AUG 2024 SHE STANDS SUMMIT
for more information
Address: Jumuiya House, Bustani Close, Off Link Roads, Nyali, Mombasa
Email: info@shestandske.org
Phone: 254 777 101115
DEC 2023 YOUTH CAMP
JAMES & CHAO
Y O U T H U N P L U G G E D
FROM MALINDI'S SHORES, HOPE TAKES FLIGHT!
SOWING SEEDS OF J O Y
Imagine: young lives battling different challenges in life, yet their eyes blazing with hope. This was the scene at our December youth camp, where students from across Kenya's coast embraced Christ-centered transformation.
Inside this newsletter, discover:
Lives renewed: Witness baptisms in the Indian Ocean and commitments to Christ.
Faith ignited: Dive into the impactful Bible studies, workshops, and mentorship that empowered these young leaders.
Hope unleashed: Explore how we're equipping them to overcome challenges, thrive in school, and impact their communities.
Open these pages and be inspired! Join us in building a brighter future on the Kenyan coast, one transformed life at a time.
Kenya's coast shimmers with vibrant life, mirroring the potential that gleams within our young people. Yet, amidst the beauty, shadows of doubt and negativity can threaten to dim their light. At Grace Around the World, we see beyond those shadows, recognizing the unwavering hope these young changemakers carry in their hearts.
Their eyes reflect a fire – a burning desire to make a difference. We believe nurturing godly values isn't simply a responsibility, but the key to unlocking their potential to transform our world. By instilling kindness, respect, and unwavering faith, we equip them with the strength to confront challenges and illuminate a path toward a brighter tomorrow.
Join us in this transformative journey. Every smile shared, every act of service rendered, every prayer whispered with hope becomes a brushstroke on the canvas of the future we all dream of.
Together, let's empower these young souls to:
Rise above limitations and embrace their potential.
Rewrite the narrative of their communities and our world.
Paint a vibrant masterpiece where love and good deeds illuminate the path forward.
With every helping hand, and every encouraging word, we ignite the fire within them, one young changemaker at a time. Be a part of this incredible story. Become a champion for their future.
Join Sowing Seeds of Joy today.
jAMES AND CHAO WANJE
SOWING SEEDS OF JOY - KENYA DIRECTORS
ECHOES OF HOPE FROM OUR YOUTH CAMP! NEWSLETTER
Greetings, friends and partners! As we kick off the year, our hearts brim with gratitude for the Lord's abundant blessings. December saw us host a vibrant youth discipleship camp on the idyllic shores of Malindi, where the Indian Ocean whispers promises of hope.
But Malindi holds a complex reality. Amidst the stunning villas and luxurious resorts, countless families battle poverty, casting long shadows on the lives of our young participants. It's in this very crucible that our mission unfolds: offering the transformative hope found in Christ Jesus andnurturing disciples who stand firm in their faith. Students from across the Kenyan coast converged, eager to immerse themselves in a week of spiritual growth and fellowship. Joint Bible studies, fervent praise and worship, insightful discussions, and life-skill training sessions resonated through the camp, all anchored in the bedrock of Scripture. Each activity, every conversation, was a brushstroke painting their futures with vibrant purpose.
More than just knowledge, we equip young minds and hearts with the tools to navigate life's challenges. From overcoming poverty's grip to embracing their God-given potential, from building healthy habits to excelling in academics, we empower them to rise above circumstances and thrive. And for those called to serve, we prepare them for a life of impactful missionary service – wherever God leads.
Our dedicated mentors served as beacons of guidance, weaving a tapestry of practical wisdom and unwavering faith. This holistic approach equips youth to face the complexities of today's world while remaining grounded in scripture, ultimately leading them to a deeper, more fulfilling relationship with Christ.
The results? Lives transformed! Many surrendered their hearts to Christ, finding new beginnings in the baptismal waters of the Indian Ocean. Commitments to personal transformation bloomed, and students eagerly formed Bible study groups within their schools. Even now, our volunteers on the coast continue the journey, nurturing these young flames of faith.
Join us in celebrating this powerful testament to God's work! Your continued support fuels our mission, empowering the next generation of Christ-centered leaders on the Kenyan coast. Together, let's paint a brighter future, one young life at a time.
EMPOWERING YOUNG GIRLS
Unveiling Hope Amidst Challenges
In the coastal haven of Malindi, where the sea breeze whispers tales of resilience, young girls often face daunting challenges. Many hail from humble backgrounds, navigating the currents of poverty and societal expectations. Imagine young girls on the Kenyan coast, where the ocean whispers beauty, but poverty whispers hardship. Their dreams struggle against early marriage, limited education, poverty and societal expectations, and limited opportunities. Yet, their eyes sparkle with dreams. Yet, against these tides, our December youth camp became a beacon of hope. ! At the camp we empower them! We break down barriers, nurture God-given talents, and instill confidence.
Workshops on life skills, financial literacy, and leadership equip them to become agents of change, defying limitations and embracing their full potential.
One girl, shared, "I used to feel trapped, but now I know I can achieve anything with Jesus by my side." Another girl shared, "I never thought I could lead. Now, I see myself as a leader!”
The journey continues as mentors guide them, nurturing these young buds into vibrant kingdom women, ready to blossom and transform their community We are offering hope and painting brighter futures for these incredible young women.
COVID-19 AND MISSION 2020
“Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy . . . Though the fig tree does not blossom . . . yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” Habakkuk 3:2,17,18
COVID-19 saw me spend 21 days in a government mandated facility for forced quarantine. While I did not test positive for the virus in the 2 times they did their tests, my heart was weary and many times I had to speak God’s Word back to him and ask him to remember mercy.
Through this situation, and not knowing when I was getting out and when I would be be with my family again, the Lord opened a door for me to serve families on the streets of our capital city, Nairobi. Work started before I got out and when I got out, my team and I worked the streets and saw Christ do what only he can do. There was salvation, these precious people had something to eat, some left the streets and went into rehabilitation, families were restored and discipleship was firmly established.
“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deeds.” Proverbs 19:17
When everything around seemed to be falling apart, the Lord was restoring lives and giving hope where there seemed to be none.
Isn’t He just WONDERFUL!?
Youth Unplugged: The Harvest is Here!
This year, the Youth Unplugged conference aimed at challenging the youth to make a difference in their lives and in the lives of others by totally submitting and surrendering their will to the will of God. The conference gave the youth a platform to begin to grow in their faith and make a difference in their areas of influence. At the end of the conference, 17 young people made a first-time commitment to follow Jesus as Lord and Savior over their lives and more than a hundred committed to grow in their faith.
THE GOAL AT THE CONFERENCE WAS TO:
· Encourage those who are going through trails
· Help them understand the nature of true spiritual maturity and walk in it
· Call those who have not made a decision to consider a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Salvation: More than 10% of the youth in attendance made first-time decisions to be Christ followers.
Baptism: Those who made the decision to follow Christ were taught about water baptism, and were later baptized.
Follow up: The need for follow up to ensure these young people’s commitment will grow in their faith is very key. A well-organized discipleship curriculum in therefore vital. Some of the stake holders for this follow up are the local pastors and youth leaders around where these youths live.
We are excited to see these young people grow in the Lord. We welcome you to come alongside us and help us build these precious youths.
God is at work
He has been a pastor for many years. He is married and he also works with married pastors. The idea that strong marriages lead to strong homes and churches is new to him. He attended our monthly marriage seminars and for the first time, he went with his wife. He sat around other pastors and church leaders with one goal: to build their marriages. Holding hands and praying together with his wife for the first time made both of them uncomfortable. However, they did it. They are now growing closer to one another as a couple and are beginning to learn how to resolve conflict in a healthy way. They cannot wait for next month when they come together with other church leaders with their spouses. They want a better marriage for themselves and for generations to come.
Salvation
Rejoicing!
This is one of the young men who after hearing the Word, he has come to believe and is walking in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Please pray for him as he grows in Christ. Pray that he will continue to respond to Christ’s invitation to walk in Him moment by moment.
“28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.””
Whatever it Takes: In Words and in Deeds
We are truly thankful for the privilege to tell communities about the love of Jesus Christ by giving them water. In the past few months, there has been a terrible water shortage in some parts of our nation. At a village where we dug a Well, where scarcity of water is a huge reality, the community is grateful to have a place to come and draw water.
Our utmost goal is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, in words and in deeds. We are thankful for the opportunity as a team to go into the interior of the Coastal region of Kenya and sit one-on-one with individuals and families to share the gospel.
Thank God with us for Patrick Menza. He is one of our team members who is stationed at the remote areas of the Coastal region of Kenya. Patrick travels from village to village, church to church, and community to community to share about the love of Jesus Christ.
Some of the tools of evangelism that Patrick uses is the Jesus Film and one-on-one evangelism. In this picture, Patrick is visiting with a family and as they sit under the shade, he shares the gospel and leads them to Christ.
Please pray for this family as they grow in their relationship with Christ. Prat that the children, who are on the background in this picture, will also come to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
A Church Built
Sometimes it is difficult to paint a picture of the churches we work with, given the churches most of you are familiar with. Meet one of the churches you have helped build and the saints you have helped share Christ with so that one day, as you stand in heaven and they say “thank you”, you will remember that you touched the least of these!
Thank you!
They now have a place to meet and worship together.
Please Consider Making a One Time Year End Gift
Dear friends,
#GivingTuesday is a day set aside specifically for individuals and corporations to open their hearts and their wallets, giving back to their communities and the world at large. It’s fitting for this day to fall right after Thanksgiving. We hope you will join us November 28th for #GivingTuesday and help us fulfil our mission – to transform communities through the local church.
More than 70% of the population we work with is youth aged and under. Most of these youth are high school dropouts. They drop out due to lack of resources in their homes and the need for them to find manual work to help raise their siblings. In their desperation to make quick money and help their families, many of them find themselves drug trafficking and in drug use. Some join religious radical groups, others become beach boys and many girls opt for early marriages. In recent years, we have continued to reach these young people through the use of soccer, youth rallies and youth conferences.
Toward the end of last year, we had reached more than 500 youths and more than 100 so far have given their lives to Christ. We cannot help but celebrate lives that have been transformed. Just this week, a church pastor wanted to know how many youths we can take into our year-end program. He wants us to reach youths from a forest that is notorious for hiding a terror group and their sympathizers. For these youths to get to us, they need military escort, and the military has agreed to ferry them.
We are thankful for the partnership we continue to share with communities and government agencies as we work with churches to transform these youths. The opportunities to reach these young people are plenty and the challenge is before us. Will you partner with us by sending a year end gift to help transform these youths, restore them to their families and more importantly, give them the opportunity to know and walk with Jesus?
Our goal is to touch 500 youths in 2019. For this to happen, each one of the youth will need only $25 for that entire year. To reach the 500 targeted youths in 2019, we need $12,500. To us, this is a lot of money but we are thankful that to God, He owns it all.
Your gift will help give hope to young people who feel hopeless. Your gift will give these young people an option, instead of joining religious radical groups, getting involved in drug trafficking and use, or selling their bodies for money, they will have the option to develop themselves.
More than anything, you’re giving these young people the opportunity to call Jesus Christ Lord and Savior over their lives. We hope you will join up in supporting our efforts on November 28 by donating either online below or by sending your check to the address below.
For any questions about your giving, please email us at jamesandchao@gmail.com or call our Sowing Seeds of Joy offices (www.sowingseedsofjoy.org) at 501 416-3003.
Thank you, James and Chao Wanje
To send a check:
1. Write your check to Sowing Seeds of Joy, Inc
2. On the memo line, write James and Chao Wanje
3. Mail your check to: Sowing Seeds of Joy, Inc PO Box 181115 Arlington, Texas 76096-1115
Please write to us at jamesandchao@gmail.com to let us know when you send your check or donate online.
Pastors and church leaders training
The pastors and church leaders continue to meet to do theology in the community. They are currently working on the book of 2 Timothy. About 2 weeks ago they received study bibles. We are thankful to the Bible Church of Cabot for sending out the study bibles. This is the first time they get to understand the bible using the study bible tool.
We now have 4 regions with their different groups. I am thankful for our team of 4 men who help followup with the different groups. As they follow up, they also get to learn and grow in their understanding of the bible.
It is in such groups where the leaders sharpen one another. Time is spent studying the Word. Each leader is given a portion of scripture to prepare a sermon from, after which they present to one another. These leaders share about the boldness they continue to cultivate when sharing the Word of God. Bible study hours are not the same again.
Even those who work with Sunday school children are able to use the same scriptures to prepare lessons for their classes. They now sit in classes with confidence because they know what they are going to teach and how they are going to teach the children.
OUR TEAM MEMBERS
Meet two of our team members: Patrick and Steven
Patrick is passionate about teaching pastors and church leaders on how to understand the bible. He travels from one village to another meeting with small groups of pastors to do theology in their communities.
These two men work tirelessly to help pastors and church leaders understand the bible and learn how to teach their congregations using the bible. Most of the leaders and pastors in their groups do not have any theological background. Patrick and Steven spend time learning with these leaders and answering the many questions they have.
In addition to working with pastors and church leaders in understanding the bible, Steven travels to interior regions with his wife to help strengthen marriages of pastors and church leaders
We recently had the opportunity to visit with Patrick and Steven in their home areas. We enjoyed a sumptuous meal, wonderful fellowship and time to encourage one another and pray for each other. We also presented them with clothes that some of you gave us to come and share with the people in the village. They kept some and used others to give to the villagers who are in much need. Amazing how a piece of clothing is a powerful tool to preach the love of Jesus Christ. Thank you so much for your generosity.
It was a joy to open the bags of clothes (and bibles!) and hand them over to their wives.
Because of your giving, we are able to have Patrick and Steven come alongside us as we work with church leaders in their understanding of the bible, in strengthening their marriages and in socio-economic transformation. We are truly grateful for you.
Sincerely yours,
James and Chao Wanje
Sunday School Teachers Update
We are just finishing a follow up season with the Sunday school teachers and the children that we started working with at the beginning of this year. We continue to see, not only children reached, but also their parents and communities.
the classes
I joined the Sunday school teachers as they worked with the children at a church called Christ the King Baptist Church. More than 100 children of between the ages of 3 and 14 were in attendance. I was also able to observe the teachers as they worked with the children.
We have experienced tremendous impact in our communities out here through this ministry:
1. Just this year, 60 children have prayed to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior
2. 6 churches have been trained to reach children and build them as Kingdom workers
3. Churches are more vibrant and encouraged
The parents of most of these Sunday school children do not attend church. The children take their own initiative to walk to church to listen to the Word of God.
We are so thankful for your giving. We couldn't have done this without you.
We are encouraged and reminded that we are not alone in this work. Your coming alongside us not only ensures that we have resources to reach these communities, it also helps us keep our eyes on the ultimate price.
Thank you for coming alongside us. Sincerely, James and Chao Wanje