Fires in Kenya

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The Tates have served the Lord in Kitale, Kenya since January 2008. Their main ministry is church planting.

March 9, 2023

Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ,

Last month I mentioned the drought that is currently plaguing Kenya. We have now entered the time of the short rains, but it has not rained. Yes, it rained a couple of times but then stopped again. We have not received the rain we should be getting in the short rainy season and the situation is no better. The students are back on campus, but we are now having to truck in water from outside sources and fill our water tanks in that way. It is still extremely dry throughout the country and that leads to the adventure I don’t want to experience again, and I’ll recount in the next paragraph.

We live in the middle of the Kijabe forest, half-way down the escarpment into the Great Rift Valley. When I look up the escarpment, I only see forest. When I look down the escarpment, I only see forest. With no rain, the trees, leaves, and ground all dry up. The forest becomes a tinderbox. We have no-burn policies right now because of the threat of fire. But most Kenyans cook their daily meals over open fires just outside their front doors and burn their trash to dispose of it. Here in Kijabe, the wind also races up and down the escarpment at a furious pace sometimes. The scenario provides for many unwatched fires which can then lead to, you guessed it, forest fires. About two weeks ago I was at the school, looking out my office window when I saw smoke rolling off the next hill over. I went over to the classroom block for a better look and saw half the hillside covered in smoke. I knew it was not a good sign, but I went home and didn’t hear any more about it. Later that night, Julie looked out our kitchen window and said, “Is that a fire?” I looked out and up the hill, and sure enough, it was a large fire. It looked like it was about 150 yards up the hill. I immediately began thinking about what important things we needed to grab before jumping in the car and getting the blazes out of here. We began making some quick phone calls and found out that what, in the night looked like a couple hundred yards, was in reality on a ridge about a mile away. A bit more comforting, but not too comforting. I walked back up to the classroom block for a better look and saw that the entire ridge on the hill next to ours was engulfed in flames, with the nighttime wind whipping around like crazy. I watched it for a few minutes, not knowing in what direction it was going to go – down the hill, away from us, or towards us? We spent a couple of restless hours waiting to hear what direction the fire was going before we heard that it was currently heading in the opposite direction. We eventually went to bed and went to a somewhat restless sleep, knowing that people in the area were staying awake to keep an eye on things. As a person who has always had a small fear of fire, I really didn’t like that experience and don’t want to go through it again. PRAY FOR RAIN IN KENYA.

On a happier note, I always like to know I’m doing something or involved with something that is making a difference and doing some good. Sometimes in ministry it can be hard to rate if you are making the kind of difference you desire. Julie reminds me that long-term change is generational. It can take a long time to make real changes. I oftentimes wish it was more like constructing a building where you can watch the progress and see the growth. But sometimes you get little hints that what you are doing is making a difference, and sometimes it comes in unexpected ways. In this case, I needed to go up the hill to “the city” and go to the bank, but Julie had the car. So, I asked one of my students who owns a car for taxiing purposes to drive me to the bank and back. We got to talking while he was driving (as he was driving very fast, I might add). He comes from and grew up in a church that teaches a wealth and health gospel, where the pastor needs to be the example of receiving God’s blessings by being rich and prosperous, and where church leadership/pastorate is a lucrative job opportunity funded by unsuspecting church members. My student Samuel (pronounced Samwel in Kenya) confessed that is what he thought the ministry was all about. Now, however, he says that he has learned that ministry is not about that, that ministry is about teaching the Word of God, sharing the gospel of Jesus, loving people and helping them know about salvation and following Jesus, and equipping the church for discipleship and reaching the nations. Now he wants to return to his own village and take the true gospel of Jesus back to a people who go to church every week but never hear about the true gospel. Making a difference one life at a time, folks. PRAY THAT SAMUEL’S NEWLY FOUND CONVICTIONS WILL STICK AND PERSERVERE UNTIL HE REACHES HIS VILLAGE WITH THE LOVE OF JESUS.

Blessings to all,
Roger, Julie & Chloe

CONTACT INFO

Roger & Julie Tate
Moffat Bible College
P.O. Box 70
Kijabe, Kenya 00220
rojuta@gmail.com

For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.


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Fellowship with Friends & Family

Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

July 30, 2018

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Thank you for taking a few moments to read about what God is doing around us. We thank God for each of you who partner with us as we proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ in Southern France and seek to make disciples to Jesus.

Our son David and his family arrived a few days ago from their home in Chicago to spend a good part of the summer with us. We are delighted by this opportunity to spend precious time with them. It has the added benefit of keeping us younger.

Celebrating grandson Téo’s 4th birthday

Relaxing time with Joachim and Family

Samuel, a young man who trusted Christ and was baptized in our church here in Tournefeuille a few years ago, was united in matrimony with a delightful young lady this past weekend. Though they now live in Paris, the marriage was held here to make it possible for local friends, family and spiritual family to participate. Philip’s family led and presented the music. The bride was saved and baptized in the Paris Center Baptist Church where Samuel is now a member. The mobility of our present world was clearly exemplified by the numerous nationalities of those present. It is a reminder to all of us that God often opens doors to other people groups by bringing them to our doorstep.  Are there others in your community that you need to get to know so that you can present the Gospel in action and word?

Yesterday we had a packed house for the Sunday meeting. This is a bit rare in the month of July which is vacation time. Other than the previous week when nearly everyone in our assembly was out of town, we have had good attendance this summer. We are now studying the letter to the Galatians. One of the men in our assembly has expressed the delight that he sees in this book where we are reminded that God has saved us to set us free. He says that this is quite a contrast to the religion in which he was reared that constantly laid down requirements and never gave assurance.

A couple weeks ago Philip’s family, Judy and I had the privilege of having dinner and an evening of fellowship together with Joachim and his family. He was the first person baptized here. Philip and Amanda were the primary disciplers of this family which was with us for several years. We miss them greatly since they moved away but are grateful that they are actively involved in a good church near Hamburg, Germany.

Thank you for your active participation in what God is doing here and may He make you fruitful as you serve him where you are.

In Christ in France,
John and Judy

John Mark & Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com

For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online


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