Tim and Gertrude Wambunya - Kenya |
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Prayer Letter October 2009
GREAT GRADUATION!
Saturday 24th October 2009 was certainly the greatest highlight of our 18 months here at Carlile College. The new Archbishop of Kenya, Eliud Wabukala was chief guest on our graduation day when 77 students graduated from Carlile College School of Theology and 30 from the School of Business Studies.
It was exciting to see these students graduate because many had experienced serious financial and family challenges.
Many had been in and out of College looking for fees while at the same time trying to provide for their families. Some had sat for special exams because the College Board had decided no one would sit their final exams unless they cleared their fees arrears. Very few students succeeded as the task was simply overwhelming given the current economic circumstances. So we called them back to sit their final exams. Now we have a financial crisis but also 77 happy school of theology graduates - some already commissioned and serving God across the region.
We praise God for what the students have achieved given the extraordinary circumstances of the past year.
Our guest preacher was Rob Martin, a Crosslinks Mission partner, serving as Bishop in the Muslim dominated, rough and semi-arid Marsabit Mission Area. He delivered and excellent sermon on servant hood and excellence
FORUM ON CORRUPTION
The day before the graduation, the Archbishop was again our guest at a forum organised by our department of research in mission and social transformation to discuss corruption in Kenya.
He chaired a discussion panel at a gathering of over 100 people from church and society.
Corruption is so rampant in Kenya that it is not unusual for Christians to offer or receive bribes.
So we see this as an important contemporary ministry issue we must address if the gospel is to succeed.
SCHOOL OF MISSION
Two weeks ago we had our inaugural five day school of mission.
This is a new programme designed to provide practical ‘tools’ for evangelism. This year we taught students how to use the ALPHA tool.
It was exciting to see how this ALPHA conference inspired them.
One refuge student from war torn Congo said after the course that it had convinced him after 10 years away to return to his country to share the gospel.
Before the conference he had thought he would never go back to face the danger and hardships he had left behind. We are grateful to the team from Holy Trinity Brompton in London for facilitating such an outstanding conference.
SCHOOL OF PREACHING
We have just begun preparations for the second School of preaching this year. Doug Johnson, another Crosslinks mission partner serving at AICMAR in western Kenya will lead a team to facilitate the school. We have now had four schools of preaching since we arrived and already we are seeing huge improvements when students preach in chapel.
HONORARY DOCTORATE
It came as a big surprise to receive an Honorary Doctor of Ministry Degree from one of our partners for my efforts in promoting African evangelical scholarship within the African context. This should inspire me to complete my Doctor of Philosophy Degree.
CONCORD UNIVERSITY
Carlile continues to pursue the Concord University dream. In June this year, we came so close to being awarded a letter of interim authority that would have allowed us to offer degree certificates but unfortunately our partner institution who had agreed to provide facilities for the interim sit had a change of mind. This really was a huge setback given the amount of energy, time and resources we had invested in pursuing this letter. We are back to the drawing board.
TIM JNR SHINES IN HIS CE EXAM RESULTS
When we finally received Tim Juniors common entrance exam results he asked me why we had been so worried.
The fact is, his mock exam results were a bit shocking especially looking at his religious studies grade. We were thinking if he couldn’t pass religious studies what could he pass.
So we went into serious panic mode like all parents do... extra tuition and prayer etc. We resisted the temptation of saying ‘Dad is governor in your school so you must not let him down’
We praise God for the way Tim responded to our extra efforts to help him and his final results. He is now very happy at St Andrew’s Turi Senior School.
OKARI AND DAVID
Okari in year 7 and David in Year 4 are very happily settled at Kenton School in Nairobi. We are pleased with the progress they are making in their studies. Both are in celebration mood since their house won the cross-country challenge. Okari is long champion for the time being (i.e. during training sessions). David has also recently received a singing certificate. So every conversation at home is a ‘song’
GERTRUDE AND TIM SNR
Gertrude is doing fine although she has had to be admitted into hospital twice in the last six months for various medical issues. One emergency visit was a bit frightening but we thank God all is well now. Two months ago Tim Senior had to go into hospital for a suspected heart condition. Thank God it wasn’t that – just overworking and no rest.
NO CLEAN BREAK YET!
Frankly speaking, it has become almost impossible to get a clean break to recover from the many challenges that we met when we arrived last year. We have also discovered that college and school holidays don’t automatically mean a break for us. We still have several board and sub-committee meetings to prepare for as well as planning for the next semester.
Travel is stressful and difficult. I often have to leave the house at 6.30am to avoid the morning traffic and return from the college at 7.00pm to avoid the evening traffic. College is only 12 miles away but on a bad morning it could take 2 hrs if leave after 6.30am. We chose to live where we are so the children didn’t have to travel far to school. It is working well for them but not so well for Dad.
ENCOURAGING VISITS
Joan Hewitt, our Church Warden from Emmanuel Church Hornsey Road visited us in the summer.
The visit made us all a little ‘homesick’ – especially the boys who have already starting planning what they will do when we visit the UK next year for church visitations.
Also a team from St Mary’s Basingstoke one of our supporting Churches visited a few weeks ago.
They provided much needed inspiration to continue with our ministry here.
Such visits are most refreshing. We wish we could have more people and churches visit.
PRAYER ISSUES
- Give thanks for our graduates
- Pray for students separated from their families and the hardship they experience.
- Pray for the difficult financial choices the college is facing and for enough resources to run the College - that more will give to -The Bursary Fund - The Emergency Fund
- Give thanks for the popularity of our programmes
- Pray for the Concord University dream
- Give thanks for the public endorsement we have received from the Archbishop.
- Pray for good health
- Pray for stamina and faithfulness
- Give thanks for those who provide us with financial, prayer and moral support.
- Pray for peace and security
- Pray for a clean break to rest
- PRAY FOR BETTER AND REGULAR COMMUNICATION – the internet is not entirely to blame
In Christ,
Tim, Gertrude, Tim Junior, Okari & David Wambunya