I am going to write about the present situation of the Log
Church orphanage with all that is happening with covid-19 tomorrow, but today
I would like to let you know about what is happening in the church itself:
Many churches here in the US are scrambling to try and
figure out how to carry on during this time of quarantine and isolation, including
our Log Church of Tripoli.
But the Log Church of Kenya, as they face a similar
prohibition against meeting, seems to have no problem about what to do. The
people there think that it is the ideal time to build!
Pastor Joel has been writing to me for months, telling me
about how crowded they are in their present church structure and the need to
build a bigger building. I would say that their present building would hold
about 200 people at the absolute maximum. Think of the most crowded subway
train or airport transfer bus that you have ridden, and that is what 200 people
would be inside that church building.
But before the coronavirus shutdown, more than 350-450 people
were showing up for church every Sunday. That is only at the church in Matagaro, apart from the Log Church at Nyakembene where there are about 250 others.
The church at Matagaro had two services, but even that
did not answer every need. In addition, when the services are three to four
hours long, it can make for a very tiring day.
The solution—build new structure. The building fund? There
is no fund. One of the men from the church has donated his eucalyptus trees to
make the wooden frame for what will be a wattle and daub building (a mud
building).
But for the other components of the building, which Joel
lists as “cements, sandy, 120 metal sheets, and hardcore for the floor,” these
things require actual cash money, something of which they have very little.
God has not put me in the place of helping financially with
this need. All the money that is sent to me goes for the orphan needs only. But
I nevertheless will say that if you are so moved to help with these building
costs, I surely can get the money to them for this purpose—or you yourself can
send it. You can contact me and ask how.
I admire this people who press on with the work that God has
given them to do despite conditions that none of us have ever faced and which I
would guess never have even encountered. On the news these days we see long
lines of cars or people lined up for food here in the US. This is a difficulty
that our nation has seldom seen, but in Kisii, Kenya, there are no lines for
free food because there is no free food—except for that food freely given by
God.
Nevertheless, the people push ahead with the work that God
has given them to do. I like these words from the prophet Haggai about the
situation in his day:
“These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.’”
Then the word of the LORD came
saying: “Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while
this house lies in ruins?”
Now this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Consider carefully your ways. You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but never get warm. You earn wages to put into a bag pierced through.”
I have seen no paneling on the walls of any of the houses that I visited in Kisii, except for old newspapers pasted to keep out the draft and bugs, but the people have decided to build the house of worship.
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If you would like to help the children of the Log Church Orphanage of Kisii, Kenya, you may make your check out to “The Log Church” and write “Orphans” on the memo line.
Send it to:
The Log Church
PO Box 68
Tripoli, Wisconsin 54564
Every nickel given in this way will be used for only aid for the orphans. It will be used for purchasing food, clothing, schooling, and other necessities of living. Nothing is held back or diverted for any other purpose
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