Update – From Gil Harder – Africa

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Dear Prayer Partners:

Greetings from Gil, Aggrey, James & Choice in Lamu, Kenya.

Thanks for sending “Africa Hope” in Jesus Name! His Name is becoming more and more famous on the Island of Lamu and the surrounding Islands in the Indian Ocean. I am traveling with our “Missionary Band” made up of Aggrey Juma, and James & Choice Mahine along with the Island pastors and evangelists of Lamu. The response to the Gospel has been wonderful, but of course not without opposition. Please keep praying ~ The Lord ALWAYS leads in VICTORY ~ II Corinthians 2:14.

Here is the field report:

From Nairobi we traveled to Mombassa where we ministered two days in Mishomoroni Village at the Tanzama Church (To See Christ) with Pastor Benjamin. Amazing thing: Mishomoroni is the dumpsite for Mombassa, much like Dandora is the dumpsite for Nairobi. God is raising up princes and princes from the dunghill (dump = Gehenna = Hell) …I Samuel 2:8. Jesus and Paul went straight to the Synagogues to preach. My missionary strategy when I come into town is to go straight to the dump!?! It is not hard to find because it is always on fire. The smoke forever ascends from this place we call the “Third World” … the garbage dump of castaways. I believe the THIRD WORLD consists of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! It is where He specializes in bringing life out of death and separating garbage from gold. It is where His Son was crucified.

The Tanzama Church has been severely persecuted by the Muslims. Their Church roof was torn off, and the church looted. Adam, one of the Muslim terrorists returned the “Tamborine” stolen from the church because it kept “Making Music” and talking to him. He came to Christ and now is a very powerful teacher of Bible. He testified that as a child, when he went to the Mosque to ask the Imam about Jesus, the Imam asked to shake his hand. When Adam reached out, the Imam broke his hand. There is no grace or love in Islam.

I purchased a Qur’an in Mombassa from some Muslims and then showed them the passages which spoke of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and Lordship. Some were very upset, but several listened including a young man from Seattle, Washington who promised to read the Bible and compare notes. I have learned much on this mission about Islam. “Isa” is not Jesus. Allah has no son. Islam is the doctrine of demons to be sure. There is coming a day when Islam shall be “Waslam.”

Mohammed’s great grandson is buried on the Island of Lamu. Lamu is a stronghold of Islam of course, but these strongholds are falling fast. Aggrey & I picked up James & Choice in Tanna River on our way to Lamu. James & Choice are missionaries to the Tanna River Tribes. The river is infested with crocodiles and the people are infested with demons and witchcraft. James & Choice are clearing the land and building their home and church. Their missionary income is 1,000 Ksh ($15) per month! Pray for them. They are the real thing! Young, married only one year, and already seeing fruit in the field.

We arrived in Lamu and are staying with Kenyan missionaries Stephen and Jennifer Thuku. The first thing that happened at Lamu is that my watch band broke and my wrist watch just fell on the ground. I think the Lord was speaking to me about “Island Time” on Lamu Island! This of course suits me just fine. When I preach I don’t use a watch anyway, I use a calendar. So we met with the Lamu Church Leaders and conducted an “Evangelistic Equipping Conference” on Saturday, and then preached in various churches on Sunday. I preached at the “Church On the Mountain” in Lamu. This mountain according to the “Ledgend of Lamu” covers the remains of a dreadful village of Arab Slave Traders and Sodomites. One day many years ago, a great storm came from the sea and picked up a small neighboring island and deposited it upon this wicked village. Now there is a church perched on top of this mountain of judgment.

Monday morning we spent in prayer and then walked across the island to the native village of Mararani. These are the native people of Lamu who live on top of the sand dunes on the remote side of the island. Our band of 14 Missionaries walked about 7 miles across the sand and up the dunes in blazing 110+ degree heat. My feet are still blistered from the experience. We should have ridden donkeys or camels. On Lamu there are no motorized vehicles, just donkeys or camels. I am walking an average of at least 8 miles every day … good for the body, hard on the sole!

We went directly to the village well and replenished our water and recovered in the shade of palm trees. Then our team split up and went two by two, hut to hut. The Lord led us to Elizabeth and Regina. Regina was sick with fever. We prayed over her, shared the Gospel, and three family members trusted Christ! Two days later, when we returned, Regina was fully recovered and singing praise to God. 42 people in Mararani Village were born again today!

On Tuesday, our missionary band set sail for the Island of Manda. Manda is a very large island with no fresh water. The people are dependant upon rain water and water tanks. We walked at least 12 miles today into the bush and thick jungle. We came to Salid & Cecilia’s home and preached the Gospel. This Muslim family and one neighbor trusted Christ and we left a solar powered radio tuned to Christian radio for them to broadcast the Good News. We walked on until we came to an isolated hut where we knocked on the door.

A young woman by the name of Fraha (Happiness) opened the door. She stood there with her young son looking anything but happy. Fraha said that she had just buried her second child who was still born two days ago. She told us her whole body and soul were in great pain. Then Fraha told us about a dream she had. In her dream, she was told to worship God alone. She replied that she did not know God. The angel said God would send messengers to tell her. So, here we were! We told Fraha the Good News, and she received the news with gladness. The ladies in our missionary band ministered to her and prayed over her until her pain left. Fraha was now crying tears of joy and gladness. This was a real Acts 10 missionary experience. Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord!

We continued visiting the Manda Island people all day long. During our return voyage the Kenya Navy intercepted ten Somali Pirates in a Somalian Pirate vessel on the other side of the Manda. The pirates were armed to the teeth with rocket launchers, grenades, and AK47s. They were hunting for ransom vessels in these waters when they were caught. We took some pictures of the pirates being chained together and taken away for a “short drop and a sudden stop” as one of the soldiers described their fate. They were mostly young men. We prayed for them but couldn’t get close enough to them for any other ministry.

On Wednesday, we were invited by several Christian Massai leaders on Lamu to come and preach the Gospel to their tribal group. Most of these Massai men were from Amboselli, Kenya and had come to stay at Lamu to sell their hand crafts at the “Massai Market” on the island. We preached the Gospel to them as a group, and 17 Massai men gave their lives to Christ including Seremon the Chief of the Massai! We spent the day with the Massai training the Christians in evangelism and equipping them with Evangecubes and Gospel Tracts. They have since been with us all week long for the revival meetings in the churches and also in the street witnessing in Lamu. The Lamu churches and pastors have welcomed them into their families praise the Name of the Living God!

Thursday, we set sail for the fishing village of Matondoni. It was an entirely Muslim fishing village with no known Christian living there … until today. Yusrah was our host and guide. She showed us the entire village, school, mosque, and market. We quietly prayer-walked the entire village and claimed the school and the soil and souls of Matondoni for Jesus Christ. When we left at the end of the day, a young man by the name of Mohammed approached our group and under serious conviction and opened his heart to Jesus with great joy! The seed has been sown in Mohammed, and in Matondoni. Pray now that it grows and multiplies in a harvest of righteousness and peace for this village which is lost in despair and darkness.

We set sail for Kipungani on the other side of the island, but the winds picked up and seas began to run against us and Captain Hassaan decided to turn back to Lamu. So we ran with the wind and the rains and sailed quicly back all the way back to Lamu town and port.

Friday, we returned to Mararani to follow up and preach the Gospel again to the natives on the far side of the island living in the sand dunes. This time, we sailed to Shella Beach and hiked a short hike to Mararani Village instead of trudging across the desert for 7 miles! It is a good thing we returned. After we left on Monday, the witchdoctors announced to the whole village the next day that we were devil worshippers!? I would have thought if this were true, that perhaps he would be happy, but he was not. The 40+ new Christians defended us by telling him that we were sent from God and would return. So we came with bibles and Christian follow-up materials for discipleship with the local Christian leaders and made disciples. Another 31 people repented in Mararani today including the leading distiller of beer and whiskey! So now, the drinks are on the house for everyone, but now the people are being filled with the Spirit and the Word of God instead of dying of alchoholism which Mararani is famous for. Praise the Lord!

Today, Saturday, we went to the hospital and preached the Gospel and prayed over the sick. The hospital has been under lock-down for a Cholera epidemic for the past several weeks. There was a good response at the hospital among the Christians who were healed and blessed, however, most of the Muslims in the hospital did not want prayer for fear of association with the “Israelites.” This is what they call the Christians in Lamu. The Muslims have burned down several Christian churches here on Lamu including the A.I.C. (Africa Inland Church) where I conducted the evangelism training with the pastors and churches last Satuday. In fact this church has been burnt down twice! Each time it was rebuilt Pastor Ezekiel told us.

Just recently the “Church on the Mountain” where I preached last Sunday was attacked by a mob of angry Muslims. They were angry because the Christian churches were growing and multiplying on the island while their Mosques are empty and decaying. I met with Steven the district commissioner of Lamu who went and settled the dispute by telling the Muslims there is freedom to worship in Kenya wherever and whoever you want to worship. Such is the Muslim stronghold here along the coastlands of Kenya, Somalia and the Indian Ocean. But praise God these strongholds are crumbling in Jesus Name!

Sunday, is the “Jesus Festival” on Lamu. Today there were baptisms, weddings, anniversaries, salvation, a missionary commissioning, and child dedication. WE HAD CHURCH TODAY IN LAMU! Right in the middle of preaching the Word today in our Jesus Festival, people came and told us we were too loud and that we should all be quiet. I told them to take up there complaint with the local Muslim Imams who broadcast their indigestion over loudspeakers all day and night from their Mosques. Then Pastor Thuku jumped up and grabbed the mic and shouted to them: “If we are silent, the very rocks will cry out. We are praising the Name of the Living God with all our heart and soul and strength … why don’t join us?” Then he led the entire Festival in glorious praise and worship and the whole place erupted with praise and worship and dancing which went on throughout the night unrelenting in praise of Jesus!

Pastor Daniel, said to me today that this has been the most amazing week in his life and ministry on Lamu. He said that people from the surrounding villages have been coming by the church and asking how they can be saved!?! I know this is in response to your prayers and faith in calling down the mercies of God unto salvation for the Island of Lamu during this “Jesus Festival” this past week.

It is blazing hot in Lamu … we have been jumping into the Indian Ocean every chance we get to cool off … but of course the water is quite warm too and we come out rather “salty” and sweaty again in 2 minutes. We take 2 or 3 showers a day if possible and another in the middle of the night in order to sleep. Of course, according to my hosts, I am not eating enough food. (Whenever an Africa sits down to eat … it is serious because often they do not know when they will eat again). So Choice scolded me again the other day and said, “You just don’t know how to eat! Here in Africa we eat until our food says “I’m Sorry!” Choice Words!

Please pray for journey’s mercies as we travel North to Uganda by foot, donkey, boat and bus for the next three days, Monday ~ Wednesday!

Merry Christmas!

Your Missionary In Africa ~ <’)))><

Gil ~ Isaiah 9:2,6,7