Our goat has kidded and we now have a new baby(kid) goat.  We received a picture conformation of the birth this morning but have no other details.  This project has had its moments as we purchased a female goat over a year ago and she was supposed to be pregnant but it turned out that she was not.  We took her to the buck but she still did not become pregnant.  Then we took her to another buck for an extended visit and now we have a beautiful new Kid.  Getting things done just works much more slowly in Africa, even the transportation for the doe was a challenge.  Remember most people in Africa do not have an automobile so they walk where ever they need to go or take public transportation.  It is a challenge to transport a goat.

Have you ever thought of making a Ministry Vision Trip?  A Ministry Vision Trip with Bridges International Development could very possibly change your life, or at least your outlook on life.  It will change your world view!  Two of the five Bridges Board of Directors members have been to Kenya on a Vision Trip.  This kind of trip is a great way for teenagers or adults to connect with another culture and it is certainly an eye opening experience as to how the rest of the world really is.  My thoughts of our Kenyan trips brings fantastic memories to my mind, thoughts of a beautiful people, wonderful friends, and a needy nation looking for hope and “The Good News” of Jesus Christ.  Try it, you might like it!  We are planning a Vision Trip to Kenya for late June thru early July.  Contact us at bob@bridgesid.org.

Written high on a rustic old blackboard in the devotional room at Bridges Kenya, I saw this formula for success.  It captured my thoughts and I have pondered over it a lot since first seeing it about a year ago.  GOD HONORING GOAL + CONSISTENT EFFORT + EFFECTIVE STRATEGY = TANGIBLE RESULTS.  This formula was posted in a room that was barely a room.  The walls were thin scrap boards covered on the outside with a thin cheap black plastic material and the roof was covered over with a dilapidated piece of canvas tarp with lots of holes where the sun and rain could intrude.  HOWEVER, the staff devotions and the singing were always glorifying to God on high.  This struck a nerve in me today as I read Colossians 3:23-24, “Work hard and cheerfully at all you do, just as though you were working for the Lord and not merely for your masters, remembering that it is the Lord Christ who is going to pay you, giving you your full portion of all he owns.  He is the one you are really working for.”

The growth and outreach of Bridges is far greater than I could have ever dreamed.  It is not because of us, it is all because of Him.  Ephesians 3:20,  “Now glory be to God who by His mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream - infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.”

The numbers are staggering!  Over 1,000 peasant pastors have now been trained in the Morell School that continues through Bridges International Development.  When the influence of these pastors and the women we have trained is added up the numbers are impressive.  Some simple math quickly indicates the outreach of these trained Christians total up to around 70,000 lives touched every day in their communities.  Praise God for the ministry of those trained and working for Christ in Kenya.

The ministry newsletter was especially heart-warming.  Praise God for all the pastors who have received training in the Morell School in the midst of trials and obstacles.  Their outreach will give hope and the assurance of God’s love for them however difficult their circumstances.  The pastor testimonies make me feel admonished for not being always grateful when I have so much.  Thank you for allowing God to continue using you to spread the Gospel and praise Him for the bountiful harvest of transformed lives.  May He continue to protect, provide, and guide all those involved in Bridges.  In His love, P__.

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) continues to be a major problem in parts of Africa.  In December, Bridges’ teachers presented a three day Rite of Purity Passage training at a Pentecostal church in Nchiru, Kenya.  The result was disbelief!  Most of the 57 mothers present had not heard such teachings before.  In the class of 55 girls, three were taken from the class and forced to endure “The Cut.”  Six other girls were planning for the act on the same Saturday as the class but after hearing the Godly teachings decided to dedicate their bodies as temples for God.  Our teacher Sarah wrote us saying, “this place is so affected by old customs, FGM is the number one problem here.”  Teachers Sarah and Lucy want to go back there for another training in August when school is not in session and many more young girls will be facing ”The Cut.”

Merry Christmas to every one of you visiting the Bridges site and reading this blog.  Christmas is a time of celebration and reflection.  We celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Without Him we are lost and hopeless.  With Him we are saved and full of hope.  He is truly the reason for the season.  If you don’t know Him, just ask Him to reveal himself to you and become your very own, your Savior.  Then get your Bible and read the book of John, it will tell you about His love for you and for me.  This year of ministry by Bridges in Kenya has been a very productive and growing year.  In ministry we have touched the lives of more people than we could have dreamed.  The numbers are amazing, but they remind us we serve an amazing God.  Ann and I send our blessings and thanks to each of you who have witnessed the effect of this ministry on the lives of many needing Christ this year.  God Bless you!

Please help us continue this Godly Ministry to the hurting and desperate people of Kenya by making a financial donation today!  Ann and I spent almost the whole month of September in Kenya and the drought is devastating.  People, cattle and wild animals are dieing due to lack of water and food.  The ministry of Bridges International Development and the ministries of our students and graduates is reaching many more than the 11,000 people I estimated a few months ago.  Our students and graduates are taking the Word of God to countless people with their churches and their missions to the Kenyan people.  The pastors shared testimonies with us and their greatest challenge is getting food and water for their families and church families.  They tell us people are panting in hunger in the church services, hurting and unable to listen to the sermons.  Help us as we reach out together to minister to as many as we possibly can!  Send your donations now!

Ann and Bob are in Kenya working with the students and staff of Bridges Kenya.  The country is in the grips of a two year drought.  This means that the crops have failed four different seasons.  People and cattle are dying for lack of rain.  There is lots of coverage on the local news.  We are having a good but challenging time here with the Bridges staff and students.  Last week the NIV large print Study Bibles arrived after 6 months of waiting.  Bob presented a Bible to each of the 38 pastor students and they were very happy to received a new Bible.  Also last week the much awaited tent (20 X 400 arrived and the pastor students were so excited about it that they did not wait for the tent technician, they put the tent up themselves and moved their desks and chairs in immediately.  It was a great week which concluded with Ann demonstrating soap making for them and then each of them gave their personal testimony to Bob.  Their stories are amazing.  The personal sacrifice they go through just to attend the school is awesome.  One of the students boards a matatu (mini bus) at 1 a.m. to ride the 150 miles to reach the school.  Many others also come long distances and often with no money to return home, they have to earn some money to get transport back home where their family is with little or no food.  Please pray for these people and this Godly work.