What a crazy first quarter we have had at REACH ministries! I am finally getting a chance to sit at the computer and update all our friends and family. We kicked off 2023 with a mandate to start making disciples. Taking our instruction from God and the words of Jesus to make disciples of all nations. See them baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit and then teach them to observe all Jesus's commands (Matt 28:19-20)
We started the year writing a book for a discipleship tool to be used in bringing people into relationship with one another.
January saw us finishing up the rough draft and starting a church-building project in Kisumu. Raising support to help send orphans and vulnerable children back to school. We moved to a new place in Kisumu that had room for group meetings and of course, got the boy's dormitory at Agape orphanage ready for occupation. Had great teaching and preaching in Mawego, Kobala, Manyatta with our friends at Spirit & Power Prophetic Assembly.
February had us on a road trip to Nairobi to help our friends in TOGAN Nairobi launch their new church. Then Back to western Kenya to distribute food, clothing, and sanitary goods with our partners in the Dorcus ministry. I also want to give thanks to The Esther Project Shop & the Ladies Freedom Project who provided wonderful packages for the young women with which we are working. We also completed the new bunk bed project at Agape. Supported the partner feeding programs in Kisii and Migori and visited the churches of Obet, Oriang, and TOGAN Kisumu. God has really developed the message of harvest through personal relationships in my heart and His message to the churches.
We started the first discipleship group so that we could edit the book for cultural relevance with five wonderful men of God that have been a great blessing to me in Kenya. With their help and editing, we completed the first edition and started translation into Swahili for the next printing which is due out next month (thanks Sam). In March so much happened including:
1. Visit from our missionary friends Jim & Cleo Hughes.
2. Completion and preaching at the Mountain of the Lord's Temple.
3. Kisian secondary school outreach.
4. Second generation discipleship meetings.
5. Massai at the compound joined discipleship, went to church, and got saved.
6. Launched Zuri 88.3 FM Christian radio station with our Ministry partner pastor Levis Onjala.
7. Visited Kiambio slum for planning and food distribution with the church and school.
8. had a meeting with pastor Patrick where God put Pakistan in our hearts.
All these events happened in the midst of great ministry times at TMLT, S&PPA, Umoja Inner core and MLM Momboleo where God supper naturally blessed the people and moved us through many towns and places during political demonstrations protecting us from even a delay as we went!
When you think we must be done, no. God is just getting started. April had us continue with discipleship. We also traveled to Busia for an amazing Easter Service with our partners at touching lives ministry. While in town we preached and taught at a Church convention With the folks at Jesus Mercy Center. We had a beautiful time with the orphans at Deity Acadamy and a discipleship workshop with 28 church leaders from the Mercy Center pastors. We finished off our time on the Ugandan border with a 2-year anniversary service where we celebrated with bishop Chris and Molly the success God has brought to their ministry. Next, we started discipleship in Pakistan and were invited to preach an outreach service with a group known as the brick slaves. This is remote ministry through WhatsApp video interaction with our partners Pastors Daniel and Primula. God expanded this to now include a second group of discipleship with evangelist KJ on the coast in Pakistan. Finally, we ended the month with a women's conference in Aboke where we also recruited 75 people into the discipleship program!
For brevities sake, I am going to end this newsletter in April and start the next one in May. We can't have a report out like this without the sovereign move of God in our midst and we want to give Him all the praise and all the glory for mighty ministry, great miracles of healing, provision, favor and supernatural fruit. We have seen Gods hand draw over 1200 people into the Kingdom in salvations this year and over 200 people now participating in the discipleship program. We are blessed and thankful to be a part of the harvest God is doing in the world today. We are just disciples that are making disciples; connected to the vine and bearing much fruit. We acknowledge and thank you for partnering with us in prayer, provision, and financial support for the ministry. On behalf of all those, we are reaching, feeding, clothing, visiting, discipling, housing, and educating..... THANK YOU!!! and may God keep and bless you until we are able to fellowship in person again.
Richard & Julie Cox
REACH Ministries