From The Field-POM 9/08

Dear Prayer Partners,

Greetings in the name of our Lord!

We are doing well as a family and the kids returned to school a few days ago after having a break from school from July 10.

Josephine is going to 9th grade! Unbelievable and will be 15 years old on September 26th. She is doing very well academically and we were very happy to read comments from her teachers about her humility, obedience, hard work and diligence helpfulness to her peers on her end year’s report. We are praying about the possibility of visiting the US with her in December and pray about her going to school in US for a year from next fall.

Rebecca who turned 10 in June is also doing fine and academically doing very well also. Miriam 8 continues to get along well with Jumboy, but only when the other older girls are not there. (Talk of relationship of convenience)

Church Planting and Evangelism

We thank God for the August Women Conference which was attended by about 700 women. Out of the total, 300 came from new and very remote areas where we have just started the work. Over 130 came forward to receive the Lord. Nyangayta, Takar and Marich are among our baby congregations to be planted.

We have had a great persecution in Uganda. The tribal prophet alleged that he has been put ‘out of network or coverage’ since Christians started planting churches in the district. That opened fire on the Christians since the tribe believes that their day to day activities are guided by the tribal prophet who is expected to foretell about the future welfare of the tribe.

Our people were rounded up and beaten all over wherever we have a congregation. Please pray about this situation. Another looming concern is about a food shortage for the lowlands. The rain did not fall in April for planting. Instead it came in July and now it is over. From now until next August, food will be a great concern and a matter of prayer in Pokot.

Water Drilling

For a long time we have been grounded because our old drilling machine broke down and the part was not available in the country. The part came in from the United States at the end of July. So now we are back on the job and pray that God will put water in the holes we are drilling. The other great news and praise to God’s hand for provision is that our new drilling truck is expected to get to the port of Mombasa any day. I know that some of you have been praying so much about its arrival and even the provision of it and God has done it all!

This instrument has been waited for very much by the Pokot people. Each area is hopeful that shortage of any water and of clean water for some areas will really be solved. It is also expected that water related diseases such as typhoid, abdominal problems will be greatly reduced, if not eliminated in these areas.

I have just received news that we hit water in a borehole we were drilling in Kapchok area. We praise the Lord for such a success because it means so much to so many people.

Pray that the Government will grant us a tax exemption so we that wont have to pay tax on this instrument.

Orphanages

The kids at Kodich always look forward to the teams coming in July from USA. There are several reasons for this occasion. The Great Kodich Chicken Race, where they award chicken to the winner, is an event that the children really look forward to in addition to fellowshipping with the visitors.

The Great Kodich Chicken Race however was not held. The group from Kensington Community Church that stayed in Kodich were particularly busy this July and did not hold it. The team did a great job building a girls dorm for us. They went to the nearby bushes to gather stones for the dorm. As they gathered stones and loaded to the tractor, we were becoming afraid that they might run into scorpions under the rocks as they try to turn every stone.

The orphan children are doing well and are academically leading in the district. We thank God for their devotion to God and high level of discipline which has brought the good academic results.

Another team from South Carolina headed to East Pokot and helped finish an orphanage home there that will house 100 kids. That will be such a relief and hope to the hopeless Pokot children in East Pokot.

Medical Services

Because of the delay of the rain, May- July malaria breakout that is normally such a killer and ‘a dark hour’, as I usually call it, was not as dangerous as it usually is.

As demand rises for medical supply, over need for drugs is increasing by the day. On the other hand the proposed Kapenguria Hospital that we hope to begin by the end of the year is greatly anticipated. The Government District Doctor met me about two weeks ago and asked if he could give part time service in our hospital when finished. He said the Government Hospital has a lot of problems from lack of drugs to lack of commitment on the part of services.

Thank you all and God bless you.

Sincerely,
Rev. Julius Murgor

Hope For Those In Great Need

Our partners in India work among the Cobra people – the lowest caste of Hindu society. Life for families under the caste system is basically locked in – the upper castes are highly respected and have many opportunities while the lower castes are shunned and have no hope of moving up in society.

Through sharing the love of Christ with the Cobra people, many of this caste are beginning to see a God who lives outside the caste system – a compassionate, loving and caring God who believes all people are created equally. This is a hard concept for these people to grasp, but faith in motion is one of the things that is showing Christ to these people.

One story Kamlesh and Ranu shared was about Meena Jaiswal and her family. Meena married in 1994 and her husband worked in a textile mill in the neighboring state of Gujrat. In 1996, they were blessed with a daughter named Megha. Their joy knew no limit when a son (Karan) was born in 1998.

MeenaIndiaIn 2005, tragedy struck the young family when Meena’s husband died suddenly. Their meager saving was spent on his medical care and funeral rites. Meena was left totally helpless with two young children. She returned Ujjain to live with her brother. Meena started doing any odd jobs she could find, but she was struggling to meet the family’s needs.

An old Bible class classmate of Kamlesh and Ranu brought Meena to them. They have been privileged to help Megha and Karan with their tuition, text books, educational materials, clothes and necessities. Megha is in 8th standard and Karan is in 5th. They gave them books of Bible stories and they share the Gospel with them. They are praying that the Lord will bless their efforts as they present the plan of salvation to the children and their mother.

Kamlesh and Ranu have over a hundred children at their first school – Jagat-Jyoti (Light of the World). These children would not have an opportunity for an education if it were not for Kamlesh and Ranu. This ministry supplies these children with clothes, a daily snack, school supplies and healthy meals twice a month. The families of these children are most grateful to Kamlesh and Ranu for the provisions, love and schooling that they receive.

This year, as a special gift to the children, Kamlesh and Ranu had backpacks printed with the name of the school made for all the children. A backpack is something that none of these children had ever had before and from the picture below you can see how much they appreciate what our God has given them. Through the generosity and love of Kamlesh, Ranu and their staff, these children are seeing Christ as a loving and caring God – one that is real in the lives of those who know Him. Please pray for these children that they may break out of the chains of their caste through the love of Christ.