January 2015
Ministry in a
Ministry
The
past two months we spent a lot of time on the ministry within the ministry
while doing the ministry. What I mean is that we have spent much time in
working with and helping all our team members get situated. (PRAISE THE LORD!)
The Howells came in from language school the end of November; then the Straders
arrived right after. They all had need
of orientation to Malindi and where to buy what, as well as getting phones set
up, PO boxes, government documents in process or checking on the progress of
paper work. We set up language class schedules and ministry schedules for the
past two months all the while continuing to meet with the churches on the
weekends.
We
took the month of December as we reported last month and visited all the
churches. This helped everyone to meet the churches and get the chance to be
with all the people we are currently working with. We have had multiple
meetings talking about finances, language, culture, short-term goals, long term
goals, vision, team, and being missionaries. It has been awesome but again it
has been a ministry in the ministry while doing the ministry.
Wageni Wengi
(Many
Visitors)
We finished up the Eyes on
Christ clinics the first week of the month with Julie Shoeff and Tami Jo Rayle. As we reported last month it was a
complete success. We are so grateful for the Eyes on Christ ministry and would
highly recommend them to other missionaries and for support by the churches. eyesonchrist@lbclife.com
Immediately
following the Eyes on Christ departure we moved right into the Fisher Family survey
trip. Ben, Anne, Noah, Annabelle, and Rianne are members of Life Point BC
Washington, PA. We have been talking with the Fishers since Anne came on the 516 missions
trip this past summer. God is moving in their hearts, and they are seeking His
calling for them as a family. They came to Kenya as a family this month feeling
that God could be calling them to join East Kenya Missions and the work God is
doing here. We had a great time with the Fishers during their survey trip and
while they were part of the Eyes on Christ Team. 
The survey trip went very well, I
think that Ben and Anne were able to get answers to a lot of the questions that
they had as well as get a picture of the vision for the work here. Clayton,
John, and I had several meetings together with Ben and Anne talking over
different aspects of the ministry and things they might consider if God is
indeed calling them to work with us. Please pray for Ben and Anne, their church,
Life Point BC, and pastor Aaron Johnson as they seek God’s will.
Our
last visitor was our long time friend Greg Simo. This was not his first time to
Kenya or even the coast. However, this was his first time to come for his
ministry Tech Fundi. Greg has sent over some equipment already and brought some
equipment this trip to help pastors set up businesses to support their
families. The Lord has blessed him with contacts that have donated old laptops
and projectors that he has turned into blessings and avenues to preach the
gospel. I appreciate Greg letting the
Lord use him and trusting Him to supply. God made Greg’s trip possible in every
way and blessed his obedience. I know those Greg worked with and blessed will
use the opportunity for God’s glory.
Language School Tanzania
We were
sorry to see the Straders leave this month, but we are glad to see them taking
the next step in their journey. Clayton and I traveled with John, Amber, and
Ellanora to Morogoro, Tanzania to help them get set up at their language
school. Pray for them as they study over the next four months.
PO
Box 299 Monticello, AR 71657
James Taylor PO Box 811 Malindi,
Kenya 80200
Taylor Tribe
This
month was busy for sure, but God has definitely been working. We always try hard to let our kids know that
they can be part of the ministry that we do anytime or in any way they feel God
wants them to. One thing that has been
very helpful for them to engage is Swahili classes. When our kids were small we didn't speak
Swahili to them for fear that they would be confused and never even learn to
speak English. We now know that we were
wrong. Kids have an amazing ability to
learn many languages up to the age of 4 or 5 without even being taught in a
classroom setting. Once we moved to the
coast we started Swahili classes with the kids.
So now the older ones are fluent and the younger ones are getting
there. Josiah has no problems speaking,
reading, and translating Swahili; he loves to talk. Abigail, however, has never been confident in
speaking Swahili. She is fluent in her
understanding of Swahili, but she doesn't like being laughed at when she speaks
and makes a mistake. So she has always
held back. This year, though, she has gained
confidence in many areas including Swahili.
She translated some this summer with the 516 groups. This month she translated for Ms. Tami Jo and
really enjoyed it. I started out
translating, then she began to help at the end of the first day. On the second day she said, "It's okay
Mama, I got it from here." Abigail
is growing and changing so much. I know
these next couple of years she is going to blossom into a great young lady,
which she already has. Lydia, Sarah, and
Samuel are quickly becoming fluent as well.
Not too long ago a man was teasing Samuel as we were taking a walk and
Samuel said something to him in Swahili.
I didn’t know one of the words.
When I asked Samuel about it, he said he called him an avocado. He had learned the word for avocado, which is
not a commonly used Swahili word, they just say avocado. He is quite a firecracker even in Swahili.
We also
had a first this month. The Fishers’
youngest child is 6 like Samuel. She and
Samuel were like two peas in a pod while they were here. When we were in the
villages, I don’t know who got dirtier. They were for sure perfect test models
for laundry detergents claiming to fight tough stains. One day one of the kids came to tattle on
Samuel for kissing Rianne on the cheek.
I quickly went to find out what was going on, fully intending to let
Samuel know that he should save all of his kisses for his future wife. I told him to go sit under a tree, and I
would talk to him. When I began to ask
him about it, I had to hold back my smile because upon further interrogation,
he said with the sweetest heart, "Well she's just so much fun to play with
and I like her except right now she's not being very nice." It was the cutest thing. And they were quite a pair, playing happily
one minute, and then next you could see Rianne giving him a piece of her mind
while Samuel sat there digging in piles of dirt most likely tuning her out. We had a very nice talk about other ways to
let Rianne know how much he likes playing with her. Samuel is very rough and
tough, yet somewhere in there is a real sweetheart.
The biggest,
probably happiest news, well for Josiah at least, is that he got his braces off
this month. He is a very happy young man
with a beautiful smile.
God has blessed us with
some sweet kids. I pray that He will
keep their hearts pure and sensitive towards all that He has for them.
Thanks for reading and
praying.
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