Latest / Kenya Kronicles / Episode 001 - Kenya Kronicles
Transcript
- Ken Peel: welcome to Kenya Kronicles from of Men Ministries. I'm Ken Peel. We thank you for joining us today. today is that we've been talking about for some time. And we've been forward to sharing with you for a long time as well. It's a podcast to the ministry of Fishers of Men Ministries. We've titled Kenya Kronicles. And so whether supported this ministry for years or Maybe you're just finding out about it for the first time today. We hope that you'll enjoy this episode to find out more about it got started, where gone, and where is today. And so I'd like to bring in ⁓ the ⁓ and of Fishers of Men Joshua Ngao Hi, Joshua. How are you, brother? Joshua: how you doing? Ken Peel: Good, good. Thanks for joining us and being willing to share your story to let others know how God has been working in your life. And so let's start off first of all, Joshua, by you telling us a little bit about where you're from originally. if you would just kind of paint that picture for our listeners and our viewers of what it was like for you, where you came from and what it was like growing up. Joshua: I was born in Kenya, in East Africa, Eastern Kenya. I was born, I was born in a very poor family. And I mean by poor is my dad died when I was less than a year old. And so mom was old ⁓ and we not food to eat. Ken Peel: Okay. Joshua: So that's how I grew up with that kind of a family that had no income. My mom used to go to people's farms to dig so that we can get food. And, so it was very, very hard during that time when I was growing up. And we... used to go to school without food almost every day waking up running for 10 miles away to go to school then we have to come back and you have no breakfast or lunch so it was very hard me as I grew up and grew up very poor one of the poorest in that Ken Peel: Right. Yeah, I know that you also talked running or walking to school and ⁓ you didn't have shoes, right? Joshua: Yeah, I got my first pair of shoes when I was 16 years old. And, sometimes I joke with my son, whether he knows when he got his first pair of shoes, because ⁓ people take it granted some of the things that we ⁓ don't ⁓ care We to take a shower after three months when rains came, because there was no water to do that, because we had to trek. for long ways to go and get drinking water. So do not take showers. So it ⁓ hard. I did not have shoes. I had to trek ⁓ through the bushes. were no tarmac. So it's just running ⁓ to school and coming. Ken Peel: Yeah. Yeah. ⁓ did the Lord really become real to you? Was there a defining moment or something that happened that ⁓ really brought to faith? Joshua: as I was growing up, one of the things that as I passed through all this poverty and all that, one thing remember very well when I was little, when I young, in my maybe 10 to 15 or something, I told the Lord that if He ever opened a door for me, I want to come back and help the people so that they don't suffer like the way Ken Peel: Yeah. Joshua: I suffered because I went without food, went without water, and I told the Lord just that's what I want to do. But I did not know that after I finished what we call primary school, I went to I could not be able afford high school fees. So I went to, got a job then went to school during the day. I educated myself in high school. then, so during time, I was able to get a job with hotels and that's where a ⁓ missionary Ken Peel: now. Joshua: Some missionaries were visiting. We are with one of the bishops in Kenya and he came to talk to us about the Lord and that's how I came to the Lord and I became very involved in that church called Redeemed Gospel Church in Kenya. So it is one of the biggest churches now, but I got very involved with them. Ken Peel: So, did whole ministry ⁓ that talked the Lord about that you wanted to change things for other people so didn't have to live like you went through, how did all of that come about? I mean, I know that you were and you had an opportunity for a really good job or was working a really good job and things changed. Tell me about that. Joshua: Yeah, so time when I was, I a good job with our hotels in the Masai Mara, which is where people go to see the animals and all that. And ⁓ was I was happy. and then I was the national director for a very big youth movement for the church. So on December ⁓ 31st, we always had a Ken Peel: Right? Joshua: and big meeting for all the youth coming together so that we can, cross the year in prayer. then during that time, when we were all on our knees, that's where I heard the Lord say, now quit your job and go and do what you asked me to do. So it was like no Because I told even my, my manager and I told them, they say, no, you're nuts you are not in ⁓ good mind you cannot leave a good paying job just to go and just to go to work for the people who are not going to pay you. So that's how my calling from the Lord telling me that Ken Peel: Yeah. Joshua: It was time to go. Ken Peel: so you had people ⁓ your place of work telling ⁓ you do that. But was there some ⁓ doubt fear in you ⁓ Joshua: Yes, there was, but at the same time, felt that I need to obey the Lord. And I that the Lord was just kicking me out, saying, go. Yeah. Ken Peel: So what was the initial need that you felt the Lord calling you to do right away? the need felt? ⁓ Joshua: So one of the things that after the Lord called me, I had to pack my things from Masai Mara, from the game park, went back to Nairobi and went to one of the slums Nairobi. And that's where I started the ministry with people who had nothing, started with several street children. Ken Peel: Right? Joshua: And they don't give any offering or tithe or anything. So I had to start afresh all the way that I can be able to do. And then as I continued ⁓ when I felt the Lord now starting to tell me some of the needs because I at ⁓ myself needs that I had when I was growing up. ⁓ Ken Peel: Right. Joshua: Education. I could not get education. I had to make sure that, that the key, the driving was the And then also then water wells. People there have been going almost 20 miles away to get drinking water. Even now, many villages are still doing the same. that's where ⁓ went according to what the Lord's words and called me and ⁓ me to ⁓ the need of way I grew up. So that I was this is how I grew up. I told the Lord I want that changed. Water. Now we have many water wells. We have schools. Ken Peel: Yeah. Joshua: where kids can don't run miles away that where I grew up, there's a school just outside there. So that's how felt the Lord calling me to start, just to obey what he had called me to want to do. Ken Peel: ⁓ thanks for joining us on this first this episode one of Kenya Kronicles we're getting some background on Fishes of Ministries ⁓ and to give some idea of how things got started. when you first started of Men, what was that like? What some of the first things that you did ⁓ that you can remember? Joshua: First, I started with a lot of needs. Needs were almost all of us, ⁓ these people food. So the first is to think about how people who are coming to I preaching, how I be able to help them, ⁓ to get food or to get their changed. Because many preachers, they just preach the gospel, they have a lot of money, Off of offerings and they don't care about the people who coming there. But I felt that the Lord was calling me there for them, so the needs of the people Ken Peel: Yeah. Joshua: are the ones that, grabbed me a lot. Ken Peel: Sure. obviously there people that stood with you, ⁓ alongside of to help you ⁓ along the And we'll get to more of those in other episodes of Kenya Kronicles down road. But ⁓ who were some of first, I guess you would call partners or people that really caught the vision of Fishers of Men? ⁓ Who some of those people how did they impact the ministry? Joshua: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, we had lady from Camanche. It's near to Clinton, Iowa, and her name is Sue Williams. Sue Williams in 1997 came with other missionaries to Kenya. And they stayed in my house Ken Peel: Yeah. Joshua: and we ⁓ ministered And that's when she came here, she saw the needs that the needs were great. So she came here, she became a voice to to talk about people. And then they were able to pay for me to here to the US. Ken Peel: Right. Yeah. Yeah, because you hadn't been to the US or hadn't lived here yet at that point, ⁓ when did that happen? When did you finally end up coming to the United States then? Joshua: yet. Yeah. 1999, February 1999. Yeah, so that's when I came and so that one of the key people who got very involved, they became like my parents. Even now, they, they celebrate all, our birthdays and everything like my parents. in 2000, Ken Peel: Okay, how did that all happen? Joshua: somebody from ⁓ Clinton me Wayne Stuedemann And so and when he came, first he did not. thought that, he had had so many other ministries. People come here, lie, they have this and that. So he said, I want to go to Kenya first. So he went with his family, his wife and daughter to go to verify that what we were doing was true. And ⁓ since then. He been, he ⁓ the president of the board and he has been supporting us all way through. He's one of the big supporters for what we doing. Ken Peel: Yeah. Yeah, and we're going to get Wayne's story on the next episode of Kenya Kronicles So I'm looking forward to hearing that story from Wayne's perspective as well. But what would you say were some of the hardest parts of the early days of the ministry for you and for the ministry itself? Joshua: There are so many. The hard part was to get people to believe in what was telling them. there are so many people who have lied to missionaries have come from Kenya or other countries to hear. And they lie to people here, they raise money and they go and they don't do anything. So that makes it for the people not to believe when they are told when I telling them. So, and then being from Kenya too, that was, one of the things that ⁓ I felt that people are not believing what I was telling them. So the first couple years, it was hard to people together, but ⁓ Lord was able to open doors to we are right now. Ken Peel: Yeah. ⁓ That a hard part of Something like this is to gain trust by people to support the ministry. But I think once they see what ⁓ results are that Lord is doing through the ministry, they can get a grasp on it and they can really start to believe what... is going on and that's something that as you're watching this or ⁓ to this podcast, we hope that ⁓ investigate if the Lord's leading you to involved ⁓ with ⁓ Fishers Men Ministries is doing to help people and throughout the different ⁓ podcasts will tell you some of the different aspects of ministry because it's not just one or the other. There's multifaceted things that the is doing and we'll get into that but Joshua, as you look back over the years of doing this work, what were some of the big if you will, that you look back on ⁓ and really say, wow, I can't believe we did that? Joshua: Yeah, but some of the milestones that I of look at is I remember when even people like Wayne, when we went first to Kenya, we had 29 children who were in the program. so when I look ⁓ that and where we are now, Ken Peel: Yeah. Joshua: where we are seeing over 400 children who are in the program right now and many have also graduated. one of the schools that we have, Eastern Kenya, the head teacher, Amos, is one our kids that we started in 2001 and that's where Wayne ⁓ his they have been supporting him all the way to Teachers College. Then he came to be a teacher with us and he's now the head teacher. those are of a milestone that I can say my life, I've invested to the people and I can see the fruits. I can see those teachers. We have five teachers in that school who were all our kids from a preschool ⁓ all the way to and back to ⁓ serve. So Ken Peel: Yeah. Yeah. Joshua: That's one of the big milestones that I can say. The other one is water. every place we go and start and dig water, of which it has been supported by people here from the United States, churches, individuals. And when we dig water in the middle of nowhere, where people walk all the way and then you go and dig a well. Ken Peel: Yeah. Joshua: It's like, people here in the US, when you tell them about water, they know the water is from the faucet. They don't know where it comes from. They don't know whether it comes from the Mississippi River, if you are living here in the Quad Cities They don't But in Kenya, everybody knows where the water comes from. And that's what God ⁓ is using to give them that life. Ken Peel: Right. Joshua: the, of water in several villages where we have done water, it is a big joy to how much get more time to do their work and more time to do their businesses. They are clean. they say that ⁓ waterborne diseases ⁓ are ⁓ eliminated almost completely. just because of one well. whole ⁓ starts having who are healthy. So those are of the things. ⁓ And then churches that we have, we have 11 right now, and they're all doing great, preaching the gospel in different parts of the So I thank God for that. Ken Peel: Sure, sure. Yeah, amen, amen. there is one story that I want you to tell that I first was introduced to the ministry or shortly I learned ⁓ a young that the ministry ⁓ ⁓ helped ⁓ now transformed life and who is now transforming lives. So tell me the story of this young girl. Joshua: Yeah, the story is about Grace, Chebet Grace is... ⁓ is a special child. When she was born, when she was just a little infant, the mother did not want the child. So she went to a toilet, which is like a pit latrine outside, and threw her there. And the villagers heard her crying. Ken Peel: Okay. Joshua: a little baby. They went and broke the concrete. They scooped the girl. And then this old lady who was there brought Grace to the mission and said, I don't know what to do. You guys know what to do. And she left. So are the ones who named her Grace because we did not know her name. grown there. She's good singer. And now she's graduating this year as a school teacher. when ⁓ somebody who wants to die, when she tells a story, she cries. She says, I could be dead. My mom threw me there to die, but I did not. You guys scooped me so have taken care of her. She doesn't know parents. The parents are Fishers of Men ministries. So ⁓ that's of the very... Yeah. Yeah. ⁓ Ken Peel: well talk about us talk about a biblical parallel right you know ⁓ almost ⁓ almost like joseph in a way i mean not exactly but he was thrown in a well and and came out and change people's lives now Grace is come and and she's changing lives and i think that's the point i want to get across with that story is there's a lot of ministries that do a lot of good and Fishers of Man is one of those that's doing a lot of good in people's lives by ⁓ just changing them themselves but they train them to reach others and to change other lives and so ⁓ I really that the ministry is ⁓ really built around ⁓ the body the and the soul And so the ministry doing now, Joshua? Where is it at today and what are some of the things that you're involved in? Joshua: Yeah, the ministry right now, we are concentrating a lot on taking care of the body of Christ. And sometimes people say you are doing much, then, why can't you concentrate on one? But if you concentrate on water, what about the gospel? What about the education of children? Ken Peel: Yeah. Joshua: If the Lord can provide us with those who can help us ⁓ do those things, then so that's the ministry is more believing for the to be able to us to take of all those needs that are there. We have water, lot of water wells going on. We have ⁓ even more coming. Ken Peel: Yes. Joshua: other And ⁓ we have have those missional communities ⁓ it's like people call small groups, but our small groups we call missional communities where people meet and eat together once a week and ⁓ pray together, eat together. and share the gospel. And it has made of the churches to be missional to other. tell people they are on mission to each other. So that's one of the things we are doing. And then the schools, our two schools are doing well. ⁓ western side we first. Eastern side is where I was born. And I think we have a lot on it so that it can stand too. ⁓ head of Amos is the one who is there and I'm so excited about him. So ⁓ the is doing perfect. In athletics they excelled ⁓ all the way. And also in academic, they are just leading all the schools in the whole region. So I'm excited to see, what God is doing. with about 300 plus children in that small school. And then the other one having almost 400. It's a big joy to see what is happening. And these are the ones who are going later to come. And like the way the head teacher is now taking care of the children and the way Grace is going to come to teach, ⁓ these children we have, they are going to be somewhere helping somebody, in the future. we, I think. Yeah, yeah. ⁓ Ken Peel: Yeah, sure, sure, returning to help others. So what Joshua is ⁓ one of the greatest needs the ministry right now. Joshua: I think the greatest need that I can say is the children. We have so many children who need But we have so many very faithful sponsors who have been ⁓ as ⁓ every year comes, we add more And we have a lot of them who ⁓ are needing sponsors. Ken Peel: Sure. Joshua: So our concern ⁓ the sponsorship. Ken Peel: me about what that looks like. So if somebody is watching or listening to this, they can get an idea of what that involves in being a sponsor. Joshua: Being a sponsor is you pick a child or they are all on the website you pick a child when you go there there's a Fishers of Men and then say needing sponsor you click that you pick a child you tell us you pick the child then that child you start giving $50 a month or $60 $10 is to sponsor a teacher and then $50 sponsors of a child And with that, child becomes like your own child. They will be writing to you during Christmas, they will communicate to you, you can them all the way to college if ⁓ are willing to that. So that's what a child sponsorship is. You are sponsoring a child that has no future at all. you don't sponsor them, they will not go to school. And when you don't, they don't go to school, then their life is done. I it's, great when we get a sponsor to sponsor, they partner with us ⁓ so that we can be to help ⁓ all those orphans and needy in Kenya. Ken Peel: Yeah, Joshua: another that we are really been for the to provide ⁓ is also ministry partners. People who can, sponsor children but we are for people who say I don't want to commit myself to a child but I just want to be able to partner with the ministry so that they can do what they're supposed to do. So we need ministry partners lot too right now. Ken Peel: Okay. Sure, So it's a way that ⁓ people don't feel called to sponsor a child but they do believe in the work, ⁓ they can still sponsor the ministry to help with water wells and other things ⁓ well, correct? How they get involved? What's the website Joshua? Joshua: Mm-hmm. Yes. website is ⁓ ⁓ Yeah. Ken Peel: FOMministries.org. can find out more about ⁓ the how you can get involved with the ministry, ⁓ and hope that you'll check that out or pass that on ⁓ if already a supporter of this ministry. So, let's talk a bit about what's next. Do you have a vision for the ministry, something that's on the horizon that you feel the Lord is calling you to do before we wrap things up today? Joshua: Yeah, I think just excited see the ministry. Just the way the ministry has been doing is every year we have never gone down. We have been going, a step further. And I know the Lord is calling, even sponsoring children. I know there are so many other children who need, support. And water wells Ken Peel: Right. Joshua: there's a lot of places where they need water. So my is just for the expansion of the ministry and be able to reach more people. Ken Peel: So as we wrap up this episode of the Kenya Kronicles from Fishers of Men Ministries, in the next few we're gonna be introducing you to ⁓ some the key people that have been involved ⁓ in ministry. ⁓ We're take a deeper look at the school as well as water well projects and ⁓ the church planting stories and more testimonies from people have been either children sponsors or they've been ministry partners and so we hope that you'll check it out and of course you can get the link below ⁓ this particular podcast and ⁓ out more about the as well as the ministry itself ⁓ and hope that you'll share this with other people as well. This is ⁓ Kenya Kronicles from Fishers of Men I'm Ken Peel along with Joshua Ngao ⁓ Thank you for joining us. Thank Joshua. Appreciate it. ⁓ Joshua: y'all can thank you so much for doing this.