Appleseed Travel Journal

May 13, 2015 — Nairobi continued…

Brooks

Congo team arrived, poor things, at 2:30 this morning after being in traffic since 9 pm due to heavy rains and flooding and many car accidents to get to this place. But, they are safely here now, along with one more from Kenya…here are their photos:

Josiah, Kenya

Kaskil, DR Congo

Steven, DR Congo

Remy, DR Congo

Kim and Jeff really challenged all of us with their teachings regarding Muslims and God’s love for all people. As they interacted with the East Africans, they soon found out that the guys were not ashamed at all to share their struggles with this issue. Comments like:

“Muslims are involved in witchcraft. They entice our children with money and take them into Somalia and Sudan and brainwash them that they must die to get to heaven.”
“Muslims are killers. They target Christians. If you cannot recite from the Koran, they will kill you.”
“They have killed our people in malls, burned our churches, killed our students in universities.”

But, as the day went on and mindsets and prejudices were laid down as God’s principles were laid out, we then heard comments like this:

“We are learning how to overcome those concepts we have had in light of the Kingdom of God."
“This is God. We really need this message right now.”
“This is perfect timing for our country right now.”

It was a long day, but rich. Everyone is very engaged and embracing what is being taught. All of this in light of the trauma many have and are living through currently. Please pray especially for Burundi as it looks like a coupe is taking place and if it succeeds, it would be very, very good for not only Burundi but DR Congo and Rwanda as well. We continually ask for your prayers for peace for these nations.

Thank you all so much for your prayers. One pray-er wrote just today… “I keep getting this mental image of a tiny, but super, super bright candle in the middle of darkness. It is so powerful what is happening!” We truly, truly believe “for such a time as this!” Thank you all so much for joining with us. It’s miraculous that those who are here are here and that they are so expectant and wanting to hear this message, when humanly speaking, they could be so resistant for so many legitimate reasons. We are grateful. God is at work for sure! Imagine the impact on their nations!

May 12, 2015 — Arriving in Nairobi

Brooks

Polle polle (slowly by slowly) everyone has been arriving today. It’s pouring, pouring rain causing problems with flooding and traffic just getting from the airport to where we are, but all are here except Congo group who are due late tonight. We are so thankful that even with the unrest in Burundi, the guys were able to get out and reach Kigali, Rwanda and come with the Rwanda group.

For some of the guys this was their first time ever flying. They played it off like the journey was fine, no problem, but eventually admitted to us, that indeed it had been a frightening, but exciting adventure for them. Justin said they arrived on his doorstep in the middle of the night because they had been unable to sleep they were so excited and were ready to go to the airport! Then, when it came down to it, they were afraid of so many things…like, “Am I going to vomit on the plane,” or “If I have to use the toilet, is there a hole that the pee just drops out of the plane into the sky?” One man said he was so scared when they started serving food to every passenger (yes, they still do that in Africa!), he was so scared and didn’t know what to say to the “lady” because he didn’t have one shilling in his pocket to pay for it. Another said he was sure the plane would run out of gas and just drop suddenly from the sky. So, you can see, while these guys live in dangerous regions of the world facing not only rebel fighting, but oftentimes lack of food and resources, for them getting on a plane to join all of us this week took great, great faith! And, for us, what a great reunion it has been…to have each of the countries we have come to love and some of the people who so passionately long to see their people lifted out of despair into hope all in one place to meet together, discuss, learn from each other and also receive new teachings is a tremendous joy indeed.

Here are some of the guys hanging out after dinner tonight:

Aloy, Rwanda

Augustine, Rwanda

Daniel, Burundi

Innocent, Rwanda

John Omondi, Kenya

Henry, Uganda

Bahize, Burundi

Justin, Rwanda

George, Kenya

Shadrach, Uganda

John, Kenya

Bosco, Uganda

Isaac, Kenya

May 10, 2015 — Will You Join Us for 8 Days of Prayer?

Roger

You can join us for the most important part of the next eight days: prayer. The story of the Spirit being poured out in power on the early church, impacting thousands in a short time. is also the story of focused prayer. “And when they prayed, the place was shaken.”

Brooks and I invite you to provide such a ‘shaking’ and release of power through prayer. You can join us as we pray for leaders that are gathering in Nairobi for eight days beginning on Tuesday. And, just as important to us, we want to join with you for the things in your life that need a fresh ‘shaking’ up as well!

Together I trust that we can create an atmosphere in which we are believing for a fresh release of God’s power.

Beginning Tuesday: 20 key leaders from 5 different nations gather for focused training on impacting Muslim people groups and developing disciple making movement best practices with one another. We are believing for this to be a momentous time in preparation for a greater harvest among people who are often the most forgotten, the least, and the last. Prayer is the key for the work God wants to do in these meetings that will, ultimately, lead to lives transformed among five nations and beyond!

Join us for this 8 days of prayer! And let’s also pray for the areas in each of our lives that need a fresh infusion of power. Praying in unity in this way has great effect!

To fuel this season of prayer, we will provide pictures of the various leaders with brief stories from the field along with specific prayer requests.

From Andrew Murray’s the Ministry of Intercession:

Heaven is still as full of stores of spiritual blessing as it was then [in the book of Acts]. God still delights to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him. Our life and work are still as dependent on the direct impartation of Divine power as they were in Pentecostal times. Prayer is still the appointed mean for drawing down these heavenly blessings in power on ourselves and those around us. God still seeks for men and women who will with their other work of ministering, specially give themselves to persevering prayer.

Let’s believe together for the shaking of nations and lives from Africa to the homes we live in!

November 10, 2014 — Why Are We All Here??

Brooks

“We are here for ONE reason only! Because of Jesus Christ,” declared the Burundians! Jesus changed their lives and now is changing lives through their testimonies and sharing of the Gospel. Check out just a few of the folks we met while we’ve been in Bujumbura, Burundi.

Augustine

“God did a wonderful thing in my life. I sinned very bad and it took me down. I was put in jail and was to be there for 30 years. While I was there I remembered something a disciple of Jesus had told me. I remembered about Paul in prison and how God released him. I had been such a drunkard and done many bad things. I had to give those things up in prison, but still I had no peace. So, I began to pray because my family is very poor and they could not help me or even bring me food to eat. I looked to and believed in Jesus as the only one who could save me and I began to feel real peace and even hope. My mother went to a witch, but I refused the things she offered me, because I believed that Jesus was the one who would get me out. I was taken to the court and explained my cause. I want to tell you that Jesus loves sinners. I thank God because He is the one who forgives me. And, also, I praise him today because He is the one who got me released from that place after only three months. Today I want to tell others about God. Why? Because He loves me and He loves them so much!”

“I am a new Believer. Before I met Jesus, I didn’t love people. I was a drunkard and a woman living in sin. I was a liar. But then someone came and told me that God loves me and they taught me about who Jesus is. I learned about love. Today I am so happy and I am free from the past. The Lord has helped me so much that I want to tell others about Him. I share the Good News with many people. Even people who knew me before, they have watched my life change because of God’s love. Even my mom and some of my family who know me very well, now they are Believers because of my testimony. I am living well and at peace now. I go to the villages way up in the hills to tell as many as I can about God and his love for them. Jesus causes my face to shine!”

Typical circle of men drinking home-brewed alcohol. (taken in Uganda)

Aaron
Aaron today!

“Jesus has changed my life. You can see because I have even cut off all of my hair!” This was one man’s testimony as Dominique told us about the day he went up into the Burundian hills to share his faith. There he met a drunkard with wild, long hair hoeing in his field. He approached him and said, “Your crop looks like it will bring a good harvest.” And, Aaron replied, “Yes, and we thank the Lord for that.” Then Dominique asked, “Oh! Do you know the Lord?” Aaron had replied that no, he didn’t believe in the Lord or God or anything, but he did invite the stranger home with him where they talked about life. Dominique told him many things about God and his love and how He wanted him to receive His peace. Aaron had been a life-long drunkard and spent all of his time with the men making and drinking the homebrew. But, that day, because Dominique loves his people so much and was willing to go, Aaron was able to touch and see and know that God’s love is real. Aaron asked for forgiveness and freedom from all off his past. His huge toothless smile as he tells his story is testimony enough to know his life has changed. And, because of his changed life, especially with those who knew him before, many in his family and village have become Believers.

November 5, 2014 — Congo Time

Brooks

Once again God has proven himself faithful and has given us such grace and protection. Due to His setup with the Congolese elderly man of influence, Roger and I never even had to get out of the car when passing through the border coming into Congo. The guy just whisked out of the car with our passports and papers and went into the official’s office and got everything stamped (along with the customary bribe $). We were told by others that without his being with us, John Omondi would never have gotten through as a Kenyan because relations are very poor between Kenya and DR Congo…they even kept his passport to ensure that he actually leaves the Congo. Americans typically have a very difficult time at this particular border so now we know why God arranged the meeting prior to our coming here with the American who had been a missionary’s kid raised in DRC. The contact he set us up with is such a GIVER!!!!! He welcomes and does everything he can for missionaries coming into Congo because the traumas and tragedies of his nation are so great. He has even arranged to meet us tomorrow morning to ensure that the three of us get safely back across into Rwanda.

Here are some pictures from our time here in Congo…we met with over 38 folks…lots of them new to the movement and eager to learn. Eight were regional leaders from southeastern and northeastern Congo and the huge city (around 800,000 people!!!) where we are, Bukavu. It was so great to have these guys take turns teaching the newer ones and then leave John Omondi to teach today while we met with the regional leaders to follow up on goals they had made last spring. It was truly inspiring and exciting to see where and how God has led them…the challenges, the disappointments and the victories. Please pray for this team. This country is not easy. One man I met (not part of our group) told me, “You know we Congolese are victims of our minerals.” And, it’s so true and so sad…and so war continues to literally rape this country of not only her people, but her resources.

Here are some pictures of the eight regional guys (and gal) we were with today:

Fremm