus I was hoping for, which was supposed to finance the conference..my ideas and hopes, in reality nothing was in the pipeline)
But by faith, we had already started planning. Set dates, talked to people, brought everything together and continued to trust God for an open a door.
One and half months ago, it occurred to me – a very s.l.o.w realization – that maybe the “open financial door” might involve reaching out to my online community.
And so.
Here we are today.
Source: The world factbook, www.geohive.com
Why a pastors conference
We, my husband and I, are passionate about equipping people, especially leaders and influencers.
In this case teaching and equipping the pastors will have a ripple effect as they impact their spheres of influence.
Pastors from the rural areas don’t get as much training and exposure as their counter parts in the city. More often than not they lack the financial resources to invest in themselves and their marriages.
Kenya is over 70% rural and traditions play a big role in people’s lives, even among the clergy. It’s not uncommon for pastors in rural areas to put traditions ahead of Christs commands.
The Conference
We will be working through a Kenyan-based marriage ministry called TwoShips Solutions.
Pastor Barnabas and Grace Achoki , the founders of Twoships have a heart and passion for marriages in Africa. They want to see marriages healed and transformed across the continent and beyond.
The goal of the two-day marriage conference will be to create a safe place for pastors, church leaders and their spouses to share their burdens and find healing for their marriages.
They will learn how to minister to one another so they can be effective ministers to their congregations.
How to Help
We would love for you to join us and help make this event a reality.
The cost of the conference is $ 3,325 for 35 couples (70 people in total).*
The funds will go towards room and meals, hiring equipment, speaker fees, printing, telephone and campaign fees.
If you would like to get involved and impact the Pastors and churches in Kisii, please click here.
You will be redirected to our giving page where you can give securely.
Other Ways to Help
* Pray for the conference, for the pastors and the planning of the event.
* Share this need on your Facebook, Twitter and other social media channels. Help us equip the Pastors in Kisii.
Thank you and God bless you as consider partnering with us in prayer and/or finances!
For clarifications or questions, get in touch with us here
Ngina, this article really spoke to me! I truly love your ministry and mission. I agree, marriage is SUCH an important place to start because it is so hard to work on faith or other areas of our lives if our home life feels miserable. I really wish that here in America they made life & marriage training part of the educational system. Instead, people learn their relational skills from other peoples’ broken models. We have some dear friends from Kenya who live here currently but have started their own mission called Word of Truth to provide biblical knowledge and training to pastors in Kenya, and they will be heading back to Kenya in a few months to get it going. Part of the purpose of my blog is to bring attention to various ministries, missions and organizations doing God’s work in the world. I have an article coming out this afternoon on Women At Risk, International. (Even six months ago I would have thought you were crazy if you had said I would be writing a blog to help minister to others). If you would be interested in having your ministry shared with others through an article on my site, please let me know and I’d love to learn more and hopefully generate more support for your cause. Either way, thank you for your wonderful service and work to provide healing and guidance that is so desperately needed! God bless.
Kristi, thank you so much for visiting with me and your words of encouragement. So true what you’ve said about learning from other people’s broken models, I haven’t heard it put like that before..but it describes many people’s learning experiences.
I am so blessed by your Kenyan friends! What a blessing! And your heart to highlight other ministries…well, God is amazing or what! 🙂 He likes to redirect our steps and it’s always such a joy in the end. I love your work and your blog. it would be an honor to share more about our work and the things God’s placed in our hearts. Just let me know and we can pick it up via email or however else. Again thanks so much!
Yes, God is so amazing and so faithful. I will send you an email momentarily! I’m looking forward to learning more and am glad to help. 🙂
Wow, what an awesome mission.
🙂 we bless God, it’s a privilege.
Another way we are like “two peas in a pod,” Ngina! My husband and I not only want to help people in their marriages but help the minister that might have a messy marriage and/or a messy ministry as well. So I totally get your desire to help and your concern over how can this endeavor be financed. We are facing some of those same hurdles. But I want to give something to your effort. I’ll be adding your button to my site and donating an amount that we can afford. I will also add you and your hubby’s conference to my prayer list, my friend! So exciting!!
Oh we so are alike, Beth! I thank God for your hearts. it’s such a needed ministry because there’s not many focusing on there. It takes ministers, people who have been there/are there to minister to the ministers: because they truly understand the position and responsibilities and challenges. We are so blessed to partner with our mentors who have a big heart for marriages, more so pastors and leaders. Our God is amazing, I can’t wait to witness what God will do through you and Gary. Thank you for praying and your support, it means a lot! God bless.
I’m passing on the word. I wish I could offer more than moral support.
This is a worthwhile dream, and you have my prayers.
Andrew, thank you. We so appreciate your support and prayers. God bless.
Re-posting on my fb and of course praying for lives to be turned around. All it takes is one couple in a church to get their marriage working on God’s principals for marriage, others will notice the difference and will be drawn them. In the village our daughter worked in in Papua New Guinea, it was not cultural for the men to help the wives in the garden, after salvation they started helping and stopped beating their wives. They learned how God put women equal to men…and if God thinks that it must be good. Excited about this.
Betty, thank you for re-posting and sharing in your community. So appreciate. That’s a powerful testimony. Truly, what people need is Jesus..He’s the only one that can truly set free us and make us new. Good education is fine, but it can’t change a man’s heart! Thanks for sharing that testimony, it encourages my heart.
I’m so excited for you! I can’t wait to hear the amazing testimonies that come from this conference!
You know you have my prayers and I’ll support however I can.
God bless your willingness to get out of your comfort zone and to be open to HIS plans and timing.
Amen TC, we are so excited about this too and so so grateful for your prayers. Girl, you bless and lift up my heart! We can’t wait to see what God’s going to do. Thank your for praying and support.