Solid Rock Construction Has Begun!

We have started the construction of Solid Rock Christian Community (SRCC)!

We hope that SRCC will become a bastion of visible Christianity in Nakuru County, Nakuru, Kenya. 

Our desire is to see all the workers of StoneHouse Ministries International, living and laboring together to reveal the love of Christ, on this beautiful, God given piece of property. We are committed to see SRCC become entirely a entirely self-sustaining community.

We also hope that this land will become a resting place for missionaries and apostles of Christ, a training place for like-minded leaders in God’s household and a ‘Conservatory of Inspiration and Training’ for young people desiring to change their generation. The possibilities for this land … are endless.

Solid Rock Christian Community… the work has begin… and we are so excited!

Every inch of the construction on SRCC, will be done by men and women of God, exclusively for the glory and honor of God alone. Our heart is to instill the love of God in everything we do.

Let me introduce to you two of our hard working men.…Karanja of Kamwaura and Amos of Engasura. Both are becoming leaders of God’s households and builders of the Kingdom, one in Kamwaura and one in Engasura.

Karanja is a stone mason with over 30 years experience. When Karanja found out we were wanting to build a Christian community, he asked if he could be of help.

Karanja is also the overseer of our church in Kamwaura. His passion and love for God’s people are absolutely inspiring. He and his precious wife have hungered for the revelation of God’s church for years. The people of this small but powerful church have become some of the most giving Christian’s we’ve ever known in Kenya.

This is Amos Karioki …

After visiting us and our churches, Amos asked if we would disciple him in the faith. We said yes and told him to start working at our new school location. Amos jumped into this dirty and hard work. He has proven himself to be a man wholly dedicated to advancing the Kingdom of God in Africa.

Six months later after watching this young man’s dedication and hard work, we sent him to a local bible college called ‘Word Ablaze Bible Institute’. When Amos isn’t at World Ablaze he is working for SMI projects or building up the church in Engasura.

These are men with both calloused hands and sweating love. They are not just workers… they are our brothers and friends. Supporting them in this work helps them to minister in their respective churches. They represent some of the ‘New Priests’ our Father is raising up here in Kenya, to demonstrate Kingdom of Christ in these last hours. They are earnest, hardworking, godly men of God!

Here is a short description of our progress…cutting the stones…

Breaking ground for the wall in front of the main house…

Digging footers for stem wall…

Sifting the sand for cement…

Adding a little calcium, which helps bind the cement to the sand…

Getting water for mixing cement from the pools in the gorge sixty feet below…

Mixing the cement …

Taking a break for lunch…

Making the gravel for the base of the wall…

'Pouring’ the cement into the footers…

Laying and mortaring the stones of the stem wall…

Building  the six foot wide, ten foot high stone water tanks on either side of the stem wall. Water storage is crucial in this arid climate.

Next week we hope to show you the installation of the twelve foot iron gate and the beginning of the fencing.

Pray for us… that we would be able to turn the tide of hopelessness with false ‘churchianity’ and the flood of frustration with ‘christian’ hirelings that has crippled so many believers here in Kenya.

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 1:3-4)

Stand with us, as we labor to reveal the ‘Faith Once Delivered’ to God’s children here in Kenya. Mungu awa bariki sana! (May God bless you much) !          

The StoneHouse Family

Ingathering !!

Kenya’s First ‘Ingathering’

Part I

For those who have never heard of the ‘Ingathering’, let me offer a brief description. The ‘Ingathering’ is a celebration of a Christian disciple’s corporate Life in Christ. It reminds us that we are not just isolated individuals or churches scattered across the globe, but rather, we are a chosen generation, a distinctive people and a holy nation, living in the midst of this present world. (1 Peter 2:9). It is a celebration of our Unity.

Hence, over two decades ago we determined there would be nothing in this celebration but what would honor the ruler of that Holy Nation. So once a year, all who believe, come together for a holy festival and spiritual fellowship.

Beginning over twenty five years ago in Orlando, Florida, this unique festival is now celebrated by our friends in California, Tennessee and now in Nakuru Kenya.

We believe that one day, this same festive gathering might even be celebrated all over the world. (Zechariah.14:16-21)

But even if we are wrong about that particular interpretation, the ‘Ingathering’ has become the highlight of our year and we hope it will continue to be so, for all of our children in the the years to come.

Normally this event takes place the first weekend in October and corresponds to the Jewish Feast of Booths. But due to the Kenyan culture, the first week in December is the only time children and adults have enough free time to participate here in Kenya. This pictorial post is about our first Ingathering celebration. So, as they say here in Kenya … sit back, relax and enjoy!

After months of preparation and saving up for feast and frolic, the first day of the Ingathering finally arrived bringing friends back together.

Friday morning people came from our churches in Nakuru, Kamwaura, Engasua, and Ndunyu Njeru.

The morning was busy with brothers sitting around finalizing the plans for the next two days.

Then the time came for brothers to pray over the one who would give his all for our feast and thank him for his ultimate sacrifice. Then they prepared him for the feast. Nothing, and I mean nothing … of his sacrifice was wasted. Have you ever tasted goat brain soup?

Our wonderful ladies began to ready the delicious food for the evening’s festivities.

By mid afternoon all sorts of preparations were underway. There were skit rehearsals going on inside the school….

And young ladies primping their hair on the outside.

Some of the primping was a little painful.

As the flags went up on the volley ball and bad mitten courts…

Then the games began.

Everywhere you looked there were the cutest little cutie pies ever!

A midst the busyness, there was still plenty of time for grandma and grandpa to tell the wonderful stories of old.

All that day, everyone was jumping up and down with excitement.

Even Kuja, our watchdog, was leaping for joy.

As we gathered together later that afternoon, each church family introduced themselves with a dance and a song. There was a wonderful sense of unity in the air. The kind of unity described in Psalm 133.

After the introduction of the church families, there was a beautiful song preformed by many of the children from all four churches.

Then we got down to some seriously competitive Volley ball games.

In the evening there were presentations of shirts to honor the teenagers who now are called the ‘Pathfinders’. There are 15 Pathfinders

And to the young adults who are now called ‘StoneHouse Guardians’. There are about 20 Guardians. 

Both of these groups of young people have distinguished themselves as true followers of Christ who 

desire to make a difference in their generation

.Finally we had a wonderful dinner and fellowshipped late into the night around the campfires.It was awesome. 

We all wondered if this day was this good… what will tomorrow bring? Stay tuned for Part II of the ‘Ingathering in Kenya’.

The StoneHouse Family