{"id":6074,"date":"2024-04-08T16:38:43","date_gmt":"2024-04-08T21:38:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/?p=6074"},"modified":"2024-04-08T16:38:44","modified_gmt":"2024-04-08T21:38:44","slug":"wooten-newsletter-april-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wooten-newsletter-april-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Wooten Newsletter: April 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t

A Glimpse into East & Sub-Saharan Africa<\/h2>\n

Salama Kutoka East and Sub-Saharan Africa!!! Mungu ni mwema sana!!
\n(Greetings from East and Sub-Saharan Africa!!! God is so good!!)<\/p>\n

\"Our<\/a>

Our family the night before Janene returned to Wales and we left to return to Kenya.<\/p><\/div>\n

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\u2019t 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\u2019s Passion, and we are more aware and thankful for His goodness, love, healing, and provision.<\/p>\n

Highlights From the Last Three Months<\/h3>\n

1. Once we landed, \u201cwe hit the ground running\u201d, 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.<\/p>\n

\"Altar<\/a>

Altar ministry in Ethiopia.<\/p><\/div>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"Ethiopia<\/a>

Ethiopia Worship Centre opened Jan. 2024.<\/p><\/div>\n

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, \u201cyou have completely missed God and this building will never be built\u201d. I don\u2019t know if any of you have been there before, or maybe you are there right now.<\/p>\n

\"Praying<\/a>

Praying at the altar.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI 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.\u201d (Proverbs 3:5-6)<\/p>\n

\"Burundi<\/a>

Burundi with Bishop and Mrs. Seth Nkeshimana and Kukus.<\/p><\/div>\n

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\u2019s Conference, and I was to preside over a Bible School Graduation and a Pastor\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The Wootens with Bishop Mpende David and Women's Ministry Leader Abea Mechack from DR Congo. Sephania is Abea's son, and our translator.<\/p><\/div>\n

4. Lastly, we got to host Sharon\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

God bless you all and again, Happy New Year!!!
\n<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Ron & Sharon Wooten<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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!!) Sharon and I…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":5360,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29,1,4],"tags":[531,295,308,369,117],"class_list":{"0":"post-6074","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-missionary-newsletters","8":"category-uncategorized","9":"category-world-missions","10":"tag-531","11":"tag-april","12":"tag-newsletter","13":"tag-ron-and-sharon-wooten","14":"tag-wooten","15":"entry"},"title_es":"Bolet\u00edn de Bamba: febrero de 2020","content_es":"

\u00a1Saludos cordiales desde Jap\u00f3n en el nombre de nuestro Salvador, Jesucristo! <\/h2>

Con el comienzo de un nuevo a\u00f1o, tendemos a reflexionar sobre el a\u00f1o pasado. Podemos ver a Dios trabajando de muchas maneras diferentes, y sabemos que son sus oraciones fieles y su apoyo las que est\u00e1n teniendo un impacto en la vida de los japoneses. \u00a1Estamos muy honrados y bendecidos de que trabajes con nosotros para ser las manos y los pies de Dios para compartir su amor en todo Jap\u00f3n! <\/p>

\"Amigos<\/a> <\/p>

Al final del a\u00f1o, realizamos varios eventos de divulgaci\u00f3n para celebrar el nacimiento de Jes\u00fas y compartir el verdadero significado de la Navidad. Tuvimos varios eventos en nuestra iglesia y en nuestra escuela de ingl\u00e9s, donde cantamos canciones navide\u00f1as, jugamos juegos e hicimos una artesan\u00eda de \u00e1rboles de Navidad. Fue una bendici\u00f3n ver a nuestros hijos, as\u00ed como a los j\u00f3venes de nuestra iglesia, coordinar algunos de los eventos. Compartimos con los ni\u00f1os y sus familias que la raz\u00f3n por la que celebramos la Navidad es por el maravilloso regalo que Dios nos dio al enviar a Su hijo a la tierra para vivir entre nosotros. Jes\u00fas es el regalo de amor de Dios para nosotros, y todo lo que tenemos que hacer es aceptar su regalo. Hab\u00eda varios ni\u00f1os y sus padres que nunca antes hab\u00edan ido a la iglesia y que nunca antes hab\u00edan o\u00eddo hablar de Jes\u00fas. Una madre y sus tres hijos vinieron a nuestra escuela dominical el domingo siguiente y han venido varias veces desde entonces. Est\u00e1n experimentando muchas dificultades en su familia en este momento. Oren con nosotros para que las historias y los sermones que hayan escuchado crezcan en sus corazones y se sientan atra\u00eddos por Dios, quien es el \u00fanico que puede traer la verdadera paz y unidad. <\/p>

\"Amigos<\/a> <\/p>

En nuestras clases de conversaci\u00f3n en ingl\u00e9s, hemos estado leyendo un sencillo libro de cuentos b\u00edblicos para ni\u00f1os. Hemos tenido varios ni\u00f1os y sus madres vienen a observar las clases para ver si les gustar\u00eda unirse. Una ni\u00f1a le coment\u00f3 a su madre cu\u00e1nto le encanta escuchar las historias y quer\u00eda volver para poder terminarlas. Otra madre coment\u00f3 lo diferentes que eran nuestras clases de otras clases de ingl\u00e9s que ella hab\u00eda observado. Ella sinti\u00f3 que no solo ense\u00f1amos a los ni\u00f1os habilidades de ingl\u00e9s, sino que tambi\u00e9n nos preocupamos de ense\u00f1ar y entrenar a todo el ni\u00f1o mental, emocional y espiritualmente. Oren con nosotros para que los ni\u00f1os y sus padres contin\u00faen sintiendo y viendo la diferencia que Dios hace en la vida de las personas que le pertenecen. <\/p>

\"Amigos<\/a> <\/p>

Est\u00e1bamos muy agradecidos de que Justin pudiera regresar a casa para las vacaciones de Navidad. Le est\u00e1 yendo bien en Liberty University y est\u00e1 creciendo acad\u00e9micamente y espiritualmente. \u00c9l es un l\u00edder de grupo peque\u00f1o para los chicos de su sal\u00f3n. Fue dif\u00edcil decir adi\u00f3s al final de su descanso, pero sabemos que Dios se est\u00e1 moviendo y trabajando en su vida, y estamos entusiasmados por lo que Dios tiene reservado este semestre. <\/p>

\u00a1Gracias nuevamente por su colaboraci\u00f3n! \u00a1Eres un est\u00edmulo y una bendici\u00f3n para nosotros y para los japoneses! <\/p>

Tus misioneros a Jap\u00f3n, <\/p>

Hiro, Eryn, Justin, Axe, Hunter y Olivia Bamba<\/strong><\/em> <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","author_name":"Ron & Sharon Wooten","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/RonSharonWooten.jpeg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pb62Ar-1zY","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6074","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6074"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6074\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5360"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6074"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6074"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6074"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}