Such amazing response!

by | Sep 11, 2024 | What's New

Dear All,

Wednesday’s Bottom Line:

Pastor Mark was delayed in Paris but should still arrive in Nairobi in time to present his first seminar on Thursday. Scott’s seminar in Tororo, Uganda had a huge turnout and great response (see details below). His schedule has been packed and he asked us to pray for his aching back. He will head back to Nairobi on Thursday, then lead DM and BT seminars on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

Wednesday’s Prayer Requests:

1. Both Pastor Mark’s and Scott’s flights into Nairobi (Wednesday and Thursday, respectively) to be on time and uneventful.
2. Pastor Mark to have a powerful seminar in Juja on Thursday.
3. Healing for Scott’s back; adequate rest, no further problems, and no pain.Wednesday’s Details:

There’s quite a lot of news to share today. Buckle up and hold on; here goes.

Pastor Mark Phillips from Pineville, MO is joining Scott for one week of this trip to lead a DM seminar in Juja, do some other ministry, and participate in the retreat for all the East Africa DM leaders next week. Unfortunately, at about the same time Scott was dealing with money transfer issues, Mark was on his way to Africa and was delayed. He said, “Urgent prayer request. Strikes in Kenya cancelled my flight in. Pray for a good solution 🙏🏻” A few hours later, he said, “Praise the Lord I will be getting on a flight in a few  hours to arrive in time for the seminars tomorrow.” That was great news!

That strike was at the Nairobi airport. Mark said, “I guess there had been a strike since yesterday due to the Kenyans not wanting to sell to an Indian company. I’m in Paris still… my flight will arrive in Nairobi by 6 am hopefully.” Upon arrival, Mark will go through immigration and customs, and his seminar starts at 9:00 AM in the town of Juja, about an hour from the airport. Please pray for God to work out all those details for him.

Meanwhile, during the drive from Busia (which is in far western Kenya, not Uganda; I was wrong) to Tororo, Uganda, Scott said, “I don’t think the travel times on Google maps take into account Speed Bump Purgatory.”

Just look at all those speed bumps!
Scott said, “These two bishops traveled more than four and-a-half hours overnight from Kampala, the capital of Uganda, to join the meeting. They will be in my online group.”
Two bishops who were determined to make it to Tororo

Scott said, “There were 157 pastors and church leaders in Tororo!”
Discussion groups during the seminar

Scott continued, “After lunch, the power went out, and it started raining. Their generator was broken. We kept going and had people go register for groups during the rain storm. 50 of them signed up to join new DM groups.”50!!!

WOW!
You may recall that in the past we’ve had a problem with not having enough trained leaders for new groups. Pastors come to a seminar, get inspired and challenged by what they learn, and sign up to join a DM group, but sometimes, there’s no one ready and able to lead those groups. Now, with Hellen, James, and Hillary, our three national TTC leaders in Kenya, making more and more disciples, their disciples – and sometimes their disciples’ disciples – already have the experience and training necessary to lead their own groups. This is a WONDERFUL development! 
Our Tororo team (seated) with the 8 new DM group leaders
Hellen is to the right of Scott.

Scott said, “They have such a passion to take disciple-making to the rest of their country!”And in other news, he added, “My upper back has been sore today. Please ask the partners for prayer. I have been standing teaching for 6 to 8 hours for 6 of the past 8 days. The other 2 days I traveled for 8 hours and preached at a church and led our International Disciple-Makers Fellowship. I’m sleeping in tomorrow!”They plan to travel back to Nairobi as they came: first, driving several hours to Kisumu, then flying from Kisumu to Nairobi – where there will be NO strikes, delays, or complications, in Jesus’ name! Scott says, “We will start driving at around 9:30 am [1:30 AM Thursday MO time]. Our flight is at 2 pm.”As always, thank you for taking a moment, now if possible, to pray for Pastor Mark, My Hero, their travels, and their upcoming seminars.

And Scott’s back.  = )

Blessings,
Patty

Look what GOD is doing!

by | Sep 10, 2024 | What's New

Dear All,

Tuesday’s Bottom Line:

The testimonies about the Better Together marriage seminar in Busia (below) are amazing! Our adversary would really like to disrupt and distract, but he cannot. On Wednesday Scott will lead an RDM seminar in Tororo, Uganda, and our TTC Board member from Missouri, Pastor Mark Phillips, will arrive in Kenya.

Tuesday’s Prayer Requests:

1. No hindrances to ministry; any upcoming money transfers to go through unhindered.
2. Hellen and her disciples in eastern Uganda to provide solid follow-up with the pastors and spouses who attended Scott’s seminars in Busia.
3. Safe, timely travel to Kenya for Pastor Mark and his luggage. Tuesday’s Details:

Late Monday night Scott contacted me with an urgent prayer request.

It takes money to handle all the arrangements for a seminar, and one of the money transfers from our U.S. TTC account – money that was needed immediately – was not going through. It was too late to get that request out to everyone, but a handful of us prayed for God to make a way.

After Tuesday’s Better Together seminar, Scott sent me lots of good reports, including this one: “Yes, the funds came through at 6:30 AM to pay Bishop Moses for the seminar today. I had to sit on hold for 20 minutes to a lady from the Philippines.” (I think many of us have had a similar experience. Sigh.) Thank you, God, for getting that money where it needed to be!
Dear All,

Tuesday’s Bottom Line:

The testimonies about the Better Together marriage seminar in Busia (below) are amazing! Our adversary would really like to disrupt and distract, but he cannot. On Wednesday, Scott will lead an RDM seminar in Tororo, Uganda, and our TTC Board member from Missouri, Pastor Mark Phillips, will arrive in Kenya.

Tuesday’s Prayer Requests:

1. No hindrances to ministry; any upcoming money transfers to go through unhindered.
2. Hellen and her disciples in eastern Uganda to provide solid follow-up with the pastors and spouses who attended Scott’s seminars in Busia.
3. Safe, timely travel to Kenya for Pastor Mark and his luggage. Tuesday’s Details:

Late Monday night Scott contacted me with an urgent prayer request.

It takes money to handle all the arrangements for a seminar, and one of the money transfers from our U.S. TTC account – money that was needed immediately – was not going through. It was too late to get that request out to everyone, but a handful of us prayed for God to make a way.

After Tuesday’s Better Together seminar, Scott sent me lots of good reports, including this one: “Yes, the funds came through at 6:30 AM to pay Bishop Moses for the seminar today. I had to sit on hold for 20 minutes to a lady from the Philippines.” (I think many of us have had a similar experience. Sigh.) Thank you, God, for getting that money where it needed to be!

One Minute Monday Update

by | Sep 9, 2024 | What's New

Dear All,

Monday’s Bottom Line:

Scott made it to Busia, Uganda and said the Raising Disciple-Makers seminar on Monday was good. He doesn’t have cell service there in Busia, but while on his way to the Bishop’s house(?) paused in a hotel with wifi to send us the message that he is, understandably, “extremely tired.”

Monday’s Prayer Requests:

1. Rest, refreshing, and renewed strength for Scott.
2. The Holy Spirit to speak through him exactly what each couple at the Tuesday Better Together seminar most needs to hear.
3. God to continually guide Scott in dealing with the logistics involved as TTC’s influence increases and expands.
Monday’s Details:

No new news today, but we do know that in Busia God is good, Jesus is being lifted up, and he is drawing all people to himself!

Scott and I are so thankful that you are willing to PRAY for him and our team throughout this trip. Today is Day 15 out of 26.  = )

Blessings,
Patty

Busia-bound!

by | Sep 9, 2024 | What's New

Dear All,

Sunday’s Bottom Line:

After an excellent and very full Sunday, Scott’s now on his way to Busia, Uganda, where he will hold a full 1-day DM seminar on Monday and a 1-day BT seminar on Tuesday.

Sunday’s Prayer Requests:

1. Safe and timely travel NOW to Busia.
2. The people gathered there to be eager to learn the biblical foundation for raising disciple-makers as well as the practical how-to’s.
3. God to continue to bless Scott with insight, direction, good health, and plenty of energy.
Sunday’s Details:

It’s late Sunday evening in Missouri, so I will try to be brief. 

Sunday morning Scott preached at the church where a member’s 4 year-old grandson had been killed on Wednesday. Scott said, “Both the church service and the Int’l DM fellowship went very well today. 8 people signed up for a DM group after church.”

One Sunday a month, Scott leads a 90-minute Zoom meeting with DM leaders from all over the world. It’s usually held at 8:00 AM MO time, but since Scott did it from Kenya today, it was at his 4:00 PM. He said, “I had a topic for the Int’l meeting, but had not had time to develop it. So I was planning to dust off the message on Doulos. But I didn’t feel right about it, so when I got home from church at 2:45 PM, I finished up the message on the importance of Accountability and Coaching before we left for the hotel at 3:15 PM. 😃 It turned out great. So much so, that I’m considering sharing it again at the Leaders’ retreat next week. Got to get to bed now. Busy day tomorrow!”

I’ll say it’s a busy day!

As I type this it’s 6:30 AM Monday in Africa. This map shows where Scott is traveling for his next two days of seminars in Busia, Uganda, which is just a few feet over the western border of Kenya, a 10+ hour drive from Nairobi. (BONUS: You can also see Arusha, Tanzania at the very bottom of the map. That’s where Scott held a very successful Better Together seminar last week, and where the hotel owner asked Hillary to pray for him.)

Nairobi, Kenya to Busia, Uganda via Kisumu
To save travel time, they are flying the 212 miles from Nairobi to Kisumu (in the red oval between Nairobi and Busia), then driving the remaining 70 miles, crossing the border, and arriving in Busia an estimated 15 minutes(!!!) before the DM seminar’s 9:00 AM start time. This has involved leaving Hillary’s house at 3:45 AM to get to the airport for their 6:00 AM flight to Kisumu. They are in the air on that flight as I type.

I know Scott was not yet asleep at his 10:00 PM Sunday, and I’m guessing he had to get up at least by 3:15 AM in order to leave at 3:45 AM. Then after traveling for some 5 hours, he will probably teach something like 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, all on about 5 hours of sleep Sunday night. Hopefully he can catch a few Zzzz’s on the plane.  = )

Whenever you’re reading this, would you take a moment to pray for Scott, Hellen (who is our Leader over the Ugandan outreach of TTC), her disciples who are coordinating these Busia meetings, and the people who are coming to the Monday-Tuesday seminars? Thank you so much!

Blessings,
Patty

On the road again

by | Sep 8, 2024 | What's New

Dear All,

Saturday’s Bottom Line:

Scott has wrapped up the Better Together seminar in Kiboko, completed the 4+ hour drive back to Hillary’s house, and will preach at a church Sunday that is grieving a recent terrible loss. Scott is exhausted, but pressing forward. No surprises there! Prayers are appreciated.

Saturday’s Prayer Requests:

1. Good sleep, good health, and great strength for Scott during this coming week.
2. The comfort only God can give to those grieving the loss of a child this week.
Saturday’s Details:

In looking over Scott’s planned schedule during this trip, the one constant is LOTS of road travel. This can be pretty hard on one’s physical body, but the reason for all this “ground transportation” is actually very good. The three core TTC leaders in Kenya (Hillary, James, and Hellen) are raising disciple-makers in areas that are farther and farther out from Nairobi! Think “Jerusalem, Judea, and the uttermost parts of the earth…” 

– Hillary and his disciples are reaching into Tanzania, some 8 hours south of Nairobi; that’s where Scott was last week.

– James and his disciples are impacting Kiboko, Kenya, some 3 hours southeast of Nairobi; that’s where Scott’s been this week.

– And Hellen and her disciples are leading groups in Uganda, some 8 hours west of Nairobi; that’s where Scott will be this coming week!

All that to say that he and I both very much appreciate your prayers for him.

Scott sent me some brief texts during their drive back to HIllary’s house Saturday evening. Unfortunately, the news was deeply disturbing. Scott said, “I found out that the grandson of a member of the church where I will minister tomorrow was killed by a hyena. The boy was about 4 years old.” Our own 1, 3, and 5-year-old grandchildren and their parents just spent most of the summer here with us, so this terrible news hits us especially hard as we remember our time with them. 

“The grandmother sent the boy to the supermarket, and the animal came out of the forest and caught the child in the parking lot!” This happened just three days ago, on Wednesday. “He was the 10th person from Nairobi killed by hyenas – maybe crossbred with some other kind of big cat, possibly leopard? – in the past three months. Another woman was killed while on her way to work at 5 AM.”

This is an unbelievably horrific situation. Please pray for the many people affected by these tragedies, and especially for the church and family members of this little boy. Pray also for God to give Scott the right message to preach there in a few hours.

Thank you always for standing with us in faith. Your consistent prayers and encouragement give us courage and peace and are impacting many of our Family members in Africa. We appreciate you so very much!

Blessings,
Patty

He’s SO excited!

by | Sep 6, 2024 | What's New

Dear All,

Friday’s Bottom Line:

Scott is SO excited! The Disciple-Makers part of the seminar was outstanding, with super responses and 15 more people signed up to join DM groups. May Saturday’s Better Together Seminar be equally powerful.
 
Friday’s Prayer Requests:

1. All the married folks to bring their spouses for an informative and fun, yet hard-hitting marriage seminar on Saturday.
2. Looking back… for those who have attended the four earlier BT seminars om this trip to diligently apply what they’ve learned.
3. Looking forward… God to prepare the hearts of those in Busia and Tororo (2 cities in Uganda) who have registered to attend Disciple-Makers and Better Together seminars there next week; no hindrances to prevent them from coming.Friday’s Details

Today’s update is all straight from Scott. I really can’t add anything to what he has sent us. Here goes!

In the morning he said, “It is 9:10 AM and we have already begun. Glory to God!”
Getting an early start, worshiping GodAnd in the afternoon he said, “Wow! What an incredible day. I have done a lot of RDM seminars in my life, but I think the one here in Kiboko may be the best one yet. The teaching came across so smoothly. Each session was at a relaxed pace and the people were so attentive. The discussion groups really worked out well. The people were actually there on time, which was a testimony to the power of the disciple-makers groups. Over half of the attendees were already in DM groups. Most had just finished PTM Volume 1.” Each of the 4 Pressing Toward the Mark (PTM) volumes is 10 weeks long.

James and his disciples, notably Pastor Steven, have put together a solid team of group leaders in the Kiboko area.
 
Pastor Steven, L with recently commissioned “Bishop” James“The leadership team was in unity. The people had to register, paying 200 Kenya shillings ($1.50) to attend. We had name badges, so you could call people by their name. We finished the last session before lunch EARLY (who’s ever heard of that?!?), so much so that the food would not be ready for 30 minutes. So we decided we’d go ahead and do the final John Mark (“Power of One”) session before lunch.” Scott usually does that after lunch, the final session of the seminar.

“But first, we had those who were not in groups register to join a group. We had 15 people join new groups, so by the end of the seminar, over 80% of the 75 attendees were either already attending or signed up to attend DM groups. Praise God!

The final session, “The Power of One,” was so well received. They all stood and cried out, ‘Lord, give me one disciple!!!’

“Since we ended early, everyone was relaxed and we had time to meet with all the group leaders. Then we met with three of the four “pillars” of that area. They have totally embraced the vision and are determined to take the movement to other areas in their county, as well as into other areas across Kenya. They are already talking about how they can take the DM movement from Makindu to Mombasa, a city of over 1 million people on the Indian ocean which is about 5 hours away.” 

This picture shows a mzungu (“mm-ZOONG-goo,” Westerner) with James and the current and new Kiboko area DM group leaders. Very exciting!
Scott, James, and the DM group leaders
And Scott ended our update today with these pictures. He said, “These clothes on the line are not drying in the sun; they are for sale. In Kenya, people set up shops along the street to sell their wares, some of which are donated clothes from the U.S.!” As the update editor, I took the liberty of omitting the underwear picture.

You’re welcome.  = )

Clothes for sale!

Sure looks like laundry day to meIf you happen to be doing laundry today as I am, please consider praying for Scott, our core team (Hillary, James, Hellen), and those who will be at the Better Together seminar on Saturday (1:00 AM Saturday MO time) while you hang and fold. Thank you!

Blessings,
Patty