Korokocho Crusade

I was honored to be able to sing with Marigold Cheshier, Lori Loomis, and Gevena Rutkowski. Mike Cheshier presented the gospel with an interpreter. Many came to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Korokocho Children

Korokocho

Africa Day 5 Nairobi Christian Center

I wanted you to see that this church has all the modern conveniences for worship. Piano, drums, sound system, etc. This service is the English service. The second service is the Swahili service. They sang songs in English, but when they switched to Swahili, then we saw their true worship.

And I just had to get this little girl dancing before the Lord.

Africa Day 5

January 31, 2010
Today is Sunday. We all divided up to go to the different churches in Nairobi. Each of the pastors on our team preached at a church. I went with Mike and Marigold Cheshier to Nairobi Christian Center, the largest church in Nairobi. It is pastured by the general superintendent of the Kenya Assemblies of God. We had 2 services, one in English and one in Swahili.
Mike spoke on John 1:29 The master theme of the Bible, the scarlet thread that winds its way through the Scriptures. “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the4 world.” It begins with Adam and Eve, when God clothed them in animal skin after the fall. It doesn’t say what animal it is but because a lamb is used throughout the Bible for sacrifices, we assume it was a lamb. Then Able offered up a good sacrifice of a lamb for himself (one person). Moses taught the people to offer a lamb for the Passover, one lamb for a family. At the giving of the 10 commandments, a lamb was offered for the nation. Then Jesus became the sacrificial lamb for the world.
He used the courtship of marriage here in Kenya. The groom has to pay a bride price. Jesus did that for his bride. Then the bride goes to the grooms house for a meal. He passes a cup across the table to her and if she accepts it , she is saying she accepts his proposal of marriage. This is the sam thing we are doing when we take communing and take the cup of his blood. We are saying, I accept your proposal of marriage.
We went to the ghetto again tonight for the last time. There were many people there. It is estimated over a thousand. When we arrived the platform was already set up and a group from the local church was singing. The people in the congregation were dancing and singing to the music. After the message, Mike asked people to raise their hands if they wanted to accept Christ. There was a lady sitting beside me who raised her hand. When he asked them to come forward for prayer, she hesitated, so I told her I would go up with her. I took her hand and led her up to the platform. She stayed there with her hand raised and repeated the prayer Mike told them to pray. Then they had all the people move down the street a little bit where someone could talk to them in more detail.
The new church that was started there reported over 100 children and 7 adults on the first Sunday service this morning. Praise the Lord!!!
It was a hard thing to leave tonight when it was time. The children were clinging to us and asking if we were coming back. Of course, we had to tell them no. They all wanted to be touched. I would lay my hand on their heads and say ‘God bless you.’ Then others who heard came looking to me for that blessing as well. It seemed it was never ending. The children who were carrying a baby wanted us to touch the baby as well. They didn’t want them left out.

Africa Day 4

January 30, 2010
Thank you, Lord, for a wonderful night’s sleep. I only woke up once in the night and didn’t get out of bed. Slept until 7:30 am – 8 ½ hours of sleep. The most I’ve slept in one night in a long time.
We had a wonderful time of devotions and prayer this morning. Mike used Acts 17:16-34 and I Cor 2:1-5 to talk to us about not coming to people with our limitations but with the demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit.
“From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth, and He determined the times set for them and the exact places they should live.” This should give us peace in these times of uncertainty in the world.
“I came to you in weakness, and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power.”
We prayed especially for Mikey in the Congo and his ministry, for Jimmy’s back (facing surgery when he returns), Judy’s shortness of breath episodes, Nancy’s cysts in her breasts, and Rick’s healing. It was a wonderful time of waiting on the Lord. We didn’t want to leave the room the presence of the Lord was so strong.
I am believing that Rick is going to come out of the darkness that he is in and be transformed into a soldier of God. It was 3:30 am at home when we were praying. Thank you Jesus!!!!!
We were again at the ghetto today for the crusade – Koro Kocho. We had singing by the nationals, and by Marigold’s group. There were quite a few testimonies and Mike preached. There were more that came to be saved this time.
The children are so in need of attention. When you pay attention to one child, all the others come to you. If you touch one the others want to be touched. While praying during the alter call, I was praying with one child and all the others started looking at me. I started praying for each one, laying my had on their head. At the end of the prayer time, one child stood right up next to me. I put my hand on her chest while she leaned on my leg. She just stayed there. Then she worked to get her hands under my hand so that I was holding both her hands with my one hand. Finally I took each of her hands in each of mine and was swaying with the music. She started swaying with me. Her name is Margaret. She is so sweet. While I had my hand on her chest, I could feel her breathing. She had a lot of congestion in her chest. Her nose was running. I prayed for her healing. I hope I see her tomorrow.
I am going with Mike and Marigold to church tomorrow. They are preaching and singing at a very big church here. I am looking forward to being in a native Kenyan church.

Africa Day 3

January 29, 2010
I woke up a couple of times in the night but went right back to sleep. But then I woke up at 5:30 and couldn’t go back to sleep. I laid in the bed thinking. At 6 am the sky started to lighten and I decided to get up and take my shower. I couldn’t get the shower to work so used a cup to pour the water on me, soap up and then rinse off. I washed my hair under the faucet. When I turned the water off, the shower came on. How strange. I don’t know what I did to make it come on.
We went down stairs to a beautiful buffet for breakfast. They had very nice fruit, omelets, potatoes, bacon, fried bananas, and pastries. I am not sure how we are going to lose weight. 
Our devotions this morning was from Luke 9 & 10 and Mark 16. Mike Cheshier wanted us to know the authority we have as we go into the ghetto to minister.
“Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them.”
“Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals: and do not greet anyone on the road; when you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house. If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him: if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do no move around from house to house. When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. L Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.”
“Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
We are going to be planting a church in the ghetto. Up to this point it is Satan’s territory, but he has to flee in Jesus’ name. We are God’s chosen army to go into this area that Satan owns and pull down strongholds.
We went to the market today. It was a very nice place, but peddlers calling out to you all the time. Some of the women, who are used to bartering, helped us purchase some very nice items.
We ate at a nice open air food court, got Chinese food. And then came back to the hotel to get ready for tonight’s crusade. Marigold and Lori asked me to sing with them. How exciting.
After a short break, we put on our boots and climbed into the vans to go to the ghetto where 500,000 people live in a 2 mile radius. No running water and no septic facilities. There was raw sewage running down the streets. The guys set up a stage with a sound system and we had church. Marigold, Lori and I sang 3 songs for them and then Mike preached. There were quite a few who came forward to receive Jesus as their savior. We got out right away so that we would not be there after dark. The children were so needy for attention. There is a church school there for them and they were singing the songs they had learned in school. “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.” And others. They kept singing the same songs over and over to keep our attention. It is so sad to see them in such an environment. Some of the girls about 7 years old were carrying a younger sibling on their backs. They were all dirty and jumping over the stream of sewage. It was good to be able to love on them for a little while.
Then we went to eat at the Java House where we got guacamole bacon cheeseburgers French fries, and ice cream. By the time we finished eating we were all dragging and ready to go back to the hotel and go to bed.
Thank you, Lord, for a wonderful day!

Africa Day 2

January 28, 2010

We arrived in Amsterdam about 12 mn ET. Lori and Roger and their group got here about 30 minutes later. While waiting for them to arrive we were sitting at a bar of an eating place that wasn’t opened. We were facing out to the concourse. People kept stopping by to ask us directions. They thought we were information people sitting behind a counter. It was funny. We just sent them down the concourse to the main terminal. 

It was really good to see Roger and Lori. They are just the same as they have always been. It is just like we had never been apart. We have about 4 hours here before leaving for Kenya. We went to McDonalds to eat a little and now we are at the gate waiting for our flight. Lori says we will have to go thru security again here.

We got into the Nairobi airport at 8 pm local time, went thru customs, found our bags and came to our hotel. After getting settled, it was about 11 pm and we went to bed. Our room was pretty hot and the air conditioner wasn’t doing much, so we left the door open to the outside. It brought in much appreciated cool air.

It was good to get horizontal. 

Africa Day 1

January 27, 2010
Well, I’m in the airport in Greensboro waiting for my flight. I checked both bags free. Praise the Lord! And they were under 50 lbs. My carry on bag is pretty big. It might not fit in the overhead bin. We will have to see. But someone just came and gave me a tag for my bag to be stored in the cargo place. I guess that means that the plane I’m flying on now is going to be a small plane. It is a Comair flight.
I told Rick a couple of days ago that I was going to Africa. He was alert and really seemed to understand what I was saying. His eyes got really sad and he shook his head very slightly ‘no’. He was close to tears and it took him a good part of the evening to get over it. He hasn’t seemed to be upset at all since that first time I told him. But I have noticed that he has been clinging more to me than usual. When I put him to bed the last few nights he would hug me and hold me. I wonder if he remembered that I was going away.
This morning when I took Rick to the center I told him again that I was going on a mission trip to Africa. He rubbed his eyes a few times, and said yes several times. I prayed with him and sang with him. When we got to the center, I took him in and kissed him goodbye. He was smiling and joking with me by not really kissing me. He walked into the room without problems. I think he will be fine.
Everyone has prayed for me for a safe trip. I know that God is with me and will keep me in his care.
Stan and Katherine Glover brought me to the airport. I’m glad they did, because 2 big suitcases, plus my carry-on’s would have been a lot to handle by myself.
Shortly I will be meeting, Harry Yates and Celecia Cutts. Also, Eric and Jim. Yeah!
I boarded the plane and it taxied out to the runway and then the captain said there was a mechanical difficulty. So we taxied back to the gate and waited an hour while they fixed it. Then we were able to leave. We were in the air 1 hr and 15 min. The hour delay made us late from many of the connecting flights.
My flight was to leave in an hour but was already boarding. I had to go thru the tunnel from one concourse to another. I was walking as fast as I could using the moving walkways. I stopped to see what time it was and if I had time to go to the bathroom. I figured I had 30 minutes yet. So I stopped. I was only a little way from the gate.
I was back in the concourse coming on another moving walkway, trying to figure if I should ride it or go beside it. My gate was just at the end of it. When the intercom said, “Will passenger Joyce Coburn come go gate A60 immediately.” Then I started running. I was already winded from walking fast. Running didn’t last too long. They could see me coming. They rescheduled my seat, giving me an aisle seat, instead of an inside seat. I thought that was nice of them.
Then I boarded the plane, hoping I would be sitting near Harry and Celecia. The flight attendant told me to go across the plane to the second aisle. As I turned into the aisle, I saw Harry coming at me from the back of the plane. What a relief to know I had met up with my group. I proceeded to my row and there was a man sitting in the seat I had been assigned. There was another seat in the middle that was empty. I told him I was supposed to have the aisle seat. He got up and moved to another seat. I think he was just picking as seat and sitting in it. But if the gate people hadn’t reassigned my seat, I would have been sitting in the middle with no spare room. As it is, Harry and Celecia are on the left of the row of 4 and I am on the right with the seat next to me empty. How wonderful. It makes for a very comfortable ride.
They served supper. It consisted of a tossed salad, a pasta dish, a roll and butter, crackers and cheese and a brownie. It was very nice. I didn’t get lunch. I just snacked on my chex mix while waiting to board the plane in Greensboro. I was glad I had made it.
I watched a movie, tried to play solitaire, but had a hard time figuring out the controls. Then decided I would try to sleep. It is good and dark and the cabin is quiet. But I couldn’t get sleepy. So I decided to write in my journal. It is only 7:30 pm. So not really time to be tired.
We arrive in Amsterdam at 5:55 am their time. That will be about 12 mn for us. We will meet up with Roger and Lori Loomis and the others there.

God's Promise

I saw this on facebook today. What a wonderful promise. I will keep it with me as I go to Africa next week.

“I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” Jer 20:11 The Message

This is another post on facebook. How true!

We cannot say with our mouths, "I trust God," and then allow our emotions to be upset and our thoughts to run wild.

Pre Africa trip

Yesterday at church, Dawn Creason told me that Jacob prays for my Africa trip mentioning my name every day. What a blessing this is, for a young child to be remembering me in prayer.

I saw him on facebook today so I posted a comment to him as follows:

Face book post.

Joyce Hightower Coburn
Hey, Jacob. Thank you so much for praying for me. I really appreciate it. I know your prayers will have a big part in what I can accomplish for God while I am in Africa. I hope to have good pictures and journal for you to see when I get back. You are a blessing. :)

Jacob Creason
Ur welcome u will be in Gods arms when ur there, I know it

Joyce Hightower Coburn
Thanks, Jacob. I pray you will keep your tender heart towards God as you grow in Him. Blessings.

Jacob Creason
That means alot to me thanku

Also, at church yesterday Karie Mixon told me that God impressed on her to tell me that whatever I have been concerned or worried about will be taken care of. I take that to be 1. Arrangements for Rick while I’m away. 2. Tamara’s spiritual condition. 3. Rick’s healing. Thank you, Jesus, for your faithfulness!