Dear Friends, I know some of our supporters might wonder why it is so important for us to build a Mission House in Kamaketto. I thought it would be helpful to explain , even as we post pictures of the almost complete house. When Ruthann & I were first in the area, Leroy and Mary loaded us up in the Land Cruiser and took us to the "bush"; the area of the villages in West Pokot . It took us 4 hours of travel, over roads that are mainly up and down mountains, through river beds, and over rocks and deterioration that would challenge the most rugged of Alaskans. It is in this area that the ministry takes place, and the ministry is effective. Now 18 churches, 4 pre schools, transportation for the sick, seed for the farmers and food for the starving is provided. Plans are underway to support the many pastors and Evangelists in this region with ongoing training and teaching in the Bible and doctrine. All this means we must spend time in the "bush". In this region the people live in mud huts that are often no bigger than 10' X 12' - and their entire family lives in there. We have nowhere to sleep without the Mission House.
Even with the Mission House , living there is rustic. No running water, no electricity and no heat or air conditioning. We cook on a propane cook stove, and drinking water is gathered from a rain barrel, from runoff on the roof. In this region it can get over 100f in the day and cold at night in the winter months. We also pray that working witness teams will be led to come form the Churches who support this work. When they come - we need a place for them to sleep off the ground and away from the snakes and insects. We praise the Lord that the Mission House is almost done! Mike.
Michael and Ruthann, I think when I read the blog of May 21 about the Kamaketto Mission House and its PORCH that was to be used as a Church, I felt a connection so I prayed and God spoke to me to study about a PORCH.
ReplyDeleteCould be just for me but I am going to share as I study with ya'll. I could be sharing already known information. I have found that sometimes it is used to confirm something God has spoken to a heart and sometimes softly.
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Solomon’s Porch: Definition
Sol-om-one'; of Hebrew origin shel-o-mo' ; peaceful;
sto-ah'; probably from Greek (histemi); a colonnade or interior piazza : a porch.
A Place of Peace.
Acts 5:12 (King James Version)
12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.
Acts 5:12 (The Message)
12-16 Through the work of the apostles, many God-signs were set up among the people, many wonderful things done. They all met regularly and in remarkable harmony on the Temple porch named after Solomon. But even though people admired them a lot, outsiders were wary about joining them. On the other hand, those who put their trust in the Master were added right and left, men and women both. They even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on stretchers and bedrolls, hoping they would be touched by Peter's shadow when he walked by. They came from the villages surrounding Jerusalem, throngs of them, bringing the sick and bedeviled. And they all were healed.
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Two things jumped out very quickly as I read the above scripture:
1. They All Met Regularly
2. In Remarkable Harmony
God showed many wonderful signs and miracles to the people through the Apostles. This was done as "They all met regularly and in remarkable harmony" on the Temple porch named after Solomon.
• God moving among the people were recognized by the people by these many signs/ miracles. These Miracles demonstrated are called (signs and wonders) in the King James Bible.
• Of the many wonderful things performed through the apostles by God, as I said above, the 2 things that smacked me in the face was meeting REGULARLY and In HARMONY.
I have and maybe others have looked over this and not seen it as a MIRACLE, but then as today I am sure finding harmony among a crowd is hard, yes even and or especially Christians.. For this to be accomplished the people had to all been seeking after the same thing, they had to become
OPEN AND REAL WITH GOD FIRST
THIS OPENED THEM UP TO SEEING THEMSELVES AS THEY WERE
THEN THEY HAD TO ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE OPEN AND REAL TO OTHERS
Much teaching and training in the things of God was done on Solomons Porch. Most people know how they should act and don't want to do wrong against God but a place is needed so that biblical training can be received as to the "how to do it and seen in action."
It was on Solomons Porch that Peter and John was empowered by God to perform there first miracle after the RESURRECTION OF JESUS:
Acts 3:11 (King James Version)
11 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.
Acts 3:11 (The Message)
11 The man threw his arms around Peter and John, ecstatic. All the people ran up to where they were at Solomon's Porch to see it for themselves.
For now I close with this thought is " that porch to be a place where many miracles are to be observed and harmony among the people, we already know regular meetings are going to be held....
HIS WILL BE DONE N US
Donna agranny4
Romans 12:1 (Msg. Bible)