Randy Nickel - African Journey

Email from James Kamu

2008-05-30T11:11:00.000-04:00

Greetings and best regards. Hope you are all doing fine. we are okay here in nairobi.Please let me update you on what is happening here.1) AFTER THE SOCCER CAMP. We have had three successful campaigner meetings and the number has been overwhelming. the teenagers whop accepted Christ did show up and they are eager to continue learning more and more about their relationship with God. it is interesting to see how hungry they are for this information.Joseph the teenager who accepted Christ during a campaigners meeting but had ran away from home after stealing house hold items was accepted back by his parents i had accompanied him to his parents and was bothered on how the parents were going to react. the Father who is a pastor was ready and willing to have him back and prayed that he may not fall again to the trap of the devil. He was amazed to hear that his son had accepted Jesus. He asked me where Joseph will be going to Church and i told him that was upon his son. To his delight, the son chose to serve in his church.2) Networking I have been in touch with several people who are interested in learning about young life. some of these people have been in touch with some younglife staff people from the USA. I have organized a meeting with them on the 24th May 2008. so far Sammy, Mathias, Lawrence, Helen, Lilian and Bridget have responded to the invitation. Am still expecting Richard, Njeri and Kuria to respond to the invitation. after this we shall organize a weekend of training. I am thinking to invite some of the to the camp in Mombasa as work crew, that is if they feel called to do young life.3) KAKAMEGA. Pastor Benson and Pastor Sunny would like me to visit them plus their leaders and the campaigners too. This they had suggested it be on the weekend of 7th-9th of June 2008. They wanted me to lead a retreat for them. It is my kind request if, Steve you will be in a position to support this noble thought of these people especially after most of the leaders leaving them. They are 10 leaders and 16 campaigners. They have found a place and they will require $210 to hold the retreat. My transport is not included. I do feel it is important to visit and encourage them.4) RUIRU.Ruiru Campaigners meetings and Clubs are going on very well. after the soccer camp they have had one two clubs and two campaigner meeting. I have visited them once and i have entrusted Kimani to lead the area which he is doing fine. After the soccer camp the number in their club has improved quite well.AUGUST CAMP.We are gearing up now to the August camp. the teenagers have started registering in Nairobi and ruiru. I have also asked Pastor Benson nad Pastor sunny to start identifying who goes to camp. this time round we ahve put more emphasis on the need for the campers to register at least with Kshs 500.00. We are looking forward for them to comply. I have also been in touch with Matilda and the same is happening too.

Email from Matilda about Soccer camp

2008-05-30T11:09:00.001-04:00

Theae are very true stories which i had from these little mothers from Kamae, I went in as a cabin leader I was in tears. It is so so so sad when you just hear and see the kind of live they are living,some came for the soccer camp hoping that they will get paid after the football match.
Wangare on little girl when we were at cabin told me she HATE Jesus , I was shocked I never had someone use such a strong word like hate on Jesus,i didn`t know where to start talking to this girl,but after cabin i called her aside and we talked and she shared her story with me. her mum was rapped and killed just as she had recived her salary and she was on her way hope when thuggs attacked her and did these bad things to her,wangare is now in an ophanage in kahawa west with her little brother,because her grand mother could not take care of them . The big Question why is she in an ophanage ?Why didn`t God save her mother from death.There mother was a single parent,this Girl is only 9 years old.I hugged her and gave her the story of how Mary mother of God saw his son being crusified on the cross but their was nothing she could do.These are the plans of our creater who decides what is to happen,This little girl accepted Christ after the camp,and my team was second we had a trophy.
Amen,
Lets thank the Lord for everything no matter how good or bad
LETS GIVE HIM THANKS.
Matilda
Younglife Mombasa Kenya,.

Sorry it has been so long

2007-12-20T17:11:00.000-05:00

I have no excuses. I have been neglegent in keeping up on this. I am writing now to ask folks to pray for the upcoming elections in Kenya. So far it has gone well. Pray that it does not divide the country and that the elected leader would lead the country in a positive direction.

My last trip in November was great. We had a great leadership Training in Kakamega.

I will write soon.

Getting Ready to leave

2007-09-09T17:10:00.000-04:00

I leave for my first trip to Africa this year on Thursday. I am heading to Nairobi, Kakamega, and Mombasa. I am excited to see what is happening there. Pray for wisdom for me to see where I can help and where the staff there need the most help. I am taking a recent graduate from BGSU named Kevin Stevens with me. He is planning to spend 3 months in Kenya serving at different oprhanages and going on a medical mission with Harvesters International. The staff I will be with are James and Martin in Nairobi, Benson and Sonny in Kakamega, Matilda in Mombasa, and Simon from Uganda. I appreciate your prayers. If you think of it call Martha and see how she is doing. I wil try to update this as often as possible. Thanks!

Back from London

2007-08-24T18:47:00.000-04:00

We got back from UK. It was a great trip. There were a couple of highlights. There were 80 + of us were at the Pioneer Center. There were 40 + kids from England and US. Of those 40 kids 30 kids stood to say they had decided to follow Jesus. It was great. The other highlight was meeting the new staff and leaders from the UK. There is a couple, Luke & Jennie, who are going on staff in Rencorn, across from Liverpool. They are great. There was a guy named Steve that could lead kids anywhere. A young musician named Sam that was as solid as a rock. God also seemed to be doing something big in Scotland. It sounds like there are some key contacts being generated there. My next trip to Kenya is Sept 13th. Thanks for your prayers.

Letter from Matilda

2007-08-16T14:30:00.000-04:00

Hi Randy,
Sorry for the delay in reply. Our camp ended on the12th , I got very busy .We had 84 kids recieve JESUS out of 140. Praise God for we did see his hand in everything we did in the camp. Steve and Dyan came for two days for the camp, every thing just went they way God had arranged. The days you chose to be in Mombasa are okay with us. Hopingto see you soon but when will you be in Kenya? Please pass my regards to you family,and again THANKS RANDY FOR VOLUNEERING TO BE IN KENYA TO HELP IN THE WORK OF THE LORD AMEN
In Him
MATILDA.

In London

2007-08-16T04:36:00.000-04:00

I am presently in London preparing for a Young Life camp for middle school kids. Yesterday we toured London. We went on a boat up the Thames River. It was a great day. For those that prayed for the camp in Kenya, we had many kids decided to follow Christ. Prise God

Africa is hard

2007-08-06T08:39:00.000-04:00

This just came from a friend of mine named Steve. He lives in Dar, TZ. Thanks for you prayers.

Friends, I am just sending this email from our staff leader James Kamau in Kenya. They are preparing for their first camp and one of the kids scheduled to goto camp--Carol--died of meningitis. Just reminds us of the fragility of life everywhere, but especially in Africa, and the urgency of our work. Pray for their team and the kids as they have camp August 9-12.

In Him, Steve --

Email from Martin Wamalwa

2007-07-30T09:09:00.000-04:00

Thanks a lot bro ; we are in our final preparation of the camp ,if all goes well we shall be taking 50 kids from Nairobi , kindly be our interseser throughout the camp period please we greatful if we know when Brian fr arrives in Nairobi , we miss you and have a blessed week

Mission To the Fatherless

2007-07-29T15:00:00.001-04:00

My friends Herb and Virgina Veith Just got back from Kenya. The new orphanage is really going up. The electricty was installed. It is really exciting! http://www.missiontothefatherless.net/

This last week I was in Hilton Head, SC with two Bay High School seniors. It was a geat time. We met with Ed Hireshman just before he left for Kenya. It was great seeing him. He was the man that took me to Kenya the first time. While we were in Hilton Head we spent two days at The Old Savanah City Mission. We learned alot. Some of the men were in a transition program trying to adjust to being out of prison. They were great guys with a dynamic faith.
Thanks for hosting us Glen! We appreciated it.

Pray for James

2007-07-10T13:42:00.000-04:00

I just talked to my friend James Kamu from Nairobi. He was at the the Young Life camp in Dar es Saalm for the kids from Arusha. They had 60+ kids receive Christ. They have the second camp for kids from Dar starting tommorrow. James had to leave Dar and go home as his sister got ill and passed away in Nairobi. Please pray for their family.

Please pray for

2007-07-09T23:10:00.000-04:00

Just asking folks to pray

Young Life Camp in July in Dar es Salaam Tanzania.
Continued building of Mission To The Fatherless orphanage in Kakamega
Young Life Camp in Mombasa Kenya in August

Email from Martin in Nairobu

2007-06-26T13:28:00.000-04:00

Hi brother,
Sorry it took long to reply to your mail every thing is fine with me. I was glad to hear from you I miss u big waiting for your comming in September. We met Brain and I tell you he is a greatman. I realy realy enjoyed his company. We plan to meet him and if possible to travel with him to Arusha as he goes to Tanga and we go to Dar to run the camp progam. Pray for us bro say hi to your family I long for day to meet them
GOD BLEES UUUUUUUU

Martin Wamala

Pastor Charles from orphanage in Kakamega

2007-06-19T15:13:00.000-04:00

Hi guys.
How is weather there? We are all fine here,with lots of rain within western part of Kenya. Construction is progressing well and by Thursday next week all the houses will be having a roof. I have been trying to send you the pictures of the building but for some reasons the internet here is not able to send. The computers have been down hence not able to send pictures. I am sorry for that, I will send you nice pictures as soon as the computers are able to. God bless you so much as you plan to come.

Pastor Charles

Email from Mombasa

2007-06-16T13:35:00.000-04:00

Hello Randy & Martha,
Sorry for the silence,well we were in Dar for a 15 days training for New younglife staff interns, we were being trained by Ray and Jayne Donatucci from Colorado Boulder. It was great we tourerd Island and went sailing in a cannoe(boat).We did contact work at Ubungo Town in the neighborhood we made friends with alot of teenagers,we also had a club at a high school called (Mwenge High school). I am so glad that you will be coming to Kenya to work with us ,my volunteer leaders are always asking about you and they are so thankful for the Guitor you bought us.Thanks Randy. I know you will be a blessing to many in Kenya.
In Him
Matilda Kiumba.

Email from Kakamega

2007-06-14T11:40:00.000-04:00

Hi Randy,
How to you? We in Kakamega are fine in the Lord, struckling hard with the Ministry Younglife is going well. We are going to Mombasa for the camp. We are supposed to have a team of forty - 40 from kk .I talked to James fom Nairobi. He told me that in July we have a meeting in Tanzania and asked Steve if he can help me and Sonny to atend and have more experience. In the camp we also need prayers bicoz it will be a heavy jouney and we money and we are not well economically. Send my greetings to the family and everyone we know, remember to put us in prayers.

Benson

2007-06-13T11:25:00.000-04:00

This picture is leadership training in Nairobi

First Posting

2007-06-13T11:18:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my new Blog. Thanks to Terence for helping me set this up.