Trusting during the Messiness

Update: Jason and Righteous returned safely from a 5 day trip to America. Jason was the main speaker at a fundraiser for Bethany and Righteous attended college classes and is enthusiastic to enroll as a student in September 2025. We just said goodbye to JP and Sarah Canady who did a 1 week survey trip. We had a marvelous time connecting with them and are praying for God's clear direction and leading for their future. 

The original solar power panels weren't enough to generate power for the entire farm. So more panels were added. They are being adjusted on top of the clinic roof.


We feel like we have gotten our "bearings" settling back to Gtown and wanted to write about how the situation is going with the farm workers. Jason has participated in 1 Bible study since being back,  with the new believers, Amos, and Paul in which everything seemed very normal. Then the following week these new believers (who are also farm workers) expressed their financial concerns due to the economic crisis in Kenya and because of this they would not be able to come study the Bible on their day off but instead would need to find other ways to bring in income. This was a chess move to see if we would  offer money for them to continue coming? Absolutely not. God's word stands alone. Jesus is the sustenance to one's life. Each of them receive a salary that is considered a very high amount in comparison to the other villagers who mostly make/sell charcoal for a living. Three of these four new believers have a house that was built for them. My friend Grace was reminding us about John 6:24-27 when crowd's were searching to find Jesus as the result of their stomach being full- for He had fed 5,000 the day before. That was what drew the crowds- not the signs He performed. They wanted more bread- not desiring what is greater than that, eternal life. To know Jesus and read scripture is such a treasure and reward that far outweighs earthly riches. We believe this with everything in our being. We long for this to become true for the new believers. 

So while the Bible studies have ceased, for now, the rug was pulled out from us in another way. One of the new believers, J*m@, messaged Amos to ask/demand an advance in his salary 1 day ahead of time. Amos stood his ground and told J*m@ to wait until the next day. J*m@ wrote that Amos wasn't serious about caring for people in this area and only wanted to convert them to Christianity. Then he gave a threat to "Watch out that I will deal with you all". Not only was this verbal accusation hurtful, it was also evidence to show police because it was all on text message. Ultimately we are not here to start a legal case. We are here to share the gospel. The gospel is about a second (third, fourth) chances, forgiveness, and redemption. At the same time there are consequences to actions. Amos, Jason, and Philip (farm manager) suspended J*m@ from work indefinitely. 

There was a meeting called to discuss J*m@'s suspension to all the farm workers. We had heard J*m@ was telling people he had proof on his phone that Bible scripture was being read- which if he does- he would incriminate himself for being there also reading. Jason was able to give a speech that he never invited anyone from the farm to our house. If anyone came (to study the Bible) it was of their own accord. One of the farm workers spoke up and said that indeed out,of the 8 years he had been working there, Jason has never invited him to our house. Secondly Jason addressed that J*m@ had started as a high school student, and working on the farm allowed him to pay his school fees until he graduated. J*m@ wanted to learn to drive and working on the farm provided the funds to take him through driving school. He has been given lots of opportunities but now he was bringing threats and accusations that cannot be tolerated, so he was suspended. All the farm workers could understand why this decision had to be made. J*m@ accepted this without a word and left.

It's been 3 weeks since this has happened. J*m@ has apologized to Amos, to Jason, and Philip multiple times. They had a meeting together. J*m@ explained that he said all those things in anger, and later on, when he had so much time to think, he regretted those words and acknowledged he had made a big mistake. Jason, Amos, and Philip accepted that J*m@ could return to work but first he needed to publicly apologize in front of all the farm workers because the intial meetings were done publicly as well. This was done. Jason was able to share the story about the Prodigal son. He related J*m@ as the Prodigal and explained he is overjoyed upon the return. 

Will Bible study ever pick up again? Only God knows. We remain hopeful that He is the one who changes hearts and grows a person's faith. What we do know is that God's Word has gone out and it never returns void. God has used this situation to remind Jason of how messy his life was when he finally surrendered his life to Jesus in 1999. The Lord has also pointed out many examples in the Bible when the heros of our faith had very messy lives as well... Abraham, Noah, David, Solomon, the disciples, and the first churches at Corinth, Ephesus, Galtia....etc... the list can go on.  We all have to walk through the messiness of a life surrendered to Jesus and what that means making mistakes and growing is part of all of our journeys.  We trust God that He is working even in the messiness. 

Solar power not only provides lights for night time, but allows a refrigerator to hold vaccines.

Righteous has been successfully driving out to the farm and slowly building up confidence. 

She is in the driver's seat on the right. Everyone drives on the left side of the road in Kenya.

When we walk around the farm to greet everybody, we always get thorns stuck on our dresses.

Chatting with I$@n!n0.

Catching up with the cook who makes lunch every day. 

We were shocked at how much the river washed away the bank by the water pump.

So much erosion. This land was flat before we went to America for our Home Assignment. 

Looking like a very small version of the grand canyon. 

Here is the water pump that brings water to the farm.

Looking out into the Tana River.