December 2007 & January 2008

Dear Prayer Partners,

As I write this prayer letter, these are the headlines from the major news agencies from Kenya: “Helicopters open fire leaving 13 dead in Kenyan town.” “Kenya lawmaker’s killing sparks clashes.” Kenya Death Toll is 800 in one month.” All of events of the last month make us want to say “Jesus – come quick!” But then we remember that the world needs Jesus and His salvation. The good news is that in this crisis many are turning to the church as a place of solace and safety. Our churches have been able to minister to people who would not normally come our way. Please pray for the missionaries and national pastors who are serving God in a troubling time in Kenya.

Mzee Kasinee Deche is a man in his nineties. He loves for us to come and visit him in his mud hut that is the size of a walk-in closet. It seems that he is always sitting and waiting with a small smile on his face and a story to tell. Mzee is very special to us. A year ago, he donated four acres of land for us to start the Neema Baptist Church and New Life Feeding Center and School. He wanted to do something for his family and the children of his village.

We try to repay his generosity by taking him food every day. A few weeks ago he had a stroke which has left him paralyzed on his right side. I remember once saying to him, “Thank you for the sacrifice that you made to give your family land for our church.” He looked at me puzzled and said, “Sacrifice?” I tried to explain that he had given his children’s inheritance away for our use. He smiled and said something in his Giriama language which had to be translated for me. Basically he said, “The land belongs to God anyway so why can’t He use it for His church.” I believe that Mzee Deche is a great testimony of stewardship. He truly understands that everything we own belongs to God, and was willing to give it back to Him. Please pray for him. We are asking God to provide a way to pay for a physical therapist so that we be a blessing to him and help him recuperate. Due to his spirit of giving, we now have a church of over 220, a Christian kindergarten with 100 and a feeding center that takes care of 150 children. I would love to be in heaven the day that he is ushered into the presence of God and hears, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.”

What can you give to God today?

Thank you for your support,

Bobby Lisa Ethan & Conner Bechtel
Missionaries to Kenya, Africa

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Praise Reports:

• Salvation and Baptism of 12 people at Neema Baptist Church

• Salvation and Baptism of 7 people at Injili Baptist Church.

• Conner’s adoption done.

• Bobby’s Mom’s successful surgery on her colon.

• $25,000 given to build 1st -3rd grade classrooms at Good News Academy.

Prayer Requests:

• Pray for Bobby’s Mom to have a full recovery.
• Pray for peace in Kenya.
• Pray for Pastor Abraham and his wedding in 2008.
• Pray for more support. We are in desperate need of more ministry funds. We have 3 ministries running on the same support we originally had for one ministry.