Latest / Kenya Kronicles / Kenya Kronicles - Behind the Mission: Wayne Stuedemann on Faith, Trust, and Impact
Transcript
- Ken Peel: Well, welcome to episode two of Kenya Kronicles from Fishers of Men Ministries. I'm Ken Peel, along with the founder and president ⁓ Joshua Ngao is here with us as well. Hi, Joshua, how are ya? Joshua Ngao: Great, how are you doing? Ken Peel: Good, good. Thanks for joining us today and we're gonna introduce very special guests to us as friends, but also to the ministry. So Joshua, ⁓ why don't you introduce Wayne for us Joshua Ngao: Wayne Stuedemann for me, he is like an older brother who was here but the Lord prepared him to come here to be a real brother who help me to accomplish what the Lord called me to do since ⁓ 15 1994. you for Wayne personally to look at him I look at somebody who has ⁓ kind of me all the way. more than what I can describe. the Lord brought Him at a time like this, I came from Kenya with nothing, but God provided Wayne Stuedemann to be able to hold my hand, support me, and advise me, and be able to take me where I am. When I look at the ministry, I think more about Wayne, the way the Lord has used him, just me to feel that, ⁓ yes, Lord called me. Because I was saying, He has called me, but how am I going to do it? But God provided that one person. We have so many other people, but Wayne stands out. Ken Peel: Sure. Yeah. Well, Wayne, thanks for joining us on this episode of Kenya Kronicles we ⁓ get more in depth into what the ministry's about and how it got started and your role in that. So first of all, why don't you in your own words tell us a little bit about yourself for those that don't know you and ⁓ ⁓ ahead dive into how you met Joshua. Wayne R. Stuedemann: Well, I first of all I'm humbled by the introduction, Joshua, and I hope through this podcast that people understand that it's not about any one person, but it's about being able and willing to be used by God for greater purposes. But I ⁓ grew up on a on a typical Iowa farm in the fifties and sixties ⁓ there were seven kids, so when we sat down at the table there were nine mouths to feed. And so we never went hungry, but we never ever had too much. So I've always had a soft spot in my heart for those people of the world that have had so much less than I was able to grow up with. And and I've been involved in agricultural business ⁓ through education, after some time in the military, and was blessed to start a a couple agricultural businesses, one that's been very, very successful. back in nineteen eighty four and through that and through the blessings of that business we've been allowed to witness to certainly many farmers but we've enjoyed ⁓ financial rewards that allow for me to really look and seek for ways to to make investments that are eternal versus ⁓ temporal things that we all have around us. So as we know, it it will all burn except that which we do for Christ. Ken Peel: Amen. Amen. Joshua Ngao: Amen. Wayne R. Stuedemann: And so ⁓ along the way I was introduced to Joshua after being involved with a a homeless ministry. And I got a call one day from this trusted ⁓ individual that was leading that ministry, said, Hey, I I got somebody I think you need to meet. Well, I was busy and I said, Well, how soon can you be here? And we carved out a little bit of my schedule and and Joshua walked into this very office I'm sitting into today and ⁓ guess as often is said the the rest is history. Ken Peel: So what was that meeting like? How did you really know that God was calling you to ⁓ get involved in ministry? Wayne R. Stuedemann: Well at the time ⁓ the plan was for a group of people to go to Kenya to examine the ministry to to see first of all that it was real. ⁓ And major part of investing in God's work ⁓ is be a wise steward. And there is absolutely no shortage of well intended investments that have been made ⁓ in especially in Kenya, where people have sent money Ken Peel: Yes. Wayne R. Stuedemann: They've sent it with their prayers, and that money's evaporated before it it ever helped anybody, except the individuals that were good at marketing. So there was a plan to take a group to Kenya, and ⁓ and I was interested ⁓ in first of all seeing Kenya, but I could sense in Joshua something very sincere. I ⁓ led understand his story about getting his first pair of shoes when he was 16. he was walking pretty straight for somebody who walked that much in the gravel, but but ⁓ but the whole idea was, yeah, let's let's think about going to Kenya. I went back and talked to my wife and daughter and we certainly had an ambition to have her exposed to more international ministries. So we signed up for the trip and ended up finding ourselves in Kenya. Joshua Ngao: You Ken Peel: Yeah. ⁓ So from there, what you involved with sponsoring a child and everything else that you do? Where did it start? I mean, obviously you didn't start becoming the head of the board and you didn't start with ⁓ the role that you have today. How did it start for you? Was it very small and you just kind of grew from there or what was that like? Wayne R. Stuedemann: Well, going back to the story about the trip, there was supposed to be about a dozen of us and it turned out that along with Joshua there were three people myself, my wife and my daughter. So we had a a very personal and intimate tour, and tour guide, where we could really the ministry, we could meet the children, and were ⁓ so moved when we were there that that it was just Ken Peel: ⁓ wow. Wayne R. Stuedemann: Easy to make an investment into children and ⁓ we were absolutely ⁓ completely convinced that this was real, it was of God, that we had been really called to to be a part of it, ⁓ least ⁓ sponsoring a few children. Ken Peel: So Joshua, let me turn to you real quick and and ask you as far as what did it to have someone like Wayne at that time, not today, but at that time, come alongside of you to ⁓ from the trip and then sponsoring children. ⁓ What was that like for you your ministry? Joshua Ngao: him being now the president of the board, that time first came to check me out whether I was real or ⁓ one those ministries that claim that do this and don't do it. So ⁓ after, Ken Peel: Sure. Joshua Ngao: We went to Kenya and he found in one of the places we had I think 17 children in that school. But he saw a real ministry or I think as he says, he saw a real heart to reach to the children. And that place where there were 17, we have close to 400 right now. Ken Peel: Wow. Joshua Ngao: And a lot of them who have graduated went to become like ⁓ the podcast we talked about Amos. ⁓ Amos ⁓ a that Wayne and his family picked ⁓ up that time. when he was little with no ⁓ now he is the head teacher. Ken Peel: Yeah. Joshua Ngao: of our school in Eastern they educated him ⁓ all way to Teachers College. They invested in that dirty kid who is now leading ⁓ all those other kids and is the best teacher we have ever had. ⁓ so, when I look at I that Wayne ⁓ and his family, they have, Ken Peel: Yeah. Joshua Ngao: invested in the kingdom of God by helping all these children, helping a lot of, construction of those schools. Wayne is always ready when there is a need ⁓ to be able step up and, you know, help. So he is, to me, he is ⁓ somebody that when is anything, Ken Peel: Mm. Yeah. Joshua Ngao: It doesn't matter what I'm passing through. first person to call is Wayne. Because first is my older brother and second is ⁓ chairman of my board. And that is the who in me. Ken Peel: Yeah, that's great. So, Wayne, when did it become evident, or at least you feel like God was leading you from more of just being a sponsor of children to getting involved with in the ministry? How did that happen? Wayne R. Stuedemann: Well it's it's decades ago now, but I I believe it happened because ⁓ of my natural bent ⁓ to see things done with excellence. Joshua had a a group of loyal board members and ⁓ I invited to a board meeting and got to meet some some very passionate people, but it was clear that there was an opportunity to provide some more professional leadership. for that. And and one of the major elements for me, and I'm sure this should be important to anybody investing in any ministry anywhere in the world, is the ⁓ ⁓ solid, financial accountability. And so ⁓ right it was clear that there was some needs ⁓ to make the more clear, eventually to treat them in a way that ⁓ gave not only us comfort but anybody else it was thinking about sponsoring a child, and eventually that led us to the ⁓ ECFA, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, which is the gold standard for ministries, whether it's ⁓ a church in the United States or a mission organization somewhere else. And and we were blessed after a few years to be accepted as the smallest ministry to ever be certified by the ECFA because of the excellence that we were bringing to the accountability and to the management. And so it was part of my business background to want to see things done really, really well, to make sure the investments that I was making and everybody else were just really well planted. Ken Peel: So in your opinion, Wayne, why do you think the partnership between you and Joshua and the whole board really, why does it work so well and why has it gone on for so long? Wayne R. Stuedemann: I think it goes back to a shared passion. there's a lot of ministries in the world that and you the advertisements on T V, they'll sponsor children and they'll feed children but this goes well, well beyond that. ⁓ the people on the board and Joshua, we have a heart to educate children, to feed children, to increase their, life, their their standard of living, but to also make sure that At the end of the day, the gospel blessing them. They're being showered with it in the classroom and in the orphanage and everywhere they go. ⁓ It's all about eternal perspective. And the one thing I'll say about the Kenyans, especially those with the least, is they really appreciate the eternal focus. we live such a high standard in our country. it's almost like we're all living in Disneyland where everything is nice and concise and the grass is mowed and everything else and there's not garbage on the streets. And live in nice homes with air conditioning and central heating and ⁓ it's good to spend time with people that have very little, that may live in a mud hut with the fire in the middle of it and the smoke going out the Ken Peel: Yeah. Wayne R. Stuedemann: roof where there's a little hole. it's good to spend time with people like that because you get a sense for what's real and then you see the joy of the Lord in their faces and in their hearts when they come to worship. it's a living example of of Christ's love working through people. Ken Peel: So, Wayne, don't you take a little of time to share a memory ⁓ I guess you say God moment that you've experienced over the years with this ministry. I know that there's probably numerous that you've seen, but one that ⁓ kind of stands out to you that ⁓ you could really say, Yep, God is definitely working here. Wayne R. Stuedemann: Probably the biggest one ⁓ is ⁓ is the story that Joshua told on the first podcast for the little girl that was found in the toilet, that was ⁓ lifted out, cleaned up, ⁓ a home within Fishers and Men ministries, and that went on to to educated, but to receive Christ, to embrace Christ's love and then to choose to come back and serve others. It's I mean that's such a significant thing, along with so many other things we've seen with people coming to Christ. ⁓ there was one time we visited w there were three Muslim ladies that had come to Christ, and ⁓ we had a nice discussion with them and you could just see the freedom that they were enjoying knowing that they could be certain of eternity with Christ. And not living under the constraints of Islam. Ken Peel: And know that over the years there's been a lot things that have changed within the ministry. starting from, well, seventeen kids to now over four hundred just in one school. And there's many other things now too. I like to call Fishers of Men Ministries a multifaceted ministry simply because it's not just child sponsorship and it's not just water wells and it's not just teaching pastors how to be ⁓ self-sufficient. I mean all of those are included, plus so many other things that go on as well. So Wayne, when did you guys really decide to expand the ministry from just sponsoring children and educating them to really meeting other goals so that you could, reach their spiritual goals as well. So when did all of that really come into play and ⁓ How did that progress throughout the the ministry? Wayne R. Stuedemann: Well think it evolved over time. ⁓ it was really need driven and opportunity driven. in Kenya there's at least ⁓ where we have the secondary school with that academy, there's ⁓ always a of water. wells being dug by hand to eighty, ninety feet and then get water. That's well, it's not great, but it's better than walking fifteen, twenty miles. Ken Peel: Right. Wayne R. Stuedemann: But the need really what I think pulled us into water wells along the way. ⁓ if you've got children, they've got parents. If you're preaching the gospel there's others that want to hear it, so then we end up with churches and pastors. And so it's kind of a an evolutionary process where we're just led and really Joshua's living example being able to be sensitive to the needs of of the country, of his people, and I'm sure there's no shortage of people whispering in his ears saying, hey, we need a well here or we we want to start a church there. And so that's really been a bit of a challenge for us trying to keep our focus on the children, on the academies, on the education, while we take care of all those other opportunities. But to your point, Ken, it gives people a chance to do something bigger, perhaps, to make a stronger investment than sponsoring a child, which is absolutely critical and foundational to the ministry, but it gives them a chance ⁓ put a block of money ⁓ a well, or we've had many churches that have sponsored the construction of a church. And so it just really has expanded the ministry and given people here an opportunity to invest in ⁓ a bigger way. Ken Peel: Yes. Yeah, definitely. Well, thanks for joining us on this episode of Kenya Kronicles It is our second episode, and we're talking with ⁓ Wayne Stuedemann who is a significant part of the ministry. He's the president the board and ⁓ longtime friend of Joshua and ministry. And ⁓ as we're talking here, and you've heard us talking about some other areas that the ministry provides and serves, and you're interested in ⁓ getting involved with this ministry, maybe it's Child sponsorship, maybe it's water wells, it's ⁓ churches, whatever else there might be, or you just want to be an overall sponsor and allow ⁓ funds, your donations to benefit where it needs to go, you can do that as well. And we'll have the links to how you can get involved in the bottom of this particular podcast, but you can also go to FOM Ministries.org ⁓ and you can get involved. There and find the rest of the podcasts right there at the top of the page. ⁓ Joshua, me ask you a quick question what is a role that you've seen Wayne really take run with it? take the ball and run with it. What's something that you've seen over the years where he was really excited ⁓ about something and really ⁓ got involved? Joshua Ngao: You Wow. That's a very odd question I I've gone to Wayne so many times, his passion is ⁓ just overwhelming. It's just like you tell him ⁓ it's almost like, a when they come to a father and they just what they want. and then go home and they rest. when there is a real need he looks at the need and whether it's Because he knows when he supports it, there will be the fruit. Because Fishers of Men not those ministries where you say, I want a water well. and then people give 20,000 and then you don't see where they go. we ⁓ something, if construction of ⁓ a immediately the day you start seeing materials coming in and in about ⁓ a month is completely done. So that's one of the things that I can say. spirit of God ⁓ in him and his wife they that passion that a need if it's a real need and he's very quick to say no that's not a need you know so it's not like every time he tells me yes yes there are times he tells me that's not a need and ⁓ I ⁓ personally I can say he is real Ken Peel: Yeah. Joshua Ngao: He is a real person. God has blessed Like when we started, He said all what we have here, ⁓ one time it will end. God will take us home. what we do for the group of Christ ⁓ is what is going to last. Anything else, we have so many people who ⁓ are here. Ken Peel: That's right. Joshua Ngao: They were rich and they ate a lot but they used their finances and wealth on themselves ⁓ feel that Wayne's family is in all these kids, ⁓ the water wells we have, And it is because of Wayne's leadership that we can say that. When we talk about over 600 children getting education right now and food and health and those are people are being changed. So that leadership Wayne has brought Ken Peel: Yeah. Joshua Ngao: to the ministry. So we are building something that later when we are not here, it will still continue going. It is not a... Right now we are planting it. When we see Ken Peel: Yeah. Joshua Ngao: Amos and others, they are coming up. They are going to take over. So we feel is ⁓ becoming a very good of many in Kenya. Ken Peel: So when you think of the word generosity, what does mean to you? How do you personally think about generosity? Wayne R. Stuedemann: I think it really comes down to fundamental understanding of where ⁓ everything have has from. And ⁓ without an understanding of then we hold things too tightly in our fist, and and I am ⁓ more acutely aware that everything I have, my life, health, the next breath I take, the next pair of shoes I put on. Ken Peel: Yes. Wayne R. Stuedemann: The next meal I eat is all come from God, by the grace of God. And I've traveled enough beyond Kenya to see places where people don't have those things, to know that I am especially blessed. And when God gives me those basics and then provides for me continuous surplus, it's easy to allow for his spirit to move in my heart. I'm really uncomfortable with Ken Peel: Amen. Wayne R. Stuedemann: Anything like this that talks too much about Wayne because it isn't Wayne. Ken Peel: Yeah. Wayne R. Stuedemann: This is the spirit of God that's moving through people. I'm getting out of the way sometimes and letting him move through me. But this is a ministry that God chosen to bless and ordain in the hundreds of lives that have been It's just beyond understanding. I'll be the first to admit I understand the depth and the breadth Joshua Ngao: Amen. Wayne R. Stuedemann: And the eternal significance and the influence this ministry's had to date. But with that being said, I'm excited about the foundations that have been laid for the future, the churches that are in place, the kids that are being educated, receiving Christ, and passing that along. They it home to their parents. it's huge. And ⁓ there that song, ⁓ I can only imagine. Ken Peel: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Wayne R. Stuedemann: Well I can only imagine the day that that I walk into heaven. Joshua Ngao: Amen. Amen. ⁓ Ken Peel: Hmm. Yeah. And Wayne R. Stuedemann: And meet a lot of people I've never met whose skin is a lot more pigmented than mine I'm ⁓ anxious that day, quite frankly. Ken Peel: That's right. Amen. Amen. That's right. And so we're talking about the foundations that are being laid, the people's lives that are being changed. That's really what we're called to do as followers of Christ we are called to go and make disciples. And that doesn't ⁓ mean ⁓ your own neighborhood. It could be, but it also could be around the world as well. And so ⁓ we talk about this, and if you're watching or listening to this podcast and you really feel like, well Maybe God's leading me to get involved with what they're doing and laying a foundation where can be changed for eternity. Wayne, what would say ⁓ to ⁓ somebody watching listening right now if they would like to find out more or get more information ⁓ and how to get involved with this ministry? Wayne R. Stuedemann: I would say that first of all be comforted and be confident that every dollar that you're moved to invest will be wisely This ⁓ real and it's annually certified to be real. ⁓ ⁓ and well managed and it's growing. And would yeah, look at your investments of life. Look at your retirement funds, look your 401k. And ask yourself how long will that last? Because money invested in ministries like this has eternal rewards for those individuals who are educated and fed and blessed with the gospel of Jesus Christ. And yes, we are called to go to all nations, and we certainly don't want to bypass our neighbors at home, but when you're ready to do more, when you're ready to invest in Ken Peel: Sure. Wayne R. Stuedemann: Something that's safe, it's real, will have eternal influence. Yeah, give us an opportunity. have a real need every year. We have two academies and we have several dozen children coming in for that first ⁓ preschool. And so we have unsponsored children right now that we're taking care of waiting for people to step up and say, yes, I'd like to sponsor that child. And of course they can find out about that on FOM Ministries dot org. ⁓ that I'm sure will be somewhere linked to to this podcast. Ken Peel: Yes, definitely. Yeah, we'll have that down in the description for sure. that website, you can ⁓ look and see the children that are needing to be sponsored, get some more information about them, and choose one of those children if the the Lord allows you to, ⁓ and out more information. And ⁓ you can also find out more about the different projects that are being worked on, the water wells and everything. But there's also a link on the top as well for you to listen to ⁓ these podcasts that we're putting out. if you miss The first one you can get the link there too. So we appreciate you being and and ⁓ watching this, listening to it. ⁓ And I to ask you if you would just really quickly ⁓ say something directly to the supporters ⁓ right now this ministry and ⁓ just them some encouragement, them know that there appreciated. Joshua Ngao: Okay. Yeah, it support us. We have so many supporters from different states like ⁓ Iowa, Missouri And ⁓ some churches are involved in what we're doing. Our church here, we sponsor over almost 100 children, Sacred City. And, it's big blessing because Everybody is excited about it and other churches. So I can say that for our current sponsors and supporters, thank you very much. There are a couple of people who have stepped forward every now and then to give a general donation like end of the year or so. really want some people we have, as we work here. We have to have somebody do the books, we have needs at office too. So we are appreciating all these sponsors of Fishers Men who have stepped to ⁓ work with us all years. of them have sponsored kids ⁓ all the way to 12th grade, from first and it's a monthly thing and that's a real commitment to see people doing that. So I can say that God has blessed us with very good sponsors we pray for them all the time. One of the things that happens is if we immediately you sponsor a child we ask for a picture of you and your family and send it and those kids Ken Peel: Yeah. Joshua Ngao: carry that picture every day. there's what we call parade is like a morning devotion in the morning. And sometimes they are taught to, get out picture of their sponsor to pray for them. recently when there was fighting in Israel, a from Clinton, a lady was there in, in Israel ⁓ that group that was there and sponsor a child and ⁓ child told about her that was ⁓ in ⁓ Israel she a of the children ⁓ they refused to eat for two they fasted for two days ⁓ and they said until you tell that she is okay we are not going to eat. teacher said, please us, ⁓ what is happening. These children are suffering. they say they are not suffering, that's how these children, they take you as sponsors, ⁓ as ⁓ parents, 100%. Ken Peel: Yeah. Wow. Joshua Ngao: So anybody who is wanting sponsor a child, you can just go to fomministries.org, and pick a child. It's $50 to sponsor a child, but if you add $10, you can call sponsor a teacher. so that we can raise funds to pay the teachers. And with that, you have a child in Africa, like Wayne, the they picked those children, and now they have a head teacher who they can say this is a product of the sponsorship. So ⁓ this ministry is ⁓ Everything that comes, why we have what Wayne said. Ken Peel: Okay. Yeah. Joshua Ngao: ECFA evangelical council for financial accountability. We have every year to an account of what we did and they check it very closely and if they see any mistake they say ⁓ this what when did this money go ⁓ if anybody wants to know is just to go to ECFA.org and ⁓ Fishers of Men ministries and all our accounts for many years, it's right there on the site, we we are a open book. So ⁓ The transparency of the Lord has called us do but we need ⁓ as we continue to grow, we need ⁓ more sponsors. We more ⁓ support. We need, people to in to become partners so that we can be able to run this ministry effectively. Ken Peel: Again, that website is FOM Ministries.org. You can find out more there. We'll have the link down ⁓ in description. But Wayne, thank you for coming on and telling your story, how you got involved, how the Lord has been using you and this ministry around the world and right here in our area as well. But we appreciate it. Thanks so much, Wayne. Thanks for taking the time to be with us today. Wayne R. Stuedemann: Yes. Well to God be the glory. Ken Peel: Amen. Amen. up on the next episode that we're going to have next month, we'll have another ⁓ guest us that'll be talking about their involvement ⁓ in this ministry, how it got started, how the Lord has used it not only in Joshua and the children's lives, but in their life as well. And so we'll hope you'll look for that podcast coming up next when we drop that ⁓ episode. This is Kenya Kronicles We hope that you've enjoyed this episode and seeing how the Lord is working and even how you can get involved as well. Thanks for joining us.