Headed Home

Monday morning, we drove about an hour from Kigali to Muhanga where we had a follow up meeting for churches that had previously been trained to start CR. There were 16 churches coming to learn more about CR.  Several churches gave reports of what they were doing and how they were progressing.  We reviewed the Large Group meeting format then demonstrated a meeting for them with Jean Baptiste teaching the lesson on Forgiveness.  Six churches committed to developing a strong CR ministry.  Moses and Jean Baptiste will visit them in a few weeks to see how they are progressing.

We drove about 2 hours to Karongi district and checked into Bethany hotel at Lake Kivu.  The next morning we went held a follow up meeting with churches previously trained in CR.  Twelve churches were represented, some gave reports of their progress. We reviewed the Large Group meeting format and demonstrated a meeting with Jean Baptiste teaching the lesson of Denial. Seven churches committed to following the training for their CR ministry.  Moses and Jean Baptise will visit them to see how they are progressing.  We drove back to Kigali in the late afternoon.

We had a meeting at the PEACE office to talk about CR and Orphan care.  There are 33 orphanages in Rwanda that will be closed by the end of 2014. We discussed various ways of using CR for the families receiving the children and The Landing for the youth and Celebration Station for the children so the orphans can find healing as well. It looks like The Landing will translate culturally, Celebration Station will need further review to see is it is relevant to the children of Rwanda.  They will get estimates to translate the materials to Kinyarwanda and we will proceed from there.

Today we had a meeting at the PEACE office with the key leaders overseeing the Purpose Driven activities in Rwanda.  We developed a good plan for CR and possibly The Landing 

Pray for travel mercies as I depart Kigali this evening, have a quick stop in Entebbe, Uganda then fly on to Amsterdam.  After a 4 hour layover, I have a non-stop flight to Los Angeles. Pray for good rest, leg room and an uneventlful journey home. Pray for the churches of Rwanda as they go forward with CR. Pray for the churches and prisons of Kenya and their CR ministries.

Sunday Night in Kigali Rwanda

The last few days have been so packed so I have some catching up to do.  The Internet connection was very slow in Kitale Kenya so even getting emails has been a challenge.  So here goes….

Tuesday

We went to Kitale prisons, where CR first began in Kenya in 2005.  First we visited the CR group at the Main prison for men. The chaplains that lead the CR ministry were all transferred to other prisons in the last year but it was great to see that the inmates carried it forward and are now leading the group. One man of the original group that we trained in 2005 was still there.  They had a graduation of 20 men who have completed a step study group. What an honor it was to present these men with their certificates for completing a step study.  It was heartwarming to hear their testimonies of forgiveness and transformation. They had a very nice graduation program and it was great to see all that God is doing there in that prison. It bought back so many memories of going into that prison for the first time and to recognize all that God has done in the prisons throughout Kenya with CR since then, something only God could do.

We visited the women’s prison.  We had a nice program with them too, the choir sang so beautifully and I even got to join a tribal dance with them.  The inmate that was leading their CR group was transferred to another prison in Nairobi, maybe she can help lead CR there J.  As God arranged it, a chaplain from Kakamega women’s prison who has gone through CR was transferred to Kitale women recently so she will take over leading the step study group that is going.

There is new staff at both the men and women’s prisons so we spent some time training them on CR and how to lead step study groups and for the men to hold the large group meetings.

Wednesday

We drove about an hour northeast of Kitale to Kapenguria Prison.  It’s a remote area with rolling hills and farm land with tall maize all around, a very peaceful place.  One of the chaplains from Kitale was transferred there and had begun teaching CR large group lessons. We met with several officials and had a CR training, some had been through seminars previously.  They are ready to move ahead on a larger scale and will be starting step study groups soon.  We spent some time with the inmates encouraging them and introducing the step study groups. They are very eager to get started.

Thursday

I went around Kitale connecting with friend.  I also visited some churches and heard testimonies of lives that have been transformed through CR. One day at a time, one life at a time.  I enjoyed taking my kids shoe shopping in town.

Friday

I rested in the morning and began to pack and prepare to leave for Rwanda tomorrow. In the afternoon I spent time with my kids, playing games and just enjoying being together.

Saturday

I left Kitale at 5:30 am for 1 ½ hour drive to Eldoret by taxi to catch a 45 minute flight to Nairobi.  I changed planes then flew to Kigali, Rwanda via Bujumbura, Burundi. I was met by Moses at the PEACE office and got settled in at Iris Guest House.  I had a relaxing afternoon and evening.

Sunday

This morning I attended church at Prayer Palace with Moses and Bonita. The senior pastor is someone I met during my second trip to Rwanda.  It was good to see him again.  The service was lively with great worship with songs and dancing and a very inspiring message.  This afternoon I had a chance to rest and to get prepared for the next few days when we will have seminars in Muhanga and Karongi districts then meetings back in Kigali.  I also had time to catch up on the blog.

Please pray for travel mercies as Moses, Jean Baptiste and I travel about an hour to Muhanga Monday morning, have a seminar then drive on to Karongi (about another 2 hours) where we will spend the night. Pray for the seminars that we will have for churches that have started CR in Muhanga (Monday) and also in Karongi (Tuesday). Pray for wisdom on how best to help them take the next steps with their ministries. Pray for travel mercies as we drive back to Kigali on Tuesday evening after the second seminar.

Monday Night Catching Up

I've been traveling around quite a bit the last few days. There is so much to catch up on so here goes. I tried to upload some photos but the connection is too slow.

Friday

We left Kakamega early in the morning and drove through the rolling hills of sugar cane fields of Western Kenya to Busia Prison which is walking distance to Uganda (even for a mzungu). We visited with the officers that attended the CR introduction meeting held earlier this year then we trained them so they could start CR step study groups. They were so appreciative of the visit and are looking forward to starting their first CR group. 

We drove on to Bungoma to visit their prison.  Several of their officials had attended the same CR introduction meeting earlier this year.  In anticipation of our visit they assembled a good group for us to train to start step study groups. The “in charge” attended the whole seminar and was very eager to get started.

It began raining so hard as we were leaving Bungoma, we even had to pull over and wait a while because we could not see to drive.  It let up and we drove on to Kitale, reaching town just as it was getting dark.  I had a nice reunion with my friend Margaret who I am staying with then got some much needed rest.

Saturday

I had no scheduled meetings for the day for the first since being in Kenya. I had a late afternoon flight from Kitale to Nairobi for some scheduled meetings on Sunday.  I spent the morning with my 4 kids and we had a great time together.  I was finally able to reach the airline to confirm my flight to Nairobi (no one answered the phone the first few times I called) and they informed me that my flight was canceled and they were busing us to Eldoret (a 2 hour drive) to take a flight from there.  The bus was leaving in 10 minutes! Fortunately I was packed so they rushed me to town to catch the ride.  It’s a good thing I was able to reach them, otherwise I would have not been able to get to Nairobi for my meetings. So I arrived back in Nairobi.

Sunday

I attended church service at ICC (International Christian Centre) in Nairobi. They attended a seminar 2 years ago and have started a CR ministry.  After church I had lunch with the senior pastor, his wife, the associate pastor and his wife who is the head of the healing ministries. We had some great discussions about how to grow CR and reach more people.  They are very committed to CR and have a very good strategic plan for growing their ministry.  It’s exciting to see what God is doing in their church.

Monday

I got up very early and flew back to Eldoret.  My friend Rose from Prison Headquarters, Margaret and my 4 kids made the 2 hour drive from Kitale to meet my 8 am arriving flight. We went to Eldoret Women’s prison for 2 reasons. One, the mother of my kids is an inmate there. The only time they get to see her is when I am here and take them.  We had a great reunion with Nolega (their mom).  The other reason is to do some CR training.  We spent time with the staff visiting then held a training for some staff members to restart CR. The majority of inmates that had gone through it before have been released.  We trained some new staff how to start step study groups. Then we drove back to Kitale.

Please pray for energy for me, I’ve been going non-stop since arriving here. Pray for open doors for the meetings that God wants to happen during my time in Kitale this week. I have some plans, now we’ll see what God plans are.  Pray for my mother-in-law who is not doing well.

Thursday Evening

We completed our 4-day seminar today with great excitement about starting Celebrate Recovery from the 50+ people representing the 4 churches and 4 prisons in attendance.  We planned to take a nice group photo at the end but the rains came, again.  And we lost power, again.  It has rained so much here but it has not damped the enthusiasm for CR. It will be exciting to watch as 2 men’s prisons, 1 women’s prison and the largest boy’s prison begin this ministry that will change so many lives and bring healing to so many.



Closing prayer in a Step Study group




The leaders and co-leaders for 4 prisons.



Tomorrow (Friday) we travel to other parts of Western Kenya to visit more prisons then we drive on to Kitale where we will be tomorrow evening.

Thanks for your prayers for Moses, he is feeling much better now. Pray for travel mercies as we drive across Western Kenya.

Tuesday in Kakamega

Sunday the church service was great and they announced the launch of their CR ministry at Deliverance Church Kitengela. Some friends took me to the airport for my flight to Kisumu. My flight was delayed an hour but that was no problem. Bishop Moses from ICM Kitale drove to Kisumu (normally a 4 hour drive) to meet me but there was a traffic jam in Kakamega where he could only drive 1 kilometer in 3 hours because of a street revival. It gave me a chance to have a cup of chai and relax a bit.  He finally arrived to pick me then we drove the 2 hours back to Kakamega in the rain.

Monday we had the first day of our CR seminar held at Shikusa Prisons. We are meeting at the largest boys prison in Kenya with about 500 boys age 15-18.  The prisons are very supportive of CR and someone from the department of rehabilitation at headquarters in Nairobi came and is attending the whole week.  Rose had attended the seminar we had in March and is helping teach. Overall the response is very good.

We limited the seminar to 50 people to attend and it is very full.  There is a good mix of mostly prison officers and staff with some local churches. For the prison there are officers from spiritual welfare and the spiritual leaders for Protestants, Catholic, Seven Day Adventist and Muslims along with guards and other staff. They are enjoying the class and are asking very good questions.

Last night we planned to go to a local restaurant for dinner but it began raining…..and raining….and raining. Not like a California rain, but very hard rain. Then the electricity went out. Fortunately they have a restaurant at our hotel with a generator for the kitchen and dining area.  After the rain let up some we went there for dinner, the generator even went out a couple of times.  The electricity was on and off, mostly off, for the evening all around Kakamega.  It was funny because I had given homework to answer questions in lesson 2 called Powerless.  We were all powerless last night so we had fun with that today.

Please pray for quick healing for Bishop Moses as he was diagnosed with malaria today and has begun taking medication for it. Pray for open hearts toward CR and seeing a way forward for those attending the seminar. Pray for wisdom for me as I continue the training. 

Saturday

I spent the morning visiting the Athi River Prison Celebrate Recovery ministry. The second group had completed a step study group and today was their graduation. The whole prison yard was invited to the ceremony. A representative from prison headquarters attended along with the CR leaders from Deliverance Church Kitengela located nearby.

The 25 graduates were distinguished by their beautiful bright blue choir robes which they wore proudly.  There was great singing and then a skit performed by some of the men in CR about a man who struggled with anger. He was imprisoned because of fighting then continued to have problems inside because of his anger.  Someone invited him to CR and it transformed his life. It was very creative and funny while capturing the essence of what CR is all about. They sang a song that they wrote about the 8 principles of CR. I was privileged to present their certificates of completion of a step study. The 3 hour ceremony was really nice and many are excited to join the next group.  It was a pretty amazing experience.

Later I met with the CR leaders from DC Kitengela.  They have been meeting as a leadership team and familiarizing themselves with the materials as they planned how to begin.  They will launch the Large Group meeting and Open Share groups next Sunday. They will have their meetings on Sunday afternoons. We had some great discussions about how to launch and they are excited to begin it church wide.

I had afternoon chai at the home of one of the CR leaders from DC. Carolyne and I met the last time I was here and she has been driving me around. It was great to spend time with her and her family again.

Praise report – I had great sleep last night so thanks for your prayers. Pray for Deliverance Church as they launch their CR. Pray for Athi River as they start their third step study group. Pray for travel mercies as I fly to Kisumu Sunday afternoon after attending church. Bishop Moses will meet me at the airport then we will drive to Kakamega for the 4-day seminar that begins Monday morning.

Friday

When we were getting ready for takeoff at LAX a flight crew member accidently deployed the emergency escape slide, I’m sure they had a lot of explaining to do later.  That led to a 4 hour delay so I got to spend several hours in Amsterdam airport waiting for the next flight to Nairobi as I missed my connection.  I bought a touristy t-shirt at the airport and was able to take a shower so I was a little refreshed.  I arrived early morning on Tuesday and had a full day of meetings.

In the last 3 days I’ve, visited 6 prisons, spoken to several churches around Kenya and reconnected with many friends. A highlight for me was meeting with some young men (teenagers) in a youth correctional training center in Nairobi.  They are arrested for a variety of crimes and have a 4 month stay at YCTC in an effort to rehabilitate them. Unfortunately many of them end up in prison later.  There is a group of brave souls that are in the first step study.  Since their stay is short, they are meeting 3 times a week and so they can complete the full step study before they are released. They are just starting to write their inventory so we spent a lot of time talking about that. It was awesome to see the hope that they have of having a different future. I was asked to encourage and inspire them, I think I got the blessing because they certainly encouraged and inspired me.

Today (Friday) I have no meetings but am getting caught up on a few logistic things for my remaining time on this trip and finally have some time to post a blog.

Pray for the meetings this weekend. I’m attending a step study graduation tomorrow morning at Athi River prison where I get the honor of presenting each participant with a certificate of completion of a step study.  It’s the second group to complete step studies at this prison.  I’m meeting with the CR group at Deliverance Church Kitengela in the afternoon then attending their church on Sunday.  Please pray for good rest for me, arriving in the morning on Tuesday instead of Monday evening has really been hard on my sleep cycle.

CR Trip to Kenya & Rwanda

Isaiah 6:8 “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, ‘Here I am. Send me!’”

Jana O’Guin will depart August 26th for Kenya and Rwanda and will return September 21st. I will be traveling to and from Africa by myself but will be with African ministries partners and friends throughout the trip. We will visit several Celebrate Recovery ministries in the Nairobi area and hold a Celebrate Recovery Seminar for Pastors in Kakamega in Western Kenya so that they will be equipped to implement Celebrate Recovery in their churches and prisons. I will visit friends and CR ministries in the Kitale area and my 4 beautiful Kenyan children. I will fly to Rwanda to hold follow up seminars for churches with CR ministries in Muhanga District and Karongi District and meet with leaders from the Orphan Care initiative to discuss long term plans for Celebrate Recovery for the whole family.

Your prayers are so important. Please pray now and throughout the trip. There will be updates and specific prayer requests during the trip on this blog.

Sunday - Monday, August 26 - 27 – Depart LAX in the early afternoon on a non-stop flight to Amsterdam. After a 2 hour layover take an 8-hour flight to Nairobi, arriving the evening of the 27th. Kenya is 10 hours ahead of PDT.

Tuesday, August 28 – Saturday, September 1 – Meet with ministry partners to finalize plans for the trip. Visit several CR ministries at churches and prisons in the Nairobi area.

Sunday, September 2 – Attend church in the morning. Fly to Eldoret then drive to Kakamega in the afternoon.

Monday – Thursday, September 3 - 6 – Hold a Celebrate Recovery seminar for pastors and prison officials to equip them to start CR in their respective churches and prisons. We will be teaching the Celebrate Recovery curriculum, facilitating small groups, giving our testimonies, and equipping them to begin CR programs.

Friday, September 7 – Spend the day with friends while visiting their CR ministries.

Saturday, September 8 – Drive to Eldoret then fly back to Nairobi.

Sunday, September 9 – Attend church in the morning at ICC. Meet with their CR ministry.

Monday - Friday, September 10 - 14 – Morning flight to Eldoret, then drive to Kitale. Spend time in and around Kitale with friends, attend and encourage CR ministries at churches and prisons. Spend time with our 4 Kenyan children and many local friends at Purpose Driven Academy, Oasis of Hope, and Sister Freda’s Hospital.

Saturday, September 15 – Fly from Eldoret to Nairobi and on to Kigali, Rwanda.

Sunday, September 16 – Attend church in the morning.

Monday, September 17 – Drive from Kigali to Muhanga to meet with churches with existing CR ministries. Hold refresher training and help them continue strengthening their ministries. Drive to Karongi in Western Rwanda.

Tuesday, September 18 - Hold refresher training for churches in Karongi District and help them continue strengthening their ministries. Drive back to Kigali.

Wednesday, September 19 – Meetings at the PEACE office about future growth of CR in Rwanda.

Thursday – Friday. September 20 - 21 – Depart Kigali in the evening for Amsterdam, arriving in the early morning. After a 3 hour layover, take a non-stop flight on to LAX arriving around noon on Friday.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”

CR is Growing in Ghana

Teams from Southern Hills Baptist, Tulsa, OK have traveled twice to Ghana, West Africa to share Celebrate Recovery with churches in the last six months. We returned Feb. 10, 2012 from the second trip where we held a 4 Day Training for 40 people to equip them to start a Main Event Night. PRAY for these pastors from 3-5 churches and their Lay Leaders who plan to start CR in Ghana churches.

Thank God for Bishop Francis Afotey Odai whose church, Maranatha Power Ministries, hosted this event! We set up just outside the Shiloh Guest House where we stayed!

Wearing Home Run shirts to tell the Ghanaians that the movie is coming soon! These construction workers are building a District school!

The first Open Share group for men in Ghana!! (They were so excited to have their picture taken for this historic occasion!)

Rwanda

The time in Rwanda was really good. We held 2 CR seminars, 1 in Muhanga District and another in Karongi District for churches that have previously attended CR training seminars. They are progressing well in starting CR and people are beginning to feel safe to open up and talk about some hurts in their lives for the first time. It is a slow process because the people of Rwanda have been through so much pain, it is hard to even comprehend. 1,000,000 people were killed in 100 days during the 1994 genocide. Everyone in the country was affected by it one way or another.

CR is starting in Rwanda with Large Group meetings to give people a chance to think about their own lives. They will gradually add Open Share groups as people feel safer to talk to one another. Later they will add Step Study groups.

Both the Leader's Guides and Participant's Guides have been published in their local language of Kinyarwanda.

Please pray for the people of Rwanda as they go forward with CR. Pray for the leader's of these new CR ministries. Pray for God's plans for future trainings and timing, possibly in September.

Monday in Kigali, Rwanda

Saturday & Sunday we had meetings with Deliverance Church Kitengela, on the outskirts of Nairobi. On previous trips I had met the senior pastor and another pastor and they were very excited about learning more about CR. Two weeks ago, Pastor Peter attended our 4-day seminar in Nairobi to learn how to start CR in their church. They are so eager to get going that they asked me to help introduce CR to their church and begin training some key leaders and church members.

We had great meetings and they have an awesome CR leadership team made up of 4 men and 4 women. A Kenyan friend from another CR came over to assist them as they begin. He also shared his own CR testimony. It was so powerful. I met so many wonderful people with a heart for serving the Lord.

Today I flew from Nairobi to Burundi then on to Kigali, Rwanda. It’s cooler here and everything is so green. It has been very dry in Kenya but in Rwanda the rains have come already. I have a slower paced schedule this afternoon to relax a bit and connect with some friends then my friend and translator Pastor Jean Baptiste arrives this evening.

Tomorrow we start the day early as we drive about 1 hour to Gitarama for our first CR seminar. I’m excited to see what they have done with CR since our last visit. In the afternoon we drive on to Kibuye on the Rwanda-Congo border to have another CR seminar on Wednesday to encourage their CR ministries. We drive back to Kigali on Wednesday evening.

Please pray for God’s wisdom and guidance for the 2 seminars. We don’t have a training plan, just go and see what they need and help them based on where they are. Pray for greater understanding of their culture to better help them with CR. Pray for travel mercies as we drive through the rolling hills across the country. Pray for renewed energy and good rest for us.

Friday night in Kitengela

I am back in a small town close to Nairobi and the Internet connection is more reliable. There is more catching up to do.

Wednesday Margaret and I took the kids to see their mother in prison in Eldoret. She continues to do so well. Nolega was convicted of murder and sentenced to die, she was retried and her conviction was reduced to man-slaughter and she was given a sentence of 15 years to serve. She became the pastor of the women’s prison, started CR inside and is now given privileges to go into town unsupervised to purchase supplies for the prison. She is scheduled for release in December 2016 but is hoping for an early release because she has proven that she has truly reformed.


After spending time with their mother, we took Calvin, Brian, Augstine and Elzabeth (left to right) to a local zoo/park for the afternoon. There were animals from within Kenya like lions, monkeys, crocodiles, reptiles, ostriches, parrots, etc. There was a huge playground too. We really enjoyed our time together. We were so tired we all slept during the drive back to Kitale.

When not with my kids (they were in school) I visited with several church leaders and prison officials Kitale and the surrounding area. It was so good to hear stories of lives changing through CR. I was also able to visit with several friends in the area.

I saw my friend Geoffrey at Oasis of Hope, a center that helps street kids get off the street, back into school and have productive lives. They are having such an impact on these once forgotten and hopeless children.

This afternoon I flew from Kitale back to Nairobi in a 35 passenger plane then David met me and tool me to Kitengela on the outskirts of Nairobi. Tomorrow and Sudnay I will be training churches in the area on how to get their CR ministries going.

Thanks for all of your prayers. Other than a scratchy throat because of dusty roads, I am feeling well. Pray for the people attending the seminar tomorrow, that they will have open hearts and good ideas about how to move forward with CR. Pray for wisdom for me and the pastors and other church leaders who will be facilitating the training. Pray for renewed energy as I have been going at a pretty steady pace since arriving in Kenya.

Tuesday Night in Kitale

I’ve had limited Internet access so I have a lot of catching up to do since my last post on Friday night.

Saturday
We visited 3 prisons for the first time in Western Kenya - Kakamega Main for men, Kakamega Women’s and Shikusa Farm Prison. At Kakamega Main we met in the prison yard with several hundred men, from those in Remands (not convicted) to those who have been condemned (sentenced to death) from all denominations. They we very eager to learn about Celebrate Recovery and excited to be starting it later this year when we come back and train their prison officials.

We visited the women’s prison and were warmly welcomed by beautiful singing. They sang several songs and I can still hear their sweet voices praising our Lord. CR was started there a few years ago by a chaplain friend who attended a CR seminar in Kitale. She trained some leaders (inmates) to carry it out. Most have since been released and they are excited to getting it going again on a broader scale and with more support.

We visited Shikusa Farm Prison and met with some of the CR leaders (inmates) to discuss how it was going. They have about 150 men attending the Large Group teachings. CR was started there recently by a chaplain friend who was transferred from Kitale Main Prison where CR originally started. They will be starting their first step study group very soon. We met with many of the 500 men that reside in this prison and heard testimonies from some of the men that have already started CR.
It is amazing to see how God is spreading this ministry in the prisons by either transferring prisoners from one place to another or by relocating prison officials. CR is changing so many lives and truly rehabilitating men and women during this challenging time in their lives.

Bishop Moses and I made the 2+ hour drive to Kitale through beautiful countryside. It was nice to see my friends again and settle in at my friend’s house where I am staying this week.

Sunday
Sunday morning we attended church and spent time reconnecting with friends and family. I had a wonderful reunion with my 4 God-children. They have grown so much and their English had gotten very good so we can communicate easily now. We had a wonderful day of relaxing and enjoying spending time together.

Monday
I met with some churches and encouragd some along with their progress with CR and with others that are interested in starting it. It was great to hear how CR is impacting people’s lives and helping churches by providing a way of healing for church members. It is bringing reconciliation and hope to many.

I visited Purpose Driven High School which was opened since I was here last year. I spoke to the students and encouraged their education. In the afternoon I took my kids shopping for new shoes, always a special time when we are together.

Tuesday
Today it was back to prison. I visited Kitale Main and Women’s prison. Many of the men’s CR group members that were here last year have been released. Two of the former CR leaders are now pastors and have started their own churches outside, with CR at the very core of the church. Inside, the men’s CR ministry is growing again with over 60 men attending Large Group meetings. They are starting a new Step Study group very soon.

The women’s prison is always a special place to visit for me. That is where my God-son was born. It is so heartbreaking to see so many children in prison with their mothers, up to the age of 4. Yet at least they get to be with their mothers when they are so young. There has been a real turnover of inmates which is good, that means they are not staying inside that long. We heard testimonies from 2 women that murdered their husbands. They are finding peace and healing.

In the afternoon I met with another church with CR. Through CR they have an amazing outreach into the villages and so many lives have been transformed. Prostitutes are now seamstresses, drug addicts are learning computer skills. They are finding healing and hope for a different life.

Tomorrow I take my God-children to Eldoret (about a 2 hour drive each way) to visit their mother who is in prison. They have not seen her since I was here last and they are very eager to see her. I am looking forward to spending the day with them.

Thanks so much for your continuing prayers. Please pray for travel mercies for tomorrow as we journey over less than ideal roads to Eldoret. Pray for a wonderful reunion with their mother. Pray for a fun day with the kids. Pray for my health, I still have a scratchy throat on and off but it seems to be getting worse with some dry coughing now. I have been talking non-stop since arriving in Kenya plus it is hot and dusty so that doesn’t help either.

Friday Night in Kakamega

The CR Introduction seminar went really well today. We were expecting 60-80 people but 125 came to hear about this Christ-centered ministry called Celebrate Recovery. About half were from churches and the other half from prisons from all over the Western Provence. There were Protestants, Catholics, 7-Day Adventists and Muslims in attendance. They were all so open and eager to learn more.

We sat with a small group of senior pastors that are part of a pastor fellowship in the area to develop a strategy for when we come back later in the year to do a more in depth training like we did in Nairobi this week. We also met with the prison leadership for similar discussions.

Morris will go visit his family tomorrow who lives nearby then return back to Nairobi while Bishop Moses and I continue the ministry here.

There are 4 prisons in the Kakamega area and we are scheduled to visit all of them tomorrow. Wow, that is a lot of prison time! God is opening so many doors here. After that we will drive to Kitale (about 2 hours) where I will be the next few days.

The next few days I will be visiting existing CR ministries to encourage them and reconnect with many friends and of course my 4 God-children.

Please pray for open hearts during the prison visits tomorrow, both the officials and inmates. Pray that we speak His words during our time there. Pray for safe travels and a good time of fellowship for Morris and his family. Pray for travel mercies for Moses and I as we drive to Kitale. Pray for a great time of fellowship and reunion with friends and my 4 God-children.

Friday Morning

We completed our seminar yesterday with much excitement about how to move forward with CR. There was a great deal of thoughtful brainstorming and plans being made on how to make CR successful and grow throughout Kenya. Praise the Lord!

The Assistant Commissioner of prisons and Principle Chaplain (over all the prisons) came for the official closing. They also read a letter from the Commissioner himself, saying that he wanted to attend CR and I should plan to do a seminar for the senior officials. He was very supportive of CR in all of the prisons. God is good.

Morris & I flew to Kisumu on the banks of Lake Victoria in the afternoon and were met by Bishop Moses who drove us 1 ½ hours to Kakamega. We arrived and learned that half of our hotel had no electricity. They moved us to some smaller rooms but we have the essentials. Welcome to Africa :-).

Today we have a CR Introductory meeting for pastors and prison officials in the area. We are expecting a good turnout.

Thank you so much for your prayers. Morris is feeling much better and my throat feels fine now and no sign of catching the cold that has been going around. Pray for open hearts at the seminar today and that we speak God’s words.

Thursday Morning

Today is the last day of our CR seminar. It has been exciting to watch as they begin to experience CR for themselves and capture the vision what it can do in their own lives and the people they minister to in prisons and churches. They are so open and eager to learn more.

Yesterday the CR leader for Athi River prison shared his CR testimony. He wrote it out following our format and read it. He was so open about himself and it was really powerful.

Today we focus on the very practical steps of going forward and beginning this ministry in their churches and prisons. We will have an opportunity to nail our burdens on the cross and share communion together. Then a senior official from prison headquarters will do the official closing of the seminar and show their support for CR in the prisons.

This afternoon Morris and I fly to Kisumu then meet a friend who will drive us to Kakamega in Western Kenya. Tomorrow we hold an introductory seminar for senior pastors and prison officials in the area. We will come back later in the year to teach a 4-day seminar to equip those that want to start CR.

Pray for open hearts and for God’s wisdom to show the way forward in starting CR in the churches and prisons that have attended the training this week. Pray for travel mercies for Morris and I. Pray for the seminar that we will hold tomorrow in Kakamega. Pray for good health. A few people attending the seminar this week have colds. Morris started getting sick yesterday and I woke up with a scratchy throat this morning. Pray that Morris heals quickly and that I don’t get sick. Thanks so much for your prayers, we couldn't do this without them.

Sunday

Saturday Update
Yesterday morning I went to Athi River Prison to meet with their CR groups. God is really doing some amazing work there. Two officers that have a passion for CR started it with a group of 20 men last year. They meet every Friday afternoon where they break into two groups and do their Step Study workbooks. On Saturday mornings they have a Large Group meeting. There are Catholics, Protestants, Muslims and Atheists together in this Christ centered ministry. The healing has been amazing. At the end of the step study (which every man completed!!), they wrote the things they found freedom from and were willing to forgive on a piece of paper and nailed it to a cross, then built a small fire and burned them in the middle of the prison yard.

There was one inmate, Joseph, transferred from Kamiti Maximum security prison in Nairobi to Athi River. He was at Kamiti during our first visit 3-4 years ago and heard a group of us share testimonies and talk about CR. When they asked for people interested in joining the first CR group at Athi River, he was very excited to join. He is now the CR leader.

They had a “graduation” in late January where many prison officials and local church leaders heard testimonies of several of the men from all religious backgrounds. Because of hearing this, prison headquarters fully now endorses and supports CR and has asked us to help them implement CR in all 93 prisons in Kenya! They are even funding the trainings. Athi River Prison was granted an office specifically for CR and they designated a classroom for CR. God is so good.

At Athi River, they have started the second “class” for CR with 36 men. Some men from the previous class are leaders now helping the second one. They would have more people involved but are limited by space. I met with them yesterday and taught the lesson HOPE at their Large Group meeting. They shared with me their interpretation of the lesson HOPE. Joseph was inspired to paint a picture about HOPE, including the acrostic. I asked him to teach HOPE from the painting. It was very creative and inspiring. They sang a song about CR that they wrote. I recorded a video of part of it and hopefully can upload it at some point.

CR has been going in other prisons for some time, started by some chaplains that have experienced the healing of CR also and it has helped so many inmates find healing. They have been very dedicated while facing many challenges. After this experience at Athi River, Prison Headquarters is now fully endorsing it and making the prisons accountable for the progress of it. The officer in charge of Athi River said that he will not grant a transfer from one prison to another unless they have gone through CR. Did I mention that God is good?

Sunday
Today I attended church at Children of the Promise Church in Kawangware, a slum in Nairobi. The senior pastor, Bishop Amos Wasala, attended our CR seminar in 2009. He started CR in his church but it has been a challenge as he is the only person trained. He is sending some church leaders to the 4-day seminar that starts tomorrow so they can be trained then get it going strong in their church. He asked me to “preach” today, so of course I talked about CR. It impacted so many people and it seemed like half the church came forward asking for prayer for things they struggle with, mostly unforgiveness. Now it's time for one of the simple pleaseures in life, having afternoon chai on the porch at Methodist Guest House with the house cat curled up beside me. :-)

Please pray for the people that will be attending the seminar that starts tomorrow morning, that it be the right people that God wants there from both churches and prisons. Pray for open hearts. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide Morris and I as we teach.

Friday Night in Nairobi

My flights went smooth and I arrived in Nairobi last night, met at the airport by my Masai warrior friend, David. Thanks so much for your prayers.

Today Morris and I had meetings at Prison Headquarters with the Director of Rehabilitation and Director of Social Welfare. Both of these Godly women are on fire for CR and have witnessed firsthand the impact of this ministry in Kenyan prisons. Too say that they fully support CR is an understatement and want it in all the prisons in Kenya! Praise the Lord.

We met with Pastor William at ICC (International Christian Center). A group from this church attended a CR seminar last year and have been preparing to launch it in their church. They officially launch it this Sunday at both of their campuses.

Morris and I spent time with Pastor Peter from Deliverance Church Kitegela. He attended a CR seminar in 2008 and faced some challenges when they attempted to start it in their church. During this trip I will spend 2 days with them, helping them find a way to move forward working with their church leaders.

I took a nap this afternoon as I try to get my days and nights on Kenya time. We are 11 hours ahead of California time.

Please pray that I am able to get good rest and adjust quickly. Pray for ICC as they launch their CR ministry on Sunday. Pray for my visit to Athi River Prison tomorrow where I will be teaching their Large Group Meeting while encouraging their CR ministry. Pray for those that will be attending the 4-Day CR semianr that starts on Monday, for open hearts and for Morris and I as we teach.

Preparing to leave for Kenya and Rwanda

Jana O’Guin will depart March 7th for Kenya and Rwanda and will return March 30th. I will be traveling to and from Africa by myself but will be with African ministries partners and friends throughout the trip. We will hold a Celebrate Recovery Seminar for Pastors in Nairobi so that they will be equipped to implement Celebrate Recovery in their churches and prisons, hold a Senior Pastor Introduction meeting in Western Kenya, visit several CR ministries to support and encourage them. I will visit friends and CR ministries in Kitale and of course my 4 beautiful Kenyan children. I will fly to Rwanda to hold follow up seminars for churches starting CR.

Wednesday, March 7 – Depart LAX in the afternoon on a non-stop flight to Amsterdam, arriving the morning of the 8th. After a 1 hour 20 minute layover it’s an 8-hour flight to Nairobi, arriving the evening of the 8th. Kenya is 10 hours ahead of PDT.

Friday, March 9 – Meet with ministry partners to finalize plans for the trip. Visit churches and prison officials regarding CR ministries.

Saturday, March 10 – Attend a CR meeting at Athi River Prison just outside of Nairobi to witness firsthand what God is doing there through CR.

Sunday, March 11 – Give the morning message at a church in Kawangware in the slums of Nairobi.

Monday – Thursday, March 12-15 – Pastor Morris Opati and I will hold a Celebrate Recovery seminar for pastors and prison officials to equip them to start CR in their respective churches and prisons. We will be teaching the Celebrate Recovery curriculum, facilitating small groups, giving our testimonies, and equipping them to begin CR programs.

Thursday, March 15 – Morris and I will travel to Kakamega in the evening following the seminar in Nairobi.

Friday, March 16 - Hold a Senior Pastor Introduction Seminar for churches and prisons in the Western Region of Kenya. Visit Kakamega prison’s CR ministry in the afternoon.

Saturday, March 17 – Morris returns to Nairobi. I spend the day with friends while visiting churches and prisons then traveling on to Kitale.

Sunday – Thursday, March 18 - 22 – Spend time in Kitale with friends, attend and encourage CR ministries at churches and prisons. Spend time with our 4 Kenyan children and many local friends at Purpose Driven Academy, Oasis of Hope, and Sister Freda’s Hospital.

Friday, March 23 - Fly from Kitale to Nairobi.

Saturday – Sunday, March 24 - 25 – Meet with a church in Kitengela (outskirts of Nairobi) to help their CR ministry grow strong.

Monday, March 26 – Fly from Nairobi to Kigali, Rwanda. Connect with ministry friends in Rwanda.

Tuesday, March 27 – Drive from Kigali to Muhanga (1 ½ hours) to meet with churches with existing CR ministries. Hold refresher training and help them continue strengthening their ministries. Drive to Karongi in Western Rwanda.

Wednesday, March 28 - Hold refresher training for churches in Karongi District and help them continue strengthening their ministries. Drive back to Kigali.

Thursday - Friday, March 29-30 – Connect with the PEACE office in the morning then begin the trip home. Depart Kigali in the afternoon for Nairobi. A late night flight departs from Nairobi, arriving in Amsterdam in the early morning. After a 4 hour layover in Amsterdam, take a non-stop flight on to LAX arriving around noon on Friday.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”