Canadian Baptist Ministries’ Executive Director, Sam Chaise,
preaching at the Africa Brotherhood Church, Starehe, Nairobi
This past week, we had the pleasure of hosting our friends and colleagues Sam and Cindie Chaise, who travelled to Kenya to participate in the Bridge program with our Garissa Church partners. Over the weekend, Sam and Cindie had time to connect with our team mates Wayne and Maureen Morgan, and join Archbishop Timothy Ndambuki for a worship service and fellowship time in Nairobi.
The Chaises had spent several days with our Middle East team based in Beirut, Lebanon, prior to arriving in Nairobi. Today there are now 30 local churches within the Lebanese Baptist Union that are working together in meeting the overwhelming needs of the Syrian refugee crisis. Since the war broke out in Syria, the refugee numbers in Lebanon has ballooned to almost 2,000,000, that is one third of the entire country’s population.
Please join us in praying for the Lebanese Baptist Churches as they with CBM are on the front lines of refugee support within their country.
Members of the Starehe ABC Church sharing tea with our
friends Nancy Wagner, Val Fenn, and Cindie Chaise
Back in Africa, we had some nostalgia this week as our friend and CBM Strategic Associate, Brenda Halk arrived. She and Erica will be spending the next week looking at our women’s initiates in Kenya as well as economic empowerment components of our self help group projects.
In 2004, Brenda and Erica made their first trips to Africa together as they were participants in the CBM Certificate of Ministry program with Gary Nelson. Beyond frequent stops at Java House, the group spent most of their time between the ABC Starehe Church and the slums areas of Nairobi. It just so happened that on Sunday, we spent the day at the Starehe Church with Sam and Cindie Chaise.
The ABC, or Africa Brotherhood Church, is our second national church partner in Kenya. For almost 35 years, Canadian Baptist Ministries has been serving in partnership with the ABC in the areas of education, theological training, community health, and sustainable development.
It was amazing on Sunday to witness the change within is ABC urban church. Since moving to Kenya in 2006, Erica and I have worshipped at Starehe on a number of occasions, but none since 2009. At that time the church services were completely in Kiswahili. We had not anticipated how, in the past few years, the church has completely embraced English. Everything from the five choirs to the scripture reading and prayers,.. even the hymnal was in English which is being used by the young and the old alike.
It was also great to see how every part of the congregation participated in the service, from children with tambourines to youth with guitars and contemporary chorus music.
One highlight was seeing the traditional choirs sing and dance. Whether with instruments or with stamping feet, it was a community of praise!
Sam Chaise making friendly with a couple of warthogs
We are very thankful for Sam and Cindie, for their leadership and their support. After a whirl wind visit, the Chaises returned to Canada on Monday evening. Over the years, Sam has been encouraging us, and our team, in our efforts to strengthen Integral Mission within local churches. Since Sam began his role as CBM executive director in 2010, we have seen major shifts within Africa.
You can read Sam’s regular reflections about Christian life and witness in his blog “Cut to the Chaise”.
Erica and Val visiting the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage
Also visiting this week was our friend and CBM board member, Val Fenn, from Penticton, British Columbia. Val had hosted Erica and Tristan this past June when they were participating in a Baptist Women’s conference where Erica had been speaking about the Guardians of Hope HIV and AIDS ministry in Africa.
Val stopped in to stay with our family for a few days after having volunteered with CBM in Rwanda as part of a short term missions group working with women’s support groups from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Enjoying Ethiopian Night with the Chaises and the Kennys
We want to thank you for reading our blog and for your continued prayers and support. May God bless you this week, and may your path lead you into wonderful and unexpected conversations and encounters.
Blessings and prayers
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