The Josiah Foundation –What’s Happening!

March, 2010

By Dave Penner, President

Kenya, Africa

The Ark School in the slums of Kariobongi:


School staff - Spring 2009 /
School girls

Background:

The Josiah Foundation has linked efforts with SIM (formerly known as the Sudan Interior Mission) in Nairobi, Kenya in raising funds for a Christian school located in the slums of Kariobongi (Nairobi). This school and the opportunity it represents is one of the biggest needs on my heart right now. The school is the “Ark School” (so named because like the ark, it represents a safe harbor/shelter), a Christian school under the ministry umbrella of the mission agency SIM. The school is placed right in the heart of this Muslim dominated slum area. About 75- 80% of the 130 Schoolchildren, come from a Muslim background.

This past October, SIM’s Kenyan Council approved a project to purchase a small plot of land that directly adjoins the present school with the goal of expanding the present school building. Some of SIM’s preliminary stated goals included:

·  Offering education through Grade 8 rather than just Grade 5 as is presently provided

·  Utilizing three rooms of the old building for the School and one room for the Sewing Project (an existing program for women)

·  Potentially developing a carpentry-vocational-training for the young men who hang around the area and have no future

·  Utilizing the building as a true community center.

The first major obstacle was the purchase of the land. And just this past March 9, I received the following email message from Christel, the SIM missionary with oversight responsibility for the Ark School:

“Last week the finalization of the sale has been completed. We own the whole plot now, that means, both sellers have transferred their ownership to the Ark School Project… Praise the Lord! This is a tremendous step seeing that just a week before the transition, another Muslim group offered our second former plot owner, Mr. Maina, 30% more sales price… It was surely a temptation for him, but he was still keeping his word and rather sold it to us. So we praise God that He allowed us to have this property and we pray that it really will be used for the Glory of God in that whole area.”

This is a huge answer to prayer as the Ark School represents an incredible opportunity to share the love and light of Jesus Christ in this mostly Muslim neighborhood in the slums. The Josiah Foundation is committed to helping raise funding for this strategic school expansion.

The next step is to obtain the necessary funding to construct the school expansion. Initial estimates indicate that nearly another $71,000 will be required to expand the present modest building. Please pray that the Lord would place this need on the hearts of those with the ability to help meet this need. I have been to this school and spent time with their staff. I’ve looked into the faces of the children who attend there. I believe with all my heart that this school serves an extremely vital ministry. To read more about the Ark School, go to www.josiahfoundation.com or to http://www.lifechallenge.de/.

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Pastor Jeremiah and Carol and their church in the slums of Kwanjenga:

Pastor Jeremiah holding his daughter Joy just to my left. Carol is

holding someone’s baby just to the left of Jeremiah.

I first met Pastor Jeremiah last spring in the slums of Kwanjanga. Our hearts were immediately knit in a bond of brotherhood. Jeremiah and I have continued to correspond via email on a regular basis. Pastor Jeremiah’s heart is devoted to his calling to minister to the poor. He has expressed to me that the spirit of poverty is so prevailing that many in his church don’t realize the God given abilities they possess.

Jeremiah has a heart hungry to learn how to equip those in his church in both spiritual matters and in practical matters. He has expressed an eagerness for me to pass on to him some of the principles that I have been learning from a book titled “When Helping Hurts” by Steve Corbett & Brian Fikkert. This book is the basis of some of the courses provided by the Chalmer Center for Economic Development at Covenant College. I have been seeking to encourage and support Jeremiah as he is attempting to encourage his people and enable them to provide for their own financial needs.

The following two emails from Pastor Jeremiah give a sample of his heart for serving the Lord and the poor. The first is in reference to the suggestion that I had passed on to Jeremiah from my Kenyan Pastor friend John Elias (currently in Omaha) that the people in Jeremiah’s church form a savings cooperative. This is a common method utilized in Kenya for people to form a recognized legal organization that enables people to pool their savings and to make funds available for small loans to the cooperative members for small business ventures. The cooperatives are organized and administered by the people themselves and have proven to be very effective.

March 22 email from Pastor Jeremiah:

“After service the self help group members had a meeting and I am glad because they have made some progress . The name of the group is KINGDOM LIFE SELF HELP GROUP. When they next meet they shall come with Ksh 200 registration fee (note: approximately $1.50) have a constitution and then move on to register the group at a cost of Ksh 2000 (approximately $30). They then will begin to save their money. I thank the Lord for the spirit of Unity that is reigning in the church now. They also elected office bearers from amongst themselves and they will meet on Saturday for more deliberations. Let us pray for this group for I see the Lord doing great things in there lives and we shall not let the enemy sow any seeds of discord. This whole thing lines up with the vision that the Lord gave me " lifting up the poor from the dust ...." God is good brother.”

March 12 email from Pastor Jeremiah:

“Can you imagine that a ten year old boy came to me and asked me to pray for him telling me that God directed him to come to our church and that he passes by every Sunday and wants to be a member of our church. I was amazed at his maturity a ten year old chatting with me and telling me about funny dreams that he has experienced and telling me that he wants me to pray for his deliverance???. I was humbled and I told the Lord that I will serve him irrespective of any thing and that I would give myself to the service of His people... (italics mine) I also had a session with a sister who also has been experiencing some real strange things. The Lord delivered her completely!!.”

Please pray for Pastor Jeremiah and his wife Carol as they minister to the poor. They live by faith on a daily basis in dependence on the Lord to supply their most basic needs.

Guatemala

Colorado Christian University Mission Team

On May 11, I will be accompanying a group of 6 (mostly pre-med) students from the University of Colorado Christian University on a mission trip to Guatemala. This group is searching for individuals who have a heart for missions and are willing to assist them in their aspiration to serve the people of Guatemala.

Harmony and Richard setting up a wheelchair at last year’s distribution / Here’s the happy soon to be recipient with Bethel wheelchair fitting expert Dick Rutgers. / The precious little girl and her grateful Mom

We are scheduled to once again minister there with Bethel Ministries International (www.bethelministriesinternational.com) and the Hands of Hope Medical Clinic (http://hands-of-hope.com/s/). Plans are to join Bethel Ministries in a wheelchair distribution; 120 wheelchairs are scheduled!! Individuals that receive wheelchairs can range from children suffering from Cerebral Palsy, to amputees, to the disabled elderly. Some of these individuals have been bed bound. The gift of mobility is life altering. These wheelchair distributions are wonderful opportunities to share Jesus with these precious individuals.

Malnourishment is a root cause of many deaths and illnesses in Guatemala. Our group plans to provide a distribution of groceries and sanitary supplies to twelve different families who are struggling with poverty.

And as we have done on some past trips, we will once again work alongside the folks at the Hands of Hope Clinic in the indigenous village of El Arado. Last year was our first year to help the clinic build and deliver beds to the people of El Arado. Sleeping on a dirt floor causes many respiratory problems and sicknesses. Respiratory disease is the second most common cause of death in developing nations. Giving a family a bed can greatly reduce this number in the village of El Arado. It is our goal this year to provide 10 more beds. Each bed cost $40 dollars.

The Josiah Foundation’s First Full Time Partner – Pat Duff

Its official! Westside Church’s Pat Duff is stepping down from her staff position with plans to relocate to Guatemala at the end of May where she will be ministering under the auspices of The Josiah Foundation. Pat has a great desire to serve the Lord by working with special needs children. She already has some great working relationships there and looks forward to staying with some dear friends that she met while going to language school there back in 2006. Please pray for Pat as she makes a thousand and one preparations for her upcoming move!


Pat and Guatemalan Doctor /
Pat and friends

For more information on Pat Duff’s ministry plans in Guatemala, check out her web site at: http://guatemalagrandma.com/.

Afghanistan

In January, three of our Josiah Foundation Board members, along with Greg Koehn, outreach Director of Evangelical Bible Church, met with Dan Batchelder, founder and CEO of Morning Star Development. Morningstar has been ministering in Afhganistan for 14 years.

Morning Star Development “envisions the Church as an effectively mobilized agent completing the Great Commission by discipling the least reached nations with the transformational power of the gospel.” Morning Star’s mission is to “bring hope and opportunity to people in need in the developing world using sustainable economic and community development initiatives designed to empower individuals and transform communities.” Morning Star Development is effectively using Community Centers providing medical care, education and social opportunities to those living in numerous villages - and in the process sharing the light and love of our Lord.

Present plans are for me to travel with Pastor Lincoln Murdoch and a few others from All Nations Church on an exploratory mission in October. While there, we will be visiting Morning Star ministries, along with others, as we seek God’s direction for ministry.

Upcoming Events

·  April 26-May 3: Evangelical Bible Church (EBC) sending mission team to minister with Bethel Ministries in Guatemala. Led by Josiah Foundation Board Member Dr. Don Pahl, EBC Senior Pastor.

·  May 11-24: Mission team comprised of mostly pre-med students (Colorado Christian University) traveling to Guatemala to minister with Bethel Ministries (wheelchair distribution, home building, grocery distribution, ministry with Hands of Hope Medical Clinic). Team organized and led by Michelle Penner; Dave Penner to accompany.

·  Early September: Tentative plans for Dave to travel to Kenya and minister with Pastor Jeremiah and the Ark School.

·  October: Exploratory trip by Dave to Afghanistan.

Prayer Requests

·  God’s provision and blessing on the EBC (Evangelical Bible Church) mission trip to Guatemala (April 24-May 3).

·  Funds for the upcoming May Guatemala mission trips (Colorado Christian University students). Significant funding is still required for funding the wheelchair distributions and home building; some upfront funding to Bethel is required by April 11 for ministry costs.

·  Pastor Jeremiah and family as they minister to the very poor in the slums of Kwanjanga

·  The Ark School in slums of Kariobongi. Significant funds are needed in order to expand the building, increase the number of classes/students, and expand the ministry to the dear people living in Kariobongi.

·  God’s clear guidance to The Josiah Foundation leadership as we seek His direction in ministry. Continued opportunities to be a voice for the voiceless and share our ministry with others.

·  Pat Duff as she prepares to move to Guatemala and minister to special needs children. Her goal is to move at end of May.

The Josiah Foundation Update - March 2010

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