Year in Review
We began 2023 in the United States. We were glad to visit many churches and attend conferences and missions events to share about our work. We traveled to 52 churches in seven states to present and appreciated every opportunity to share. While in the States we also worked with two of our IPHC colleges. Kevin taught at Emmanuel College and did a revival at Holmes Bible College and we both spoke in various chapel services.
East Africa Bible College
In July, the graduation on the main campus of East Africa Bible College took place in Eldoret, Kenya with seven students graduating with a diploma in Bible and Theology. These seven students came from Kenya and Uganda to spend two years learning on campus. They are now all serving in ministry.
In September, we held four more graduations for certificate students learning in various locations off campus. The campus near Kisumu, Kenya held its first graduation with 11 graduates, including five from a new church plant at Daraja Mbili.
Next, we traveled to Mwingi for the third graduation at our Southeastern campus where the extension program has been used to train leaders for over six years. This year we had another 15 students who graduated.
Then we held our first gradation for our Uganda campus. This program meets on the campus of New Life Church near Mbale, Uganda. We had 21 students finish the program. Before this campus opened, we had to bring students from Uganda to Kenya in order to enroll them. Since the opening of EABC in 1986 we have only been able to train six students from Uganda. Now, with an extension campus open in that country, we have already tripled the number of trained students.
Kevin at a graduation in Uganda.
Finally, in September, we had our first graduation in the Maasai community on the border of Kenya and Tanzania. The church in Kenya has targeted this community for training and we were glad to see 10 students graduate in the first class.
Our last graduation of the year was in December. This graduation took place at our very first extension site at the Irongo Church near Chavakali, Kenya. This year, 14 students graduated from the certificate program.
This year we were blessed to host one missions team from Triad Church in Greensboro, NC. Members of the team taught at EABC and preached in local churches. They also held a men’s and women’s conference, ministered at the Huruma Children’s Home, and held a crusade near Eldoret where we saw at least three salvations and two families join the local church. The team was a great blessing.
In October, we hosted the annual Highlands Pastor’s conference on the campus in Eldoret with over 80 ministers attending. Then, in December, we helped at the Highlands youth conference where Kevin trained nearly 50 youth leaders and Summer spoke to over 100 youth and saw two young people respond to the call for salvation.
The school farm is still going strong, and this year we saw some of our biggest harvests of corn ever. We are also having great success with our dairy project. These projects continue to raise crops and animals for food, income, and training on campus.
Girls' Ministries
2023 was also a great year for Girls’ Ministries in Kenya. In May, Summer helped to organize a special conference for girls on the campus in Eldoret. This was the first large event for girls since the pandemic. Nearly 100 girls attended, and at least 15 girls made decisions for Christ. This was also a time to encourage the girls’ ministry leaders for the work in the local churches.
In November, Summer traveled to Malindi, Kenya to facilitate a Girls’ Ministries training and to launch Girls’ Ministries in the coastal region. There were 30 women in attendance from various IPHC churches. Many of the women expressed how Girls Ministries was an answer to prayer as they carried the burden to reach girls with the Gospel but felt overwhelmed and unsure where to begin. Please pray that the Lord will continue to empower these women for effective ministry to girls.
Summer in Malindi for Girls' Ministries Training.
Throughout 2023, the single mother’s small group, which Summer leads in Eldoret, grew with new mom’s joining. In September, the team from Triad Church attended a meeting, provided lunch for everyone, organized a wonderful mini-VBS experience for the children, and blessed the mothers with encouraging testimonies and beautiful Bibles. Summer is grateful to see how the Lord is working in the lives of these young moms despite the difficult daily realities they face. Please continue to pray for this beloved group of women and their children.
Conclusion
Thank you for your generous support of these ministries. Your sacrificial giving provides for our work and means so much to so many.
Kevin, Summer, Abby, & Nathaniel
