All patched up and on the mend!

Kariuki News

May 2009

Moses and JoAnna Kariuki - Serving in Youth With A Mission CHAD

It's been a hectic year so far, but we are pressing on to see what God has in store! J We traveled to Kenya just before Christmas last year and spent exactly two months there - much of it concerned with two surgeries for Moses, numerous dental visits for Jo, (praise God everything went well and we are all patched up and on the mend!) but most importantly spending time with family and loved ones there.

Moses got to share in our 'Eastleigh FPFK' home-church? albeit he had to sit down several times during the message the first time. J Thank you for your prayers he is recovering quickly, his second time preaching was less uncomfortable and went well!

We are very grateful for one week's vacation at the beach which was so graciously given to us by dear friends! Loads of fun! J It had been quite a while since we had seen ANY beach, much less one as beautiful as the Kenyan beach! Another miracle which we are thankful for was that we could travel with almost no debt for our tickets! With a growing family and rising airfares, we appreciate that! We returned to Chad Feb. 20^th,feeling refreshed after a change of scenery and ready to get home again!

Precious in the sight of the LORD

This year we have lost two men of God very dear to us. Moses's father passed away March 18th after a week in the hospital. The time we spent with him in January and February was very precious and we are grateful to have had that. Also what a privilege and blessing it was for us to celebrate their 55th wedding anniversary with Mom and Dad Kariuki in December. Dad Kariuki had been in good health, but getting weaker and in pain from some old injuries. We know he's in a far better place but miss him so much. We're very thankful for your prayers during this time of mourning for him, and especially while Moses was in Kenya for 3 weeks for the funeral. Please continue to pray especially for Mama Kariuki.

On Jan. 12th Pastor Meschac from Sarh was killed in a vehicle accident. Pastor Meschac was one of our first and closest friends here in Chad, he invited us to come and begin YWAM ministry and training here, and truly was a "man of peace" for us as a family and mission. As well as being the secretary general of his local denomination, he had begun several development projects (a literacy project and a primary school in the local mother tongue) and played a key role in the local church unity here in Sarh. He leaves behind his wife Yvette and five children, ages 3 - 19. He is greatly missed.

is the death of his saints.

Back in Chad, in our absence our DTS staff did a great job preparing for and running the Discipleship Training School, which began in February. We have five wonderful students. They have now just finishing up lecture phase and have left to go out and DO it! Please pray for them and our staff team as they spend May and June reaching out with the Gospel. Having just returned from Kenya, Moses spent the last 2 weeks of lecture phase with the students, teaching, encouraging and motivating them on to give their all and expect awesome things from the Lord. Now they are out on the field doing practicals. Please join us in praying that this outreach, as well as being a transforming time in the lives of students and staff, will see an unprecedented harvest of souls- the reason we are out here discipling nations (Matt. 28:19,20)

In addition to lots of administration for the ministry here, we find ourselves spending a lot of time with our staff in; mentoring, training, lending a listening ear, praying together...you get the idea! What a privilege it is to invest what God has given us into these dear ones. Pray with us as we continue to ask God for more workers to be raised up, and for continued equipping of those of us already here. We continue to ask the Lord for wisdom, grace and strength as we lead the work here. .

Up next?...more travels! It's almost two years since we've been with family and friends in the US, and we plan to spend July-September there, returning for the School of Biblical Studies which begins here in October. Please pray specifically with us for airfares, grace to be on the move once again, AND this time we are also are in need of a place to stay, since Jo's parents have moved to a much smaller home. So if you are in Pennsylvania and know of a possibility of housing for us, please let us know! If you would like to have us speak at your church or home group, please email us! We'd love to share about what God is doing in Chad!

Due to rising airfares, growing kids, and the devaluation of the dollar and the Kenya shilling (in exchange to our currency in Chad,) we need to see a significant increase in our regular monthly support. Please pray about whether God would have you be involved in Chad in this way. Thank you to those of you that have made use of Paypal to set up a monthly gift. If you haven't and would like to, give us a buzz and we will email you the link. Yours in the HARVEST, Moses, JoAnna, Joshua, Zachary, Marianna & Katelyn.

DONATIONS

• mosesnjo@gmail.com -- JEM BP 166, Sarh, CHAD -- Phone +235-6390371 (Moses) or +235-6991866(Jo)