KERUDO

My dear Donors and Prayer Partners,

We send you Christian greetings in the name of Jesus Christ, our soon coming Prince of Peace-Amen!

We thank the Lord so much for all of His benefits and mercies that are ever new every morning. It is our hope and desire that He will able to fulfill the visions, aspirations and goals of our organization, for this is what He has called us to do. May I briefly share with you some of the activities our organization has been able to achieve.

KERUDO is working among the most underprivileged groups of people in this land called the Maasai’s. As you know these are one of the most indigenous people of Kenya, but one thing we are convinced of is that all people are created in the image of God. The Lord has therefore given us a vision in KERUDO to reach these people with saving Gospel of Jesus as we teach them to disciple others for the Lord.

KERUDO cherishes that opportunity that God has given us to be in partnership with you. Truly, this is God’s work and He has given us both the privilege of working together with Him.

In the two year period 2003/2004, it is my prayer and hope that the good Lord will give us the strength to work for Him and double our efforts more than the previous years. It is also my joy to share these reports with those who for the last few years have stood with us in prayers, and have also faithfully given their finances very sacrificially for this noble cause.

Down below is an overview of what the Lord God accomplished with me, the seven paid staff, the five volunteers and all members of the families represented. In all, we give glory to God.

MONTHLY STAFF PRAYER DAY

Our monthly prayer day that started in March 1999 has now produced two churches each containing 14 and 18 people respectively. The wife of one of our evangelists is now leading one of the churches and she is Mrs. Josephine Kisompol.

MEDICAL MOBILE CLINIC

Our outreach with clinical medicines has greatly reduced child mortality rate. 65% of expectant mothers now attend ante-natal clinic. Diseases as ear and eye infections, malaria, arthritis and skin diseases have been drastically put under control. At the end of 2002, we’ve been able to reach 250 families out of our target of 400 families.

TRAINING OF EVANGELISTS/COMMUNITY LEADERS

In the year that is gone, we’ve been able to train 150 community leaders and 18 evangelists. We were also able to train 5 adult literacy teachers.

CHURCH GROWTH IN MAASAI-LAND

When the programme started five years ago, we did not have a single church in this area. Now we have six churches with a total of 440 people. Three of them have walls made of mud and corrugated iron sheets on their roofs, while the other three still meet under trees. Last November 2002; we baptized by immersion 65 people. Please uphold these new Christians in prayers so that God would protect them from the hands of the devil.

EVANGELISTIC CRUSADES

Ngong Pentecostal Church where I minister organized three gospel open-air crusades, 350 people gave their lives to Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. More than 75% of these people are still walking with the Lord. We have now put them in various cell group meetings for them to be discipled. We have therefore realized that the growth of a local church depends on how the people are discipled to be Christ centered.

GOALS ACCOMPLISHED IN 2002

• We’ve been able to carry preventive and curative medical work through medical mobile clinic visits and by now we’ve reached 250 families out of the 400 in the target area.
• We’ve trained evangelists, laymen and pastors who are now reaching the people through door to door evangelism, mass evangelism as well as teaching discipleship classes to the new believers.
• We’ve seen improvement in immunization of infants/children, nutrition, family life and water sanitation.
• The above goals have been achieved due to dedication, commitment, and hardwork from the support staff, community leaders and the people themselves.
• The above activities have been intended for a holistic approach to evangelization of the caring Kingdom of God. This therefore compels us to take care of the people and their souls for this is the essence of evangelism.

GOALS FOR 2003/2004

• 450 Medical Mobile Clinic visits
• 12 Jesus Films Shows
• 6 Leadership Training Workshops
• 3 Water Baptism for new believers
• Reach 100 Maasai homestead with the Gospel
• Open 3 new churches
• Hold 2 evangelistic crusades
• Send one of the evangelists for seminary/theological training

SOME OBSTACLES IN MY MINISTRY

The Maasai area is stony and hilly. Our Mobile Clinic Van that was manufactured in 1989 is now aging and makes us incur a lot of expenses in repairs. Some of our financial supporters seem to be winding up at the end of this year at a time when the work is gaining credibility in the area. This is causing a lot of concern to the board of KERUDO, support staff and the project beneficiaries. All in all I must say that the good Lord has been so good to all of us and we will at all times look to Him for help to see us through.

PRAYER REQUESTS

• Pray for safety and God’s care for all the workers and their families.
• Pray for our discipleship classes/adult literacy classes and cell group meetings.
• We plan to plant three new churches.
• Starting a new discipleship office permanently in Kisumu during this summer.
• Wisdom, strength and clear vision for all our programmes.
• For accomplishing the goals of KERUDO.
• Desktop computer for our office.
• Commitment for both the board and staff of KERUDO.

MY FAMILY

When I look over the years, I must thank God that I’ll be celebrating my 33rd anniversary as a church minister on 15/1/2004. Equally, I’ll be celebrating my 30th wedding anniversary on December 28th, 2003. We thank God that our two eldest children whom we’ve not seen for the last five years because of being in foreign universities overseas have returned home. Two of our children have also joined universities. We do give glory to God. We covet your valuable prayers so that our partnership in building the kingdom of God through KERUDO would be a mutual blessing and joy for all of us both on earth and in heaven.

Yours for Calvary,

Rev. Yusuf Gowi Okumu.

Executive Director – KERUDO