Kenya, Congo and Moscow Report: By Tim Kernan

Well it has certainly been an incredible trip to East and West Africa last week! I boarded a Boeing Extended Range 777 at 8pm and flew all night over Europe, the Mediterranean and the expansive and once lush North African desert known as the Magreb. I remember last year seeing the Nile with my own eyes for the first time. As a once avid reader of classics it brought alive dozens of books. Its amazing how a little trickle of water can change the world…

There was turbulence as we crossed into East Africa. Cold air rushed up from some of the highest mountains above sea level and rocked the little splinter of a plane like powerful sentries of this ancient domain bidding us caution. The bible says that all creation waits in eager expectation for the revealing of the sons of God. Its still not time for the mountains to know what God was doing with this little plane or what He is so powerfully doing around the world with His disciples.

I landed safely at Nairobi airport and was quickly met by Michael Orieny and Jerimiah who was studying the bible. They packed my bags into an old ford and we darted off through the city towards Michaels apartment. Michael generously put me up in his apartment for three days for which I am very grateful.

Over the next few days Michael, Dan, Denis, Isaac, Jeremiah and I spent hours in bible study, discussion and prayer. We learned a lot about one another. Michael is an orphan who grew up on the mean streets of Nairobi. Dan and Denis came from fishing villages near lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa. Isaac, like Michael, grew up in the Ghetto. Jeremiah, a self-trained intellectual, brought me up to date on the finer points of Kenya’s transition from presidential to parliamentary democracy. They are all living together on the hot hard floor of Michael’s spare room because they are essentially homeless in Nairobi and jobless back in their respective villages. I said to myself; here we have Matthew the tax collector, Andrew & John from Bethsaida, Simon the zealot and Thomas who doubted… incredible. It is great to see the bible starting to be replayed in this small new group.

We bonded together over the Scriptures and after two days Dan, Denis and Isaac were baptised into the Kingdom! Michael was relieved to finally have some committed brothers with him. At first they were very insecure about the size and lack of resources of their very tiny group, however, after extensively going over the gospels they saw that the sensational Sunday services in every church on every corner in East Africa were not in competition with them. The “sunday show” and discipleship are as different as basketball and football.

I certainly have a lot of vision for this new group. My prayer is that in time they will bonded closer and closer to the rest of the churches in the movement. I’m very excited to see what God will do in Kenya with Micheal and his brave little Church.

A few days later I boarded a plane to Kinshasa. When it still has the cigarette ashtrays on the seats you know you’re in an old plane! Our dear brother Lola and some of the other disciples met me at the airport and it was a very tearful welcome. I was so glad to see Lola, especially after his ordeal with the police. He had been arrested and imprisoned for two weeks in terrible conditions. I had been partly responsible. We had been seen in public a few times too many and someone thought that they might imprison him to see how much we would pay to get him out. It was a very terrible ordeal and one of the other brothers who had been imprisoned with him had fallen away due to this persecution. We did finally secure his release though various means.

The Kinshasa church is a vibrant, loving group of disciples living in some of the most difficult conditions imaginable. They do more to grow my faith than I do for them. Over the past year since my last trip they have really grown in terms of giving, accountability and making sure that each member knows the first principles by heart and can make disciples. This is a principle of the Congolese disciples; that every disciple should know how to use the sword (the bible) and be able to do the first principle studies with anyone. It is very exciting and challenging! The Congo church also sent out a mission team of one disciple to a town in northern Congo. True to my expectations, our one brother Bavon now leads a group of 20 sold out disciples. When the giving allows he will bring his wife from the Kinshasa congregation to co lead with him up north.

I want to thank the Congo disciples for all of their incredible generosity, focus, love and especially their ability to learn and grow under such difficult circumstances. Thank you from the bottom of my heart; you are good and faithful servants of the Lord.

Of course there are two hero’s of this story. The first is Jesus Christ who is the only hero in world history to address and conquer the only problem the world has ever had: We are separated from God because of our sin. Only Jesus has fixed this problem. The second hero is the Eugene church. It is because of their insatiable desire to advance God’s Kingdom that we have churches at all in Africa. I want to thank you more than I know how for all you have done. In particular I want to thank that constant schemer, plotter and logistical commander of the Lord: Jeremy Ciaramella. When Joshua faced that daunting soldier with sword drawn and asked him about his allegiance his answer was “I am neither for you or against you. I am the commander of the Lords army. Take off your shoes for this is Holy ground.” I think if he had run into Jeremy it would have been slightly different; Instead of a sword he would have carried a laptop and the conversation might have gone, “I am neither for you or against you. I am the Lord’s cyber evangelist, fixer and financier of crazy missions to dangerous places. Take off your shoes in my office before you anger Amy!” Jeremy knows how to make things happen and i’m just grateful that Jeremy is working for the Kingdom!

I then spent a few days back in London before heading off to Moscow! It was a dream come true in a few ways. One was that I stayed at Sasha Kostencos apartment, cooked with him, and even went out sharing together! He lead the Moscow church that baptised 800 people in one year! He spoke at a conference in Toronto the year after I was baptised and I will never forget it. It was truly amazing to be with him and his lovely family.

Secondly it was just amazing to spend time with DJ, Kacie, and Maxim (Natasha couldn’t make it due to pregnancy and Lianne because we couldn’t afford it!) in such an historic city! Friendship is an incredible grace from God and I am so grateful to have true friends in the Kingdom.

DJ, Kacie and Maxim did and incredible job preaching, encouraging, teaching and building up the Moscow Church. 12 warriors from Kiev drove all night to come and share on the streets of Moscow for the inaugural service of the new church and we had over 50 out at service.

I’m finally back home in London with Lianne, Tim Jr. and all the brothers and sisters and I am overcome with how proud I am of the London Church. They have done an amazing job in my 12 days away, there are lots of studies on the go, the sisters are joyful, the brothers are hungry for baptisms and victories. I just love you guys with all my heart. Your the best family a man could ever ask for.

Its truly amazing what a little water can do. You baptise a few people… and suddenly the whole world starts to change.

Love,

Tim Kernan