A Glimpse into East & Sub-Saharan Africa
Salama Kutoka East and Sub-Saharan Africa!!! Mungu ni mwema sana!!
(Greetings from East and Sub-Saharan Africa!!! God is so good!!)
Our family the night before Janene returned to Wales and we left to return to Kenya.
Sharon and I (Ron) returned to Africa in the middle of January after five months of me visiting doctors, resting a bit, and trying to catch up with family. I am very glad to report that, other than a few minor issues with my eyes, I don’t seem to have any residual issues from the mini stroke I had on June 12. We are so thankful as this could have been so much worse with me being by myself, asleep, at 2am, when this happened. Sharon and I are well, and our children and six grandchildren are doing very well. I have a family picture posted from right after Christmas. As I type this newsletter, we are in the week of our Lord’s Passion, and we are more aware and thankful for His goodness, love, healing, and provision.
Highlights From the Last Three Months
1. Once we landed, “we hit the ground running”, as the old expression goes. (Actually, neither of us do any running these days, but we do try to walk fast, haha!) We had several meetings already scheduled in Nairobi for the first few weeks and have attended Calvary Worship Centre (CWC) and ministered a few times there. After being gone a few months, like we were, we had to also get over jet lag, get the house set back up, and take care of some issues with vehicles. CWC is doing great with the new lead pastor, Obed Munywoki, we put in place. God is really raising up a good team around him. While we are in Kenya, we will always be a part of this ministry, but we have tried to remove the dependency from us, and God has been faithful.
Altar ministry in Ethiopia.
2. I made a trip to Ethiopia a week after we arrived back in Kenya. Bishop Desalegn Oda had persistently asked me to come as soon as I returned from the US, but Sharon really wanted me to rest a few weeks before traveling, especially without her. I had told him no several times, but really felt a leading from the Holy Spirit that I was supposed to attend. I was attending to speak to about 180 leaders, and to challenge them to keep moving forward and to continue spreading the Gospel and plant churches.
Ethiopia Worship Centre opened Jan. 2024.
They completely surprised me on the opening day when I found out we were going to use the fourth floor Sanctuary Hall for the first time. I knew we were close to finishing this room but did not know they had finished it. I was overwhelmed, to say the least, as we cut the ribbon and walked into the hall and celebrated. The first thing I did was to walk to the altar and kneel down to give thanks to God. I remember standing in a hole in the ground in 2019 and thinking to myself, “you have completely missed God and this building will never be built”. I don’t know if any of you have been there before, or maybe you are there right now.
Praying at the altar.
“I can tell you that God is true to His word and if He has spoken to you, trust him, follow his ways, and keep your ways out of the way.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Burundi with Bishop and Mrs. Seth Nkeshimana and Kukus.
3. On Feb 10, Sharon and I left for Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We had planned to travel and visit churches in Burundi for five days then spend five days in DRC. The Burundi leg went well, and we visited and had the opportunity to minister in five churches. One of these was in an area I had never been to before. The roads beat us up, but we made it. When we got to the border on Thursday morning with a Visa we had purchased from the DRC Embassy in Nairobi, we were denied entry. Sharon was supposed to do a large Women’s Conference, and I was to preside over a Bible School Graduation and a Pastor’s Conference. We begged, pleaded, and argued to no avail. We had to turn around and go back to Burundi. Not only did we lose several thousand dollars, but we were so disappointed that so many had made their way, traveling for many hours to be at the meetings, and we would not make it. Last year we were stopped from going a week before getting our visas with a border shutdown. The people are so disappointed. We hope to go back in June or July.
The Wootens with Bishop Mpende David and Women's Ministry Leader Abea Mechack from DR Congo. Sephania is Abea's son, and our translator.
4. Lastly, we got to host Sharon’s mom, Gailya List, along with retired missionary Rose Boyd and our new missionary Melanie Ross for three weeks. It was the first time Gailya had been back since she retired. She was received with singing, dancing, gifts, and great joy every place we went. We traveled all over Nairobi, and to several other places in Kenya, for Mrs. Gailya to visit.
We lastly want to thank you so much again, as we always do, because we cannot do what we do if you are not helping us by doing what you do. You are truly a blessing to us through your prayers, your giving, and your friendship. May God continue to bless you, help you, and minister to you. We joyfully continue to serve our Lord and His mission here in our region.
God bless you all and again, Happy New Year!!!
Ron & Sharon Wooten
