Year of the Unprecedented

    We hope this finds you well and enjoying the holiday season. The reality of Emmanuel, God with us, is always precious but seems especially so in this year of the unexpected and unprecedented. We have much to be grateful for,and hope to publish, inspire,and nurture all those that God brings our way. May the Lord help us!

 

    Although this year looked very different from our plans, we are thankful for the good work that the Lord does in and around us. There are always open doors for ministry;Moses continues to serve on two missions boards besides the usual coming alongside coworkers in ministry and teaching in YWAM courses.We also get to walk with many believers in our local churches. Due to another wave of COVID infections and restrictions, Moses hasn’t yet resumed travel, but is thankful for online solutions which enable him to teach and interact without traveling.His most recent ministry opportunity was investing in the lives of students in Uganda as he taught the Gospel of Luke. During this season where there has been a lot of marriage related counseling, he has been licensed to wed couples-so that is an extra area of service.Pray we have God’s wisdom both for those we counsel and ourselves.

 

    Joshua and Marianna (who are preparing for national exams to complete 12thand 8th grade) returned to school in October, while Zachary and Katelyn finished up the academic year in November, still online. The national exams have been postponed from November to March, to help make up for all the lost time this year. We’re thankful that their school offered online classes during the time the schools were closed, and we are hopeful that all children will be able to go back to school in January. Joshua is both applying and seeking scholarships for university studies and would appreciate prayers for that.

 

 

 

    Thank you for partnering with us in encouragement, prayer, and supporting us financially.May God bless you and encourage you as you continue to labor in love. He never changes but is the same yesterday, today and forever!

 

Moses& Jo, Josh, Zack, Marianna & Katie

 

●Moses & Jo Kariuki, PO Box 65815-00607, Kamiti, Kenya

●mosesnjo(at)gmail.com

 

Christmas Greetings

HOPE

Who is God? How do we know Him? What can Deuteronomy teach us that applies to our lives today? Should I be afraid of the enemy? How can we as a local church manage our resources and look to God instead of man? These and more are questions Moses was discussing with young people in teaching opportunities these past few months. What a joy to help Christians grow deeper and reach higher in their faith.


FAITH

Since Moses completed his Master’s Degree in June, (Congrats, Moses! We’re so proud of him!!) he’s traveled to Tanzania, Madagascar, and Uganda, as well as to the east and west of Kenya to minister in YWAM schools and churches near and far. Our passion is to continue to sow into the lives of young people and we’re so grateful for the opportunities that come our way to do just that. Many of the schools and churches which invite Moses to come to teach do not have the resources to pay for his airfares, and in combination with growing expenses for the kids’ education, we’ve found our budget quite stretched. As volunteers, our needs are met by people like you, who partner with us financially. We need to see an increase of support to meet our needs and request your prayers to that end. If you’d like to know how to set up a monthly gift, or specifics of our needs, please email us!

JOY

When YWAM Mwakang’ani invited Moses to teach for a week on spiritual warfare in their Discipleship Training School, it was an adventure for the whole family to go along and spend a week in the village in Shimba Hills at the coast of Kenya. Jo lived at this same ministry center when she first came to Kenya in the early 90s. The kids were able to jump right into village life, hanging out with the students and helping out around the property and garden. It was so wonderful to get to know the students and staff and see the continued nurture, growth, and outreach that is taking place there, as well as reminiscing and catching up with a few old friends.

PEACE

November and December bring a long break from school for the kids. Lots of varied interests are emerging and growing, such as coding, watercolor, piano, guitar, soccer, and swimming, as well as reading lots of books. It’s a great joy to see, them growing up. Zachary especially is enjoying the break after a lot of hard work in the last few months preparing for the required exams before high school. We are thankful he did well and has been accepted at the same high school which Joshua attends.

Our prayer for you this Christmas is that your hope would be in Jesus, and your heart filled with faith, joy, and peace that only He can bring.

Merry Christmas!

Moses, Jo, Josh, Zack, Marianna & Katelyn

Email: mosesnjo(at)gmail.com Snail mail: PO Box 65815-00607, Kamiti, Kenya

Place of our own

The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance! 

(Psalms 16:6 NLT)

Dear Friends,

We hope 2019 finds you well and enjoying the season you’re in!  Time is flying, the past several months have been so full, and we are grateful for God’s goodness throughout.

Chez Kariuki: Our return to Kenya after our visit to the US in August/September 2018 was hectic. We knew it was God’s time for us to move from our rented house into our own place. We had found a flat in a development we liked, about ten minutes from where we lived before.  Though the brand-new units were beyond our budget, we were offered one which had been used as an office for a better price with a promise to have it restored as new inside. The refurbishments took longer than anticipated and we made many trips to review repairs and consult on modifications.  We were finally able to move in the beginning of December, and although some things still need to be done, we are glad to finally be in a place of our own. We are trusting God to finish paying speedily and possibly get extra units for hospitality to ministers and restoration to those who need fresh orientation with God.

Ministry update: In December 2018, Moses made a trip to teach in Uganda at YWAM’s Biblical studies school. In addition to teaching in the school, he spoke at both their community and staff meetings and spent time with staff helping evaluate the past year and envision the coming season. The highlight was breaking bread with staff at the end of year thanksgiving service. Back in Kenya there was opportunity to serve at the local prisons and minister to over a thousand inmates while speaking at the “Prisoners Journey Discipleship” graduation. Moses also participated in our local church denominational national evaluations process. In spite of finishing up the term the very week that we moved in December, we are thankful his end of term exams and papers went well.

After a very busy December, Moses flew out on New Year’s Eve to the US for an eight week internship. He worked with refugees, through Church World Service in Lancaster, PA for his Urban Studies course. He is looking ahead to completing his Master’s degree in June. We are thankful for the God’s protection and providence over all of us during that longer than usual time of being separated as a family.  Although things went smoothly at home, and Moses really enjoyed his internship and relationships with refugees, we’re all happy to be together again from the beginning of March 2019.

In April, Moses heads to Togo, West Africa to teach for a week in the school of Biblical Studies and in the Urban Biblical Studies in the Capital city Lome.  We are enjoying the opportunities God gives us to love those around us and the farther away relationships as well, impacting the nations through His life and word.

In addition to taking care of home and family, Jo continues to be part of a weekly ladies Bible study which she also occasionally facilitates. She has been both blessed and stretched with impromptu hospitality in our new home to various visitors and big groups including the work crew and Moses’s extended family. We are happy our hospitality dream is already sprouting and growing.  She also recently enjoyed volunteering at a nearby nursing home and hopes to continue ministry there on a regular basis.

Family: The children are making friends at our new neighborhood, connecting with school friends who live close by and enjoying the common swimming pool in the development, as this is the hottest time of the year in Kenya. They began the new school year in early January and are now in grades 6,7,8, and 11.  They have worked hard in school and can now converse in Swahili and we are so thankful for that.   We celebrated three birthdays in February, Moses’ (we’ll have to have another celebration when he’s actually with us!!!)  Marianna’s 13th, and Zachary’s 15th.  Three teens in the house now, our home is full of life and noise and laughter, strong opinions and lots of discussions, some deep and some not-so-deep.

We continue to appreciate your continued love, prayers and financial support.  God has shown himself so faithful to us, and we are grateful to each and every one of you who have been a part of that.  Many Blessings,

Moses & Jo Kariuki ~Joshua, Zack, Marianna & Katelyn