Wednesday, December 24, 2014

DECEMBER HAPPENINGS

WELCOME TO WORLD ASHLEY ODINGA!!!

We are so glad to introduce you to the newest addition to the Burning Plow Ministries family!  Her parents, Silas and Phanice, welcomed her on December 12th! Congratulations!

MORE THAN MUSIC OUTREACH


Caleb and Silas blessed needy families in the slums of Nairobi in December. We are so honored to come along side Kenyans blessing Kenyans! More Than Music is making a difference in people's lives.

We are so blessed to have a dedicated team in Kenya.  While we are here in the US until January 15th, they continue to reach out to the needy as they prepare for our outreaches in 2015.

God has so richly blessed us this year and we want to thank everyone who has prayed and given to make it all possible! May God richly bless all of you for your heart for HIM!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Don and Becky Cameron and the staff of Burning Plow Ministries!

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Simon, The Disciple in the Village


Rev. Vincent Mokaya is a great asset to our ministry in Kenya. He submitted this report to us and we wanted to share it with you. It is long but well worth reading.

Subukia, Kenya, East Africa

It is an honor and privilege for Burning Plow Ministries to welcome you to Subukia which is a rural village in the Rift valley of Kenya, East Africa. It is about a four hour drive from Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city. This is one of the villages where Burning Plow Ministries has scheduled to teach the Foundations of Biblical Faith, as well as doing evangelism through the Jesus’ film early next year.  I will be glad to share a brief story about how we got to know about Subukia.

Three years ago, Burning Plow Ministries helped plant a church in a village called Kawaida which is located in the outskirts of Nairobi. Besides the financial support to this church, Burning Plow Ministries began a discipleship program where the class on the foundations of faith was introduced to the new believers in the church. Most of the students in this class worked in flower/tea/coffee farms and they stayed together in houses provided in the farm. Therefore this provided an opportunity that the training be conducted right on the farms.

It was during a class session that Simon Tinga who works as a security guard was invited to the class. During that time, Simon had not surrendered his life to Christ. Therefore towards the end of the class, Rev. Don Cameron filled by the Holy Spirit, felt that he needed to talk with Simon about his relationship with Jesus. Immediately after taking a bold step of faith to talk with Simon, there was conviction and Simon made a choice; to surrender his life to Jesus and he became a believer that day. His wife later, after some days, surrendered her life too in a home fellowship. Simon later joined First Baptist Church as a new convert and has since been actively committed to the Biblical teachings and all other activities in this church. He has continued witnessing to many people about Jesus Christ.

He confessed about how most people in his rural village lack the Biblical truth and so need to be taught. Therefore, Burning Plow Ministries has since responded to this need and has planned to visit Simon’s rural village to teach the Bible in 2015.

Before Burning Plow Ministries takes a class to a new location, part of its preparations is to visit the place to confirm the need and also meet with representatives from various denominations in the location and share the agenda of the class. In other words, Burning Plow Ministries partners with the existing churches in its endeavor to teach the Truth. This is why we made a prior trip to Subukia, on October 17, 2014 with Simon Tinga as part of preparations for our next class that possibly takes place in February 2015.

Our trip to Subukia was safe and successful. We spent three days in the village and so much was accomplished. We were received with joy and they were hospitable to us. When we arrived at Simon Tinga’s home, we found family members and some of their neighbors waiting for us eagerly because they had been informed about our visit. We did not waste time but we got to familiarize with one another and then I introduced Burning Plow Ministries to them and the agenda for our visit.

Then came a time for testimony and everyone wanted to hear what Simon had to say about his new life in Christ. And so Simon took the stage and testified of course in Swahili language which I translated later to English. He said:

Simon testifying
“Praise the Lord Jesus! As you all know, your son and brother called Simon was a very bad person. You all know. I was an addict to liquor and other substances which influenced my life negatively. My mother spent most of her time to counsel me but I did not change. My family had no peace. I was an irresponsible father and husband. I was a dirty person. I was unworthy. But today, I stand before you a fully transformed man and disciple of Jesus Christ. I got born again and set free from captivity and bondage to Satan. Since I accepted Christ Jesus to save me, I enjoy peace, hope and always depend not on my mind but on God’s guidance. Whenever I face challenges, I am never afraid but courageous in faith that God will come to my help. I also encourage you who have not been born again to consider surrendering your lives to Jesus! Thank you!”

Simon’s testimony shook the hearts of the people who were listening. Two ladies surrendered their lives to Jesus after this call.

Simon’s mother said the following in her tribal language, Turkana, which was translated into Swahili for me to understand and later to English for the sake of this publication:

Simon's mother testifying
“My God, thank you. I thought you never heard my cry over my son but I was wrong. I now know that it does not matter how long it takes for you to answer a prayer. You are such a faithful God.” Her eyes were wet with tears and she could hardly utter more audible words.



Simon and Pastor Paul after the service
On Sunday, we attended a service at a church Called Jesus Exaltation Center where Paul Gakuha is pastor. It was such a blessing for us to be in the worship service. We later attended a pastor’s meeting where the need for the class was very well appreciated and welcomed.

How we look forward to the NEXT class that is meant to stamp out the roots of HERESY in Kenya, Africa. We observed that most people in the village and even at church had no Bibles. So please, pray that God provides for more Bibles to the people in this village. God bless Burning Plow Ministries and all the partners for teaching the WORD!

Monday, September 1, 2014

JULY UPDATE



We certainly enjoyed our “home visit” in Texas for 25 days at the end of June!  It was short but very sweet. We helped raise funds for LakeShore Church’s Kenya 2015 trip at the LakeShore Freedom Fest. We also enjoyed the July 4th holiday with 20+ family members.

We had a wonderful time of fellowship and connecting with friends and family. Becky hosted a “reunion” for ladies who had been a part of her Monday Night Ladies Bibles study. Don taught Sunday School at LakeShore Church. It was so great to enjoy a time of refreshing and a little rest.

When we returned to Kenya we made our monthly visit to Jacaranda Academic Centre where we ministered to the children. BPM provides monthly support for this primary school in the slum of Nairobi.

We certainly packed a whole lot into the 31 days of July! Thank you for your continued prayers and support as our work continues to expand!

August was another busy time of ministry. I will post about the Sunday school conference in Kibwezi where 350+ children and teachers gathered for 4 days of teaching. It was remarkable!!!

I plan to post more about our time in Kenya in 2014 in the coming weeks as we prepare to return to Texas on September 23rd. We will be sharing with our friends and family about the work God is doing and our plans for 2015!

In HIS service,

Becky and Don





Sunday, August 31, 2014

SPREADING THE GOSPEL

by Don Cameron


As I am tabulating data for our most recent fiscal year report (July 2013-June 2014) I have been surprised at how much has been accomplished. Our primary focus is on teaching the foundations of our Christian faith both to new believers and also to those who have been walking with Jesus for some time but yet seem to have a misunderstanding of what the Bible has to say about basic doctrines such as salvation, water baptism, Holy Communion, the resurrection of the dead, etc. To those that we teach, we leave in their hands printed materials (in their choice of English or Swahili) in the form of lesson plans to help them form their own home Bible study group to teach others what they have learned.

As part of this instruction, we take the people from our class out into the villages with us to show the “Jesus” film as beginning evangelism to help them get new believers into their newly formed Bible study classes. As you can imagine, this works very, very well in many parts of Kenya where our students have been well prepared for our arrival and who already have a great initiative towards evangelism.

Consider that almost none of our evangelism is in well-populated areas. Our targets are very small villages in remote Kenya where relatively few missionaries work. This makes the numbers very impressive indeed.

These past 12 months, we have shown the film 14 times in 13 different villages to a total of more than 4,300 people with well over 900 new converts.  This is amazing. In addition, we know of many of those who were converted during these missions of Burning Plow Ministries (BPM) who have been directly responsible for the conversions of many more by one-on-one evangelism.

This is but one of the many ministries of BPM. Each of BPM’s several ministries in and of itself makes our presence here in Kenya very worthwhile. It gladdens my heart to be able to see the fruit of the work that God has given for us to do. I am personally very appreciative of all of our prayer partners and financial supporters who make this ministry possible.

The photos below are Foundations of Our Faith Classes that we have conducted in the last 12 months. As you look carefully at these people, look at each person individually and spend a little time praying for them and their continuing work of spreading the gospel message and building and strengthening of the body of Christ.

Be blessed,

Don and Becky Cameron



VILLAGE OF USIGU


VILLAGE OF KILONZO


VILLAGE OF KEBIRIGO


VILLAGE OF UHANYA


VILLAGE OF USENGE


VILLAGE OF KALOLINI


VILLAGE OF MACHINERY


Sunday, June 8, 2014

MAY MINISTRY REPORT

Each month I write a brief update for our donors about some of the things we are doing. Here is our report for May. 



In May the BPM Team held a 5 day seminar on Revelation in the village of Kikumini. A total of 45 attended and 24 received certificates of completion! The participants were very excited about the teaching and promised to pass it on to their churches and home meetings.


On May 30th we presented awards to the top performing students at Jacaranda Academic Centre in the Kayole slum of Nairobi. We are so proud of the students and staff. Many of these children had never attended school before the school began two years ago. 



BPM was excited to bring Dr. Leslie Mosher of Surprised by Hope to Pastor Vincent’s church in Kawaida to hold a 2 day entrepreneurship seminar. We look forward to seeing what they will do with what they learned.

We were also able to purchase more Bibles in May! Those on the waiting list will be so thankful, however we still have a waiting list. It seems we will always have need for more Bibles!

We are returning to Texas June 23rd through July 17th and are looking forward to reconnecting with friends and family.  Also looking forward to BBQ, homemade ice cream and good Mexican food!

In HIS service,

Don & Becky Cameron  


Saturday, May 3, 2014

I AM AMAZED AT WHAT GOD IS DOING

...by Silas Odinga

I am continually amazed with what God is doing through our ministry work, even where we don’t expect. I’m reminded of the scriptures in Jeremiah 33:3 when God tells the prophet “Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things, which you do not know.” I can testify to you today that the Lord did something we did not expect.

It was Sunday April 6, 2014 at about 2 p.m. in the village of Kibwezi in Eastern Kenya. I was seated under a shade with Caleb, my friend and fellow worker in the gospel. We were resting at the guest house where we were staying after having returned from a very powerful and moving church service at Deliverance Church in the nearby village of Thange. The pastor there has just buried his wife, his daughter, and one of the leading members of his congregation and we had decided to attend his church on that day along with our good friend and co-worker, Shadrack Maunda. 

It was a hot day and we ordered a bottle of soda for each of us and also for two young men that worked there.  Little did we know that ordering soda would give us the opportunity to share Christ with one of these men.


His name is Samuel. He had been bitten by a bee and his cheek was swollen. After taking his soda he came to us and said “look at my cheek is it still swollen?” We told him “Yes, but not like it was yesterday.” He laughed and said “This is nothing compared to what I have gone through.” We were really eager to know his story so we asked him to sit and tell us everything.

This is what he said:

“I had just graduated from high school and needed work. I found a job where a greenhouse was being built. I was lucky enough to be employed as a supervisor there. But I thank God that He rescued me from death at that place not just once, but 2 times. The first time the electricity had been disconnected from the power pole due to lack of payment.  I thought that I would connect it back. I decided to climb the pole which is about 15 ft high and I guess it was not my good day.  I was electrocuted, fell to the ground and broke my back. I was rushed to the hospital and remained unconscious for two weeks and then remained in the hospital for a total of 6 months. One month after my release from the hospital, I was climbing a power pole and again accidentally hit the electrical wire, fell to the ground and this time my spinal cord was severed. The doctors said that I would never walk again. This time I spent 8 months in the hospital. I was confined to a wheelchair.

I remained in the wheel chair for about 3 months. But God performed a miracle in my life. Slowly, I began to walk again.

This miracle caused me to want to seek God. So I went to a former employer of mine who was a pastor and asked him to pray for me so that I could be saved. But the pastor said to me ‘For you to be saved, you have to go through a class for 6 months,  going through piles of books and also work at my house without pay for the same time and then you will be saved.’  But I felt like that was too much for me to bear. My back was still aching and I could not even stand without the supporting vest so I decided ‘To h… with Christianity.’  I was raised to be a Muslim, my family is Muslim and I would even prefer to be a pagan than to be a Christian.”

After listening to his story Caleb and I shared the simplicity of the true gospel with him. We started by telling him how much God loved him. We read to him Romans 10:9:

If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

and then explained to him what this meant.  He said to us “Is that all? Is that truly the way to be saved?” He then told us “I want to be saved. Now!” And so we prayed with him and at that moment, he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

After praying with Samuel, we introduced him to Pastor Shadrack Maunda for follow up and Bible study.  He was so excited about being born again; he wanted us to go and meet his mother and tell her about Jesus.


Rev. Silas Odinga is a full time missionary with Burning Plow Ministries. He has received his ministerial credentials from Kingsway Fellowship International, is a member of the Burning Plow Ministry Kenya Board of Directors and travels with BPM throughout southern Kenya as a Bible teacher and evangelist.

Please pray for Samuel as he begins his new life in Christ.  And continue to pray for us as we are continually amazed at what God is doing!

Be blessed,


Don and Becky Cameron
Missionaries to Kenya






Tuesday, April 1, 2014

"I NEED JESUS IN MY LIFE"


-by Vincent Mokaya

It was about 6:30 pm in Mobamba shopping center in Kebirigo Village of Nyamira County. The equipment that helps us to show the Jesus film was ready and awaiting sunset. In the background, Swahili gospel music was playing. Many people moved closer and some closed down their businesses to join us in the open air worship time. One young man, staggering, joined the crowd and began to dance to the music.

I knew it was time to speak to the people. My message was “Salvation by God’s Grace”. While I preached, with the help of our host pastor, Henry Kirwa, as my translator, the Holy Spirit of God moved among the people. This time I did not end the message as usual by offering an alter call since it was already dark enough to begin showing the Jesus’ film. I then handed over the ‘relay stick’ to James Oduor to begin the cinema.


From Left: Rev Mokaya, Geoffrey and Nyamoko
Amazingly, that young man who was so drunk came up and grabbed my hand, with tears dripping down his cheeks, and said to me,


“I know I am drunk. But I need Jesus in my life. I have been struggling for a long time.  Because of my habit of drinking, my wife deserted me with my two children. I have been kicked out of my father’s home and my body has bruises all over due to the beatings I receive from people while I am drunk. I need a new life. This is my day of salvation. What can I do to get saved? ”


This reminded me of a question that Don asked while we were discussing about salvation a couple weeks ago in his home. He asked, “What would you do if a person who is very drunk approached you and said ‘I want to be saved?’” The answer was: “I lead the person to confession and salvation prayer”. And so it was. He got saved! Amen. I introduced him Mr. Nyamoko, an elder from the host church, and he made a commitment to begin attending fellowship at the church.


The next day was Sunday. Geoffrey not only came to church but brought a friend who had also accepted Christ at the crusade the night before. Boldly before a congregation of more than 200 people, Geoffrey testified about his new beginning. Then as he requested prayer for his family to be restored, the entire church gathered around him to pray and offer their support for his new life in Christ.




BPM minister Rev Silas Odinga presenting a Swahili Bible to Goeffrey on Sunday morning after church.

 


BPM minister Rev Shadrack Maunda (center) with Geoffrey and his friend who also received Christ the night before.


 {FOLLOW UP NOTE: Geoffrey has been talking with Silas by phone many times since we left Kebirigo and is doing well.  His wife and children returned home to him and they were all in church last Sunday!]




Rev. Vincent Mokaya is a graduate of Wayland Baptist University, ordained by Kingsway Fellowship International and is pastor of First Baptist Church of Kawaida, Kenya. He is also a member of the Burning Plow Ministry Kenya Board of Directors and travels with BPM throughout southern Kenya as a Bible teacher and evangelist.

Thanks for reading the blog.  The Burning Plow Team leaves on April 3rd for our next outreach.  We ask for your prayers.  We will be gone 8 days and hold 2 seminars and show the JESUS film   Also continue to pray for Geoffrey and his family!

In His service,


Don and Becky Cameron