This is the text version of our Guidepost edition for November 2006. It was released during our celebration service. We were celebrating our 1st year since we moved to Ngong Road! The guidepost can be downloaded in pdf format from here.

“Na bado...”

Wow, what a year that was! And as we celebrate today, we want to retell the stories of the year gone by. The bible actually says God listens to such conversations, and rewards them!

Malachi 3:16  18 “. . . those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.”

Today is our thanksgiving day for the Lord's faithfulness! For a whole year we have met, worshiped and witnessed in the name of the Lord. Many are the times during that year when I have sat back in wonderment, literally astonished, at the Lord's goodness to us as a church.  And this is only the beginning. I sense that some new is stirring among us, and that God is gearing to amaze us yet again in our already exciting adventure.

As we reflect on the past ,we want to do this so we can draw strength from it; but we also want to do this so we can launch out into our future with confidence. As the Lord says in Isaiah 43:18 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”
The last year has been great, but put on your safety belts, you ain’t seen nothing yet!

Pastor Oscar

Last Christmas we had a highly successful mission at the Jamhuri Short Term Sentence Prison. The prison which sits on the edge of the expansive Jamhuri show grounds was buzzing with excitement as inmates put aside their rigorous regimen to listen to our message of hope.

The sermon was delivered by Pastor Oscar and touched on real life issues that pertain to prisoners. He urged them to take their current predicament not as a misfortune but rather as an opportunity to encounter and know God.

Afterward, the whole place was engulfed in a festive mood as we sat down for a Christmas luncheon sponsored by the Chapel. This was followed by a video on The Passion of the Christ and later, a dance session that turned out to be a welcome respite from their troubles. At the end, of the 150 inmates confined at the jail, 60 gave their lives to the Lord!

Our visit also appears to have set in motion a chain of positive events that are likely to have a lasting impact on the jail. According to Mr. David Shakwa, the officer in charge at the prison, the inmates and the prison staff were so inspired by the visit that relationships within the prison improved dramatically. Soon after, reveals Mr. Shakwa, the prison staff, together with the inmates, came together to form a church which they have christened 'Jamhuri Worship Center'!

As we look back on our first year since moving to Ngong Road, we have reason to celebrate with our youth.

The first cause for celebration is the establishment of a phenomenal youth service dubbed Expressions. Led by our own teen band and dance crew, this monthly worship event incorporates contemporary styles of dance, with music of various flavors, ranging from ragga to rock, hip-hop to salsa. It gives the young people an opportunity to come together and worship in styles and preferences that minister to their needs. 

The services have occasionally featured 'collabos' with various visiting artistes, notably Gospel Fathers, SK Blue, Rock of Ages, and the Rockefellas. Muthoni Maina, a budding youth leader of Expressions had this to say, “It is a good opportunity for the youth to express themselves in song and dance. Hopefully, it will also be an opportunity to bring other youth to Christ.”

Another cause for celebration is the success with which the teens organized the painting of Jamhuri Primary School's quadrangle, as a community service project in August. The teens single-handedly achieved this feat with very little oversight, right from the fund raising efforts to the paintwork! Kudos vijana, keep it up!

Away from the city, the last one year saw the youth go several places. The first trip was to the famed Mt. Longonot for an adrenaline charged expedition. This was followed by a more relaxed but fun filled trip to the magnificent Maweni Beach Cottages. Billed as Kenya's own Garden of Eden, the holiday resort provided an excellent setting for the Easter Youth Camp whose theme was “team-building”. Not to be left out, the 'teens' had their August Teen Camp at the famous Lukenya Getaway. Its serene and homely environment provided the perfect backdrop for the theme, “Relationships”.

At 14, Julia Wanjiku can barely recall the harsh moments that marked the break up of her family. Being a toddler may have spared her the pain of seeing the devastation wrought by her dad when he deserted the family after selling everything they owned and taking a new wife. None-the-less the last born of 5 children could not escape the consequences of her dad's actions as she grew up.

Following the painful break up, her distraught mother could not bear the weight of the family alone. She left Julia under the care of her grandmother in Kiambu and moved to Nairobi's Kibera slum where she eked out a living selling charcoal. Julia was to spend the better part of her childhood away from her mother and siblings.

After successfully completing her primary education, Julia rejoined her family in Nairobi. But given their meager income, she had little prospect of joining High School.

She well remembers how she walked, along with her mother from place to place another looking for sponsorship, and at one point almost giving up. “I had no hope of joining secondary school,” she says matter-of-factly, “We went to four different churches but could not find help.”.

Undeterred by her daughter's frustration, Julia's mother kept moving, hoping that the next stop would perhaps be her final one. One Sunday in March, both mother and daughter came to Chapel to ask for assistance. They were directed to the benevolence ministry and a short while later, their request was granted. Julia received a full scholarship! 

Julia joined Zion High School, Kajiado in June (2006), and aims to be a doctor. She spends her school holidays with her family in Kibera Laini Saba.

The launch of the much publicized Ekklesia communities (home fellowships) in April was a resounding success, with as many as 10 new groups coming into being and as much as one fifth of the church membership in attendance. The new Ekklesias launched on that day were Jamhuri, Lavington, Kibera, Karen, Ngong Rd. (Adams), Kilimani, Ngumo and 3 in the Riruta area.

According to Nairobi Chapel's Adult Ministries Pastor, Vincent Ayino, the event was geared to bring people together in a joint forum to gauge the number interested in being part of an Ekklesia community. “People were asking us to make it (Ekklesia) a reality. So we made a general call and arranged seats according to respective areas. And that's how Ekklesias were formed,” he said.

The launch, which coincided with April fools day was not intended for pranks, but as a time of fellowship, fun and consultation. It kicked off with a word of prayer, followed by discussions during which several members spoke on the importance of Ekklesia communities. People had the opportunity to make acquaintance with one another as their children engaged in fun and games, like face painting and playing in the bouncing castle.

Speaking on the significance of Ekklesia communities, Pastor Vincent had this to say, “Besides our pulpit ministry, small group ministries are our strongest tool for discipleship and transformation. Their informal and none threatening settings provide people the opportunity to build authentic relationships.”

The meeting finally broke for a celebratory luncheon which included plenty of nyama choma. Altogether, Nairobi Chapel has 18 Ekklesias, including 4 pre October 2005 ones (Woodley, Riara, Karen and Valley Arcade) and 4 new Ekklesias launched this October (Riara Rd., Adams, Riruta and Suna/Race course).

Kajiado is a bustling transit town with great cross-cultural exposure. Its predominately Maasai population consists of Traditionalists, Christians and a significant number of Muslims. Through their works of charity there has been a growing influence of Islam in the town's everyday life, noticeable in the fact that the town's tallest structure is an imposing mosque.

Against this backcloth we held a 5-day evangelistic campaign in late March, with Full Gospel Church, Kajiado. Together, we preached Jesus as the only name given under heaven by which man can be saved; in open-air crusades, going house to house, through The Passion of the Christ movie, and by offering a free VCT camp. As a result, 50 people gave their lives to Christ and were committed to the care of our host church.

Another 30 people gave their lives to the Lord at the 'Kibera Miracle Crusade' in early April. A team from the Chapel, in partnership with Voice of Salvation & Healing Church held a 2 day crusade at the Kamukunji grounds. The message of the cross brought hope to the inhabitants of the sprawling slum, proclaiming freedom to a people caught in the grip of poverty and vices such as substance abuse and prostitution.

When a family crumbles, children are often the hardest hit. Their fragile life is often thrown into disarray and their future into doubt; unless someone intervenes, the light within them seems to slowly extinguish as all hope is lost But sometimes, just sometimes, it quickly rekindles when someone reaches out to them with a kind gesture and a helping hand.

Meet Grace Muganda. At 17, she is the fourth born of five children. Her mum passed on when she was 14. Her dad ditched them right after the funeral. Her relatives simply shunned them. Faith Wanja's story is similar. Only that she does not know her dad. After losing her mum in 2001, she was mistreated by relatives, and forced to work as a house girl. And for Winnie Ojiwa, life has been marked by tragedy: The loss of her dad when she was 9, followed by the rejection of her family by close relatives, and subsequently their straitened circumstances, weighed heavily on this third born of 8 children.

When these girls came to the Chapel, they all had one overriding request: An opportunity to go back to school, to at least improve their chances in life. By fulfilling their request, we are discharging the duty that the Lord has given us, “… to look after orphans and widows in their distress…” (James 1:27ff), and trust that our continued involvement in their lives will root them in Christ.

Speaking of orphans and widows, we have chosen to partner with faith based institutions which take a genuine interest in their welfare. Last December (2005), on Christmas day, we visited Cheryl's Children's Home and shared a meal with them. We then presented a cash gift of a quarter of a million shillings  the day's entire offertory collection - which was used to pay High School fees for 17 orphans under their care.

In July 2006 we held a focus day to highlight the plight of those living with or affected by HIV/AIDS, and the work that Beacon of Hope (BOH) is doing among them. Thanks to your generosity, over Ksh. 400,000 was given to the ministry.
 
With the opening of a new school term in September 2006, we gave over a quarter of a million shillings towards the payment of school fees. Of this, Tumaini Ministries received Ksh.50,000, Cheryl's Children's Home Ksh. 71,000 and TULIP Ministries Ksh.100,000.

All these have been made possible because of your liberal gifts. “This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.” May it please the Lord to “make you rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion” (11 Cor.9:11,12ff).

A dynamic children's ministry has always been one of our key hallmarks. When we moved to our present site at Ngong road, we embarked on a strategy aimed at bringing change to the lives of children within our reach. 

Every second and fourth Saturday of the month, children of Kenya Science Teachers College (KSTC) staff gather together for bible study. During these meetings (9:00 am to noon), the truths of the bible are presented to the children in a fun-filled but Christ-centered environment. We presently have 50 kids.

In January, we began to partner with teachers of Jamhuri Primary School in what they tell us is the best pastoral program the school has ever had! Part of the reason given is that since we came, there has been a remarkable change in the lives of the school children, many of whom are orphaned and come from the backstreets of the area.
 
Ms Florence Thimo, a class 5 teacher of the school could not hide her joy as she spoke of this change, “Nairobi Chapel, you have done a commendable job. We are so excited!” she said. “Your program has changed many lives. It has caused the children to appreciate themselves. They are now more positive in their attitude towards society” she added.

September 24th marked the beginning of a new chapter for the Chinese Church when the Chapel leadership officially handed oversight responsibility to a new pastor.

In an event reminiscent of a wedding day, Pastor Oscar Muriu presided over a ceremony in which Pastor Iris Chau from Hong Kong was commissioned to lead the church. On hand to witness the occasion was Ms Chau's husband, Michael Wong together with Chapel Elders, Godwin Wangongu and Gerald Macharia, Adult Ministry Pastor, Vincent Ayino, members of the Chinese church and other guests.

Our relationship with the church dates back to 2002 when a small group of Chinese immigrants, eager to worship with us but unable to keep up with the English services, began to assemble at our Mamlaka premises every Sunday afternoon. Through Pastor Omar Djoeandy and Maggie Gitau we offered pastoral oversight and administrative support.  Over the past one year, 200 members of the Chinese community have given their lives to the Lord.

Despite this success, language and cultural barriers continued to hamper our efforts to shepherd the growing congregation. So in 2004 we began to pray and search for a Mandarin speaking pastor to guide the church to greater maturity and outreach to the 5000 strong Chinese diaspora in Kenya.  
 
The answer to our prayer came in July when Pastor Chau said yes to the church's request. Following this, the church asked the Chapel to bless it into a new season of growth.

The commissioning service was the climax of a two-day period of getting-to-know-one-another during which Pastor Oscar hosted a luncheon in honor of Pastor Chau at his home. On both occasions, the Chinese delegation was deeply moved by the honor accorded to their pastor.

Internship Program (Sep 2005-Sep 2006)

They hold the distinction of being the first batch of interns since we relocated to Ngong road. One year on, they are poised to pursue their dreams, and put to practice what they have learned. Meet Irene, Ruth, Jonathan, Mark, and Mkaluma and listen to what they have to say about their experience…

Irene R Maina
When I begun the internship program in September 2005, I didn't know what it was all about, apart from just giving time to God for a year. But over the last one year I have learned that the Lord is interested in my growth, and that every matter yielded to Him translates into an opportunity to grow. Although working with young people was quite daunting, it helped me rediscover and hone my listening and counseling skills. I count it a privilege to have worked with our Senior Pastor Oscar and his wife Bea, who in my observation practice what they preach.

Ruth Kenyah
Internship has taught me the kind of leadership that begins first by following. When I look back, it will always be the point where I died to self. It has marked my journey into service that is first of all godly, and then human. I have also learnt that sometimes the experiences that teach me the most aren't necessarily the ones that I'll like the best, but it is these that I must pay most attention to. And to all incoming interns, there is no such thing as 'easy like Sunday morning'.                                   

Jonathan Snowball
Being a part of Nairobi Chapel's internship program was a great experience. I learned a lot, met and got to work with many great individuals. Over the year I developed a deeper love and passion for God's Word and serving His Church.

Mark Mumo
From an outreach mission in Bukavu (Congo) to the heights of Mount Kenya (for ROPES), then down to the beach in Mombasa (for the Youth Camp); the internship has truly been a roller coaster of fun and ministry! My biggest journey however, has been into the lives of my friends  the guys in our Youth Ministry! Places are bound to be forgotten, but not people. So, Eda & Albo, Nyambura, Ka Mutho & Jamhuri crew, dance team, and my teens class, thanks for making this year a journey worth re-doing!

Ruth Mkaluma
I consider the internship to have been a foundation for what resonates in my heart  investing in children by molding them while they are still young. I learned the importance of ensuring that a job is done without neglecting the need to pay close attention to detail. I got the opportunity to experience God's faithfulness in the midst of having to raise funds for my upkeep. I am glad to have been a pioneering intern in this year of our relocation.

Undoubtedly, theirs was a remarkable journey of 'faith expressing itself through love'. As they pursue their dreams and goals, our prayer is that God will remember their 'labor of love' and reward them by bringing all their endeavors to fruition