Happy almost spring from New York City. The flowers and the magnolia trees remind us of new life, but the cold wind chills remind us to keep our gloves and scarves handy. Last Saturday, I planted two pansies in our window box. The colorful flowers provide some beauty to the limited view outside our window.
Our past few months have been busy! In early January, a group of students from The King’s University in Dallas, Texas, came to NYSUM on a short-term mission. Naomi and I have been connected to them since 2020. It was great to see them again and to see God at work in our city through visiting teams.
On January 17th, Naomi and I departed for Africa. We took some time to rest and then made our way to Western Kenya. We have been investing in the area on the Uganda border since 2018. Economically, the country is struggling, and the needs were greater than on our last visit. Some of the needs we were able to help with were school supplies, Bibles for three different churches, and food relief for 30+ families.
I was also invited to speak in two churches. The first is one I’ve spoken at several times, as we have been working to help build a new church building in partnership with Soldier Community Church from the DuBois, Pennsylvania area. The community is currently worshiping in the new facility, although it still needs to be finished. The project is still moving forward but slowly.
At the second church, I delivered around twenty-five Bibles. Getting to this church was like “going to the end of the Earth,” a reminder of how God positions us by ordering our steps. I had previously sent Bibles there, and one woman who didn’t receive one cried. It is almost impossible for many there to afford a Bible. This time, I visited personally, and there were enough Bibles. And there was much rejoicing.
Everyone was happy to see Naomi, and I was delighted to have her by my side. She continues to help with the tailoring program. She enjoys watching the program flourish and tries to find new skills to teach each time she goes. They now have three sewing classes: beginner, intermediate, and advanced.
The carpentry program continues to move forward. The lead instructor is a student I had in 2018. What a joy to see him lead with confidence and humility. There are now 14 students, and we worked on several new projects. The tool program we started continues to be very helpful for the students for additional income and experience in their communities.
We learned that some of the students walk 5-8 kilometers one way to class, which takes about two and a half hours. Discussing this need brought up the suggestion of bicycles. Naomi and I thought this would be very helpful, so we started a bicycle program. We bought seven bicycles for those who walk the most significant distance. The purchase was much appreciated, but the most beautiful observation was the gratitude expressed by people who didn’t even receive a bike.
We had a productive time in Kenya and arrived back in NYC on March 5th. It was great reconnecting with our precious friends on the streets and seeing how we might meet their needs once again. Here at NYSUM, spring break means lots of college and high school teams. We enjoy hosting, teaching, and leading outreach teams. God is at work in our city. We see this not only on the streets but in the lives of those who come to serve.
To God be the glory, great things HE has done!
Thank you for your faithful giving. What an honor to work for the KING OF KINGS.
Please keep us in your prayers as we seek to serve HIM.
Blessings,
Paul and Naomi
BLIP 