Preparing to Serve in Kenya

We have begun making many of the necessary preparations to see serving in Kenya become a reality. Our house is for sale and will be on the open market this week (if you’re interested in buying a house just north of Lebanon, Ohio, let me know ;-). Aaron will finish up his final two classes at seminary in May, and we have begun a 42 week training program that will provide additional information/experience for cross-cultural ministry. We are also actively pursuing support partners to labor alongside us in the work in Africa.

We are seeking churches and individuals that will be a part of the vision God has given us for Kenya. We would be happy to speak to anyone almost anywhere concerning the work that is being done and is to be done there.

In addition to an army of prayer warriors, we need financial supporters as well. Here are the details of our current financial needs that will get us into Kenya:

1-TIME COSTS

Construction of mission house - $20,000 (includes space for short-term teams)

Vehicle purchase - $5,000 (in addition to liquidating our vehicles here)

Airline tickets for 6 - $8,000 (a rough estimate)

Participation in the eternal mission of God – Priceless (sorry, had to do that)

If you wish to contribute financially toward any or all of these needs, make your tax-deductable contribution payable to Gateway Global Outreach (our sending organization) and provide a specific designation for the funds if you so desire. 100% of any contribution of any amount goes toward the project since our sending organization is all volunteer and thus works for heavenly treasure only. Mail contributions (payable to Gateway Global Outreach) to:

Aaron & Dana Bogan

PO Box 591

West Chester, OH 45071

Once in Kenya, we have tentatively budgeted for $2,600 monthly living expenses. We will be compiling monthly pledges for any amount for any duration of time. The specifics of this are still in process at this early stage so stay tuned! If you know you wish to be a monthly contributor, let me know and I will be sure to get you the specifics as they are ironed out.

Oft times we hear from people who apologize for not being in a position to provide financial support and feel that they are not an active part. Please know that if you are praying for us then you are THE active part. If you pray for us, the resources will find their way to us and, more importantly, your personal relationship with the Lord will benefit as a result of your time with Him. I strongly encourage you that if the Lord has put this ministry on your heart, continue to stay current with us and provide the prayer that we will so vitally need to be sustained through all of this.

I humbly ask that you consider partnering with us for the long haul. I am gathering email addresses and contact information for those interested in receiving consistent updates concerning this ministry. If you know of someone, or a church/group that might be interested in becoming a partner, please feel free to send this on to them. Again, I am creating a new distribution list for those interested in following along for the foreseeable future so if that is you, please contact us to receive updates.

Lastly, please pray for us to continue to walk in God’s will and His timing in all of this. There is a temptation to run ahead of the Lord and try to force that which is not meant to be. As we continue to walk the path to Africa, please pray that we do so in step with Him.

May the Lord of all bless you richly in Christ.

What Is Our Ministry in Kenya

Many people have asked what is it that we will be doing in Kenya. As many of you know that will all depend on God and His plans for us. As of right now, there has been land purchased by Penuel Ministries, which was started by Richard and Jane Taylor. This is the missionary couple who has lived there almost 23 years in Kenya. We will be working alongside of them in Kakuyuni. Since purchasing the property, it has been fenced and blueprints drawn for the missionary house (where we will reside) and technical School.

Right now our main focus is raising funds for the missionary house and seeing that it is built. At this point the Taylors have a little over half the funds raised, so we need to raise about $20,000 more. Once the house is built, and we raise our family monthly support, then we can move to Kenya. The next part is to raise funds for the technical school. Aaron has already begun the process of writing grant proposals to non-profit organizations that are willing to help fund educational projects in Africa. Along with those grants, we will raise funds for the school as well.

Missionary House

You may be asking why is it so important to build a technical school. Well, in Kenya the government does not provide free education after 8th grade. So many of the children are left without an education and are not able to find adequate work to support themselves. Penuel Technical School would provide Bible center education to this population of children along with teaching trade skills in various areas. Skills such as masonry, carpentry, plumbing, welding, auto mechanics, tailoring/dressmaking, computer courses, and hairdressing will be offered. However, along with teaching these trades, the educators will share the Gospel and teach about Jesus Christ. There is no such facility within the locality of Kakuyuni, hence the need for this there is great.

Technical School

Right now we are looking for churches who would be willing to have us come speak and share this vision. The more prayer and financial support we can find among churches, the more our brothers and sisters in Christ can work alongside us to help educate and support those less fortunate in Africa. As Psalm 19:17 says, "He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has done." The need is so great everywhere, but God has called our family to be the hands and feet to those in Kakuyuni, Kenya and the surrounding areas. Please pray that doors would open and for workers to come alongside us. This is going to be exciting to be a part in what God does in Kakuyuni.

Till the school is completed, Aaron and I will be acquainting ourselves with the people, culture, and language once we get there. My full-time job will be to help our four children to adjust to all their new surroundings. Aaron has already connected well with the leaders at Kakuyuni Redeemed Gospel Church and will be working closely with them. He has a calling to teach local pastors, so they in turn can go and teach many others in their congregation. There is also a medical clinic and school close by the property that I hope to volunteer my time at. Since I am a nurse, there will be ample opportunity to help those within the community. Also there is a local pastor who travels to various villages teaching orphans about Jesus Christ every Saturday. I hope that our family can help him in doing this. Needless to say, I don't think it will be hard to find opportunities to be Jesus's hands and feet.

In closing, I've been thinking a lot on obedience. At times I have trouble being obedient to God because of fears and sometimes I want to do it my own way. As James 1:22-27 says, "Obey God's message! Don't fool yourselves by just listening to it. If you hear the message and don't obey it, you are like people who stare at themselves in a mirror and forget what they look like as soon as they leave. But you must never stop looking at the perfect law that sets you free. God will bless you in everything you do, if you listen and obey, and don't just hear and forget. If you think you are being religious, but can't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and everything you do is useless. Religion that pleases God the Father must be pure and spotless. You must help needy orphans and widows and not let this world make you evil." How easy is it to fool yourself into thinking that I'm doing the right things. I read my Bible, pray, go to church, and do good things. Those are all wonderful things to be about but ultimately each one of our calls is to glorify God in all that we do by being witnesses for Him. He just so happened called us to Kenya to be His witnesses and testify to all the great, awesome, and amazing things He has done in our lives. The first of many was to accept us as the sinners we are and cover us with the shed blood of Jesus Christ. All I can say to that is "Yes Father, send me and use me how You see best." Sometimes that obedience thing is tough but I go back to the cross. I want to share what Christ has done for my family and so we can help the "orphans and widows" of Kakuyuni, Kenya. God Bless to all.

Kenya Will Be Our New Home

Aaron and I returned from Kenya on January 9th with definite answers to the numerous prayers prayed on our behalf for guidance and direction. God made it abundantly clear that Kenya will be our family's home and ministry area for foreseeable future. The trip was life changing and inspiring. There was so much that we did, saw, and were a part of.
The first few days we spent in Nairobi, the capitol of Kenya. We spent much of our time pricing items so that we could come up with a cost of living amount. Most people were out of the city for the Christmas/New Year holiday so getting around the city was easier than usual. Still the traffic was crazy. They drive on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is on the right. Everything is backwards, including going up and down stairs. Talk about being confused and not even wanting to attempt to drive there :) We really didn't get a chance to meet many people until the latter part of our first week there.
In addition to Nairobi, we also visited many areas in the bush. We went to see the medical clinic compound Ric and Jane Taylor, the missionary couple that we are working with, built and ran for many years. It was hard for them to be back there in some ways, but neat to see how so many people showed up quickly to see them. They helped and ministered to so many people there during those years. God used them mightily to meet the health needs and feed the children of that area.

Kenyan countryside.

Another day, we attended a wedding north of Nairobi. The bride and groom were from two different tribes—which created a good deal of confusion—and somehow we ended up right in the middle of all the festivities. The most interesting part of this was where we were at the house of the bride's parents to pick her up. The groom's family walked up the hill singing in their tribal language (Kikamba) carrying gifts for the bride's family. Once we walked up the hill to the house, the bride's family were singing in their tribal language (Kikuyu). We spent some time outside the home waiting on the groom's family and friends to negotiate for the bride. This negotiation honors the tribal tradition of paying a bride price but was not a true and standing prerequisite for the marriage. All in all it was an amazing experience that neither Aaron nor I will ever forget.

When Sunday came, Aaron preached at Kakuyuni Redeemed Church in the village where we will be living. There are roughly 200-300 people that attend this church that has already planted some 30 other churches. It was a little overwhelming to have to speak in front of the whole congregation and sit at the front the entire time during the service. If you are mzungu (white person) then you are very important according to them. So they feed you first, make you sit in the choice places, and carry things for you. It was hard for me to adjust to that, but it is their way. The church was inviting, warm, and full of God's love. They accepted us with open arms. Many pastors, deacons, and elders from the other 30 churches came to meet us. We had a time of sharing, and so many of them said they would support and help us anyway they could. They finished by singing us a song in their language that was close to angelic singing. It was here that I felt God’s confirmation for our call to Kenya in general, and Kakuyuni specifically. There is such a need for teaching and for discipleship of these beautiful Christians. We then visited the property where we will be building our home and the technical school. There is a peace there that I have not found elsewhere. The property is set back off the main dirt road among trees and mountains. Above all else there is quiet; this is definitely a place where a person can experience the small still voice of God without the distractions all too common in the West. The pace there reminds me of my time growing up in Eastern Kentucky when I was a little girl. I always dreamed of living a simple, peaceful life among God's creation. The setting was enchanting and I could easily envision our house sitting on the land. However, through all this I also kept thinking of our four children. Even though this place is beautiful, it is filled with great and overwhelming hardship and problems. We will be bringing our children into a culture they don't understand, people they do not know, and language they cannot speak. I know it will be hard for us all, but God constantly kept telling me I am their Provider and I love them. I told God that I'm standing on His promises and know He has our best interests in mind, because He does love us.

Kakuyuni Redeemed Gospel Church

Property Where House and School Will Be Built

Our last few days in Kenya were spent at the Massai Mara Game Reserve to see all the animals of Kenya. We wanted these days to provide us a time to hear clearly from God and each other before we firmly committed to living in Kenya. The trip there was a four hour ride from Nairobi through the Rift Valley. We knew very little about the Rift Valley but as soon as we saw it our breath was literally taken away. It is indescribable how beautiful it was, and we knew this was yet another gift and affirmation from God. Aaron and I both sat there with tears in our eyes knowing that we were so blessed to be seeing this. At the top of the Rift, we stopped at an overlook to take pictures. As Aaron was taking a picture of me with the valley behind, he stopped and pointed. He was speechless—which is rare for him :) It was the exact scripture that God had given him two weeks before leaving for Kenya. Isaiah 54:17 "No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their vindication is from Me," declares the LORD. There it was on the wall. A declaration from the Lord and a prayer answered. Again no more than thirty minutes down the road, a truck comes toward us and above the cab is written, "God Is Love." By the time we arrived at our destination we knew we were to serve in Kenya. Our time with the Kenyan people was amazing. They are so hungry for God’s Truth. The needs are so many, but we pray that we can play a part in sharing Christ and loving those whom He puts around us. Please pray for our family and for us to Glorify God in all that we do. There will be so much going on this year but we pray to stay focused on Him. I thank all of you who have prayed, supported us, and given financially for the trip. We have definitely felt the prayers and God delivered big time (as He always does :).

The Rift Valley (Notice Isaiah 54:17)

Update for Kenya Trip

A quick update on what is happening with the Bogan family. We do have tickets now and will be leaving on December 28 for Kenya. Right now we are raising support and God is truly blessing in so many ways. Many times tears have come to my eyes when I have received money in the mail and knowing that the money is being sacrificed for us to go and do God's work. It is very humbling. We thank you for supporting us through prayer and financial giving when possible. Without our supporters who stay here, we would not be able to make this trip in December.

We have been inoculated for about everything you can imagine. So far I have not had the H1N1 and have had the immunization for that. Two out of our four children have had it but everyone did receive the vaccine against it last week. However, we are still fervently praying that everyone stays healthy so our travels can go on as planned. TodayAaron and I received Yellow Fever which is good for 10 years. Yeah!!! At least if we go back next year, that one is taken care of.

Right now we are trying to gather things that we will need, such as sheets, towels, and baby clothes. The baby clothes are for our translator's wife who will be having a baby around the time when we arrive. Our churches resource center has been a blessing for items such as this. As the time gets closer to our departure, I will post specific prayer requests. Till then I hope all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

Purchasing Tickets

We are in the process of purchasing tickets for our trip in December to Kenya. There has been a few hiccups but nothing the Lord is surprised about. We will be leaving December 28 and returning January 9. Aaron has to be back to teach on January 11. Needless to say he will be very tired that Monday when school is back in session. Please pray for guidance and wisdom. Also for funds to come in and for all plans to be worked out according to God's plan. Please pray for our children (Nick, Dylan, Marie, and Joey) that they will get along fine while Mom and Dad are away. It's always hard on them when we are not around even though they say they understand our need to visit Kenya. Pray for health and for patience for those watching all four of the children. Thank you to the Straws, Grandpa and Grandma, and Grammy in advance for watching the children and all your love and support. It is greatly appreciated. I will post again when the time is nearing for specific prayer requests.

Costa Rica Mission Trip

I wanted to post the website that Aaron created for our mission trip that we took this summer to Costa Rica. It was an amazing time of growth and serving the Lord. We were so blessed to be part of this team and have an opportunity to lead it. There were a total of 15 people that went, including our sons Nicholas and Dylan. This was Dylan's first international trip and he says he is ready to return. Both the boys did amazingly well and hopefully this is indicative of how they will do on the field full-time:) Enjoy viewing the website.

http://www.users.muohio.edu/boganaw/cr09/

New to Blogging

So I just created our family's blog site and am posting my first message. It was much easier then I anticipated. I'm very excited that we will have a venue to post all the adventures that God takes on. As many family and friends know we have been called by God to serve on the mission field full-time. This blog site will allow us to keep everyone posted on how things are progressing and an avenue to keep in touch when we are on the field.

Back in March of this year, our family committed ourselves to missions full-time during the last night of a missionary conference at our church. That night our family said yes to living on the mission field anywhere that the Lord opened the doors to. Within the hour God opened the door. Earlier that week I had heard a missionary couple speak at a luncheon. This couple had been living in Kenya for the last twenty-two years. Their journey to the field was difficult, but after persevering they made it. The last night of the conference I stopped by the table to quickly let the lady, Jane Taylor, know that she had inspired me to hold steadfast to the call. Aaron and I had begun contacting missionary sending organizations that week and found that they did not like the idea of sending families who have teen children. Of course we have two, Nick and Dylan. We began to talk and quickly Jane told us that they were looking for a young couple to come along side of them to continue their vision of a technical school. At this point Aaron had joined me at their table and we looked at each other. I would say it was a look of "NOT AFRICA." To tell you the truth we had no idea where Kenya was in Africa. That night was where it all began. Since then we have met with the Taylors many times and have formed a close bond with them. They have shared with us their vision of what God has given them about serving the Kenyan people, and we are now sharing in the prospects of serving there alongside of them. There is land already purchased and plans drawn up for the missionary house and technical school. The missionary house will be the first project to complete, and then the technical school will follow when funds have been raised. This vision is a mighty big one but nothing is too big for our God.

Right now Aaron and I are making preparations to visit Kenya at the end of December. We will be traveling with missionaries, Ric and Jane Taylor, to determine if this is where God will have us serve full-time. Many have asked how the children feel about this possibility. Amazingly enough they have been more positive about Africa then other places we have talked about living. Honestly Marie and Joey will be happy as long as they are with us. Dylan just wants to live in a place where he can be outside among the animals and the great outdoors. Nick is our pessimist and is more apprehensive about things. Although he always says, "If God is calling us there, that is where we need to be." So pray for our children adjusting to all that will be happening this next year. Please pray also that we will discern God's will for our family and that we will be obedient to where He is calling us. We are grateful for everyones prayers.