Kerri

Fox River has had the privilege of sending out short term missionary interns to work in our strategic mission areas of Kenya and Nicaragua. Kerri Roberts is our newest intern and will be spending 3 months in Nicaragua this summer.

Kerri was in high school when she took her first Fox River mission trip to Nicaragua. It was during that first trip that God began to lead Kerri into missions. Since that time Kerri has taken three trips to Nicaragua and has become convinced that this is where her heart belongs.

The picture below captures Kerri's heart. In her own words, she explains what this picture means to her.

"On my third trip, I had the privilege of going out in the community to give mosquito nets to people who really need them. While we were walking around to some of the homes, my friend Jorvin and I were talking. He told me that most of the homes we had been to are never visited by others. As he told me this, he pointed to the tiny house in the middle of the picture and said that was one of the houses we were able to go to. We are reaching the unreached, and touching the untouched. This is what drives me to do what I do."

This short term internship is specifically directed at discerning God's will for full time missions in Nicaragua for Kerri. She will be living and working with our missionary, Donna Woodson. Kerri will have the opportunity to see and learn first hand about all of the ministries Donna touches in partnership with our missionary Brian Weed. Kerri has a burden to develop outreach ministries for the young women of Nicaragua.

Would you please pray for Kerri as she prepares for this next step in her journey of faith? If you would be interested in following Kerri's journey you can read her blog here.

Meet Jenna

As part of Fox River Missions, we have the great opportunity to partner with missionaries in each of the countries that God has called us to. One of the missionaries that God has partnered us with in Kenya, is Jenna Nyanje. Some of you might know her as Jenna Horgan. We are going to take some time today and learn more about who God made Jenna, and the role that she plays in our Kenyan mission. 

Jenna has been on several mission trips in her life, and she said that each time she came back she knew that missions was something she wanted to do, but there was always something that told her "not yet". She took her first trip to Kenya on a Fox River medical team in 2012.  Little did she know that this trip was going to change her life.  There was something about Kenya, and the people that she met there, that made it so clear, God said "Go".  She returned on several short-term trips before packing up her belongings and moving to Kenya in the summer of 2014 to go where God was calling her. 

Jenna on her first medical trip to Kenya.  

Most of Jenna’s work happens in the village of Vipingo. The property in Vipingo houses the classes KG1 (Kindergarten) through Standard 8, as well as a Feeding Center, Rescue Center and Bible College. She is the administrator of the school in Vipingo, think of her as the head principal. She helps the school run as smoothly as possible. She meets with the teachers weekly, as well as having Bible study with all of them. The teachers at the school take both their own and the students spiritual health very seriously. Jenna also helps keep track of the finances of the school, and helps keeping up with the students. Along with the leadership of Fox River she coordinated short term trips that you can come on! Which encourage Jenna and the people of Kenya so much. She also orchestrates the process of choosing the new KG1 (kindergarten) students, at the start of each new school year. Jenna and the teachers would love your prayers throughout the year, as they prepare to choose the students that God would have for our school.

Jenna also helped start the Rescue Center on-site in Vipingo, and continues to spend a lot of her time there. The rescue center takes in babies that have no home, and gives them a forever family. Right now the Rescue Center has three sweet boys, with a mama and an auntie. The Rescue Center is a huge blessing in the community of Vipingo and is truly going to change the course of the lives that enter it.

Two of the rescue center babies. 

Something that Jenna has done so well in Kenya, is acclimating to the culture and life of Kenya. Jenna dove right into Kenyan culture and life, and made herself right at home in Kenya. She takes the time to learn about their culture, cook their food and live the way that Kenyans live. She attends and serves at Crossroads Fellowship Church, where another missionary partner, Jim Horne, is the senior pastor. You can find Jenna teaching Sunday School, helping with the youth or even hear her on their video announcements on any given Sunday. Crossroads Fellowship, is a very special place to Jenna, because that is where she met her husband, O’Neal. They just got married in January!

Jenna says,

“O’Neal has an amazing testimony. One that I would never rob him by telling you 2nd hand. But I hope that one day you can come visit us and hear it. This man has a testimony of a faith in God so inspiring, that I distinctly remember praying one night over a year ago, that I might be able to meet him one day. And that was it, with no feelings attached. I remember writing in a journal somewhere asking God that I might have a testimony like his. I asked God that someday I might be able to meet this man that I had heard so much about. I think God laughed at my ‘grain of rice’ sized prayer. I know I certainly would have if I would have known how long he had actually been weaving our stories together.

God ended up orchestrating the day that we finally got to meet, in a coffee shop. And in that coffee shop we spent an entire afternoon talking about what God had done so faithfully in our lives and what we dreamed God would one day let us do in the future. We talked about those dreams as individuals. And today the dreams we talk about are the dreams that we now share as husband and wife.”

Only God can write a story like Jenna's and it takes a heart fully following Him to move halfway across the world and do the work that God has asked you to do. Although Jenna's first move to Kenya was only intended to be for a year, it was clear at the end of that time that God had called Kenya to be her home. She loves the people that God has put in her life as family and friends, and the people that she gets to show God's love to. 

We are so thankful for our partnership with Jenna, and pray that it would continue for many years into the future. As you think of her during this week, pray for her and her ministry in Kenya. 

Introducing Pastor Denis and Karen

Let us introduce you to our partners in La Esmeralda, Pastor Denis and Karen. These two are the hands and feet of Christ everyday up in the mountains of Nicaragua. As Fox River, we are partnering with Denis and Karen to carry out God’s mission in La Esmeralda. There are many different areas where this takes place and we can see the fruit that God has produced. We have the honor and blessing to see how he is working in and through the lives of the Nicaraguans.

What does that exactly look like? Let us try to paint a picture for you and give you a glimpse of what they do.

In church

Each week they offer three services for all of the community to be a part of.  Pastor Denis preaches at the services.  Karen leads the childrens classes during these services, she also attends and supports Denis as he preaches and leads the congregation.  A service generally includes, music, a time of greeting, and a message.

At the clinic

In the clinic, every patient, before they are ever seen is given the opportunity to hear the gospel. On average in a year, the clinic sees 10,000 people.  That is 10,000 people who might not have heard the good news, and got to because of the clinic and the ministry Pastor Denis and Karen have built. As a church, supporting the clinic not only means the medical side of the ministry, but also it means that we are supporting the kingdom of God here on Earth.

How cool is it to know that when you partner with Fox River Missions, you are having an eternal impact?

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Youth Group

Youth group is a night dedicated to the teens of the community and reaching them where they are. This includes games, a message, and small groups. Denis and Karen are investing in the lives of these teens which is extremely important at such an opportune age where they start making big decisions that will impact the rest of their lives. It offers them a better place to go rather than getting caught up in the pressures of their peers.

Women’s Ministry

Karen leads a bible study for the women of the communities. Often times the women are behind the scenes in the community taking care of their families, so this is a great way for the women to come together, to dig into God's teachings, and to learn how to be a woman of Christ.  It refreshes them so that they can do the ministry of being a wife, mom, cook, etc.

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Sports Ministry

The sports ministry meets outside of the church walls and reaches youth that would not be involved in church otherwise. As a result, we have seen many lives changed through this ministry. Six of these athletes have come to Christ and are serving in the church in other ministries. This ministry is growing at a rapid pace and we expect to see much more growth as it continues to reach more and more people in and around the community.

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Pastor Denis and Karen are a vital part of Gods plan for the community of La Esmeralda. Their love for Christ and his people is truly inspiring. 

Would you join us in praying for them and their ministry?  

Jim & Susie Horne - Partner Missionaries in Kenya

Last weekend Jim and Susie Horne were with us at Fox River. They have been missionaries in Kenya for 40 years and our partners for 9 years. We have several projects in Kenya under Jim's leadership: a school with 370 children, nutrition center, pastor's institute and a rescue center for orphans.

You can catch a glimpse of all of their ministries in Kenya through this video.

Along with the many mission works up and down the coast, Jim pastors a large contemporary church in the Mombasa area called Crossroads Fellowship. Susie uses her music and leadership skills to lead the worship team at church.

Pastor Jim Horne leading worship at Crossroads Fellowship in Nyali, Kenya.

Susie Horne, Pastor Jim's wife, playing the keyboard and singing in worship at Crossroads Fellowship.

Jim and Susie have 3 married children and 5 grandchildren that are spread out in 2 states in the United States and South Africa. Every few years they all gather for Christmas. This year they gather in Georgia for a long anticipated family Christmas with all of them together.

If you missed Jim's inspiring message, "Hope for the World," be sure to catch it here:

Hope For The World from Fox River Christian Church on Vimeo.

November 29th, 2015 - Pastor Jim Horne stops for a visit to teach us one of the many lessons he has learned in his travels across the world. Jim teaches us the message that we are the "hope for the world" and how God's plans for us will help spread his love to others.