KERUDO

My dear Donors and Prayer Partners,

Christian greeting from us in Ngong Hills, Kenya, I do trust that the good Lord has kept you safe.

My family and the entire KERUDO staff thank the Lord for all of His benefits and mercies that have sustained us to this day. Last year was a very hard year for us in Kenya and the entire ministry suffered a few setbacks but we thank the Lord, that due to commitment of staff, your fervent prayers and donations, we are able to report to you that we are determined to carry on, come what may.

It is therefore our hope and desire that the Lord Jesus Christ will be able to fulfill the visions, aspirations and goals of our work for this is what He has called us to do.

We really cherish the opportunity 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. During this year 2004, it is then my prayer and hope that the good Lord will give us the strength to work for Him in doubling our efforts more than before. Down below are some of our achievements between November 2003 to March 2004:

1. ACHIEVEMENTS

1. We've opened and posted pastors to Milimani Central Pentecostal Church, Rapogi Pentecostal Church, Life Celebration Center Church and Kombewa Pentecostal Church, all in Western Kenya near Lake Victoria.
2. We've opened and posted pastors to Osupuko and Kibiko Pentecostal Churches in Maasailand.
3. We've opened and posted pastors in the Nairobi slums of Huruma and Umoja.
4. We've licensed five pastors and ordained three pastors into the ministry.
5. The layleaders who have gone through a two year discipleship classes now man the above churches.
6. Out of the 400 homesteads, our medical care-givers have now reached 372 homesteads through both KERUDO Clinic and Medical Mobile Clinic.
7. Two pastors are doing the BTH in Theological Schools and we plan to send three more pastors for Diploma in Theology as God gives us the funds.

2. PRAYER REQUESTS

1. Pray for the evangelists, the pastors and believers in these new congregations opened recently that there will be commitment, love, unity and spirit of giving.
2. Provision of finances to train the pastors locally, so that they can be effective in the ministry.
3. Many people are dying of HIV/AIDS, many children are left orphans, many young widows with almost no hope in life. The antiretroviral (ARV's) drugs are still too expensive for any ordinary Kenyan to afford. Pray that our people will change their sexual behaviour and return to God for refuge. Pray that God will give us a donor in this area. May I inform you that I have developed a project proposal on Care and Support for HIV/AIDS Orphans, People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA's), and this I can send to you upon request.
4. Our Lambwe Christian School for the Deaf now has 50 pupils, 8 teachers. Pray for God's daily provision.
5. Our Mobile Medical Clinic is almost running to a halt, because the price of medicines have gone too high. GOOD NEWS is that the Government of Kenya last week gave KERUDO Exception Certificate which will expire on 31/12/05. Please send me medicines. This is a SOS Appeal!
6. Pray for safety and God's protection for all the medical care-givers, the evangelists, the pastors, KERUDO Staff and families of the above.
7. Pray for our finances which for the last two years have gone down by 40% for this really affects the morale of the staff, but thanks be to God that none of the 8 people of KERUDO's payroll has shown any sign of quitting.

Since we work amongst the poorest of the poor in our country Kenya both in urban slums as well as the semi-arid mountainous areas of Maasailand with no roads, no water, no electricity, no phones, no infrastructure and no toilets/latrines, but God is faithful in that this year alone we have planted many churches as you have seen above in Maasailand, Western Kenya and in Nairobi. The Lord has therefore given me and my staff a vision to reach those people with those people with the saving Gospel of Jesus as we teach them to disciple others for the Lord.

We thank God for our long and many fruitful years of partnerships. May the Lord continue to supply all your needs according to his riches in glory. Your prayers and financial donations have made us reach thus far - 1 Cor.15:58.

Yours for Calvary,

Rev. Yusuf Gowi Okumu.

Executive Director – KERUDO

2003 Letter