KENYA, EAST AFRICA
In 1998, Gregg Garner was invited to be the musician for a team serving in Western Kenya. It was on that eye-opening, two-month immersion trip, of which Robert Munoz was also in attendance, that Gregg recounts...
" I was propelled into the kind of maturation, where the responsibility for what you've become aware of impacts what you decide to do with your life. It wasn't just a personal issue anymore, it had become a moral one. If I didn't respond to the needs of the vulnerable women, children and families that I had encountered, then I was in the wrong. So I got very serious about what I was going to do about poverty after that trip. When I initially returned to the States, I was a mixture of anger, drive and brokenness. I didn't sleep in a bed for months (as well as a couple other behavioral changes) as my personal way of protesting the comforts of my environment. I couldn't bring myself to rest without coming up with a way, an effective way, to do something about what I saw, not just in Azusa, or Mexico, but now also in Africa."
In 2000, a team of five (Gregg, Tara, Robert and Jason, plus a fifth) journeyed with their tent, less than $100, and some bottled water, to the Central Province at the foothills of Mt. Kenya to begin a relationship with a group of people introduced as "The Jumping People."
Without a guide, the team set out to the forest to meet with a man named Rukenya and his family. That night in the dark, with only one kerosene lamp, a very fruitful relationship began. It was from this relationship that all of our activity in East Africa would spring forth.
In 2002, we commenced the building of a multipurpose training center which still stands in tact today. It continues to serve as a place to host everything from village meetings to seminars for local leaders.
It was also from this area of Kenya that we would meet Rueben Ndwiga and Simon Njeru - two of our current cooperatives for East Africa - and two of our longest standing cooperative relationships with indigenous peoples.
These men and their families are highly involved in our work in East Africa, including our activity in Uganda.
We also maintain a relationship with Rukenya in the Central Province, including a relationship with his son Njeru, after all these years.
So many wonderful stories came out of this time of service in Kenya, East Africa.
The Early Years in Kenya
Excavation
We were given a small plot to build our first multi-purpose training center in 2002. Local builders, experts called "fundi's" helped us to level out the land and compact it by hand.
Framing
African lumber isn't like American lumber. It's hard, still a bit wet (we actually chainsawed the trees) and the nails are almost impossible to drive in.
This was a picture of an un-finished classroom.
The doors were built by hand, carved by This is a picture of an un-finished classroom.
craftsman on-site.
Completed Main Room
This room would host hundreds, upon hundreds of people in educational seminars. Just recently (August 2014), Ruben Ndwiga hosted locals for a biointensive gardening seminar in this room.
2 months into the Project
This was the progress after two months of work, six days a week.
Seminars
After the building was framed out and the floors were done, we immediately started hosting seminars in the bible, health care, farming, and life management skills.
Otto's Soccer Ball
This ball was donated by Otto Price and his family (yes, the bass player for DC Talk). We held onto it until this moment where we saw an entire school at recess playing with a makeshift ball of plastic bags.
Teaching - On multiple occasions, Gregg was asked to teach the bible for over 10 hours straight! This was one of those days.
The training center was home to numerous bible studies, conferences, and seminars. While community leaders and pastors were in high attendance, we also taught women, farmers and young people--some of them becoming our most committed students. This talk was so memorable from Luke 16.
Worship
Gatherings were filled, not only with
learning God's Word, but with celebrating the goodness of it through worship. Our friends in East Africa know how to sing and dance, and do it with all of their energy in praise of God.
Books: We not only taught the Bible while on-site, but we distributed supplemental materials for individuals hungry to learn God's Word to deepen their understanding.
Nu Nation Summer Internship
During our "Nu Nation" Summer Internship in 2005, a number of interns felt God call them to East Africa. To this day, a majority of the Africa regional team is comprised of individuals who interned with G.O.D. that summer.
Institute East Africa
Kenya was the first location where we began our international Institute for G.O.D. International. The training center allowed the space for such an opportunity.
Interns
G.O.D. Summer Interns in 2004 painted the training center, among other projects, ensuring that the training center could function as a sufficient learning space.
Prayer
Worship and prayer regularly brought us to our knees, humbled both by the burden of need we experienced and the nearness of God in trying to help.
Core Group
This is a core group of students who had been learning the Word with us. Some of these individuals still serve as cooperatives with our organization. Others have taught the Bible in their local communities.
Japhet and Moses
These men have continued to study the Word of God, and teach it in their own villages throughout Central Kenya. Their villages have been recipients of food, clothing, and other assistance in times of great need.
Discussion
Brandon Galford converses with another bible student during a break at a bible seminar. The prevalence of English speakers in East Africa has allowed even new participants to engage in theological conversations with Kenyans and Ugandans.
Health Care
Heather Munoz and Celesta Bargatze (now both midwives) teach a health seminar to a group of women. Empowering mothers with life-saving knowledge about sanitation, hydration and malaria prevention is of utmost concerns in our efforts.
Heather Munoz, Tara Garner and Celesta Bargatze (not pictured here) began their journey into maternal health after being impacted by the needs of mothers and babies in East Africa. Tara founded and directs the Childbirth Education program at the Institute. Heather and Celesta are our organization's first midwives.
Gregg Garner teaches on Man's Desire (or will) versus God's will, while Nicolas Njeru translates. Understanding that God has a will that is meant to be followed is necessary in trying to work with him in the world.
Simon Njeru is a farmer from Central Kenya who was impacted by our teachings at the training center near his home. However, before coming to those times, he was an invalid, dying in his room unable to walk because of a major work accident. Our team went to pray for him and God healed him. Today Simon functions as a G.O.D. East Africa cooperative today (15 years later). He and his wife, Irene, moved to our land in Uganda to partner with our efforts there.
Left: Gregg Garner was helpful in facilitating not only bible studies, but also in hearing community concerns from local leaders, and assisting them in finding solutions.
Right: Dancing in worship is just necessary to fit in amongst believers in East Africa. Many summer interns found great freedom learning from our African friends how to truly worship, with their body, soul and strength.
In 2005, hundreds of individuals came to hear the Bible taught. The Lord was very present to not only transform people's minds through the Word of God, but to touch people physically so that they could find healing.
So many individuals, from grandmothers to little babies, were sick with prevailing health concerns that they could not afford to 'fix.' We believed that God could heal them, prayed for them, and watched him faithfully respond.
These men were deeply impacted by our biblical teachings, and remained in ministry with us for many years, some of them still bonded with us today. John Gatanga, front right, said "No one took a chance on me. My whole life, I had nothing. But G.O.D. believed I could be something."
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