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Kenya, Africa Miracle Stories
Posted by Dennis Chitwood
Tue, 27 Dec 2005 00:36:00 GMT
We are overwhelmed this Christmas Season as we contemplate the wonder that Jesus became man, died to save us and fills us with His Holy Spirit. In a like manner we are overwhelmed that God would use us to bring His Good News across the world. We are truly humbled as we experienced His mercy and healing when others became aware of their original goodness restored by Christ.
The blessings are too numerous to list here. Our scheduled Northwest flight to Detroit was rerouted to Boston because of fuel problems with the plane. The first blessing was a flight attendant, Diane, who knelt in the aisle of a Northwest jetliner in route to Amsterdam to pray for repentance and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in her life. Arriving in Nairobi we anticipated lost luggage because there was no record of it in the Amsterdam computer, but to our surprise our bags had made it there before us. We rejoice in the Lord. The team of the Renewal met us in Nairobi and as we loaded our bags a voice says ‘How is Genesis Ministry going?’ We turned in complete shock that anyone would know about our relatively new ministry. We met Fanuel, our driver, who went to Renewal Ministries web site, saw our names as part of the team and found Genesis Ministry online. He had even printed one of our color brochures. What a blessing as we got to know him and his beautiful wife, Nazarene and two sons, Michael and Francis.
We met Tecla who was our interrupter. She shared her story with us about how her husband had two families. When she told him that she could not be married to a man with two families, he chose to abandon her and their two children, Yvonne and Emmanuel. Tecla does not have a permanent job; rather she is a lay evangelist going wherever God calls her. Yvonne plans to attend the Law School, Catholic University in Nairobi, Kenya with the desire to get a law degree so she can help children who have been abandoned or orphaned. We are trying to raise $1715 to help her with tuition for this semester. If you can help or know of someone who can help, please send your tax-deductible check to Genesis Ministry marked for Yvonne Fund. 100% of what is collected will go to the university for tuition.
Mary, Mother of God Parish stands on ground that was barren but now is the center of life in Embulbul, Kenya.
Fr. Kevin McGarry SMA arrived eight years ago with a vision and total trust in God. He began by helping people get plots of land to build their homes and property for the parish. A convent, health clinic, counseling center, elementary and secondary schools, and a beautiful church make up the parish, which was completed in 2003 under Fr. Kevin’s leadership. More importantly He built the faith of the people of God so they can now “stand in front of crowds and hold them in the palms of their hands, while their eyes shine as they speak of what God has done for them.� (from Fr. Kevin’s Christmas letter). Fr. Kevin stated clearly, at the Mass introducing Fr. Fabian the new pastor, that what was accomplished through the grace of God was only the foundation for what God was going to do next. Like all of us he didn’t know the next thing God was going to do. All he knew was that God would be doing something powerful for those who trust in him.
We don’t know the next thing God is doing through Genesis Ministry. We do know that if we are open to his grace we will experience His power far beyond our expectations. As 2005 begins to wind down, we reflect back over the past few months and realize the many blessings God has given through and to Genesis Ministry. Because you are reading this letter you must realize that you are one of God’s blessings, openly received by us, that allowed us to minister to so many, here and far away. You’re trusting in God and the work given to us brings tears of appreciation.
We have experienced many miracles on the mission trip to Africa. At an outdoor Mass as we began to distribute communion, we realized that we didn’t have enough consecrated hosts for all to receive. We immediately began breaking hosts in small particles to give Jesus to each person. It was dusk and the only light was from the platform where the altar was standing. The ciborium Dennis was distributing from was a white ceramic bowl. He was at the end of particles left in the ciborium and numerous times turned the bowl to the light to see to get the last portion. It was as if more particles of the host appeared. He was able to communicate all who came forward to receive. The priests who were there were surprised that he didn’t run out of hosts because they had run out long before he finished distributing communion. In fact those in their lines moved over to his line to receive Eucharist.
Other men and women gave testimonies of miracles at the Mass. One woman said her knee was healed and another said her shoulder had been healed. Others experienced inner healing of emotional pain, such as freedom from depression, addiction and incest lifting the cloud of fear and anger. Praise God!
With the grace of God leading us into 2006, along with our Board of Directors, we pray we have eyes to see and ears to hear what God has in store for those who believe in Him. Our daily prayer for each of our benefactors is an openness to receive God’s abundant grace and mercy. May 2006 be filled with love, peace, joy, healing and all the fruit of a life lived reliant on the grace and power of the Holy Spirit.
Christmas Blessings, Deacon Dennis & Elizabeth
