Three days ago I returned from what was probably one of the most challenging overseas trips I’ve ever taken, which is saying a lot since I’ve taken a couple hundred of them! I spent 2.5 weeks with a good Kenyan brother named Silas ministering in a refugee camp in the far northern part of Kenya and preparing to launch a new network in the rural western part of Kenya.

Here are some of the elements that stand out in my memory:

Travel: We travelled by public transport throughout the trip. 28 hours from Nairobi to Kakuma refugee camp, then another 12 hours to Bungoma in the west for that training, and then 12 more hours back to Nairobi. I was packed in tight seats with knees oftentimes up near my chest, backpack on lap, bouncing over ubiquitous speed bumps, rural dirt roads with potholes, and dodging out into oncoming traffic to pass s-l-o-w trucks oftentimes creeping along at 5-10 mph. God’s Spirit was present and conducted us safely, but sometimes I wondered if I would make it. The Kenyan government closes the public roads in rural areas between 1-4am due to bandit activity, but our drivers found ways around these closures bouncing over narrow bumpy dirt roads. Note to self: The seat at the back of the bus is lethal when hitting speed bumps at high speeds. I’m not sure I’ll do a road trip like that again, but it was certainly a memorable experience!

Culture and conditions in Kakuma: Two million refugees from many nations (S. Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, DR Congo, Kenya, etc.) are packed into this area in northern Kenya. They are mostly segregated by nationality and language into various “phases” of the camp. So for example, I stayed with a family from South Sudan, and nearly all the people in that quadrant of the camp were also South Sudanese (the largest population in the camp.) Most of those I trained were from S. Sudan since there are many Christians, but nearly all of the Somalis for example are Muslim. Not a single church exists in the Somali sector. I am the first white person (mzungu) that my host family has ever had stay with them. They needed to get special permission from the Kakuma leadership for me to stay there, since most ex-pats (e.g. U.N. workers) stay in nice hotels outside the camp and drive in for work during the day. I slept on a pad on the dirt ground, and there was no running water or electricity so I did life just like the locals (bucket bath, hole in ground for toilet, etc.) The heat in this region of northern Kenya is intense. It is in 90’s every day, no moving air, and I had to drink about six liters of water just to stay minimally hydrated.

James and others in the camp were so encouraged by the fact that I stayed with him and his family as they said it spoke loudly to my love for them, drawing near in relationship to them. These are amazing people, struggling to survive yet with the joy of Christ in their hearts. Many of them spend decades or their entire lives in these camps with no option to return “home.” I did have to be careful, because the situation in the camp is quite desperate with lack of food and other necessities, so I always had a chaperone and no one went out at night. The UN gives 5-10 kgs of maize flour and a liter of oil to a small percentage of the refugees, but most are given nothing. With 60% of the adult population unemployed with no means of income, you can imagine the desperation. Suicide rates are high, and the struggle is intense. In fact, at one point I went for an early morning run and encountered a group of people standing by the road. I asked why they were gathered and they pointed to the tree only a few feet from me. A man had hung himself there, which was the first time I’d ever seen something like that, and led me to pray even more fervently for the Gospel to spread and offer hope to the helpless. I listened to story after story from pastors in their own situation and the struggle to minister to people in their churches. My heart breaks for these dear people, and the experience of living with them for a week was unforgettable.

Training: Both in Kakuma and in rural Bungoma (western Kenya), bigger groups than we normally have showed up for the training. I pivoted as best I could, since our methodology is highly interactive and groups no larger than 16 work best. The intense heat also added a challenge as people “wilted” by mid afternoon. But we made great progress with four full days of training in Kakuma for about 30-35 ministry leaders, and two days of training in Bungoma for 35-40 ministry leaders. These trainings were augmented by numerous meetings with leadership teams, bishops, denominational leaders, and coordination teams toward arranging all details and vision for future workshops. Our coordinator in Bungoma is a dear, godly man who is absolutely convinced that Pathways Bible Training is what is most needed in his region. In addition, several denominational leaders from surrounding communities 1-2 hours away are also planning to be a part of our Pathways network in western Kenya.

Plans for the Future: Clearly, Pathways is needed both in Kakuma and Bungoma. My plan is to launch in Bungoma soon, to have Silas be a part of this network and receive the training, and then he will go to Kakuma to offer the workshops he receives to those in the camp. I will return to the camp at some point in the future to offer encouragement and coaching. Please pray God will arrange all the details with the coordinators for good skills in handling the Word well to spread throughout Kenya, Africa, and globally.

Exercise: On a side note, each morning I got up early to do a workout. Wherever I was, I had a group who was eager to work out with me, whether an early morning run or and “Insanity” video workout. The young guys jumped at the chance to work out with the “mzungu” and we had a blast together. Never a dull moment!

Thank you for your prayers and partnership in enabling God’s Word to spread to the “ends of the earth.”

Testimonies from Kakuma training participants:

• Peter – One important thing I learned from this training is the need to study and preach verse by verse. I have never seen or heard of this. Now I can follow this pattern. My understanding has grown so much. By reading many times and studying according to Pathways, now I can preach God’s Word.
• Marino – Before this workshop, I would read some stories and jump around to various passages. Now I know the importance of context and need to follow the flow of the writer through books of the Bible. Eric was very patient, and when I made mistakes, he helped us through them.
• Emmanuel – I am praying all preachers will receive this training. We must not put our ideas into the passage, but must let the Word say what the author emphasizes. We must stop preaching our ideas.
• Victor – You came a long way for us and we thank you for that. I learned a lot about the true Gospel and how to stand against false gospels. Many preachers use random verses and so end up confusing their people. Now I know that I must preach verse by verse through passages. We need to take this training to many others throughout Kakuma and beyond.
• Stella – Sometimes we pass through hard times in life. God is near and wants to help. We need to have God’s heart of compassion for all people. Many preachers have bad motives in preaching, but we must communicate God’s heart. (We studied about God’s heart of compassion for all people through the book of Jonah.)
• Anthony – We are the Jonah’s of today. We must not run away. Follow your call. Don’t just focus on your family and your people. I have also learned the importance of observation and how to see what is most important to the author. In most churches we fail to give them the key idea, the main point. Now we see the importance of putting the message in one sentence that will stick in people’s memories.