February 16-18 (Monday-Wednesday)

Monday morning we started our day at Openhand. Dad encouraged us with a devotional from Psalm 61. We had to leave for Maasai land fairly early, so we did our morning devotional while we ate breakfast. Dad played a praise song sung to the lyrics of that Psalm. He then gave an encouraging word from that Psalm.

The next 4 hours or so we spent in a Land Cruiser heading to Maasai land. The first part of the trip was on asphalt roads. The last half of the trip was a “deep tissue” massage, which is to say, driving “off-the-beaten-path.”

We arrived late morning/early afternoon to the interior Maasai church (named Bethesda Baptist Church of Emukua Dikirr) pastored by Lawrence. We were welcomed with great hospitality (see video from previous blog post).

Tyler began our conference with a sermon from James chapter 1.

We then had a full lunch of goat meat, rice, veggies, potatoes, etc.

I walked around the property to see where they slaughtered the animals. I observed the state of the well (they call it a bore hole) and asked questions of the different Maasai.

The Maasai sit mostly in their own groupings. Women sit together, 20-40 year olds sit together. Older men sit together, etc.

I delivered the 2nd sermon of the day. It was from the end of James chapter 1. “True religion is supporting widows, orphans, etc. be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.”

I heard pastor Lawrence tell Tyler that next year more pastors would come to this particular conference if only fellow pastors (i.e. Tyler and Joseph) spoke. When I told dad this, he remarked, “I guess we have to get ordained.”

A pastor whom we had previously had some reconciliation issues with, came to this conference on our invite. Jacque (who had never met him before) felt this particular pastor came across as a Shyster when she hear him speak later. We pray the reconciliation is sincere.

Our intention for these days with the Maasai included more than just sermons, fellowship, and gift giving. We also intended to paint their church building. This didn’t happened due to rain. However, the rain was a blessing. It had been so hot and dry. The Maasai more then anyone else can appreciate rain as a blessing from God.

Day 2 of our Maasai conference began with us waking up at Alice’s farmhouse in Namanga (town that borders Tanzania). Ray McAllister gave the morning devotional on Psalm 84.

On our drive from “hotel Alice” (as our group affectionately refers to her farmhouse) we spotted a wild Maasai giraffe on the dirt road we were driving upon. I exited the Land Cruiser to get a closer pic. As I came closer to it, I scared it away. It began to jog away into the bush. Not to be deterred, I followed it on foot. I soon saw there was a 2nd Maasai giraffe. I am glad to say I was able to get about 30 yards to them before my group called me back to the Land Cruiser.

Upon arriving at Bethesda church dad began session 1 with a sermon from James 2. These passages dealt with not showing preferential treatment to the wealthy.

Tyler then spoke from James 4.

Following this we enjoyed a full lunch of goat meat, rice, mandazis, etc.

Pastor Joseph delivered the post lunch sermon on John 3:18. He commented that John 3:16 gets all the attention, but John 3:18 was the passage that led him to the Lord after he almost committed suicide.

Jacque then gave a tactile lesson on how God guides us with the rod (later on the Maasai actually gifted Jacque a beaded rod/staff).

The last session of the day was exchanging of gifts and name calling (positive name calling).

Since most of our group already had been given Maasai names last year, only Jordan Wilson and Ray McAllister needed names (by the way, these names are official and legal). Jordan was named Nenkai (daughter of God). Ray was named Lenkai (child of God).

Our team gifted the Maasai widows some female goats. After all, true religion includes taking care of orphans. Jacque was the team member who originally had the idea to gift goats to the widows.

Lastly, Lawrence showed us where their new baptistry was located. It was about 50 yards outside the fenced in church property. It is one Maasai staff wide, by 5-6 Maasai staffs long. Maybe, 1 1/2-2 feet high. It functions as both a baptismal and animal water trough.

Another interesting thing to note for the day was at dinner (back at hotel Alice), Ray Lang broke his plastic chair while eating. This caused uproarious laughter from Jordan.