Mission to Ethiopia

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Greetings in the name of Christ.

Dr. James Wilson from Northern Ireland and I just returned from Ethiopia after having an encouraging and challenging visit with our brothers and sister there. Dr Wilson was there to observe the work “on the ground” as well as to see about the logistics of bringing teams from the UK to Ethiopia to work alongside our ministers. I was sent to meet with the missionaries and see how they are doing personally and with the ministry. I was also to chronicle our time there with photos and video footage.

Dr. Wilson and I thought we would do more observing than hands-on ministry, but the Lord had other plans. We went to watch the ministers, but ended up laying hands on them and praying for their needs. We went to hear of the work, but ended up speaking words that were given from the Lord for the building up of the saints. In short, we went with good plans, but the Lord had good works which He had foreordained that we should walk in them. I am glad that God had better plans for our days in Ethiopia because even though we accomplished many things we thought we needed to do, we also were able to be vessels used by our Lord for honorable uses that we could have never foreseen. As I think of all that we were able to see and do, I am reminded of the psalmist saying “bless the Lord, oh my soul, let all that is within me bless his holy name.”

There were many things that I heard while meeting with the missionaries which were of great encouragement, and I look forward to sharing them with their supporters in updates which will come soon. There were two things which I heard over and over as I sat and talked with each minister. These two were encouraging but also an exhortation or a challenge to continue boldly with the task the Lord has given and so I would like to share them with you.

First of all, there was a desire by the ministers to remind us that the ministry of IOI goes much deeper than financial support. The missionaries there have been meeting weekly for prayer and sharing of burdens, along with giving and receiving counsel. One minister said that the money seems insignificant compared to the fact that he has gained brothers and sisters to minister alongside of him. He no longer ministers alone, struggles alone, or carries the good news alone. He is part of a body; he has those who know the burden and uplift him as he walks.

Second, I heard the missionaries saying that they wanted to see the ministry expand and for many others to receive the love and support in the ministry that they receive. More ministers having the blessing of others bearing with them their financial burdens as well as the fellowship and accountability of being a part of the IOI group is a great desire.

Hearing these things encouraged me that we should continue on with what has been given to us. This is a good work and the church is being built up, so we should desire to see more benefit as the missionaries do. So the question is how? I believe by striving for what has already been our burden to see Sanctuary Village built, and Lord willing, 300 ministers will be raised up alongside of those already in place. A place where fellowship and the bearing of one another’s burdens is part of life. We long to see what the ministers long to see. As we embark on this ambitious project, we believe that it can be done if God will give us 100 partners who give $200 per month to raise up these 300 over the next seven years. Please pray with us to this end that the Lord who owns the cattle on a thousand hills will give us what we need to do what He has called us to do. He has done this in the past and we believe He will continue to do so in the future. You all are an encouragement to us. May the blessings of our Lord be with you. The missionaries send their greetings in Jesus name.

Peace of Christ to you all.

By the grace of Christ,

Stephen A. Kennedy
Mission Coordinator

Mayor's Reception - Coleraine, Northern Ireland

The Mayor of Coleraine, Councillor David Barbour, hosted a reception in the Mayor’s Parlour for Aghadowey man, Doctor James Wilson, who is departing on Tuesday for Ethiopia. Doctor Wilson has been commissioned by Indigenous Outreach International, a Tennessee based missionary society to conduct an independent review of an ambitious project called Sanctuary Village.

‘Sanctuary Village is indeed an innovative project’, Doctor Wilson explained, ‘ It aims to create a missionary campus very much in tune with local village customs and culture, where students will not just be taught Reformed theology, but a wide range of agrarian and practical skills that will enhance the lives and survival of their fellow villagers at this time of drought and famine. One of my tasks will be to assess the potential for local agencies such as Exodus to provide teams to assist the project. More information can be gleaned at www.ioiusa.org

Mayor David Barbour wished Doctor Wilson journeying mercies ‘ It is a challenging task that James has been called to. We would indeed pray that his analytical skills are combined with a Holy Boldness, and that many young Christians from the Borough of Coleraine would follow in this mission to bring the Christian gospel and Christ inspired acts of kindness to the people of Ethiopia at this time of need.’

From the Mission Coordinator

How Great the Father’s Love

Brothers and Sisters,
Greetings in the name of Christ.

Chapter three of First John begins by saying “how great the Father’s love for us that we should be called the sons of God”. This great love that God has poured out on us was made manifest in the person of Jesus Christ, particularly in His death, burial, and bodily resurrection for the forgiveness of our sins. As John continues this letter he says “in this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us we ought also to love one another” Surely the love of God causes us to glorify Him and will bring much joy as we grow in our intimacy with our Bridegroom for all of eternity, but there is an outworking that even now is made possible because of His loving us. We are to believe on the Son of God, love one another, and keep His commands (1 John 3:23-24). The work of Indigenous Outreach is a work of love. As Patrick and I seek to tangibly demonstrate the love of Christ to these brothers and sisters it is not just because they have less than we do. There are many in the world that have much less than anyone reading this letter, but why these people? Why is our work with them? Our hearts have been tied with these brothers and sisters by the hand of our Lord, and we have been given a passionate love that longs to see these dear ones succeed in Christ. God has poured out His love on us and our overflowing cups must be directed first to brothers and sisters in Christ both here and abroad. God loved us, so we love them. God has given Himself to us, so we give our days to loving them.

There are many amazing things that the Lord is giving us to do, but be sure as you learn of them that you know the motive of all our efforts is to work out the love that God has given us. I know that as supporters of the ministry you have been given a burden of love for these brothers and sisters as well. I would encourage you that your love is efficacious even as God’s love is. There are tangible benefits that our brothers and sisters are seeing through your tangible love. Do not grow weary in doing good; it is a blessing for us to see your love for our brothers, and it encourages us to continue. God bless you all and may His love for His bride continue to work out through us all toward the beloved.

News from the field
Negash sent word to us that recently ten teams of five blanketed the neighborhood surrounding Militar church. These teams did evangelism and handed out tracts. One story from this day came from Negash’s team. The team had three men and two women in it. The two women talked with two young ladies about salvation through faith in Christ. After their discussion, Negash handed the girls a tract entitled “No Greater Love Than This” The girls seemed very interested and said that they would try to meet with some one from the church later in the week. At the end of the day, all the teams met back at the church to close the day in prayer. As they finished praying, these same two girls came running up to them. The girls’ mother had seen the teams in the neighborhood and was very upset about them being there. When she entered the compound and saw her daughters reading these tracts the woman was outraged and told them that they must return the tracts and talk no more about Jesus or else they would be kicked out of the home. The girls then brought the tracts back to Negash and the others. One of them said, “Here is your tract; take it! We have the message in our hearts and minds, but we have to give you the paper back as our mother ordered” The believers were brought to tears and pray that God will give them more contact with these girls and that they might see them grow in the Lord Who burned the good news of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection into their hearts. Please pray for them.

Announcements
My wife, Shelley, and I are excited to announce the birth of our first child Addison Grace Kennedy. She was born on May 31st and weighed 6lbs 15oz. She is a beautiful gift from the Lord and has had a good first month of life on this earth. Her name means “descendant of Adam with grace”. We pray that as she has the blood of Adam in her veins, as we all do, that the Lord would pour His grace out on her and that she would walk with Him all of her days.

Continue to pray for and make plans to attend the upcoming Robin Mark concerts.
Friday, August 1st in Memphis, TN
Thursday, September 4th in Jackson, TN
More details can be found on our website www.ioiusa.org or by calling the IOI office (731) 664-9960

Peace of Christ to you all. By the grace of Christ,

Stephen A. Kennedy
Missions Coordinator

IOI UK in Formative Stages

Dr. James Wilson at the Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland

Formation of IOI UK
We are currently in the process of becoming a registered charity in the United Kingdom.

A multi-denominational group of Christian men are exploring and pursuing the vision of having a national office for Indigenous Outreach International located in Northern Ireland. Already support has been given by local Christian ministries for the formation phase of IOI UK. We need your prayers very much in this time of formation for the furthering of Christ’s Kingdom and the making of disciples.

Mission to Ethiopia
September 9- 19 - Dr James Wilson, from Drumreagh Presbyterian congregation, Northern Ireland will be in Ethiopia to conduct an independent review of Sanctuary Village, with particular focus on the scope for UK churches providing both human and fiscal resources towards the project. Overseas team service in a mission project is very much part of the discipleship making culture of the evangelical churches in the United Kingdom and the prospect of serving the Lord in creating something as vital as Sanctuary has already generated interest. James would value your prayers as he seeks to combine his analytical skills with a Holy boldness.


For more information concerning the process and our progress contact mailto:james@ioiuk.org?subject=from%20the%20website

Lauren in Recovery

The cast covers her from her chest to her toes, but she is tolerating it very well. Lauren continues to be joyful and seems not to be in pain at all. She has four weeks left in the cast, then months of therapy to follow. Thank you for your continued prayers!

Robin Mark with WindDance in Cordova, August 1

For tickets go to www.itickets.com

Mid-day of Prayer for Lauren

We have received email and messages from Cambodia, Ethiopia, England, Ireland, Brazil and across the USA as people have been lifting up prayers for Lauren for the past 13 hours.

It is so encouraging to hear from brothers and sisters around the world who are united in prayer for one little girl in Jackson, Tennessee.

"LORD, may you hear the prayers of your children. Although we speak in many languages we speak with one heart in one Body and pray that would would be glorified as your mercy flows from the Throne of Grace."

Day of Prayer for Lauren

Many of you know Lauren personally and you know of her struggles with CP. She is scheduled for major surgery on June 16 for double hip replacement and reformation of both femur bones.

Our brothers and sisters in Ethiopia have set aside Thursday, May 29 as a special day of prayer and fasting for Lauren.

We invite you to join us in prayer.

The Video is Finished!!!

Sanctuary Village from Patrick Beard on Vimeo.

Big thanks to Julian Williamson from Bluesland Films for all his hard work on this project!

Sanctuary Village Logo

The Logo is Finished! Next comes the video -- keep watching the website and blog for it.
Now all we need is $1.5 million, a good piece of land and seven years... LORD willing.

Sanctuary Village is our vision to raise up 300 Ethiopian ministers over seven years in an agrarian community where theology, agriculture, basic health care and vocational trades are taught and practiced through a lifestyle of prayer, mercy ministry, study and labor.

The campus of Sanctuary Village will include homes for families, elderly, disabled and singles. Plans include a minor medical clinic, pharmacy, store, primary school, meeting hall, sports field and cafe that will be located in the public areas. Micro-farming, animal husbandry, well drilling and home building will be taught and practiced on the campus in the vocational/farming area. Both short and long term residents would live in the Village.

Theological training programs would be offered in residential and commuting programs. Classes will be taught in ten terms of two intensive weeks over three years. Residential students will have schedules that vary with the growing seasons, but will include daily prayers, vocation and mercy ministry.

During their time on campus residential students will be pared into teams of five in preparation for replication of the ministry on a small scale within existing villages. Ideally each team will have a preacher, educator, administrator, medical tech and an agriculture/vocation tech. These teams would serve as a group of elders for new churches.

Maraki Merigold Hickey is born!

Ben and Pepo are parents!

Negash is a grandfather!

Maraki Merigold Hickey was born on April 10 at 8:45am Addis Abeba, Ethiopia.
She was 3.5 kg and 52 cm long. She got a 9-10 on the "baby scale". She was delivered by C-section.

Elevate Ethiopia

A special blog has been established for our child sponsorship program that is being coordinated by Arlene Norton. She has posted videos of her recent visit with some of the families we help to support.

http://www.elevateethiopia.blogspot.com/