Thank you for your prayers for my colleague, Rev. Mike Stear, and I for safe travel, for good health and for power in ministry. We were conscious of the Lord’s hand guarding us, although we saw the aftermath of 5 accidents on the roads in the two weeks – travelling in Africa is much more dangerous than here. The travelling was straight -forward and we had the joy from the start of having lovely coincidences – the person who met us at Entebbe was someone I had met 15 years ago when he stayed with us in the UK for one night whilst in transit to the USA to a conference, when he and a good friend from Uganda, were stranded at Heathrow.

The Renewal conference in Mbale has been meeting for more than 15 years, and this was the fifth time I was a speaker. As is often the case with African ways, when we arrived we discovered that the conference was starting a day earlier than we expected, and three of the speakers who were invited weren’t coming so would we fill in the gaps!

So we ended up each taking eight sessions between Wednesday morning and Sunday afternoon. There was a major moving of the Holy Spirit in at least one session, and folk came to Christ and were filled with the Holy Spirit or received deliverance ministry during the few days we were there. Mike spoke powerfully on the conference theme from Isaiah 41, and also on righteousness; he also took some seminars on leadership, which was very well received. I had been asked to speak on the work of the Holy Spirit, and was able to expand on this through the few days. There was opportunity to speak on healing ministry, forgiveness, the gifts of the Holy Spirit and love in relation to gifts and ministry.

Mike had opportunity to travel to meet some converts from Islam to Christ in Mbale, and was able to film testimonies of how the Lord had helped them through the persecution by their families and community.

We travelled on to Kisumu after a night staying with old friends in Kampala, and when we got to Kisumu, we again found that the conference was starting a day earlier than we expected – not unusual! Mike & I spoke on the Pastor and the Word of God, the Pastor and the Spirit of God, and the Pastor and the church of God. We based these on John 13 to John 17, and I took the pastors – there were about 35 in total – through the gospel of John and the work of the Holy Spirit.

The following testimonies have just been sent to us from Kenya:

“I have been called by several pastors who have praised the meeting and the fruits it has given in their lives.
One pastor reunited with his wife after a year of separation.
One woman leader xxxxx says has been healed of tumour in the stomach that has been painful for the last three years.
Pastor xxx says that his son came home after been away from home without trace for two years. He came forward for prayers over this. Four days after the seminar he was amazed that the son came back home.
YYY’s son has made remarkable recovery after prayers and they are rejoicing in the Lord. Many people have called me to say that they are refreshed for ministry. Thanks so much for coming to Kenya, the fruits of your coming is clearly evident and we give God all the glory.”
We were able to visit an orphanage in the slums of Kisumu where the church is providing a meal each day for 125 pre-school children, and they are engaged in building a new orphanage and school outside the city, with completion later this year.

We have received, but not yet responded to, invitations back to Mbale, Kisumu and also possibly to take a clergy conference in Mbale, having had meetings with the bishop of Mbale whilst there – I led such a conference in 2001, which was a springboard to some moves forward in the diocese then.

Thank you to all who prayed for us, and if you would like a more detailed account, and to see some of the pictures of the trip, please let me know.

Stephen