First Post From East Africa

The three Amigos (Pastors Bruce and Nathanael, Russ), outside our hotel in Nairobi.

Hello All from Mombasa, Kenya,

We have just finished the 2008 East Africa CLC Pastoral Conference in Nairobi. The conference was a great success. We had representatives from two Tanzanian church bodies, from Kenyan churches in the Nairobi and Etago areas, as well as visitors from Uganda and the Congo. Papers were presented, which included:

Group photo of the East Africa CLC Pastoral Conference

* An Introduction to the Gospel of Mark, by Pastor Fred of Etago, Kenya,

* "Faith and the Ethical Decision," by Pastor Jesse Angowi of St. Peter's Seminary in Himo, Tanzania,

* "An Overview of the history of the kings of Israel and Judah, during the Divided Kingdom," by Pastor Enosh of Etago, Kenya,

* "Principals of Pastoral Theology," by Michael Gondwe of Tanga, Tanzania.

* "What Will Happen in the Last Times?" by CLC Mission Board Chairman Bruce Naumann,

* "A Study of the Bible's Use of the Term 'Foundation of the World,'" by Pastor Nathanael Mayhew of the CLC-USA.

Pastors Naumann and Mayhew, with the delegation from the LCEA

Good fellowship, study,and discussion was enjoyed by all.

Pastor Jesse Angowi of the LCEA, presenting his paper. Pastor Gondwe served as translators, for those who only understood Swahili

Friday morning was to be a travel day, from Nairobi to Mombasa, on the Atlantic coast. It is about a seven hour journey by car. Tomorrow we will have a teaching conference with 7 of the Mombosa area pastors. We will also visit one of the area chyrches for a service. Sunday morning will find us at the largest of the Mombasa churches. Then it's back to Nairobi. Next week we visit the Etago churches, and the AIDS orphan school.

I am writing this during the car ride. It is a dry scrub area between these large cities. Huts, small villages, bicycles. and occasional vendors line the narrow highway. I only thought "we're all gonna die!" a couple of times on the road, before getting used to Africa traffic once again. I will send another update within a few days. Thank you for your prayers. -- Bruce Naumann, Nathanael Mayhew, and Russ Schmitt

The congregation at Nyahururu, north of Nairobi

Nyahururu is very close to the famous equator!