Exposure to new places and new things is good. Sometimes it opens our eyes to a world unlike anything we’ve ever known. Such was the case last week as I made my first trip to the coastal city of Mombasa, Kenya for a Secret Church conference.

From an outward appearance, Mombasa resembles any port city, much like you would see in other parts of the world. The vast Indian Ocean opens up as far as the eye can see. Cargo ships coming into the port, or headed out to other ports in the world.

The Mombasa port receives shipments not only for Kenya, but also the countries of Uganda, Rwanda, Congo, Sudan and others. The port business as you can imagine is a vital resource for this area of the world. Security is at its highest as the opportunity for theft and corruption are ever present.

As you drive along the beachfront, you find 5 star hotels as well as private mansions. Yet, just one or two streets over, the scene changes and you find yourself in the midst of the drug world with prostitution and all of the other heartbreaking lifestyles that accompany such things. These scenes are not isolated, as in all areas of our world including my own country of America you can discover the same type of areas. Yet, for me, on this trip I had exposure to much more.

Being in areas at times where I could feel I was not wanted. Our first stop after arriving in Mombasa was at the grocery store to purchase bottled water. From the moment I stepped out of the car until I returned, I was met with unkind eyes. No matter if I smiled or spoke, most often there was no return of the gesture. Driving along the city streets, being told we must keep our windows shut due to crime. Walking with someone in front of me and behind me to protect me.

Yet, in the midst of this world of unknowns and uncertainties for me, I found beautiful treasures of Christians that are faithfully serving our Lord amidst the ungodliness of their surroundings. People who haven’t given up hope for winning their city for Jesus Christ.

Pastors who have labored there for many, many years are still on their knees praying for the lost world around them. Godly laymen and women are participating in training others how to share the gospel with their neighbors, their co-workers and others. Churches have strategic plans in place to reach the unreached population around them.

The Secret Church teachings were much needed and the Christians are longing for more. The In Touch Messengers were sent out with those who will have the opportunity to share them in settings where a Bible or other Christian material could not go. Simply because its an electronic gadget creates curiosity and people will sit and listen to what it has to say.

As I was sharing in our conference as we usually do about the persecution in our world, I looked around and realized that in this place, you don’t have to explain persecution, they know it by their own experiences. I’ve not posted pictures within this update of our conference in order to protect the identity of the Christians. Please join me in praying for our Christian brothers and sisters in Mombasa who are fighting the good fight, completing the course God has set for them.

My driver Sezi and Pastor Tom had a lot of first on this trip. They took their first plane ride,

Sezi and Tom getting ready to board their first flight…

rode on a ferry, saw/walked in the ocean

Tom and Sezi’ first steps into the ocean…

and ate their first salt water fish.

Tom and Sezi first time to eat seafood…

This was an exciting week for these young men who grew up in the bush!

This completes our 2012 conference schedule as well as completes our team of 3 traveling together.

One of our last pictures together as God closes out this chapter of our lives….

Sezi will continue to live in Uganda with his family as Helping Hands has hired him on as their full-time driver. Sezi will always be family to me and we will visit often, yet, it is not easy to think of our travels without him.

In July, 2010, a team from my home church, Blackshear Place, was doing bush church services in the evenings. Sezi was one of the drivers for our team that night and my missions Pastor, Kevin Ross witnessed to Sezi. When he told me about this driver surrendering his life to the Lord, Holy Spirit spoke clearly to me, that this was the driver God was sending me. Since that time he has been my only driver, we have traveled all over East Africa together. He has been a loyal and devoted friend and African Son. My family and I are forever grateful to him for his care of me over these years.

These are just a few of my favorite memories with Sezi.

Easter Sunday…we are stuck and Sezi is out in his suit, pulling up grass so we can pass through the mud

Sezi….trying to determine the whats next in the process of us getting unstuck…

Sezi makes new friends everywhere we go. When he disappears, we always know we will find him surrounded by children he is sharing the love of God with.

An afternoon on the shores of Lake Victoria with Sezi and his sweet family…

I would ask all of you to take the time to thank our Heavenly Father for every moment Sezi has kept me safe from harm, and taken me where God told us to go. Ask our Heavenly Father to bless him and his family abundantly for his faithfulness to me.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary-East Africa

Blessed is my word today! Love, love, love….my sweet new home here in Kenya. Beautiful countryside,

View from my windows

Beautiful blooming trees outside my windows

and lots of different activities made by all of my new yard friends, all of who visited on my porch today.

Turkey, hen and rooster

Goats and Sheep

Monkey’s

More monkey’s

Yes, and even more monkey’s

I have laughed all day! The goats tried to eat my straw chair on the porch and the monkey’s just kept distracting me! They are so fun to watch. One was very brave…he jumped on the window sill at my kitchen window, stuck his arm inside and tried to get my pineapple!

The house is an old house,

Sweet home…Kenya

but in fairly good shape. More primitive on the inside than out, but the environment on the outside is so worth the lack of conveniences on the inside. I have electricity and today they are completing the renovations so I will have running water and a toilet. No hot water, but so thankful I’ll have running water.

When I awake in the morning, I see the sunrise coming in my window, just like when I was still in the states living by my daughter. I have missed those first moments of the day when the sun is rising. In Uganda where I lived before, all I could see from my windows was a block wall. Now God has graciously once again given me such pleasurable moments each morning. Also, as you can see from the view from my windows, I can see mountains. Also another great gift of God as I miss our North Georgia mountains that I could always see going and coming from home each day. Now, although I am 8000 miles from our beautiful North Georgia mountains, I have beautiful Kenya mountains to remind me of our Creator.

Along with the view of the mountains, and the environment is another blessing. For the first time in more than 2 years I don’t live with an armed guard, and I have freedom to leave my home and walk. God has brought me to a place that is best described as a “sanctuary”. In the stillness and peace of this place I am expecting God to teach me more and more of Himself. I anticipate wonderful God moments here as He has brought me to a place where I can genuinely be still and in the quietness of this place, hear His voice clearly.

So thankful to my sweet friends, Craig and Christin Haynie who sent a special offering. I now have a propane stove, a microwave (that works great if the power is on 🙂 ) and a table and chairs. Its rare for someone to write me and tell me they are sending money for personal use, not ministry use, so I was so blessed when I received their message saying they wanted to help with things I might need in my new home.

Speaking of Craig and Christin, I’d like to ask all of you to be praying for them. For a long time they have been hoping for a child and found out recently they were finally expecting. Yet, God in His sovereignty took the the wee one home to heaven a few days ago. Just this morning I was reading about Hannah and her experience before God sent Samuel into her life. You know the thing about Hannah that remains in my mind, is that Hannah was not a woman of faith simply because she eventually bore a child, she was a woman of faith because she sought God in her deepest distress.

Couldn’t help but think of what Christin posted a few days ago when God took their baby home…she wrote…”Craig and I are very sadden by the fact that we have had to say goodbye to our precious little baby. “Baby H” won’t get to live here on earth with us, but we find comfort in knowing our child will be living with Jesus – for eternity. Along with our sadness is also a thankfulness for God’s sovereignty. We did not have to make the decision of where our baby needed to live, and we trust fully that God’s wisdom is (and always will be) far greater than ours”.

Just like Hannah, Christin and Craig are people of faith because they sought God in their deepest distress. Please be praying for these sweet friends that I love dearly.

Home for all of this week, then headed out to the eastern coast of Kenya on Sunday for my last Secret Church conference for this year. Excited about this trip because Pastor Tom and Sezi have never flown before and we are flying to our conference! I will take some pictures to share….I sure love this two young men…two of my greatest blessings here in Africa. Can’t what to experience their first flight!

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary-East Africa

Today is the day! As I wrote a few weeks back, God is relocating me into the country of Kenya. Today, I officially move to my new home there. I know in the weeks and months ahead I will have much to write home about this new journey, but for now I have much to share about the past three weeks and ALL God has been doing.

First, I would like to thank you for all the prayers and messages after my last post about spiritual warfare. For many days afterwards and even yesterday there were messages with wisdom and encouragement for me from you back home. I was very encouraged and felt loved with each and every message.

I’ve traveled back to back weeks within Kenya completing Secret Church conferences, so I’ve not had much internet access. At these particular conferences, almost all of the participants were new friends for us. Various pastors from different denominations, which was a great joy to experience.

Holding a conference in the slum area of Nairobi was an eye opening experience. When I first arrived into the city, I thought it much like any western metropolitan city, which is a rare sight here in East Africa. However, it didn’t take but a few minutes to be on streets like I normally travel on throughout the East African community, streets engulfed with poverty.

Slums of Nairobi

Nairobi Pastors at our Secret Church Conference

The next two conferences gave us some challenges with mud as the rainy season is in full force.

My path to the church

Kenya Bush Pastors

My path to the church at the following weeks conference

My home for the week

2nd week of Pastors at Secret Church Conference

It has been a tremendous blessing for Pastor Tom (my translator) Sezi (my driver)

On our journey back from Nairobi

and myself to be given the opportunity by the Radical team to carry the Secret Church teachings throughout Kenya and Uganda this year. We have completed all but one week of travel for this year. There is one conference left on the coast of Kenya, which we will complete week after next.

When we finish this last conference, we will have provided Dr. David Platts teachings of: Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey and How To Study the Bible. These week long conferences are scheduled with groups of no more than 30 pastors at a time. During this week we not only provide Dr. Platts teachings and materials, we also spend time encouraging the pastors as they learn for the first time the reality of persecution in our world today.

These pastors have not experienced coming together for this many days where they are feed well, provided blankets and mats for sleeping and are given the evening hours for fellowship among themselves. As I have written many times in the past, it is amazing to watch the transformation on their faces that is so visible when you compare their first day there to their last day there.

Had the opportunity to visit with Eric, the young man who through your support of me being here has put him through 2 years at the Kenya School for the Deaf.

Eric and I

He brought me his report card and as always, he is doing excellent. It is wonderful to see him be able to write and to communicate as he is now proficient in sign language. Thank you to everyone who supports me here, part of the funds you send for my support are paying for Eric’s school.

Some of Gods creatures along our pathways these past few weeks:

Yesterday was a day I will never forget. In the early morning hours Sezi and I began picking up pastors along the route headed toward the unreached people group God has opened the door for us to reach.

Road trip with pastors and my sweet friends Beatrice and Geoffrey

Just 4 weeks ago when our first initial contact was made, we rejoiced as 2 new women surrendered their lives to Jesus. When we arrived yesterday to spend the day teaching the 2 new believers, we were thrilled to find an additional 20 new believers; all of whom came to faith in Christ through the witness of the first two women.

I arrived back late yesterday and learned about the violence going on all over our world the past few days. The news saddened me as I had just spent the day with 22 new believers who were devout Muslims just 4 weeks ago. What a contrast to go from a great spiritual experience seeing visibly Gods eternal kingdom being multiplied, to learning of the violence and killings.

This morning I read the following about how we should pray on the Secret Church Blog and wanted to ask all of you to join us in praying:

http://www.radical.net/secretchurch/blog/

In Light Of All This, How Do We Pray?

– Let us pray that our Christian brothers and sisters will experience peace!

1. In their surroundings. We want them to be safe as they continue to advance the Kingdom where they are.
2. In their hearts. We want them to receive comfort and experience calm as they experience the joy of Christ and fear God above man.
3. In their relationships. We want them to continue to display love within the Body as well as to those outside. Blessed are the peacemakers.Matthew 5:9).

– Let us pray that the violence does not spread.

– Let us pray for our enemies and the enemies of our brothers and sisters, remembering that we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. (Romans 5:10).

– Pray for all those injured in the violence and for the families of those whom we know to have been killed, including those of 4 US diplomats in Libya. Pray that all are comforted by the one true God as He mercifully and graciously leads them to depend on Him for everything.

– Above all, let us pray that God receives the worship He is due from His creation.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary -East Africa

Here I grow again God, once more acknowledging my inability to walk the straight and narrow without 100% of my focus being on You. Another test has come and once again I almost failed, yet You never let go! You waited patiently and allowed me to choose. 2012 has brought about two such test Lord, and both I almost failed. As I look behind I wonder why I could not see clearly. Why am I such a slow learner this year God? Failing You or stepping one foot outside Your will is not the desire of my heart. So why must I relearn the same lessons over and over?

Yes Lord, I understand in my weakness, You are strong. If I never experienced weakness, I would not cling to You. Yes, Lord I understand that not all things that are good are your will and purpose for my life. I understand Lord that the enemy has dangled good things in front of me to take me off the path of best things You have planned.

This is a portion of my prayers this afternoon here on the foreign mission fields of Africa. For a couple of months I’ve been struggling with not only some big decisions, but more importantly, struggling to understand a new dimension for me of spiritual warfare. A dimension that is not easily discerned in knowing which side is good and which side is evil.

I’m not sure I can put into words exactly what its like, but I want to try because I want others to know to be aware and take caution. In my ignorance I guess I’ve always thought in spiritual warfare you know which side is the right side because its what appears to be good. Yet, this year, Satans tactics have produced very good things that on most days would be easily discerned as being Gods will.

However, recently through trial and error I have come to understand this new battle plan of his. During this time of learning some new lessons, I realized I had forgotten some of the most basic foundational truths of how to know the will of God.

First, look for where God is working and join Him there as I learned in my very first bible study after I became a follower of Christ; Henry Blackabys Experiencing God. Second, which of the choices would make the greatest eternal difference.

Those two simple reminders put to rest something I’ve been trying to know Gods will for over two months. Once He reminded me of how simple it is to know, I was floored at how hard I had made making the decisions be.

If any of you have words of wisdom you can share with me of your own experiences with this, it would be greatly appreciated. Spiritual warfare is very real and its always been intense here on the mission field. But this is frightening to realize how close I have come twice in making wrong decisions because they were good choices and would not have been ungodly choices. But, they were not where He is actively working and they would not have made a great eternal difference.

So thankful He is patient with me and never gives up on me! I really do want to hear how some of you have learned this and what other advice you could give that I might not have thought of.

There are times in ministry when you know God is doing something very special. You are watching from the sidelines as His will and His plans burst wide open. That is exactly how last week was as Pastor Tom and I helped the pastors complete Secret Church/Radical teachings down on the shores of Lake Victoria.

Pastor Tom Ojiambo…my sweet “African Son”, translator and Pastor for the Secret Church/Radical teachings…

Secret Church Participants for the Week

Pastors filling in the blanks of their Secret Church study guides…

Not only were we able to complete the Secret Church teachings, we were blessed to deliver “Messengers” from Dr. Charles Stanley – In Touch. The first of more than 300 “Messengers” In Touch sent for the pastors at our conferences.

Pastors Receiving “Messengers” from In Touch

Lake Victoria is Africas largest lake by area, and it is the largest tropical lake in the world. It is 250 miles long and 200 miles wide. It has more than 300 islands with approximately 60 islands that are inhabited.

The host pastor for our conference, Pastor Nickolas Wafula and his close friend and fellow pastor, Jacob Wandera are not only pastors, but missionaries to the islands of Lake Victoria. In the past two years they have made 6 trips from the shoreline near their homes across the lake to the islands which are the greatest distance away.

Pastor Jacob is a fisherman and has funded many of these 6 trips across. It takes 5 hours using a boat with a motor and the cost is 600,000 Uganda Shillings (about $260). At no cost financially for them they can use a regular boat with oars and row across in 9 or 10 hours if the wind is cooperating. which they have done more than once in the past two years.

Together these native missionaries have reached 3 islands, starting churches on each island. The first island, called Sirinyabi was their first church plant. This church now has 70 members. The second church plant is on Bugana Island, where there are 40 members. The last church plant is on the island of Jagusi with 26 members.

Both Pastor Nickolas and Pastor Jacob have now sat through two complete teachings by Dr. David Platt on Survey of the Old Testament, Survey of the New Testament and How to Study the Bible. They feel prepared and ready to take these studies on to the new church plants on these islands.

From left: Pastor Tom Ojiambo, Pastor Nickolas Wafula, Pastor Jacob Wandera and me…

What an incredible joy to hand over to them Secret Church/Radical study guides and transportation funding from Radical to get these teachings to these new believers. What an incredible joy to see the reality of Gods plans unfold as Secret Church does what Secret Church is supposed to do….make disciples that make disciples…and on and on!

Not only will they be taking the Secret Church materials and teaching, they will also be delivering Messengers to the new churches on these islands. Wow, new believers being taught by native missionaries using Dr. Platt’s teaching materials and listening to Dr. Stanley’s sermons! Without a doubt, the islands will never be the same again as God uses His men to teach His children there.

I would like to request prayers for myself and the pastors I have the privilege to serve as we have experienced in the past few days increasing attacks from the enemy. Attacks almost overwhelming for me at times. Yet, I am holding tight to the hand of my God, who promises to never leave me or forsake me. Regardless of what the enemy is trying to do….I will remain with my hope, focus and devotion to the ONE who has called me here. Thank you in advance for praying for us.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary-East Africa

Umaru is not doing well today, nor for the past few days. He is back in the hospital after a long night of suffering here at the mission compound. It is so frustrating to have an urgent need for a doctor, yet nowhere in the middle of the night to go to. Today as we carried him to the hospital, I was shocked again as I always am at how primitive the medical care here is. With Dr. Brenda and Mike being in-country most of the time, I don’t have to handle a lot of the medical issues with the children who live here with us. Yet, last night and today they were all away and the responsibility was mine, the least qualified missionary here!

Umaru

Christie and Rick Krueger

Sharon and John Summers

Lake Victoria Secret Church Conference

Each and every day of our lives, God is working all around us and through us. Yet, there are some days when things happen that can only be called “God Moments” as there is no other explanation.

In February, I received a message from In Touch, which is the ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley. Through that message I made a new friend named Carol and we have been corosponding ever since. She wrote me to see if I could use some “Messengers” which are hand held solar powered devices with Dr. Stanley’s sermons as well as the New Testament. These devices have been shipped all over the world to soldiers as well as missionaries. We scheduled to meet this past Wednesday for me to pick up 17 Messengers.

On Monday when I arrived in Atlanta from Uganda, I was standing in the airport customs line to have my passport stamped. Of course everyone who came off the plane was in the line so there were many people waiting. But in front of me and behind me was a group of people which I could tell were a returning mission team because of the things they were talking about. I asked where they were traveling from and they said Uganda. That opened up a great conversation between us and when they learned about the pastors training with Secret Church they asked me if I could use some hand held devices with sermons.

What happened next is one of those “God Moments” that I will never forget. They said, “We are from In Touch and the devices are called “Messengers”! A huge smile came across my face and I started laughing….I told them….ummmm I have an appointment already scheduled with Carol for Wednesday morning to pick up 17 Messengers. We all began to understand that God had scheduled this divine appointment because the next thing I knew, they were asking me how many pastors I serve with. When I told them I serve with about 300, they told me that when I came to their offices on Wednesday to meet Carol that they would have 300 Messengers ready for me to take back with me! WOW!

Not long after I became a Christian I began to listen to Dr. Stanley’s sermons. For at least 25 years I have held Dr. Stanley in high esteem as his God given wisdom has taught me so many of the life principles that I live by. On Wednesday I was blessed to spend time in their international offices. The staff are amazing men and women who have a heart for getting God’s Word to the world. A great blessing was viewing a world map that shows where In Touch ministries are actively spreading the Word of God. This year In Touch celebrates 35 years of ministry, making an eternal difference in the lives of people all over the world.

My next “God Moment” happened today. This morning I had the opportunity to worship in the new worship service at The Venue at my home church, Blackshear Place. At the end of the service at each of the exit doors there were students with baskets filled with bracelets with names of students going to youth camp this week. Although I am going to be traveling and participating in youth camp, I wanted to take two bracelets, one of a girl and one of a boy who I could specifically pray for during the week.

After attending the next service in the main sanctuary, I had one of my friends come and share with me about a young lady who would be attending youth camp this week. She shared with me in hopes that I would have an opportunity to talk with this young lady because she believes God is calling her to be a missionary. Riding home from church, I shared with my son and his family about this possible opportunity and how excited I was to know I might have the opportunity to encourage her.

Tonight as I went to get the bracelets out to pray for the two students, I looked at the names on the bracelets for the first time. Out of all the hundreds of bracelets in baskets scattered all over the Venue and the main sanctuary, the bracelet I chose had the name of the young lady who I had been thinking about all day today since my friend told me about her this morning. This can only be explained as a “God Moment”! As you can imagine, I’m probably not going to be able to sleep now because I am so excited as God has already shown up and shown off….and we haven’t even got to camp yet!

It is a joy to be a part of this amazing week….serving with my church family. Please keep all of us in your prayers throughout this week as we are anticipating many more “God Moments” as the days go by.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary-East Africa

Thank you so much for all the prayers that have been prayed in the past couple of weeks for Umaru. When I arrived back from Kenya, he was still not in good shape. He was taken to the local hospital to have more fluids drained and returned back to the mission house. But had to go back to the hospital late Saturday evening as he was experiencing some serious changes. He was struggling to breathe and his heart was in trouble. When Mike and Sarah took him to the hospital they didn’t know if his life would last much longer. He was kept in the hospital until yesterday.

The hospitals here are not staffed for issues such as these and they have no equipment. They did not even have oxygen for him. They don’t have sheets or blankets much less the critical needs. Yet, during his stay he began to stabilize and was sent home yesterday afternoon. We were so happy to have him back home and were looking forward to him having some good days. But, during the night he once again took a turn for the worse. I don’t know enough about the medical to describe what was happening, but I can say that he was suffering terribly. We brought him to my room and put him in my extra bed and we gathered around him not knowing what to do, but pray and just be with him.

So thankful we have Mike here who as a paramedic knows so much about medical things. Also thankful for Dr. Brad Pierce being available via phone. He first treated Umaru when he was here on a medical trip last year. Umaru was a random child among those he treated that week, yet here we are a year later and he is available for Umaru once again. Dr. Brenda is in Honduras this week on a medical mission trip, so we are thankful for Dr. Brad stepping in to help.

It took some time, but eventually the medicine began to help. His pain decreased and he finally went to sleep.

Our sweet boy…finally resting…

Over the following 6 hours he slept and when he woke up he was doing much better. I know he is doing better because people are praying for him. When he woke up I had some boiled eggs ready for him and he ate 3!!!

Umaru and one of his favorites….boiled eggs….

He seems to be much better and we are giving God all the glory! We do not know what Gods plans are, as the diagnosis still remains that his time here on this earth is short. Yet, we know God is in control and we are surrendered to His plan, His will and His way.

Mike and Sarah had to talk to Umaru’s mother yesterday and explain his diagnosis. As you can imagine, she is devastated. Our concern is her turning back to the cultures here and her thinking about taking him to a witch doctor. She has continued to believe that Umaru is sick because he has been bewitched. Pray that through this her faith in God will increase and she will put away the things of this world that were part of her life before she met Jesus a couple of months ago. Today Pastor Joseph who helps us when we have children with critical illnesses came and spent time with her; giving her spiritual guidance and encouragement. Please pray for her as she wants to help her child and in so doing is considering practices that would bring him great harm.

Please pray for us as we pour Gods love out to them and hold them up during this time. Pray for Mike as he oversees Umaru’s medical care. Also, another prayer request that pales in comparison to Umaru is for us to regain power and water. Today is day 7 with no power and day 3 with no water.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove – Missionary East Africa

It’s hard to believe I am heading out today for the next to last Secret Church conference in Kenya this year. I have never had time pass so quickly here, as these past few months have passed. What an incredible journey its been thus far! Once again I am headed out today to a part of Kenya I’ve never been. Looking forward to seeing more of Gods creation and meeting more of His servants! The last conference was filled as always with so many blessings.

Pastors attending the Secret Church Conference

Young pastors training in the Word~

These young men are in their twenties and doing a great work for the churches they pastor. Every where I go, there are usually some young men, but they’re not always pastors. God allowed me to see these young men in a different light and burdened my heart to help them get more teachings. I have some separate Secret Church studies that I am going to bring these pastors here to Uganda to the mission house to do. Last year the folks at Radical gave me the remaining studies from the Secret Church teachings, some of which we have not completed yet. Now I know at least 3 of who these remaining studies were meant for.

Pastors Completing Their Study Guides

My home for the week

My host family

The kitchen and women who took care of the pastors

These were my roommates for the week: 2 mother chickens and their babies and a duck. Also a cat.

Please be in prayer for our sweet Umaru.

Umaru

He has basically stopped eating in the last few days. He is no longer wanting food. His little body is continuing to swell more and more. He will sometimes drink some yogurt and this morning he ate a boiled egg, but thats not a whole lot. We know there is nothing we can do, and we must trust God in what His will is for Umaru. Selfishly, I want God to heal him here and let him stay with us, but as I learned with Derick, sometimes God is ready to have them home with Him. Its hard to leave today not knowing if he will be alright until I get back.

His Mother left two weeks ago to go plant her crops. She has returned only once since then and visited him for a couple of hours. I know this is hard for him, so please join me in praying that his Mother will soon complete her work and return to be with him. If you don’t plant crops here, you don’t eat, so I know it must be hard for her to have to make such a decision when he is so sick. Yet, I know she has peace that he is in good hands here.

Here is a picture I took this week of our kiddo’s that live with us here at the mission house. We are so blessed!

From Left: Phylis, Esther, James, Arafat, Doreen and Umaru

Pray for our conference this week as God once again uses Pastor Platt’s teachings to grow in wisdom and knowledge those who will attend. As always I am very thankful for the Radical team and all they have done to provide training for our pastors here. Also pray for my health as I’ve been battling stomach issues for several weeks. And today I leave with a severe headache that I’ve had a couple of days. Pray that I will be 100% healed by the time I reach the conference later today where I can complete all God has for us this week.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary-East Africa

Week before last we had another incredible Secret Church conference in Kenya. With each conference I see more and more of how God is working in the hearts of these pastors. At this conference one of the pastors who had attended two of the previous conferences asked permission to accompany me on the rest of the conferences throughout Kenya. He believes God is calling him to go to Northern Kenya and Southern Sudan to teach these Secret Church lessons. He wants to attend all the conferences where he can be equipped fully to answer Gods call.

Pastors at the Secret Church Conference

Gods girls taking care of His men…

This makes a total of 4 pastors who feel a calling to other countries. This of course is the goal of Secret Church, to equip and send out. This past Friday night I participated in the live Simulcast of Secret Church #12 from Birmingham. What an incredible experience to be a part of 20 nations from all over the world learning about The Cross and Suffering and praying for our persecuted brothers and sisters in The Horn of Africa. If you didn’t have the opportunity to participate, please go the their website radical.net and listen/watch the teachings. It will give you a different understanding of suffering. My eyes were opened to new truths and I gained much knowledge.

On Saturday I visited our pastors who are in our BSI classes at Lake Victoria and in Buradi, Kenya. I was blessed to deliver new dictionaries to help them gain a better understanding of some of the English words in their curriculum. Thank you Dorks College Text Books for providing these tools for the pastors. They were so happy to receive them.

Pastors receiving new dictionaries from Dorks College Text Books

The rainy season is in full force so we are back to getting stuck often as we did on Saturday.

No doubt….rainy season is here!

I am leaving out today for another week in Kenya for a Secret Church conference. I have never been where I am going today, so I have no idea what to expect, but know that in all things God is in control! I am excited to be visiting the place I am going today. I first met the pastor whose family I will be staying with two years ago. Ever since I met them, they have wanted me to come and stay with them, so it’s exciting to finally have that opportunity. The pastors wife’s name is Joy, so we are excited to spend time together!

We have two new beautiful children here at the missions compound. The first is Umaru. Umaru has a heart condition that is jeopardizing his life. The doctors have said that his life expectancy is very short. As you can see from our picture his stomach is extremely extended. This is the result of fluids created from the heart not functioning properly. Each week he has to go and have fluids drained off, but within a few days, the stomach is back to this condition again.

Umaru

He and his Momma, Rose, were Muslim believers. When he came to us for medical help, the gospel began to be shared by several of our staff and others. He and his Momma have now received Jesus as their Savior. Rose stays here with him and the two of them are attending church and Sunday School each week.

Umaru and Rose

Please be in prayer for Gods perfect will to be done in Umaru’s life. We have our Arafat as a perfect example of the Great Physicians abilities to heal when the doctors say there is nothing more they can do. Please pray for Rose as Umaru is her only child that lives with her. She has an older girl who is married and lives in Kampala, so it has been just Rose and Umaru for a long time. They have their own room here in the compound and they are both enjoying being a part of our lives here. Umaru is absolutely precious. Oh how I wish you could hear his voice in this message, it is so gentle and sweet.

The second child we have received in is Esther. She is 6 years old and was hit by a motorcycle walking home from school. She was hospitalized for a time then came to live with us when she was released. She is a complete mess! She is mischievous and funny, what a joy she is to our lives.

Esther

A team from the states is here this week working with Dr. Brenda at the Village of Eden. Dr. Brenda has done an amazing job over the past few months overseeing the purchasing and design for the Village of Eden. She leaves out tomorrow to head back to the states, and I am going to miss her terribly! It has been such a joy to have her here for an extended time. She and I share the same unit and her leaving will leave a void! But, I know she will soon return….and l look forward to her being back here more and more often now that the Village of Eden is up and going.

The roads are now cut in and other development is underway. I am pleased to share that my apartment site has been chosen and is part of the first buildings to be built. In a few days when I return from this conference I will have the opportunity to talk to my dear friend Jimmy Wallace about the layout of the interior rooms! Isn’t our God good! Jimmy and his wife Becky are two of my dearest friends. They have been a vital part of every part of my missionary journey. When we started this journey a few years ago, I never would have dreamed that God would make a way for Jimmy to design and help oversee the building of my new apartment here. Steve Moon, Helping Hands Board member is here with the team this week and has worked on the layout of the septic system for my apartment, woohoo! That means I will have a toilet and running water! Thanks Steve!

It will be exciting in the months ahead to see it being built and then begin my transition from the mission compound to the Village of Eden. God created me to be a pioneer and I love that I am going to be on the pioneer trail again being the first to move out to the Village of Eden. My Helping Hands accounting tasks has intensified as the Village of Eden is now under construction, making the need of my transitioning there sooner. Most of the time that I am not traveling, I am working on the books. What a joy to be used in this area.

As I finish out my travel schedule in the months ahead, I will be transitioning into full-time accounting for Helping Hands Uganda. Its been great doing their accounting for the years I’ve been here and to now see the need of a full-time accounting person and be able to fulfill that need. Every season of my life is under Gods control, and as much as I will miss the traveling and helping the pastors next year, I understand that this also is an important need that God has placed me here for. He has a plan and He will not leave me without ministry opportunities. There are hundreds of people surrounding the Village of Eden property…I know He has a plan and will use me to continue teaching and making disciples while I fulfill a need for Helping Hands. How incredible that I get to do the things I love!

Please be in prayer for our Secret Church conference this week. Pray for God to continue to open eyes to see His world, open ears to His voice and penetrate hearts to surrender to the call of missions.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary-East Africa