Gather the Outcasts

Check out our web site www.gathertheoutcasts.com for upcoming events, audio messages, pictures of mission trips, and other contact information.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Greetings from Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo


 

Dear beloved:  Have some time today so will write a bit more of the events of the last few days, then bring you up to date from Goma.  Talking with Pastor Lucas about the Malaba Crusade, he believes that all those who came forward to accept Jesus were out of the muslim faith, so that was extra special for the labor put into the harvest.  Also many of the children who were at the crusade were orphan children, they come there just wanting to attach themselves to someone who cares and they know the Christians do care.  Two of the orphan children followed us back to the hotel and cafe next to the hotel where we were getting something to eat after the crusade.  When asked if they had eaten, the young boy said he had eaten nothing all day, so we bought him a big plate of food for him and his sister.  Pastor Lucas says that many of those children have no place to stay so end up on the street or even worse.  Pray for the children of Africa, that we can do more to help them.
Today we flew to Kigale, Rwanda, where a team from Goma met us and took us by bus to Goma, on the east edge of the Congo.  Going through western Rwanda, I was very impressed with how beautiful and clean the country of Rwanda looked, and the road was very good and smooth.  We traveled for four hours through spotlessly clean Kigale, the capital city, then on west through mountainous terrain dottled with small towns and villages.  It is very green and absolutely no trash or plastic bags anywhere, such a contrast to Kenya.  The mountains and valleys of Rwanda look very much like Costa Rica to me, there are lots of small farms and vegetable plots that dot the hillsides and valleys.  Crops seen included tea, cabbages, collards, tomatoes, potatoes and sweet potatoes, and lots of different types of beans, as well as corn.  It was truly a beautiful journey.
We arrived safely in Goma after lunch and were met by a group of pastors from the Goma area, they are the hosts for the upcoming meetings.  We are staying at a nice hotel on the shore of Lake Kivu, a lake 125 miles long that looks a bit like one of the American Great Lakes.  Many hotels dot the shoreline in Gisenyi, Rwanda, and on over the border into Goma.  A volcanic mountain sits 20 km from Goma, it is the source of two eruptions in the last 40 years that have covered the city of Goma, population one million, in volcanic ash and lava rock. Many of the streets of Goma are dusty and black with volcanic ash, and most of the walls between the houses are made of lava rock cemented together.  Our team all enjoyed a wonderful lunch of fresh garden salad along with chicken or fish and chips, with fried bananas for dessert, and now we are all relaxing in rooms and hotel balconies overlooking the lake.  Working for Jesus has its fringe benefits!
Friday the meetings start with pastor training and encouragement in the morning, then the crusade Friday through Sunday afternoons, from 3  until 7 pm each day.  There will be some fabulous praise teams and choirs here, the Congolese are famous musicians and singers.  The Makarubi Choir that I enjoyed so much in 2012 will be here so I am looking forward to meeting and worshiping with them again.  Thank you so much for the prayers, your covering is so important to the success of the meetings, and for our safety and good health.  Will send some more pictures when I get time later.  God bless you all, Jim

From Malaba, Kenya

Dear beloved:  I'm just completing the Malaba Crusade, it was an experience like none other for sure.  The Lord moved in a mighty way, but I would have to say it was plowing in hard ground. Malaba is a border town between Kenya and Uganda, so there are lots of typical border activites: smuggling of arms and other goods, prostitution and other illegal activities.  Many muslims in the area, most of the businesses in that part of Malaba were muslim, so attendence was less that I expected but God knew why He sent me there.  Matt. 13:3 And the sower went out to sow, v4 and some of the seed fell on the wayside, and immediately the birds came along and carried it away.  The spiritual warfare was intense; the first day of the crusade a speaker stand ten feet up with a big speaker was blown over and crashed on Pastor Obanda's head.  He received a big gash and eventually stitches, but the schemes of the devil did not prevail, Lucas was back at the crusade the next day!   I preached one evening in a pouring down rain, two nights in good weather, and in all 9 precious souls came to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior!  Bwana a safiwe!  Many other people received prayer for healing, one man gave a testimony of the Lord taking away his eye pain after the prayers.
We are heading back to Mumias today, then will fly to Nairobi tomorrow, then head out to Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday.  I am feeling strong today after a battle the last few days with the stomach bug.  thank you so much for the prayers, keep them coming, the trip to the Congo will be very exciting.  We are in expectation for great meetings.
The pictures below:  me preaching at the crusade, a shot of the children and others starting to gather for the crusade one afternoon, and the bottom, a picture of the pastor encouragement at Harvest Church, Robby Joregensen to my left, Roger Fothergill from Scotland to my right. Will try to get more pictures off to you later in the week as time allows.  God bless you as you pray, I love you all.  Blessings, Jim

Monday, September 8, 2014

Africa Mission 2014 Itinerary

Dear beloved:  Thank you for the prayers and support for the Africa Mission2014.  May God bless your faithfulness in standing with Gather the Outcasts Ministry.  I am believing the Lord is going to do something mighty on this mission.  Keep the events lifted up in prayer as we go forward.  Jeremiah 33:3 " Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know."  I am posting the itinerary for you to follow as we travel to all the events.
September 9, 2 pm depart Kansas City, to Detroit, to Amsterdam, arrive September 10 Nairobi, Kenya  8pm
September 12 All night Keesha Revival, Kenyatta University   Sept 13 Revival at Kabarak University   Sept 14 Revival at Mt. Kenya University     September 17 fly to Kisumu, Kenya, car to Malaba, Kenya      September 19-21 Malaba Outdoor crusade and pastor training      September 23, fly to Kigali, Rwanda, car to Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo     September 26-28   Goma Outdoor crusade and pastor training      September 29  meet North Kivu State government officials     September 30  fly back to Nairobi from Kigali    October 1-2  Masai Mara wildlife safari    October 3  depart Nairobi, 10pm,  to Amsterdam, Detroit,  arrive Kansas City  October 4, 3pm
Pray for good health for all the team, for protection and safety, and most of all for souls! souls! souls! John 4:35 "Do you not say, There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest?  Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest."          May God bless you as you pray.  Jim   www.gathertheoutcasts.com