Congratulations to Joshua and Ruth Barron on the birth of Zerachiah!
Posted on Wed Mar 03 2010

the Barron family ministers to the Maasai tribe of Kenya

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From Joshua and Ruth Barron on September 20, 2008:

We recently met with the MAC (Maasai Advisory Committee, a group of Maasai church leaders) and have learned some of the things that God has been doing in our churches all across Maasai Land:

    As of last May, there where 79 congregations.  But between May and the end of August, six churches have been planted (including one across the border in Tanzania), for a total of 85!  There are also several efforts underway for new church plants.  The Maasai believers have truly caught a vision for missions and evangelism!

    For those of you who don't know (or don't remember), the Maasai congregations have organized themselves into "clusters."  This is not any sort of denominational hierarchy, but is rather a way in which local congregations in an area will work together and help each other.  They are generally referred to by their geographical location or the largest locality in the area.  Here is some news from a few of these different clusters:

     OLCHURRAI (in Nakuru District):  the two congregations in this cluster are in a border area.   In July, the celebrated 7 baptisms and in August there were 4 more people ready to accept Christ and to be baptized (as of two weeks ago, they were waiting for rain, so that there would be enough water for baptisms).  They recently held a ladies' seminar with 196 in attendance from sixteen different language groups.  They are also planning on planting a new church among the Kalejin.  Praise God that his people are reaching out with the Gospel across tribal boundaries.

    PUSANKI (in Trans-Mara District):  Exciting things are happening!  The seven congregations in this area are in a very isolated and traditional area where the laibons (traditional ritual/religious experts or witch doctors) continue to have a strong sway.  But in Enairukurukoi, a new church is meeting under a tree and "kepuonu iltung'ana kumok te Yesu (many are coming to Jesus)."
    In Tumpelian, which is near the villages of the laibons, there has been a lot of spiritual and even some political resistance to the Christian faith.  The believers there had rented a building to use on Sundays for worship, but often others would come and padlock the door.  Once when the Christians worshipped under a tree instead, someone came by with a club and threaten to beat them if they continued to worship Jesus.  The local Councillor (government official) was very vocal and very public against the church.  But the believers have been faithful, and at a recent open air seminar (similar to the camp meeting revivals of the American frontier in the early 1800s) many people from the laibons' villages came to Christ.  These new believers not only included young people (which would not be that unusual) but even old men devoted to their old ways!  Pray that they will be able to lay aside their old ways and follow the one Way.
    In Pusanki itself, our friend Jonathan Narasha is the pastor.  Currently he is looking for a replacement for himself.  Why?  The congregation has grown strong and he has a vision to plant a new church in an unreached area.  Praise the Lord!

    METO (in Kajiado District):  The "mother" congregation of this area, Kumpa, was planted by CMF missionaries in the 1980s.  Since then, the Kumpa church has planted nine other congregations.
    In Inkiito A, there were 27 baptisms between from May through August of this year.  Currently, there are 26 attending a pre-baptism class.  Pray for new believers!
    In Miton, the church is reaching out to the impoverished and destitute.  There are many don't have oxen for ploughing  and cannot afford to hire someone else's oxen for their fields.  Consequently, they are unable to plant crops during the rains (these are mostly crops for family consumption, not for sale).  So the Miton congregation has a vision to acquire 3 yoke of oxen to use for ploughing.  Widows and the destitute will have first priority, both within the church and without, as the believers reach out into their community, demonstrating the love of Christ.

    At one seminar where the believers had been struggling to cultivate the ground and to sow the seed, 127 people came to Christ and were baptized!  (But just now, I forget in which village.)

Representatives from all of the clusters stressed the need of these 85+ congregations for sunday school materials and for qualified/trained sunday school teachers.  Both of those needs are part of our work here among the Maasai.  We have a trial-run sunday school teacher training seminar for the NAROK CENTRAL cluster later this month, and the churches would like us to provide similar training seminars at the three training centers in Maasai land, to reach all of the congregations.  We hope to be able to do this when we return from furlough.  Producing material in Maa for the Maasai churches will only help the churches to make disciples if the materials can be used!

Please pray for this upcoming Sunday School Teachers' Training Seminar (September 25-27):
Financial breakthrough ─ that the participating congregations will supply the budget necessary for the seminar
Response of teachers ─ attendance
Training effectiveness
Health for teachers and family during teaching
Wisdom for us in teaching
That the training will bless the children
That the training will help the teachers to become good teachers and to become disciple-makers
Commitment of Sunday School teachers to their work/ministry (sometimes teachers don't teach when scheduled, without reasonable justification)
Please continue to pray that we will be able to complete the curriculum projects we are working on before our furlough.  Also please continue to pray that God will bless us by increasing our suport so that we will be enabled to return to the field after our furlough.

Thanks & grace & peace & love in our Lord Jesus,

joshua & ruth barron, with alitzah & hannah gail & eliana
your missionaries to the Maasai of Kenya
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From Joshua and Ruth Barron on August 27, 2008:

Dear friends, family, and support-partners,
 
greetings to you in our Lord Jesus Christ!  We hope that you are all doing well and “going ahead in the Lord,” as our Maasai brothers and sisters like to say.
 
We ourselves are doing well, and are pleased with how God has been working in us and through us.  Those of you who are on our snail-mailing list should soon receive our latest newsletter with updates on our ministry.  Or, for a pdf version online, you can periodically check the “current newsletter” link at www.maasai.net/barron.html, which should be updated soon.
 
We invite you to pray with us very specifically, as listed below, for our work and ministry.  If any of you desire to join with us in these prayers, please encourage us by sending us a note via email to let us know!
 
Please pray for our work in developing/writing curriculum and teaching materials in the Maa language for the Maasai churches:
• That we always will be compelled & motivated by the Holy Spirit in the direction(s) we should go;
• that God will grant us the confirmation of Christ’s peace (see Colossians 3:15a) as well as other confirmations;
• that our Lord will straighten our path as we work and minister, enabling us to overcome all obstacles;
• that our projects will be completed (and completed in good time);
• that they will be God-breathed & useful for teaching & used that they will not “go out void,” but will be like the words of God which always accomplish their purpose (see Isaiah 55.11);
• that our ministry will foster unity within the Community Christian Church (the national name of the churches here in Kenya) across tribal, cultural, geographic and linguistic boundaries;
• that God will provide us with co-workers & bless them with insight & the gifts needed;
• that God’s Spirit would be upon the ears & lives of the students who will learn from these materials
• that God will show us his answer to these prayers through testimonies & other means;
• that all of us will hear & understand & do what God has for us;
• that God will open the eyes of our support partners that they may see what God is doing through them & be blessed with greater faith & works in ministry.
 
Why do we pray this way?
• So that the local churches may be built up & that they may receive a stronger foundation upon the cornerstone of Christ;
• so that disciples may be made;
• so that the churches may grow, and lost sheep be returned to the fold, to the glory of God;
• so that God would be glorified;
• so that people will see what God has done & praise his name;
• so that all may grow in faith;
 
Thanksgiving
• for James Ole Sakat, our primary language/culture helper/consultant
• that we are making a good beginning …

grace and peace to you all,
your missionaries,

 

joshua & ruth barron, with alitzah & hannah gail & eliana
christian missionary fellowship

www.maasai.net
www.cmfi.org

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From Joshua Barron on July 14, 2008:

Grace and peace to you all!

We are really enjoying being partners with you in what our Lord is doing here in Maasai land.  We have had chances to teach on the Spiritual Disciplines at NBTI (Narok Bible Training Institiute) and on how to read or listen to the Bible with understanding at a Disciplineship Training School and have enjoyed being able to mentor young believers.  Our work with producing teaching materials in the Maa language is really picking up steam.  I hope to have full update to all of you soon (as well as a newsletter to those of you on that list), as we are excited about what God is doing through us with your help.

Currently, I am in Narok (2 1/2 to 3 hrs from home) at an internet cafe, while Ruth is at a Women's ministry meeting in Ewaso Ng'iro.  We have been having computer problems, and have not been able to use our computer for email and internet, so I only have a sort time to write.

Please pray for us that
 * God will continue to provide us insight and direction in our ministry
 * we will continue to make good progress on our ministry projects, and that through them the Church will be built up and encouraged and that the lost will be found and that God will be glorified
 * that we will have the support we need (we are facing a short fall in our financial support)
 * that God will provide the extra resources to replace our computer, which needs to be replaced

Also, please let us know how we can pray for you.

Look for a fuller update later this month and a newsletter in your mailbox in August.

grace and peace to you all,
your missionaries,

joshua & ruth barron, with alitzah & hannah gail & eliana
christian missionary fellowship

www.maasai.net
www.cmfi.org

From Ruth Barron on June 16, 2008:

Dear friends,
 
It is time for us to write to you and share with you again.  First of all, thank you for giving us the privilege of being here.  As I think of the partnership we have together here in Maasailand, I am immensely grateful that our family was sent here.  We have been partners with other missionaries as you are with us and have shared in the work of the kingdom.  Now, we are able to see this work of God first hand, and to meet our brothers and sisters in Christ in person.  That is a blessing!  We thank you, and I will endeavor to share this privilege with you on paper.
 
During the upheaval of the post-election crisis in Kenya, when we were far from family and friends, I remembered the promise of God that when we leave our families for the sake of the gospel, we will be given new families.  I prayed and asked God to fulfill that promise for us.  I prayed specifically for our children that they would be given grandparents among the Maasai.  As I thought about who God might give us to be grandparents, I pictured my friend Ng’oto (mother of) Tiwai.
 
I prayed on Thursday.  Sunday was a special day at the church.  All the previous weeks the Christian brothers and sisters had been going out in teams to evangelize the community both near and far.  They would send three teams a day in different directions to share the gospel in the many different villages and to invite them to church on Sunday.  Joshua went with them one of the days and was blessed to see the church at work.  On Sunday we had a celebration with sheep roast and other food.  Many new people came.
 
Church services are several hours long in Maasailand, but the children only stay for two or two and a half hours.  Then they are sent home with older siblings or cousins to their dinners.  The adults stay to listen to the sermon.  Joshua and I take turns going home with the children to feed and nap them.  It was my turn with the children, but as I left my friends, Ng’oto Tiwai and Naomi, reminded me of the meal, and I promised to return as soon as the children awoke.
 
The children slept longer than sometimes that day, so the meal had already ended when I arrived.  The first person I met was Menye (father of) Tiwai.  When he saw me approaching with the children, he called out “kakuiya” (grandfather).  The Maasai call each other by the relationship.  He was claiming our children as grandchildren, naming the relationship as that of grandfather.  I shared with him that I had prayed for grandparents for the children and that he was an answer to prayer.  Then I stated that if he is the grandfather of my children, he must also be my father and Ng’oto Tiwai, my mother.

Ng’oto Tiwai is a beautiful woman of God.  She always has a smile and a look of inner peace on her face.  She has told me that it is God who has transformed her from a woman who would become easily angered to a woman of peace.  She is a leader in the ministry of the church.  She participates in prayer, children’s Sunday School, women’s ministry, and the teaching of the adults.

Over Easter, the church held a time of prayer and fasting for a Christian couple who had been fighting and were no longer speaking with one another.  After three days of prayer, some of the church members visited the couple and exhorted them to be at peace.  The next week, Ng’oto Tiwai invited me to go with her and my friend Naomi on another visit.  There we enjoyed a time of “chewing the news” and learned that the couple were now at peace.
 
I have also had the privilege of watching Ng’oto Tiwai teach Sunday School.  She shows the children love in all her interactions with them.  One day, I shared with her and Naomi that I had taught our children the story of creation by having them make playdough people and blow on them to see if they would come alive.  The next Sunday, they requested the children to bring mud children to Sunday School with them.  Eight children did.  Ng’oto Tiwai held each of them up for all the children to see and praised them, making the children who brought them feel special.  Then she talked about God creating and breathing life into man.  After that, she counted them and pointed out that there were eight and reminded the children of the story of Noah, with the eight people in the Ark.  Then two more children came with mud children.  Now there were ten, so she quickly opened her Bible to the story the ten virgins and read it to the children. 
 
Two weeks ago, it was my turn to stay at church for the sermon.  I sat with Ng’oto Tiwai.  I could see that she had been weeping during the prayer time.  I suspect that she had been pouring out to God the need of her family.  She had a job at the local school, cooking for the children, but she has not had a salary in five months.  Between the post-election crisis which dried up the tourist industry and then the grossly inflated number of ministers in the new “grand coalition” government, who are much higher paid than elected politicians in America, the government can no longer afford her salary.  Losing her job at a time when inflation is 26% and when she has a son who is wanting to begin secondary, which is not free, is hard. 
 
But after the service, she showed me a kumi (ten shilling piece).  A day’s wage is about 200 shillings.  She explained to me that besides the tithes and offerings, every Sunday each woman was putting a kumi in a bag kept by one of the ladies.  There is a woman’s conference at the end of June, so they are collecting money.  When the time of the conference arrives, the ladies will count the money and send as many women as they can afford.  The ladies know that they may not be chosen to go, but still they give.
 
Later that week, the Maasai-wide women’s ministry leaders asked to meet with the women missionaries.  They introduced themselves to us, and I learned that Ng’oto Tiwai is the secretary.  They told us that although she has learned to read, she was chosen not to write but rather to remember.  They testified that she can remember everything that was said at a meeting.
 
They told us about how, several years ago, they were inspired to start a women’s ministry.  They described how it was hard for women to find an opportunity to attend a conference because of the work at home and the husbands refusing to allow them to go.  They said money is also an issue because the women do not have access to money.  All property belongs to men.  With the church having a much higher percentage of women than men, this is a real problem.  They described how they have attempted to address the issue by sending representatives to the conference to learn and then go home to teach.  But as the women’s ministry has grown, they said it has become “keiroshi” (heavy).
 
The leaders are being asked to attend seminars in all the home churches.  Women are coming to them with all of their needs and are asking for help, and they don’t know how to help them all.  They told us how the women are asking them to teach them to garden and to care for the health of the family and to generate income.  They told us that the traveling they’ve been asked to do is taxing their finances beyond their capacity.  They told us that they don’t know gardening and health-care and income-generation.  They said they have been praying about this and God led them to seek our help.
 
As I listened to their story and thought about the ministry of Ng’oto Tiwai, whom I know best, I was struck by how much the church has grown.  They began this ministry themselves, and God has blessed it.  They are living out the gospel of Christ, taking the gospel everywhere.  They are eager to visit the Turkana to learn whether they can help them.  But like a young mother, who calls up her own mother for advice, they still want help.

Please pray that God would raise up people to help in a way God leads.

In Christ,
Ruth for the Barron Family

Joshua & Ruth Barron, with Alitzah & Hannah & Eliana
Christian Missionary Fellowship
missionaries to the Maasai of Kenya

www.maasai.net
www.cmfi.org

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