People For Jesus in Pakistan!

Pastor Tom Opiyo visits Pakistani Churches!

Recently PFJIM director Pastor Tom Opiyo from Narok in Kenya visited a number of churches in Pakistan to encourage the saints of God there.   Christians in Pakistan are sorely abused by fundamentalists and are generally seen as second class citizens.

Increased pressure on Christians has taken place recently after an ill-informed and reckless Floridian pastor decided to burn the Koran.   Some of those who Pastor Tom visited were killed days after his visit there which coincided with the burning of the Koran.

The BIG Meal comes to Kenya and Tanzania:

Mission International's Kenya partners People For Jesus International Ministries have worked hard approaching Christmas to bring the annual BIG meal to venues around Narok in Kenya amongst the Maasai people and to the Mang'ati people in Morogoro in Tanzania.   The BIG meal is designed to bring a special celebration to poor children in poverty stricken areas of the world on Christmas day.   The children are served by church members and are told the Christmas story detailing God's great love in sending Jesus Christ, as they eat and during and enjoy their day together.

We hope to add some photos of the BIG meal in Morogoro Tanzania soon.

Pastor Tom visits Tanzania:

Pastor Tom Opiyo of people for Jesus International Ministries has recently visited the MANG'ATI people near Morogoro in Tanzania.   The church plant is in need of a lot of support since it is in a remote situation and amongst a people who have little or no resources and funding.

Pastor Tom teaches new believers during his mission to the Mang'ati

 It is clear that they are a traditional people who have not been touched 

by the modern complexities of the 21st century.

Young people who receive an education are very fortunate, however the resources are 

so limited making it difficult for the community to move forward.

Mission Team to Narok:

A 12 strong Mission International team has just returned from Narok Kenya where they served with partners People For Jesus International Ministries amongst the Maasai people.   The picture below shows the team standing next to a recently delivered consignment of timber to be used in the construction of homes, latrines and a church building.  This was in addition to a water storage facility erected by the team to provide clean, safe water to the village, providing water to around 2000 people.

The picture shows the two 10,000 litre water tanks now in place.   After this photo was taken a high barbed wire fence was also erected to protect the tanks from wild animals which roam the area.   As the team was in the process of getting the tanks put in place a herd of about 60 zebra passed by about 15 metres away totally ignoring our activities in search of quiet pasture.

The team members were given the rare opportunity to visit Maasai homes and were able to share the Gospel and other encouraging words with the families in the community.

Maasai men spend their day looking after cattle, sheep and goats.   This Maasai man was the head of his village and asked if we would take his photo, a rare request since visitors and tourists have often times abused the friendships they make with the Maasai.

The team took the opportunity of visiting the Maasai mara game reserve where they saw countless animals from Wildebeest to a Cheetah.   These hippo were viewed from the river bank.   Crocodiles were also present.   It was remarkable the numbers of animals present for the team to see.

The BIG Meal feeds over 400 people in Narok!

Narok gets The BIG Meal

Narok in Kenya received the BIG Meal for the very first time on Christmas Day 2009.   300 kids and 100 adults came together after People For Jesus Ministries planned, prepared and distributed the food having receiving a small grant from Mission International.   "This is the first time an event like this has ever taken place in Narok" says Pastor Tom Opiyo, who with his wife and family serve God in this part of the Maasai Mara.   The people in the area could not believe that this was to be funded by the church and that God would allow them to come together in such a way on this very special day, Christmas Day.

A special event in every way.

The Narok church left nothing to chance, they were determined everyone who came would have a very special day.   The church had arranged for someone (a local Pastor) to tell the Christmas story to the gathered crowd of children and adults.   Many who heard of God's love, and who experienced it first hand as they ate, wanted to come to know this Jesus told of in the related story.      

Fun and laughter included

Children also did dramas and told stories of how people should live if they want to please God.   There were some serious messages as well as comedy and laughter, singing and of course lots of eating.   

Two Centres:

People For Jesus Ministries in Narok runs two churches, one in the town of Narok itself and another out in the village area amongst the Maasai people.   The same BIG Meal special day was held in both centre much to the appreciation of all concerned.

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Maasai Mission:

People for Jesus continue their vital work:
Maasai believers have a time of fellowship together after a worship service near Narok in the Maasai Mara. People for Jesus continues to serve this people in spiritual and practical ways. Services of evangelism and teaching are delivered alongside practical help with animals and dealing with bed bugs.

Summer Team:
Mission International hopes to send a summer team to the Maasai Mara to serve alongside People For Jesus helping them deliver their mission amongst the Maasai.

Here Pastor Tom Opiyo shares some fellowship too after preaching the the gathering.

Simple yet effective words are delivered to the people allowing them to gain knowledge and experience of a loving God.

The Maasai come from far and near to worship, listen and fellowship together, here some people are trekking in from as far away as 20km.

To see the Mission International teams blog click here.

To download a mission teams application form click here.

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People of Cows - it's a hard life!

Maasai people work hard to survive:
If cows and goats are your only source of income and survival then you will take every measure to make sure the animals are protected from ticks and the diseases they carry. Here the Maasai prepare to spray their animals with insecticide to protect them.
The cows are held in a rudimentary compound to make sure they get the appropriate dose of insecticide spray on their backs as the Massai cattle keeper pumps the sprat with a stirrup pump another makes sure none of the animals is missed. This is one of the few more modern practices which take place nowadays, however the Maasai still live in much the same way as they have done for centuries.

Large families have to be provided for as the Maasai travel around their Maasai Mara seeking water and pasture for their animals.

Pastor Tom Opiyo wife Eunice and son Peter

Pastor Tom and his family are based in Narok, Kenya, they are called by God to serve the Maasai people and have experienced hardship as a result, never the less they press on with their task of bringing the Gospel and teaching the scriptures to this ancient people.

To support the work amongst the Maasai please use the options on the right hand column of this page.

To apply for a Mission Team to work with the Maasai please use the option on the right hand column of this page.

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