Day #5 in Kenya

I have asked our eight potential graduates to write a short piece for publication, articulating their experience in Wayland's BA program here in Kenya. I have written two of their responses below.

BA PROGRAM IN KENYA

NAME: HARUN MIATU

I am one of the eight graduating students in the WBU Kenyan Program on the 25th of July 2008. I enrolled in the Wayland Degree Program in October 2003 as a freshman, with a focused mind of using what I will learn for the glory of God in my call as a Pastor. Serving God and his people has been my delight and drive in life, but I didn’t have in depth biblical understanding and technical skills to lead well.

I thank the Lord for having enabled me to be enrolled in this Program that has positively impacted my life and ministry. This program has prepared me to handle the current issues that our people are facing in providing relevant ways of tackling them. My leadership styles have changed and now I’m a better servant leader who cares for the people he is serving. I have been able to balance between being a task oriented leader and relationship oriented in that our church can now thrive in its task as well as relating and caring well for the people.

I have also started a process of discipleship of nurturing believers to be effective in their walk with Christ in our church for the past four years. Also through what I have received from this program, has enabled me to start a leadership empowerment and development classes in our church for the past five years. Evangelism has become not only a process of getting new converts but also of nurturing these ones to have a Christ like character.

I have an outstanding balance of 37,779 KSH that stands as a great hindrance for me to graduate on the 25th of this month which I have eagerly waited for a long time. I intend to pursue my education further even after graduating with BA in Religion.

BA PROGRAM IN KENYA

NAME: FRANCIS AZIAVULA MIDEGA

I am one of the 8 graduating students of Wayland Baptist University – Kenya Campus. I joined this program in October 2003 for an Associate of Applied Science Course with a major in Religion. I am currently in the last semester of my BA course.

The Wayland Program has been of great benefit to me and the ministry God has entrusted upon me. I am gifted as a preacher/teacher and currently serving in a church at the Coastal town of Mombasa as an Associate minister. The knowledge I have gained through Wayland has helped me become increasingly competent in handling God’s word especially when ministering in a predominantly Muslim town of Mombasa. I have since helped my church in setting up discipleship classes to help ground members in Gods word. Through the managerial skills acquired, I have set up effective Home Bible Fellowships (HBF) throughout the coastal town that are running effectively. I can boldly assert that the Wayland program has equipped me with necessary tools to be able to handle the doctrinal corruption which is increasingly sweeping across our country.

My future plan is to pursue my education to the doctorate level and be able to offer service to our Kenyan Campus. The major challenge I am facing is difficult in paying my fees balance that currently stand at Kenya shillings 40,321. This is becoming a major hindrance to my graduation scheduled for 25th July 2008, and to my future plan.

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I ask for your prayers for our Kenya students, as they continue in this session. They are currently studying in the fourth semester of New Testament Greek, and music appreciation. Our eight potential graduates are also enrolled in graduate seminar, preparing portfolios, CVs, and taking exit examinations.

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Our Wayland Plainview students, Jessica Young, Micah Evans, and Kelsey Beggs, have been ministering in the Misiri slum located approximately four kilometers from our campus here near Tigoni. The ministry appointed to us by the Kenyan church is to counsel with persons infected with HIV, to lead in seminars and other activities with orphans, and to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ through home visits in the neighborhood around the church building.

The greatest joy this day was that we had the remarkable privilege of leading two Kenyans to faith in Jesus Christ. Micah Evans and I were working with three indigenous Kenyans, making home visits near the Imani Baptist Church. Along the road, a woman and a man approached and asked if we might share the Word of God with them. Their lives were horrific, their family was experiencing tragedy and crisis, and they needed to find hope and encouragement, this couple declared.

Shadrach, Joyce, and Isaac looked at Micah and me, and asked, "Dr. Shaw, Micah, will you share the Word of God with this man and woman?" Micah and I told the story of God's great love for all of the world, humankind's great need for salvation and guidance, and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for all people, including Kenyans, and including this couple. To our great astonishment, Ezinah and Patrick immediately asked, "Might we receive this great news for ourselves?"
And the LORD provided us with the miraculous privilege of seeing this married couple come to know Jesus Christ through personal faith.

I am grateful to each of you, who is supporting us in prayer.

Rick