It has been exactly one week since we returned from the beginning of our World Hope Tour in Nairobi, Kenya. We went with an expectation for each person we encountered to understand the hope found in Jesus Christ. This expectation was met by the grace of God. Praise Jesus!
From our arrival on the 29th of July till our final concert on August 9th we had the privilege of performing in a variety of settings: primary schools, high schools, boarding schools, old folks home, early morning prayer meetings, lunch hour meetings, evening prayer services, all night prayer meetings, Sunday services, conferences, radio interviews and weddings. Each place The Sowers Group performed was exposure for the group as well as connections for Pamoja with key leaders in Nairobi. Some very good relationships have been formed and I am looking forward to seeing how God uses them to connect more people with the media I am in working to distribute here in Africa.
Ok… so here are some stories to make this a little more real.
First of all, The Sowers Group (Mike, Christelle, Oswald, Kosto, Felis and Kelvin) are an amazing group of people. Every single day was filled with MUCH laughter! I am pretty sure that Felis (the drummer) could make a living at comedy if he wasn’t already such an amazing drummer. Felis and Kosto (acoustic guitar) would play off of each other and the rest of us were fighting to catch our breath while holding our sides. With the early morning/late night pace the laughter was a great reviver throughout the days. Oswald (main singer/older brother), who tends to be perceived as the quiet type, breaks out of that mold with over exaggerated imitations of Kelvin and Felis’ very characteristic walks. Not sure if that sentence communicates well, but it means that each of them walks in a certain manner and you can completely pick up who Oswald is imitating when he exaggerates his steps. Needless to say one late night there was much laughter as the two guys tried to defend their strides.
Secondly, some very cool things are in place regarding the distribution of Cheza!(dance) in Kenya. We were connected with a distributor that supplies outside of Nairobi and another smaller distributor that has locations in the city and supplies to all of the churches of one of the major denominations in Nairobi.
Lastly, at a public high school the team did an acoustic set (due to lack of electricity) for about 300 students. After a few songs Mike got up and spoke them about being grateful for what they have, not to complain and be aware of the blessings that God has given them. When they closed the session two girls came up to one of the band members and said that God had really spoken to them through the music and what Mike had said. They said that their lives will never be the same again. It is amazing what a simple word and anointed music can do in the lives of people. Praise God for how He uses imperfect vessels.
Pictures from The World Hope Tour – Kenya - coming as soon as i can get my internet to upload them
here are some of my favorite pictures from zanzibar. for some reason the gallery setting is cropping them strangely so click on each photo to see the full picture. 
Arusha, Tanzania June 17, 2009 –
The Sowers Group will take to stages across Nairobi and beyond to share their beautiful African harmonies and rhythms from July 31st to August 9th, 2009.
The Sowers Group recently returned from their tour throughout Australia and New Zealand where they performed on 63 stages and generated sponsorships for 700 African and Asian children while promoting their new album, “Cheza (dance)”. Following their Kenyan tour, the Sowers are also planning tours in Uganda, Tanzania, France, Switzerland, and beyond.
The members of The Sowers Group have an astonishing personal story of escaping conflict and surviving war. They have moved from country to country (learning six languages along the way) and now they inspire thousands with their music and their message.
As children, Mike, Oswald and Kosto fled their hometown of Bukavu to escape war. They grabbed what possessions they could carry and set out on foot towards Kinshasa seeking safe haven. Thirty days and more than 600km later, they found themselves deep in the Equatorial Jungle, injured, held at gunpoint, and praying for their lives. Inexplicably, the bandits who held them executed others but spared the brothers. The Sowers Group believe they were delivered from that situation in order to tell the story of their people.
The Sowers’ beautiful heartfelt songs of personal triumph bring listeners a message of great hope. Not a shiny, untouchable hope, but a hope born out of hardship and determined belief. Their message will bring courage to the fearful, peace to the anxious heart, and a joy that has a way of getting the most reluctant toes tapping to the beat of their infectious African rhythms.
For more information on The Sowers Group and their Kenya tour please visit:
www.pamoja.info
www.sowersgroup.com.
Pamoja Ministries has been discipling cultures through media since 1990. Under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Sig Feser, Pamoja has been distributing excellent teaching resources including “The Shepherd’s Staff” / “Fimbo Ya Mchungaji” and “Acts” / “Matendo” magazine to Christian leaders for over 18 years. Pamoja also oversees a biblical teaching program (ISOM) on dvd aimed at the local church. Over 1000 people throughout Central and East Africa are currently studying the five trimesters of training. In 2010, Pamoja will release “Nipe Jibu”, a full-length Swahili feature musical filmed in Tanzania. For more information about the ministry of Pamoja, contact info@pamoja.info.
The new album, “Cheza (dance)” from The Sowers Group was produced and recorded by Australia’s Translator Records. The album is distributed in Africa by Pamoja Ministries, and by Translator Records in the rest of the world. Following their 2002 release “70×7” which was very well received throughout Africa, “Cheza (dance)” is the second album from The Sowers Group, and their first global release. For information contact info@sowersgroup.com.
I have been back in East Africa for 2 weeks and feels like I never left. Things are moving quickly, but I see God’s hand in the midst of it. Soooo good!
Here are some pictures from my life here in Tanzania since being back.
Lovely Tanzanian plant life – brilliant colors
Natasha and Me – this little one brings me joy!
The front of my new apartment
View from my front door
Me and my friend, Nadine. We are at my former neighbor, Alice’s, new home… got my hair cut too
Mt Kilimanjaro is as beautiful as ever… had to take an hour and 1/2 bus ride just to see ‘her’
with my former dog, Saja. he remembered me
Will put up more pictures later on.
5 months ago today I was leaving Nairobi, Kenya to head back to a very wintery Indiana. Oh how the time has flown. I have had a great time seeing everyone and reconnecting with so many that I hadn’t seen in 3+ years. I am on one last trip here in Texas before I head back to Indiana and then fly east to Africa! I got to visit with Pastor Dan and Maria and the fam in Oklahoma. I am Midland, TX spending time with my friend Angie. We go way back to when we both were at our Calvary orientation in Jacksonville 5 years ago. Tomorrow I head out to Houston for my dear Abby girls wedding. Can’t wait! 2 weeks from tomorrow I fly!
Here are some pics from some of my most recent travels.
