News and Events

KENYA SENIOR PRISON CHAPLAINS RETREAT/SEMINAR

VENUE: MILELE BEACH HOTEL, MOMBASA, KENYA

DATE: 20TH MARCH TO 26TH MARCH 2009

Pastor Harold Anderson, Chaplains and Government Officials and Jeff Kabiru

PARTICIPANTS: Senior Prison Chaplains representing all the 8 provinces in Kenya, led by the principal Chaplain, Rev. Johnson Gatumu – who is in charge of the spiritual matters in the whole republic of Kenya.

The occasion was graced by, Madam Wanini Kireri, Assistant Prison Commandant, the officer in-charge of Shimo La Tewa Maximum Prison and K’Odeny, Coast Province, Prison Commandant.

Theme: (Hebrews 4:9-11 and Exodus 33:13-14): Stewardship and remaining focused to the divine call.

Guest Speaker: Pr. Harold Anderson –President of Higher Ground Bible Ministry CA, USA who is also the Snr. Pr. Moreno Valley Calvarly Chapel. The speaker emphasized on faithfulness and stewardship in the ministry. Attempt great things and expect great things from God through faith. – (Psalms: 68: 11………….)

Problems faced in our Prisons that we need to pray and act:

• Conflict of Religion / Interfaith conflict – Protestants against Catholics, Christians verses Islams etc
• Inmates getting saved every Sunday when one makes an alter call.
• Christian teachings is meant for inmates only – the officers feel that the inmates are the only ones who needs to be preached to they seeks chaplains assistance only when one dies.
• Source of learning materials – spiritual or social, training needed
• Training – to improve on chaplainancy the relevant authority should organize for regular seminars to open up and discuss these issues
• No systematic follow up – lay a good foundation for the new believers (teaching)
• Jail birds – seems there is no impact on the prisoners when they keep on coming back to prison.
• No enough support (financial) from the authority – no allocation for chaplainancy AIE (Authority to Incur Expenses)
• No baptism pools in the prisons
• Ranks – hierarchy - senior officers may prove hard to interact with
• Work pressure

The Seminar in Progress

Proposed Solutions

• Discipleship - follow up after they get saved and help them to grow spiritually.
• Materials – if there are libraries in prisons
• Introduction of Bible school as there is industrial training like carpentry, mansions and metal work
• Go out our way and chip in, in anyway we can to help deliver the word of God to prisoners – He has given us wisdom to share to His people.
• Christian Education departments should be equipped to cater for the materials needed foe preaching.

Rehabilitation – Preaching, Counseling
- Depend on well-wishers to assist and as we seek their assistance we should put effort to pressure the authority to provide rooms for counseling.
- Individual contribution from the officers to set an account for the counseling department and ask for the addition from well - wishers.

Re – Integration

- Follow the new believers even after their release from prisons. Handing a prisoners back to the community
- Social welfare – can go out and do their work and take their responsibility
- Partnering to take those newly born home and hand him to their local church as a reformed and a changed person

DEDICATION OF THE DISCIPLESHIP BOOKLETS
Two Prisons booklets “How to Follow Jesus” translated and published in Swahili language by Cistern Materials “Jinsi ya Kumfuata Yesu”, were dedicated by Pr. Harold Anderson, President of HGBM, CA USA. The books are used as discipleship courses to those getting saved in prisons.

Also the Higher Ground Bible Ministry was launched officially to be used in the 103 Kenya Prisons.

Achievements

9 inmates from Shimo la Tewa gave their life to Christ. During the Malindi tour 5 people gave their life to Christ.

During the Prison Visit

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Calendar of Events
Event:	Soul Winning Medical Camps
The Cistern Materials Center in Partnership with World Christian Outreach will hold a 3 weeks medical and evangelism campaign in Central and Rift Valley Provinces on July 5th – 24th 2009. Doctors from California, USA and Kijabe will be treating the sick. The itinerary is as hereunder:-
July 5:	Thika Men and Women Maximum Prisons.
July 6, 7, 8:	Orphans and community in Lari Kiambu (Cheer-up Orphans and Vulnerable Children)
July 9, 10,11:	Internally Displaced People in Mai-Mahiu, Rift Valley Province
July 12:	Naivasha Prison
July 14 & 15:	Orphans and Community at New Dawn Ophans secondary School- Laikipia
Event:	Head of Prison Chaplain - All provinces national seminar
Date:	20th - 24th March 2009
Venue:	Milele Beach Hotel, Mombasa
Speaker:	Pastor Harold Anderson, Senior Pastor, Moreno Valley Chapel, CA, USA. President of High Ground Bible Ministry, CA
Other Speakers:	Pastor Kennedy Kamau; East Africa Director of Word Christian Outreach [ WCO ]
Invited chaplains:	From all provinces in Kenya
Theme:	Hebrews 4:1 (Remain Focused)
Event:	Prison Ministry: Chaplain Seminar
Date:	2nd - 5th February 2009
Venue:	Naivasha Prison
Event:	Children's Ministry: Free Medical Campaign
Date:	19th - 22nd January 2009
Venue:	Laikipia West, New Dawn Orphan High School
Event:	Prison Ministry: Re-integration Programme
Date:	12th - 16th January 2009
Venue:	Kisumu

Previous Events

1. LARE (Maasai land) – free medical checkup and evangelism – August 08

2. Olkarere-Suswa Camp – Free medical check up , evangelism and visits to the needy-September 23,24 & 25

3. Christian Church International, Matathia Kijabe – Orphans Day (Seminar for orphans) – October 2008.

4. Prison Evangelism – Kisii Prison – November 2008

5. Prison Chaplains seminar – Rift valley Province (Nakuru) – December, 2008

PRAYER ITEMS:

1. Give thanks for a successful Asia Trip made by our MD Jeff Kabiro in June/July 2008.
2. Pray that God will give us more jobs for translation, printing and distribution in order to be financially equipped for the Lord's ministry.
3. Pray that, Cistern for Christian Materials Center (CMTPC, meets the expense for its Prisons, Evangelism, and Orphans’ ministries from the profit they get after offering, translation, printing and distribution services as a business.
4. Ministry Van. Pray that the Lord may provide one as we have been hiring although.
5. Give thanks for Pr. Harold and other staff of Higher ground Bible Ministry for providing training materials that will be distributed to more than 90 prisons in Kenya, and their willingness to support CMTPC Prison ministry.
6. Pray that God will provide more literature (Bibles, Books, Videotape, gospel CDs etc) that will have impact and help in changing moral behaviors of those behind bars.
7. Pray for 2009 Jan/Feb Caribbean, South and North America trip by CMTPC MD and Missions Director on ministry business.
8. Pray for Cistern Materials network of Translators working in different countries.