With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more
than anything we can ask or imagine.
To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
for all time, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:21 NCV

Do you remember the last time you were on a roller coaster?  You start out with that very slow climb up and then the exhilaration when you get to the top and then traverse through the twists and turns as the ride takes you but you don’t know what is coming next.  That is what it has been like the last couple days.

Paul and I have been anticipating this training in Fort Portal for many months.  I have to tell you, the actual training on Thursday was probably the hardest one I have ever done.  It started out really good – people were very much engaged and telling the story of Jesus blessing the children appeared to be very impactful.  The rest of the day though was like that long climb on the roller coaster.  No matter what I did, people were not understanding even the simple things of KIDStory.  It was like an evil spirit had descended and blinded everyone from hearing and understanding what was being shared with them.  I left very defeated.  

We had planned for today to have about 50 children come and have the workshop participants lead an actual StoryClub with them.  I wondered how it might go because I was not confident that these leaders knew what to do. I ended the day praying for the Lord to show up in powerful ways.  

Today started out with the participants not showing up on time so we had the kids but no leaders!  We found someone to at least lead some songs and eventually the leaders trickled in.  Fifty kids turned into 80, then 100 and eventually there were probably over 130 children.  You can only imagine the chaos that was happening but we kept moving forward.  Lots of prayers were being said as I felt led by the Spirit to get people ready for what was next.  As we went from games to worship to eventually the beginning of the Bible lesson, you could feel a lifting of the heaviness.  The Bible story was told and when we went into the retell activity, you could see the leaders and kids starting to engage with one another and the story itself.

Then it happened!  It was time for the leaders to engage the children in their small groups with the Discover and Response Questions.  As I stood on the platform and looked out over this mass of people in their little huddles of 10 kids, the Holy Spirit was actively at work.  You could see it as the leaders, who the day before seemed lost and confused, were very much engaged with the kids and not one of those kids was causing any kind of mischief.  They were totally engaged with the discussions with the leaders and one another.  The Holy Spirit had descended on this place!!

From there we went to visit one of the widows that is under the care of Pastor Ronald and his church.  Later I discovered what ministry to the orphans and widows was like.  He has over 100 widows that they look after and each of those widows averages 7 orphaned children whom they have taken into their homes.  For a great majority of these orphans, their parents have died of AIDS.  Now realize that these homes are not your typical American homes.  The walls, inside and out, are made of brick with only 2-3 smaller rooms in them.  The children sleep sideways on the bed so more can sleep on a tattered foam mattress.  But the joy you see is unmatchable!!  It humbles you when you think of what we complain about!

As if that was not exciting enough, tonight we went to a crusade that I was told was “out of town.”  That was an understatement!  If you think of people that love to do four-wheeling in the mountains with their trucks, that is what it was like to get to the location where this crusade was to happen.  I wondered how many people would actually be there because this place seemed so remote.  When we finally arrived – I was amazed at what I heard and saw! There was a big stage, a sound system blasting worship music with hundreds of people worshiping the Lord.  If you have ever been to Africa – you know how they worship!  It was amazing!  Then Pastor Ronald preached as only an evangelist could!  At least 20 people came forward to start their journey on becoming Christ followers!  

Speaking of journeys, I finish this update getting ready to leave Uganda amazed at all God has done.  Thanks so much for being here with me with your love, prayers and support.  It means the world to me – and many thousands of others that have been impacted by what has happened here.

For God is working in you, giving you the desire
and the power to do what pleases him.
Philippians 2:13

Story by: Gary Strudler

Kids Around the World
www.katw.org

Robert Glover, a former footballer and British Navy member, responded to God’s call and became instrumental in helping over a million Chinese children move from institutions and into families. He shares how God guided him and his wife, Elizabeth, through their obedience, using specific words and visions. Robert shares God’s heart for orphans in James 1:27.

In 1998, Robert Glover OBE, his wife, Elizabeth, and their six children moved to Shanghai and founded @careforchildren: a charity dedicated to placing vulnerable children and orphans into loving local families. The impact of their work has been profound, as documented in the 2020 film “Children of Shanghai,” which follows the lives of five of the first children placed in foster care and how their futures were transformed. Today, Robert serves as an advisor at conferences, events, and consortiums worldwide, sharing his expertise and insights on child welfare and family placement. His book ‘As many as the stars’ is available to through Amazon.

See all videos on Instagram

Making disciples

We believe God is using us, ALL OF US, to reach the lost in this moment in history. There is an opportunity in Lebanon to reach and disciple the next generation like never before.  

And through your prayers and support, you will be a part of their faith journey!

https://heartforlebanon.org

I got off the plane in Entebbe, Uganda and I knew instantly where I was!  There was that familiar smell of smoke in the air because everyone burns their garbage in the streets and they burn coal and wood to cook over.  I have been coming to Uganda for 20+ years and I just have to smile when that aroma comes lofting my way.

I no sooner got to my hotel room, got a few hours of sleep then I was off to lead a training for 35 people, some who have been using KIDStory with the children they lead, but most have not.  To show you how engaged people were, take a look at this video.  This group was given 10 minutes to create a song to retell the story of Jesus and Peter walking on the water.  It’s a classic!

Watch video here – opens in it’s own windows

Today was something I have been looking forward to for a long time. Hopefully you remember Flona. She serves both Kids Around the World and Bold Ventures (https://boldventures.global) to bring KIDStory to the unreached children living on the islands of Lake Victoria. She is doing a great work raising up leaders on many of the islands. Today we had a VERY wet boat ride to the island of Kaaya.

Children of all ages were anxiously waiting for us.  The children were learning the story of Palm Sunday, which they acted out, created a song that they sang and verbally retold the story several times. 

Watch video here – opens in it’s own windows

Various children expressed how they wanted to go home and share the story with family and friends.

Tomorrow we will visit a StoryClub in Kampala and then take to the African highways to Gulu to see Pastor Moses.  (When I say “we,” I am referring to a group from Real Life Ministries in Post Falls, ID and their partner from Fort Portal, Uganda.   At the end of this trip we will lead a KIDStory workshop in his church.). 

Some things you can be praying for:

·  Paul, a pastor from Real Life, did something to his knee on today’s boat ride which makes it hard to walk.

·    Safe travels as we journey 6+ hours to get to Gulu

·    Encouraging and equipping the leaders in Gulu 

·    Protection over our families and homes while we are gone

Hi friends,

The work of a coalition is to walk alongside others, provide encouragement and to assist where another is lacking. The result of this kind of service, can bring very positive results for the Kingdom of God.

Pastor Phosh, who is part of our coalition, had his life turned upside down when he attended a children’s camp a few years ago. God spoke directly into His heart and told him…..”You limit what I can do, through children.” He joined the coalition and then pursued opportunities to help churches either begin a children’s ministry, or to revamp and uplift the children’s ministry in their churches. He has tirelessly gone about training, encouraging and sharing on the importance of children with all who will receive him.

In a remote village of Limpopo, called Mankweng, South Africa, he took a small church under his wing. This is the result:

1. They have now established a committee and drawn up a year plan.
2. They began a children’s ministry in their church, which they had never had before. Children are now being served in that area
3. They began to raise funds for the IAG Missions department, called CMC (Children’s Missions Challenge.) These children live in poverty yet they have chosen to share the little they have to ensure that the gospel is shared. How inspiring!
4. They put in a schedule of children’s ministry events for the next year, to reach out and share the gospel.

They began their children’s ministry launch with 2 days of prayer and fasting ……not only the adults, but with the children too, which was a wonderful success. The children prayed fervently and trusted the Lord to help them reach out to the unsaved and to build a vibrant children’s ministry throughout the area.

Following the prayer day, they report that Sunday morning services have also been a great success and are running smoothly. They have had good attendance and participation and support from the parents. Further collaboration will take place with this area to assist them with training.

Without collaboration, these children would have been in a very dark place. Through raising an awareness of how we can help each other, God’s Kingdom can not only grow, but be the living testimony it is meant to be.

Much love and blessings,

Kingdom Coalition for Kids Leadership Team

This is one of our bright coming Stars in the coalition who is now pouring into kids as he was poured into.

My new song ANSWER it’s meant to be a prayer and the reminder that we may not get an exact answer to what we’re going thru right and then but we can still hold onto God and always have faith that we have someone there when we feel alone and in the dark we can always call upon Him coz He Is Our Answer! It’s a song focused on worshipping God who sustains us in all things! Hope you enjoy!!

It is such an incredible experience to watch God work and to be in what I think is the center of His will.

April 2024 saw a 4-week trip to two countries in Africa, Kenya and South Africa. It was my second visit to Kenya and the first visit to South Africa.  While the cultures I experienced are different, they are also similar. They are both wonderful.
First, some numbers:

• Cities visited: 5
• Direct involvement in DCPI Trainings: 6
• Leaders trained: ~465
• Partnerships engaged: > 8
• Presentations/sermons: 7
• Denominations represented: > 50
• Seeing God events: Innumerable

 
Two other Dynamic Church Planting International (DCPI) global office leaders were along for parts of the trip. Bishop & Doctor Francis Kamau and Partnership VP Brandon Becker. Two friends from Daybreak Church in Oceanside, CA also joined us for part of the trip.
 
The Kenya trip included visiting existing friends and meeting a lot of new friends.

The trip was centered around training  20 national leaders from a new  partnership with Joshua Nations. This will result in DCPI’s “House Church Planting (HCP)” track being included in their 2 year Bible Training Center program which involves approximately 80,000 people a year in more than 14 countries. 
 
In addition to the formal inclusion of HCP, the delegates also were certified to train, and they requested to engage with the other tracks as supplemental training programs.
 
The next formal partnership event was with International Christian Ministries – African Theological Seminary (ATS) at the Kitale campus. Two of their other 8 campuses also sent their Vice Principles and the 70 participants represented pastors who are obtaining degrees and other local pastors and bishops from at least 30 denominations. The leaders have committed to adding the DCPI system of curriculum to the ATS program at the three represented campuses and training it to their other campuses. Additionally, the four ATS leaders are also bishops and denomination leaders, and they  enthusiastically plan to add DCPI’s system as their church planting implementation programs in those groups.

While in Kitale, I visited Bungoma about 2 hours away by car. We were able to share a vision with the leadership and then about 40 members of a federation of 175  pastors from multiple denominations. This group hosted a training in March 2023 and has been hosting trainings since then.

We were able to brainstorm about using the DCPI system to have consistent growth trainings, to develop a self-funding mechanism and to encourage them over tea and lunch. 
 
An amazing event back in Nairobi involved introducing the recently updated “Healthy Church Dynamics” training to the Eastern and Southern Africa World Zone. An event hosted in Nairobi saw 230 leaders trained from throughout Kenya including denomination leaders and bishops. Another 50 people attended part of the training due to work responsibilities and will be trained in the remaining materials they missed. Multiple training events were generated from this event.
 
We also were able to launch a collaborative vision casting breakfast that included 40 leaders across the spectrum of Christian organizations. Attendees included senior leaders from six universities/seminaries, Bishops from approximately ten denominations, and regional leaders from at least seven Christian NGO’s serving in the areas of community development, children’s ministry, church planting and evangelism. At least 4 delegates traveled by bus overnight to attend.
 
The time in Nairobi also included two informal gatherings of friends from Kingdom Coalition for Kids (KC4K). These generated another level of connection and were a joy in our fellowship. The events are now expected to become a consistent monthly gathering.
 
Thanks to a grant from a KC4K partnership with “Mission to Kids” based in Temecula, CA., two KC4K partners were able to host significant children and youth events for me to participate in while I was in Kenya.
 

One of these KC4K partners was “Everything Kids Ministry” from South Africa. Neville and Gail Fannin, and their sidekick Thuli, led a 10-day children’s ministry training that incorporated pastors, children’s ministry leaders, parents, youth and children. The impact was incredible with over 130 children accepting Christ and being baptized into the Holy Spirit. They also were able to train pastors, children’s pastors, parents, and teenage leaders over the ten days. Over 500 children were treated to a full fun day with a healthy lunch, bounce houses and the gospel message. The next day, over 160 children returned to the church campus for a two-hour crusade and lunch. The recently trained teens helped coordinate much of the event.
 
This event was a result of a DCPI training event the Fannins hosted in South Africa in November 2022 that was led by Bishop Ken Karanja. At the event, Bishop Keranja saw the power of their training and brought them to his church in Nairobi. While the Fannins and I have been prayer partners and team members with KC4K for almost 4 years, this was the first time we have been together in person.
 
Bishop Karanja’s church already has a children’s ministry serving approximately 300 children, but he expects it to grow to 1,000 by the end of 2025. He explains that the average age in Kenya is 19.9 years old and 75-80% of the population is under 35 years old. Obviously, these adults are in their childbearing years. He feels that the 300 churches he oversees must be focused on youth and children or they will become irrelevant with no audience in the next 10 years. He also subscribes to the Fannins’ philosophy that “children are the church of today, not tomorrow. They are the evangelists who can reach people that adults cannot reach.”

A second youth event was hosted at Gospel Celebration Center Ministry in Kayole, a poor part of Nairobi near the airport. This is a recently planted church that was equipped by a training event we did in Bungoma, Kenya in March 2023.  Thus, I was able to visit one of the churches that was planted using the equipping of the training we did last year. The event was a two-day event where the church hosted 70 youth and youth workers to receive DCPI’s NEXGEN 

Challenge training and 20 more became certified trainers. The event included feeding all of the participants and many of the young children from the neighborhood who the youth are serving in their Sunday School and outreach programs. NEXGEN Challenge is designed to be a one-day track that leads youth and young adults to think missionally and to be involved in church planting.  It was amazing to hear these young teens talking about using the NEXGEN Challenge training to start youth clubs in their schools and neighborhood.
 
The trip to South Africa on April 23-29 included Bishop Karanja and Neville Fannin representing DCPI with me. It was centered around a new partnership with the Shekinah Fellowship in Garden City, a very tough borough of Cape Town. This includes a developing relationship with the denomination they belong to, The Full Gospel Church which has over 1000 churches in South Africa. We also met with a multi denominational group of pastors, and with a new contact from Namibia who leads Fatherhood Fellowship and several other children and family-oriented programs in Namibia. Overall, there are plans underway to expand the presence of DCPI, Everything Kids Ministry and Royal Family Kids Camps in South Africa significantly and to initiate the involvement in Namibia over the next 6 months. The activities for the week also directly included Neville training children’s pastors including a team hosting a weekly food distribution & Gospel Outreach Center for children. 

   
 
The House Church Planting training that we did for the church members resulted in more than 30 groups being developed to plant neighborhood cell churches. Most of these expect to open afternoon neighborhood children’s programs and/or food distribution centers.
 
I was blessed  to give sermons in two churchs and to four groups during the trip. God was so gracious to give me a message about findiing peace in His Yoke of fulfilling the great commission, locally and internationally. It seemed to be well received. Three of these were using translators.

The church families and groups were wonderful to me and blessed me greatly. I was also able to visit the church I spoke in during the 2023 trip and was encouraged by the warm reception I received from people who recalled me being there.

There wasn’t a lot of sightseeing on this trip as one might imagine from the description. But during the trip, I was able to see the Great Rift Valley as it crosses the Equator when we traveled from Nairobi to Kitale. I also saw the ocean and several beautiful cities and countryside and experienced the rich culture of two countries. The only tourist type of activity was to host a group to attend a professional rugby match between Cape Town’s Stormers and the league leading Ireland’s Leinster in the national stadium in Cape Town. I must admit that it was great. When trying to buy the tickets during a very bumpy car ride in Nairobi, I accidently bought 16 tickets instead of 6. They were still a bargain in USA terms. God ended up using this “accident,” to allow us to felllowship with a group from our host church including a young man who accepted Christ at a Men’s Ministry meeting we attended in which Neville and I spoke. 

 
The prayer and financial support of many partners made the ministry what happened possible. Several churches were involved and a couple of KC4K partners participated in the funding. We also were blessed by a dozen or so individual supporters directly contributing while over 80 individual partners make my activity at DCPI possible with their monthly financial support.
 
The partnership of multiple local individuals and groups in Kenya and South Africa also made the events possible. One of the exciting results of the trip to both countries was a buy-in on the concept of funding coming from local congregations and similar resources on a consistent basis.
 
The Body of Christ is incredible!

“The path of the righteous is like the morning Sun, shining ever brighter ’till the full light of day. “Provberb 4:18 NIV
July 1-5 Royal Family Kids Camp – Mission Viejo 
September? Uganda trip
September 30  GACX – North Carolina 
October 6 DCPI World Zone Leader Conference – Vista, CA
October 21 Exponential West – Castro Valley, CA

The South OC Care Collabortative also had a second gathering in May. More than 15 ministries & 50 people gatehered and worked on inititatives.The nexty event is being schedueled for September. 
The Asia Collaborative Summit Vision Task Force is working toward an initial event for 500 attendees in Thailand in November 2025. 

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward the love and good deeds,”     Hebrews 10:24 I was blessed to spend much of April with Bishop Peter Ambuka. He was a central leader in most of the Kenya trainings. He drove the team to Kitale and we had great fellowship over the week. He is leading the task force for the Kenya Collaborative. And he is a dear friend, a wise counsel, and an amazing inspiration. He also invited me to speak in his church. When the translator had trouble with my “California accent”, he jumped in on the fly and translated.  Peter also is championing the cause of Kenyans financially supporting the DCPI ministry by helping supporters be involved in the great commission through sponsoring a pastor a month being trained. He is a great visionary.  He and Rev. Ruth have a thriving church. He is also a regional bishop with amazing leadership and management skills.