Praying and moving forward

The last four months has been tough!  I know it comes on the heels of a very exhausting ministry year(s).  I am looking forward to a much needed rest and time out of the zone.  Praying about a trip to the states for the fall, Sept to Dec. 

This will be Mwende's first visit to meet her grandparents and stateside family.  She is already excited.  Pray that her passport will be done quickly.  It should be ready now but...

This will be the first time I am buying two tickets and a visa to come homw.  Pray for the needed funds almost $3000 to start.

Wow going where I do not have an address.  Pray for available space with family and friends that will not overburden.  Transportation and traveling schedule.  WOW the planning is starting now.

Pray for open doors to share what God is doing to sustain support and partner with new supporters.

Pray for a restored heart and renewed mindset for the next stages of ministry.

Pray that Mwende have a great time getting to know so many.  She is a people person.

Pray for what we leave behind and trying to finish general ministry projects before I leave.

Praying and moving forward believing God.

2014

GREETINGS EVERYONE,

I pray all is well and for what isn't there is hope.  I am very grateful and blessed with another year of life and ministry.  God has been good to us and the ministry endeavors we have done this year. 

Praise God:

Joanie from Inspire 180 has been able to transition well into mission life in Kenya and with St Martha's ministry in Kiberia.

The amazing gifts that have come in to support the rebuilding of St Martha's ministry building, equipment and supplies after the very recent fire that destroy everything.  Pray for us as we work with St Martha in replacing needed equipment.  Thanks so very much for those who helped with the funding.

The building of Ps Timothy High school building.  Thanks so much for the funding from Inspire 180.  Praising God just read that the needed funds for the completion of the building has been raised.  I am in shock.  Please pray for wisdom and a spirit of niceness as I meet with Ps Tim and the builder next week.  This project has been an uphill battle. I am in shock at the hand of God in providing the needed funds.  This has been a huge prayer burden.  Thank you Lord.  PRAY the project is having MAJOR issues.  God is good.

GRADUATION!!!!  I have joined the Master degree world.

ADOPTION!!!  August 14th the adoption was finalized.  Now for the process of US citizenship over the next two years. Prayerfully a visit stateside this summer.

Christ Bible Church of Chicago June ministry team did an amazing job in Eastleigh with Muslim outreach, encouraging high school students at GUREC and Ps Tim Kiberia schools, children's outreach, pastors fellowship and worship training in Kisii. The left ministry gifts for school books, eye glasses for the seniors citizens, pre-school playlot set, WCA GLS summit tickets, staff retreat and Xmas gifts for Eastliegh ministry.  THANK YOU!!!!!

Willow Chicago team July outreach to Nyahururu.  Medical care, senior citizen ministry-great singing, school visits, WCA GLS tickets and uniforms for local school kids. My Chicago pizza and Sun-times Sunday newspaper.  What a treat.

My sister Givena first visit to Kenya and meeting Mwende.  WOW she saw half the country.  Praying for more family and friends to visit.

VIRAL church planting conference at Nairobi Chapel.  Over 600 church planting leaders came together for equipping and encouragement. Looking forward to year four. I am still on the planning team and really enjoy seeing the conference happen.

Christmas in Kisii.  Mwende and I joined friends Stella, Pious, Bradley and Margaret to revisit the Children's home in Kisii on Christmas day and the weekend.  God provided  needed supplies for the home and a new dorm for the girls. Praising God for a safe arrival.  On our ride our tire blew off and was rolling in front of us.  Praise God Pious kept the car steady without any problem.  But it was interesting to see our tire rolling in front of us.

Thanking God for a young lady REBECCA MWANGI with Christ Church ministry that was supported through Inspire 180 Starfish fund in getting her diploma in pre school education.  Through this gift Rebecca has started a preschool that is helping support Christ Church under Ps Regina.  She has 30 kids in a lively room.  She is living out her dream.  Thanks for standing with us to support her.  Pray with us as her husband Eluid, who is the school's social worker, needs training for his work with the school.  For $1500 he could finish a certificate in social work that could truly help serve the students. 

Thanking God for making it to the New year.  This past year has been exhausting and full.  We traveled to Nyahururu for 5 days for a much needed rest and to bring in the new year.  Dorris hosted us in her new outdoor garden patio room.  It was fun watching a movie under the stars.

Praising God for the great turn out for the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit in Nairobi over 2000 guests.  Over 34 of our ministry partners were able to come and 8 sets of DVDs were given out.  This is always a highlight for the year.  Many thanks to those who helped to buy a ticket.  Come on over in Nov 2015 and volunteer at GLS :). We have four sites in Kenya now.  I know some people who can get you in LOL. 

This first week of 2015 I am finishing reports, praying for direction on this year's path, working on having full time house help for cooking, cleaning and watching Mwende.  Planning children's ministry and small group training for three churches during the first three months, making a retreat plan to keep my soul alive and healthy, and still learning to be a mom to a thriving five year old.  KEEP PRAYING!!!

Thank you so much for those of you who pray for us, give financially, send your prayer request so we can stand with you, and who tell others about what we are doing.  Your support is greatly needed and appreciated.  Continue to stand with us and we with you.  We do need your support and prayers.

Sorry only a few of my pictures were able to transfer.

Please keep me updated on your life and how to pray for you and your family.  Thanks for the facebook updates. 

Know that God is working in our lives much deeper and more intentional than we know and sometimes desire.  Have a blessed New Year.  Plan to come and visit us on a short term team or vacation time.  WELCOME!!!

Blessings to you all,

Esther and Mwende Hall

Inspire 180

www,inspire180.com online donations

HAPPY NEW YEAR

This year is a welcome sign of the hope we have in Christ Jesus.  Its not over yet.

A good word from Ps Nick

The Edge Conference at Nairobi Chapel...was excellence.

The theme was Hold on to the finish.  Ps Nick spoke on Finishing the Race.  There was so much in the message but here was a great finishing well chart. FINISH!! As a leader if you are ___ establish the principle of___

F        FATIGUED  ...  Focus of the PACE of your life.
I         Losing IMPACT.. Focus on PEOPLE
N       Losing your NERVE.... Focus on PRAYER
I         Confused by the INTERFERENCE ....Focus on the PURPOSE of ministry and life
S       Battling SIN... Focus on living a PRINCIPLED life
H       Struggling with HARDSHIPS...Ask God for a new PERSPECTIVE.

I am in a season of being very tired.  The challenges seem steeper but this grind helps.

Words from Joanie

Normally I write my own blogs.  This time I am posting a letter from Joanie.  She is serving with Inspire 180 here in Kenya also.  This is about a week of ministry with a team of 19 from McHenry Chapel.   ENJOY

Bwana Asifiwe (Praise the Lord!) 

I sit here in my room tonight, wanting to share with all of you the amazing 8 day journey I experienced with our missions' team from Inspire 180. The team consisted of 19 of the most caring and compassionate people, mostly from my church family in McHenry.  They arrived very late on Nov. 7th tired, but with joyful hearts as we prayed and sang worship songs on the bus ride to our guest house.  

After 7 a.m. devotions and breakfast, we headed out for our day of ministry and engaging with God's people in Kenya.  They were introduced to Kibera on the first day, and they embraced all that they saw, as their hearts were broken for what breaks the heart of God... Extreme poverty, garbage lining the streets, and many children crowding around them asking "how are you??"  They embraced hope as they were introduced to our global partner Anna Mosby's ministry of a college in Kibera, teaching and training young people to carry on God's work there.

Each night we debriefed after dinner, probably one of the most memorable parts of this missions journey. Stories were shared with tears of heart break, and then some of the men would share stories and we would burst into laughter, so good for the soul! To hear our team share their hearts the first night on what they saw, what they experienced, what they wanted to do to serve the least of these, God's people, I cannot put into words. Our pastor Jeff however, did. He said, "today we walked with God's people on streets of garbage, but one day we will walk with them on streets of gold... there wasn't a dry eye in the room.

We split the team into 3 the next day, I was so blessed to take some of the ladies to serve in one of the ministries I am connected with Hope And Restoration Center. We spent the day in Kibera teaching God's word to no less than 120 children! These children blessed our hearts as they sang and worshipped God, did a bible quiz with us and knew every answer, heard how they could defeat giants in their lives by having faith in God, and just played and loved us. (Picture #1) Another group went to an area called East Leigh, and did English as a second language class with young Muslim adults, such a blessing. Our third group went to one of Inspire 180's ministry partners GUREC which is a boarding school for high school students, and a church as well, and did leadership training, for pastors, Sunday school, worship, and business leaders, so amazing!
 

Sunday and Monday we left, after church at Nairobi Chapel (also called the Chapel, how cool is that!)  to visit Chapel ministry partners Rick and Ann with Oasis for Orphans. We drove "up country" to their home in Kijabe passing through the Rift Valley (Picture #3) We toured a hospital which does amazing pediatric surgeries, and had a home cooked meal at their home . We shared testimonies, and were so blessed to hear how Rick and Ann followed Jesus with their 4 children to live in Kenya and care for God's orphans. We headed back to Nairobi after a walk through safari. As God would have it, after hearing a sermon at church titled "get dirty" on how people would rather walk by and ignore people in need than get involved, some of our team were asked by God to do just that. They observed a Kenyan man lying on the side of the road in bad shape, foaming at the mouth, apparently having a seizure. After a police man walked past the man and did nothing, the team had him lifted into their van and took him to the hospital, stayed with him while care was given, and paid his bill for him. The experience was very hard for some of the team, yet they were all thankful to be able to love as Jesus loved...

 

Our last days together were intense ministry days. The absolute highlight for me was on Tuesday when my church family were able to meet with my ladies of St. Martha's Ministry, my main ministry here, empowering HIV positive widows to find hope and a future through the love of Jesus. We were greeted by the ladies singing welcoming worship to us and then each of the women shared their testimonies. Their stories of extreme hardships and poverty, coupled with the grief of losing their husbands, and being shunned by family due to tribal customs and having to flee to Kibera to just try and survive with their children, was heart breaking, And then in the midst of each story, we heard them thanking and giving praise to God for Caleb and Eunice, the ministries founders, and the life they now have through St. Martha's, so amazing!  Esther then asked my church family to welcome me into my new ministry here in Kenya with blessings and prayer. We sang & danced with the ladies, and then my pastor Jeff prayed a blessing over me.....God did a work in me that day, connecting me from my church family back home to my new family in Kenya (tears :)   The ladies were given self defense instruction from Dave, so great, and then we broke up into groups and were able to visit in some of the ladies homes, which truly blessed our hearts. 

  We visited GUREC school again on Wednesday and the whole team spent the day doing team building exercises with the students, self defense, and small group time sharing hearts on major issues they face as teens.

Our last day Thursday was spent at Pastor Timothy's school in Kibera, and again the team ministered to students from primary level through high school.  I was blessed to witness students' confidence levels change, as Dawn gave them an art lesson, and when completed they had each totally sketched a leopard and were so very proud of their accomplishment!   The team departed that night to return home...

 

Please pray with me for what God will be speaking to each team member's heart, as they now process all that they have experienced here in Kenya....I do know that hearts have been changed forever, and these dear people will need God's wisdom and guidance as they discern what their next steps will be in missions. Their love for Christ has ministered to and blessed so many lives here, this scripture verse describes this team so well, I will miss them all dearly:

 

The LORD will guide you always, he will satisfy your needs

in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.

You will be like a well-watered garden,

like a spring whose waters never fail.               Isaiah 58:11

 

 

Have a blessed Thanksgiving everyone, we have so much to be thankful for.

 

Love and Blessings,

Joanie

Happy Thanksgiving

WOW the last four months has been a whirlwind of activity.  I need to give God the glory for an amazing time of ministry, fellowship with people from home, care packages with my favorite stuff, spiritual and emotional support that has blessed my soul.  THANK YOU!!!  I am thanking God for each of you who stands with me in ministry through your prayers, financial support and communication. May God bless you and keep you.  Lets give thanks because He is worthy to be praised!!!

Adoption court date Dec 6th.

The Quiet before the storm

Hello Everyone,

Praise God I am in a quiet zone before next the five months of teams, conferences, thesis and court dates. 

Teams

This Saturday the Willow Creek Chicago team will arrive and serve with me for the next week (the larger team) and four weeks (for a smaller team).  In the midst of that time the Mohr Family will also visit.  I am very excited.  Did I mention that the Tuins family is here now from Willow Creek also.  I will have several visitors and ministry friends who will pass through Nairobi before Nov.  Please keep everyone in prayer as we serve in different areas and together.

Conferences:

VIRAL 2013!!  I am on the planning team for Nairobi Chapel's (my church here) Church Planting conference.  For the last four months we have been meeting and organizing all of the details to host over 600 leaders in the church planting movement.  This has been a learning experience and fun.  The church has asked if I can lead the VIRAL team throughout the year for future conferences.  Church Planting is our mission focus and the conference will be a key training event. HOW FUN!!  Any WCA volunteers want to come and serve August 21-23 or plan for next year!!! Pray for us as we lead the conference, recruit registrations and execute the program.

Also my pastor Oscar Muriu is speaking at the Leadership Summit in South Barrington this year in August.  I am super excited.  He is a great speaker and I know he will be a blessing and asset to the Summit delegates.  Please pray for him as he is on leave to prepare and rest before the Summit.  If you at at the Summit please greet him for me on my home turf.

Thesis:

Okay I am very good at putting something in the back of my mind, especially when I do not want to do it.  Okay but maybe there was a reason.  Because of leading VIRAL and the need to understand church planting more, I am changing my thesis subject to leadership development in the church planting movement. This way I can learn about church planting while I finish my thesis.  Okay all of that is a strong thought for right now.  While the teams sleeps I will work on this.  Please that the excitement moves me ahead.  I need to finish this thing!!!

Court Dates:

Praise God I do have the funds to start the legal side of Mwende's adoption.  As a birthday present to myself I will turn in the paperwork and payment before August 5th (my birthday) to get the ball rolling. I do need to update some of the documents but most are in order.  PRAISE GOD!!! I can not wait until this is final. Pray that court dates and teams visits do not conflict.

Motherhood:

How can I forget my little darling.  She is so delightful and I am so glad that my church family from home is meeting her.  She loves the attention.  She will miss one week of school to help me host the team.  Pray for her as she goes through so many faces and names over the next few weeks.  She is going to love every minute of it. I wish I could post pictures but can not at this time.  If you haven;t gotten a photo of us please let me know.  I will need your home street address can't send emails.

I will be in Kenya for another year before I can petition to visit with Mwende.

Ministry:

With the teams visits July to Nov., we will connect with my ministry contacts in unique ways as a team. Please pray that God will give wisdom and deepen relationship connections. 

     What I am doing here....

I am here is to equip the Church to pursue global missions through training and exposure.  God has opened many doors to help train churches to work together to reach their global communities.  I am praising God for the opportunities I have had to be on the teaching team for the Kairos mission course this year. Keep praying for us. Praise God for the teams coming to experience what God is doing in East Africa and Kenya.

I am here to reach out to Muslims in creative ways to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Teaching at the community center has provided encouraging encounters to explain our faith.  Keep praying that God will speak through the staff and volunteers at the center to reach Muslims and unbelievers. Praise God we are starting the community circles for ministry and fellowship with the women including Muslims.

I am here helping to train Children ministry leaders.  I started out teaching Sunday school teachers on how to set up Children ministry programs in Eastern Europe.  God has brought me full circle.  I have had numerous opportunities to train small churches on setting up their children's programs.  This past month I wrote the curriculum for my church 10 week study of the Ten Commandments.  Keep praying for Kenya over 50% of the population is under 45 years old.  Pray that the church will focus on reaching the younger generations.

Thank you for praying for me and standing with me in ministry. Every financial gift and words of prayer means so much.  Pleas join with us in praying, serving and giving.  I would love to add your name to the list of visitors for 2014.  Let me know how I can pray for you.

"I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will give you mighty inner strength through His Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in Him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. ...May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it..." Eph 3:16-19

Have a blessed summer.

Esther and Mwende Hall

Inspire 180

518 S. Route 31 Suite 193

Mc Henry, IL 60050

online giving www.inspire180.org

voice mail 312 788 8843

snail mail KENYA

Esther Hall

Box 76198-00508

YAYA center

Nairobi, KENYA