This month our full-grown egg layers enjoy having the large new coop to themselves. We are growing out chicks who, in a few months, will join the current egg-layers at 6 months. There will be 500 before we begin growing out 500 more. We are doing this for two reasons: One, so we can slowly ease ourselves into the market and two, so we can rotate old layers 500 at a time as opposed to all 1,000. The calves Ruby, Otis, and Leroy are growing and doing very well. Milk production is in full-swing. We are currently getting around 40 liters a day from our 3 cows. This is a huge up in production from the 4-8 liters a day per cow they were getting prior to our arrival. Anna also taught Agnes to make butter from the cream this week. Butter is very expensive here and it is nice that we can make our own.
The corn and beans continue to thrive – all glory to Him. Mungu ni mwema.
Evangelism:
You will receive a second report from us, as always, at the end of the month. It will include this upcoming Saturday’s children’s seminar at Meru. Please keep this evangelism opportunity in your prayers.
This month both Anna and I have continued to conduct personal Bible studies with the locals. Please pray for these efforts.
Evangelism in Njirochini is going well. We are preparing for the upcoming campaigns. Please remember the upcoming campaigners in your prayers and pray that all of our efforts be fruitful.
Anna and Tiffany taught at the Preachers’ Wives meeting on the first Saturday of this month. Anna taught on Abraham and on how God keeps His promises. Her goal with all of these classes is to connect the patriarchs with Jesus and in this lesson the women saw clearly God’s early promise of Jesus and redemption. Tiffany then presented the same lesson, except for kids, and gave the PW’s materials to use when teaching Abraham to the children.
We welcomed another member to our team this month! We are so excited to have Wesley Storks here. We know he will be a huge asset to the work here.
As we have previously reported, an opportunity presented itself with one of the locals, Nester, and missionary Daniel Gaines. Together, they have been studying with a Pentecostal preacher for the last few months. As a result, Anna and I, along with the Gaines family, Mason and Haley Norman, and Wesley Storks had the opportunity to go and teach the Gospel to one of the local Pentecostal churches.
Mason began by preaching on authority in the Bible and the difference in the Old and New Testaments. I followed his lesson by preaching on sin and repentance. Daniel then followed my lesson by preaching on the one true baptism. You could see on the crowd’s faces that this was the first time they had heard the Gospel.
While the men preached Anna and Tiffany taught the children outside. We did not get an official count but there were at least thirty children (or more) present. It was clear they had never learned any children’s songs. Anna and Tiffany taught them: Yesu anipenda (Jesus loves me), Siku ni hii (This is the day), Yesu apenda kuzunguka nyuma (Jesus love is a bubbling over), Nina furaha furaha ndani ya moyo (I have the joy joy in my heart), and a few others! One mama in the back was trying her best to learn the songs and as a zawati (gift), Tiffany gave her copies of the songs in Kiswahili. We hope she will continue to sing them with the children!
Tiffany taught the children about the Bible and how it tells us wonderful, true stories about our God and Him sending His son. Anna taught them about creation. None of the children had heard the story about how God created the world in 6 days and their eyes were wide with excitement.
We ask that all of you pray diligently for this effort. We are already trying to plan personal Bible studies at this congregation next month and a children’s seminar. We feel like these people are eager to receive the Truth. Please pray for them and us.
**As I was about to send out this report we were made aware of exciting news. One of the men who was an elder in the Pentecostal congregation has asked to be baptized. Brother Nester is on his way (literally right now) to baptize the man. Please pray for our new brother and for the others who heard the Gospel that the Lord’s words may prick their hearts and that they will obey the will of our Lord. Acts 2:38 1 Peter 3:21**
Justin Maynard
To see the Maynard’s report with pictures, please click here.