perry eric melodie 1996 kenya

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CHRISTI N MISSION RY

FELLOWSHIP

rayer Newsletter

Eric

and

Melodic

Perry

Ministry with

theNarokChurch

ITERACY

work MONGTHE

Maasai ribeof

Kenya

P.O.Box 501020

I n d i a n a p o l i s ,IN

6250-6020

317-578-2700

THE

PERRYPOST

God s

OnThe Move

Someof he most ramatic and formational

lessons

of

S c r i p t u r e

o c c u r r e d

when

God

e d

His p e o p l e on

a

j o u r n e y . The s r a e l i t e s

r e c e i v e d

t h e

commandments

f o r l i v i n g a s

God p e o p l e

on h e i r way r o m E g y p t t o

Canaan.

The i s c i p l e s r e c e i v e d

a m a j o r i t y of h e i r

t e a c h i n g a s

t h e y f o l l ow e d

J e s u s a r o u n d P a l e s t i n e .

I n our m i n i s t r i e s

and n t h e

l i v e s

of h e

p e o p l e

w e

work with,we ave seen t h a t our God s a God

on

the

move,

nd

h a t t h e c a l l t o f o l l o w

c a n

mean

a t r i p

down a u s t y r o a d o r a w a l k

on

a t r a i l from a q u a r r y

to

a

church.

OnThe Road ToEwaso Ng'iro

A ew i n g e r i n g r e m a i n s

of avement mark

h e main

a r t e r y between

Narok

and

h e

world-famous Maasai

Mara game a r k . About e n m i l e s out of arok i e s a

l i n e

of

m a l l shops and

t h e

b a r r a c k s f o r

t h e

Kenya

W i l d l i f e S e r v i c e .

The Ewaso

N g ' i r o

R i v e r f low s

b e t w e e n

t h e town

and CMF's a a s a i T r a i n i n g

C e n t e r ,

where

we

moved

a s t

December

and now

make

our

home.

The

move

was a i v o t a l

one

o r b o t h

of

ur m i n i s

t r i e s . For Mel, t means a more e n t r a l

l o c a t i o n

f o r

t h e d e v e l o p i n g of

a t e r i a l s i n Maasai and

o v e r s e e i n g

t h e M a a s a i l i t e r a c y p r o g r a m .

F o r

E r i c ,

moving

f f e r e d

a v i s i b l e s i g n

t h a t

t h e l e a d e r s h i p of

h e

Narok h u r c h

was

h i f t i n g from t h e m i s s i o n t o t h e

l o c a l l e a d e r s .

His

w e e k l y

m i n i s t r y

s c h e d u l e a f f i r m s t h e m i s s i on s

p r e s e n c e

a t t h e church

b u t ,

a l so , l e a v e s freedom o r

t h e

l e a d e r s h i p

t o o p e r a t e

w i t h o u t c o n s t a n t o v e r s i g h t .

On TheTrail

From The

Quarry

I f

you wander u p h e s t e e p p a t h t h a t

l e a d s

from

Narok

town o

t h e

q u a r r y ,

you i l l f ind a

r o a d

t h a t

s k i r t s t h e e d g e of

h i l l and e v e r a l

c o r r i d o r s

o f g r a v e l

p i l e d h i g h .

I f

you

a s k

anyone

h e r e ,

Where

s

H e s b o n ? , one of h e

many

e o p l e w i l l l e a d you o on

of h e

main

b u i l d i n g

b l o c k s

of

h e Narok

Chu rch o

C h r i s t

(NCC).

H e s b o n

G o v o g a

i s a Luya

by r i b e ,

b o r n

i n Kakamega

D i s t r i c t . He a l l s Narok home e c a u s e

he

owns

p l o

H e s b o n

G o v o g a : L a y i n g t h e f o u n d a t i o n of h r i s t o r

h i s

n e i g h b o r s i

Narok.


2/4

t h e r e .

He a s l i v e d i n

N a r o k s i n c e

1 9 6 3 . P h i l i p

Lemein,

one of h e o t h e r e l d e r s ofNCC,

e r v e d

a s

h e a d m a s t e r

when

Hesbon t t e n d e d p r i m a r y

s c h o o l .

The

p a t h

f o r

Hesbon d i d

n o t

a l w a y s l e a d t o t h e

c h u r c h .

T h e r e w a s

a

t i m e when i s

j o v i a l

l a u g h c o u l d

b e h e a r d i n a b a r .

When

i s s i o n a r y Don Johnson

s e r v e d

a t

NCC, esbon

b e g a n

a t t e n d i n g t h e B i b l e

s t u d i e s

Don a u g h t . He

c c e p t e d

J e s u s

a s h i s

L o r d i n

1991

as

a esult of hose

studies.

Because

of

is

f a i t h f u l n e s s , s t a b i l i t y ,

a n d

d e d i c a t i o n t o p r a y e r , h e h a s

served

a s

a n elder

of

N

ince

1995.

The i f t s h e

b r i n g s

t o t h e g r o u p a r e

a d m i n i s t r a t i o n ,

t h o u g h t f u l n e s s ,

and

humor.

I t i s n o t

uncommon

o r a

d e a d l o c k a t

an e l d e r s '

m e e t i n g

t o

b e

b r o k e n w i t h a

k i n d

l a u g h and a

a s a l b a s s

c a l l i n g u s t o a s e n s e of

o r d e r . Then

Hesbon l e a r l y

d e s c r i b e s a p l a n

of

c t i o n

p r e s e n t e d i n s u c h a

way

h a t a l l f e e l

t h e y

h a v e b e e n

h e a r d .

He nows

h e town

and t s

p e o p l e .

He a n c o n v e r s e

i n

( a t

l e a s t ) f i v e l a n g u a g e s .

H i s

c a r e

i s

e v i d e n t e v e r y

T h u r s d a y a f t e r n o o n d u r i n g t h e

e l d e r s v i s i t s .

Hesbon p l a n s t o b e g i n

a home i b l e

s t u d y

a s

an

o u t r e a c h t o h i s n e i g h b o r h o o d

t h i s month. The

t u d y

w i l l m e e t a t h i s h o u s e . P l e a s e , p r a y

t h a t

a s h i s l i f e was

t o u c h e d

b y

u c h

a

t u d y , t h a t h e ,

i n t u r n ,

w i l l g u i d e

o t h e r s t o t h e p a t h of God and

H i s

Church t h r o u g h

t h e

B i b l e s t u d y a t

h i s

home.

Finishing

The

aceOf aith

Our

r i e n d

and e l l o w m i n i s t e r , M a t a y o

O l e N c h o s h o i ,

d i e d from c o m p l e t e r e n a l f a i l u r e on F e b r u a r y 1 7 ,

1 - 9 9 6 ,

in Narok. He

a s

in h i s l a t e 30s.

Matayo a s a g i f t e d p a s t o r , a

d y n a m i c

w o r s h i p l e a d e r ,

a c o n t r i b u t o r t o t h e M a a s a i

s o n g b o o k ,

a n a d u l t

l i t e r c y t e a c h e r ,

a a t h e r , and community e a d e r .

Over

two h u n d r e d

p e o p l e

f r o m a l l

o v e r M a a s a i l a n d

attended the

funeral at

his

home

t

O l o m b o k i s h i .

E r i c

p r e a c h e d

t h e

sermon t

t h e

f u n e r a l . The e x t

w a s

2 imothy

: 6 - 8 .

M a t a y o ' s l a s t

d a y s

w e r e

a

r e m a r k a b l e

t e s t i m o n y

of

f a i t h . I n e a r l y

F e b r u a r y ,

we went i t h

o u r

t e a m m a t e s ,

t h e J o h n s o n s , t o

i n f o r m

Matayo

t h a t he

o n l y

had

a

few w e e k s

l e f t t o l i v e .

He

o n f e s s e d ,

" I h a v e l i v e d

m y

w h o l e l i f e b y G o d ' s m e r c y . 1 i l l c o n t i n u e t o l i v e b y H i s

m e r c y

n o w . "

He

i d A f t e r

h e

w a s

t a k e n t o t h e h o s p i t a l i n N a r o k ,

h e c o n t i n u e d t o s h a r e h i s f a i t h w i t h f a m i l y

a n d

v i s i t o r s .

E v e n

t h e n u r s e

a t

t h e

h o s p i t a l

w o r k e d on e r

d a y

o f f t h e

m o r n i n g h e

d i e d .

"What l s e

c o u l dI o ? "

she

told Eric a t e r .

"Iknew he

w a s

a

hristian man."

P r a i s e God o r

M a t a y o ' s

f a i t h f u l n e s s P r a y

t h a t

God

would

b l e s s

t h e f a m i l y

a s

t h e y

c o m f o r t

and p r o v i d e

f o r

M a t a y o ' s

m o t h e r ,

w i f e ,

and

h i l d r e n .

On

The oad

To

eading

On u e s d a y

and

F r i d a y m o r n i n g s ,

Mary n o l e

Nampaso

makes

e r way

c r o s s

t h e Ewaso

N g ' i r o

p l a i n s f r o m

h e r

v i l l a g e

t o t h e M a a s a i T r a i n i n g C e n t e r.

There, n

one

of

he

c l a s s r o o m s , she l e a d s

s e v e r a l

M a a s a i s t u d e n t s down

t h e p a t h t o a d u l t

l i t e r a c y

and

growth i n

G o d ' s

Word.

M a r y t t e n d e d

t h e

l i t e r a c y t e a c h e r t r a i n i n g c o u r s e

t h a t

M e l o d i c t a u g h t

f o r e i g h t

M a a s a i

men

and

women

n

J a n u a r y of h i s y e a r .

.

The

whole

l a s s

h e r l a u g h t e r

and enthusiasm as

t h e y s t u d i e d t o g e th e r

'

. jB

t o b e c o m e l i t e r a c y

- ^ I ^ B

teachers.

God a s

b l e s s e d M a r y w i t h t h e

g i f t

o f e a c h i n g , a n d -SI

i t

was

x c i t i n g f o r

f i

nd

a way

o s e r v e

'

the Church and

er

fellow

Maasai

believers.

M a r y began weekly

l i t e r a c y c l a s s e s

a t

t h e ^ t e a c h e r

M a a s a i T r a i n i n g

a d u l t

i t e r c y a n d e a r n s m o r e a b o u t

C e n t e r

i n F e b r u a r y , s e r v a n t l e a d e r s h i p .

and

er

s t u de n t s

are

now b o u t h a l f w a y

t h r o u g h

t h e f i r s t M a a s a i r e a d i n g

p r i m e r .

God

s on

t h e

move

n

M a r y ' s

l i f e

and

n t h e

l i v e s of e r s t u d e n t s a s t h e y s e e k t o know Him e t t e r

t h r o u g h H i s Word P r a y f o r M a r y ' s c l a s s a s

t h e y

t r a v e l

t h e

r o a d

t o r e a d i n g

—

t t a k e s commitment,

p r a y e r ,

and e n e r g y

OnTheMove gain

We ant o s h a r e

w i t h

you some of h e

ways

God

s

"on

he

move"

n our i v e s

. . .


3/4

Our

frican "safari" continues . . In March,

he

CMF-Maasai team had ext ensive d iscussions

c o n c e r n i n g o u r t e a m - - w i d e s t r a t e g y

f o r empowering

t h e M a a s a i c h u r c h e s t o

g r o w w i t h o u t

m i s s i o n a r y

a s s i s t a n c e . The e e t i n g w a s , i n many a y s , a d i f f i c u l t

o n e , b u t r e s u l t e d i n a d e e p s e n s e of

n i t y

and

purpose.

As

r e s u l t

of h e

m e e t i n g

and

i m i l a r d i s c u s s i o n s E r i c

h a d w i t h

t h e Narok l d e r s , a l l a g r e e d t h a t t h e Narok

c h u r c h

c o u l d

b e s t a n d i n g w i t h o u t m i s s i o n a r y

a s s i s t a n c e by une 1997 .

However, t

would not b e

s t a n d i n g

a s

w e l l

a s

w e had r o j e c t e d . We a v e no w

committed o

two more

e a r s

of i n i s t r y . A l l f e l t

t h a t

t h i s w a s a

more e a l i s t i c t i m e t a b l e

f o r e q u i p p i n g

t h e

Narok h u r c h t o o p e r a t e w i t h o u t m i s s i o n a r y

a s s i s t a n c e . The

l a n

a l s o w o r k s w e l l w i t h some

b r o a d e r

team g o a l s .

Our new t erm of ervice w i l l look a i t t l e different

b e c a u s e E r i c

w i l l

b e i n a t w o - y e a r p r o c e s s of p h a s i n g

o u t "

of

i s

work

i t h

t h e

c h u r c h . Our i r s t

s t e p i n

t h i s

p l a n

was

c c o m p l i s h e d

w i t h our move o Ewaso

N g ' i r o .

We

a v e a l r e a d y

s e e n

g r o w t h i n t h e l e a d e r s h i p

a s a r e s u l t

of

h e

move. As

i f f e r e n t a r e a s

of i n i s t r y

c o n t i n u e t o

b e

t r a n s f e r r e d

t o n a t i o n a l

l e a d e r s h i p ,

E r i c

w i l l

s p e n d

t i m e i n two t h e r

t a s k s :

t e a c h i n g

M a a s a i

l e a d e r s h i p

c o u r s e s a t t h e T r a i n i n g C e n t e r ,

a n d

working

i t h

Maasai

church e a d e r s from

t h e

Ildamat

area

A URLOUGH

JOURNEY . . On

unc

4,

we i l l once

a g a i n b e

a t

Jomo e n y a t t a A i r p o r t i n N a i r o b i ,

b u t t h i s

t i m e i t w o n ' t b e t o meet i s i t o r s o r d r o p o f f

one

of

o u r t e a m m a t e s

As r e s u l t

of u r new

i n i s t r y

p l a n s ,

w e l l

b e making h e

j o u r n e y

t o t h e P a c i f i c N o r t h w e s t

f o r a s e v e n - m o n t h

f u r l o u g h . We l a n

t o r e t u r n t o

Ke nya and u r

new

e r m of e r v i c e i n J a n u a r y

1 9 9 7 .

The

e a m and h e

CMF

ome f f i c e t h o u g h t t h i s y e a r

marked an

x c e l l e n t

b r e a k i n g p o i n t t o r e p o r t on

what

we have done

and

to foster

a united

vision for what

r e m a i n s . We

r e

t h a n k f u l f o r t h e

o p p o r t u n i t y

t o

b e

w i t h you g a i n

and

o r e n e w

t i e s

of r i e n d s h i p , p r a y e r ,

and

m i n i s t r y

v i s i o n .

P l e a s e p r a y t h a t

our

u r l o u g h w i l l b e a

i m e

of

r e n e w a l and

p r e p a r a t i o n

f o r our

new

e r m of

e r v i c e .

Pray o r

us

s w e

h a r e w i t h

our

i n i s t r y

p a r t n e r s

about

h e N arok Church and t h e

Maasai

i t e r a c y

work. Pray l s o f o r t h e n a t i o n a l l e a d e r s and e a c h e r s

who i l l c o n t i n u e i n m i n i s t r y

w h i l e w e r e away.

At u r h o m e n E w a s o

g i r o . W e l l

e e

y o u

o n y o u r i d e o f h e o c e a

Beginning the wild

ride

of

parenthood

We

a r e

e x p e c t i n g

o u r

f i r s t

c h i l d

i n

l a t e

summer

Pray

o r

t h e

s a f e t y

and e a l t h of

other

and

baby

s w e

t r a v e l . P r a y

t h a t

o u r F a t h e r w i l l

g r a n t u s

wisdom

a s

w e

o d d l e

i n t o

t h e r e a l m of a r e n t h o o d ,

and

a s w e

attempt

o make

a home on

t wo

o n t i n e n t s . A l s o ,

p r a y f o r us

s w e

e a c h ofGod

l o v e

t o a new

o u l .

P r a i s e

God o r t h e g i f t of h i l d r e n

5 * ^ i c ^

Ud.

E r i c and

M e l o d i c

P e r r y


4/4

CHRISTIAN

MISSIONARY

FELLOWSHIP

rayer N e w s l e t t e r

Eric

and Melodic Per ry

Ministry

withtheNarok hurch

iteracyworkamong

the

Maasai ribeof

Kenya

232

Woodside Drive

Eugene OR

7401

phone: 541-686-5482

O }̂

THE PERRYPOST

J u l y

1996

D e a r

Brothers and

S i s t e r s

in Christ

As Melodic and I moved i n t o

our

f u r l o u g h h o u s e i n

E u g e n e , Oregon h e

t e m p e r a t u r e

d r o p p e d ,

t h e s k y

d a r k e n e d ,

and

t

r a i n e d . We

r u l y

f e e l we a r e back i n

t h e

P a c i f i c Northwest a g a i n .

On

u n e

1 1 ,

we a r r i v e d

s a f e l y

a t

P o r t l a n d

I n t e r n a t i o n a l

A i r p o r t .

We ere g r e e t e d

by my a r e n t s and

i s t e r .

Both my

a r e n t s

and

M e l o d i e ' s

mom

a v e

b e e n

h o u s i n g u s

and

a s s i s t i n g u s u n t i l we

i n a l l y

s e t t l e d i n t o

o u r home

n

E u g e n e .

O u r a d d r e s s u n t i l December of

t h i s y e a r i s :

E r i c

elodic

P e r r y

232Woodside Drive

E u g e n e ,

OR 7401

p h o n e : 5 4 1 - 6 8 6 - 5 4 8 2

We

a v e

v i s i t e d

w i t h p e o p l e

f r o m v a r i o u s

s u p p o r t i n g

c h u r c h e s

and

d i s c o v e r e d som e

common

u e s t i o n s we

ne ed

to

a n swe r.

F i r s t , o u r

b a b y

s

d u e

S e p t e m b e r

4 ,

1 9 9 6 . We o n o t

know t h e c h i l d ' s

g e n d e r . The o h n s o n s , o u r n e i g h b o r s

a n d

t e a m m a t e s

i n K e n y a ,

h a v e

n i c k n a m e d

him

" O t t o . "

S o , we e f e r t o t h e b a b y a s a h i m a n d t r u s t God f o r a

h e a l t h y

b a b y , no m a t t e r t h e g e n d e r .

M e l o d i e i s d o i n g

w e l l , b u t

t h e

r i b k i c k i n g a n d f a t i g u e o f

t h e

t h i r d

t r i m e s t e r

h a v e

a r r i v e d .

P l e a s e p r a y

t h a t

s h e

w i l l r e c e i v e

t h e

r e s t s h e n e e d s

a n d s t a y h e a l t h y a s we o u n t down

t o S e p t e m b e r .

Second we i l l r e t u r n t o Kenya i n J a n u a r y 1997 t o

c o m p l e t e

t h e f i n a l two

y e a r s

of h i s t e r m .

I w i l l

c o n t i n u e my ork

w i t h t h e

N arok h u r c h , a s w e l l a s

i n c r e a s e my

c t i v i t y

w i t h

t h e

Maasai h u r c h e s

i n t h e

Ildamat

rea.

Melodie

will

continue h e r

work

ith t h e

M a a s a i l i t e r a c y

p r o g r a m . We

o t h w i l l b e

a d j u s t i n g t o

our

new r o l e s

a s p a r e n t s .

R i g h t now h e work a t t h e

Narok

c h u r c h

and

I l d a m a t

a r e

i n

t h e

c a p a b l e

{ a n d

somewhat

v e r e x t e n d e d )

h a n d s

o f Greg

o h n s o n . P l e a s e

p r a y t h a t God

g r a n t s

Greg

a d d i t i o n a l e n e r g y , wisdom n d

i n s i g h t a s h e

a d d s t h e s

c h u r c h e s

t o t h e

work

he a l r e a d y d o e s a t

t h e M a a s a i

T r a i n i n g C e n t e r and t h e Ewaso N g ' i r o c h u r c h .

A l s o , p r a y

f o r u s

a s

we

o n t i n u e t o

v i s i t

w i t h f r i e n d s ,

f a m i l y , a n d s u p p o r t e r s

a n d

s h a r e t h e v i s i o n

o f

t h e w o r k

t h a t a w a i t s u s i n Kenya when

we

r e t u r n

t h e r e

i n

J a n u a r y . P r a y t h a t God i l l g r a n t u s s a f e t y a s we r a v e l

a c r o s s t h e c o u n t r y v i s i t i n g

o u r

s u p p o r t i n g

c h u r c h e s i n

t h e w e s t ,

n d i a n a ,

V i r g i n i a , a n d

F l o r i d a .

P r a y

t h a t

t h i s f u r l o u g h

w i l l b e

a t i m e o f r e f r e s h m e n t ,

r e n e w a l , and

u n i t y o f i s i o n among l l o f

u s

a s

we

c o m p l e t e t h i s t e r m o f m i n i s t r y

t o g e t h e r .

The s l o g a n f o r

K e n y a ' s

Olympic t e a m i s

' ' P a m o j a

T u t a s h i n d a " - T o g e t h e r , we i l l w i n

By

t h e p o w e r

o f

t h e

name

o f e s u s ,

t h e

u n i t y we

h a v e i n

o u r a i t h a n d

h i s S p i r i t ,

we

a n w i n t h e r a c e o f

a i t h

B r i e

Er ic

perry eric melodie 1996 kenya

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