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| News - International Presbyterians Take the Weekend to Africa Walt & Marlene Estelle As reported earlier, the Presbyterian Expression of Worldwide Marriage Encounter has sensed a call by God to return to Kenya for further training and development of Presbyterian Marriage Encounter in Kenya and this year for the first time in Cameroon. It was quite a journey for Herb & Jean Ward of Mt. Prospect IL and Rev. Walt & Marlene Estelle of Spokane, WA, the fourth to Kenya. They traveled first to Nairobi, arriving August 4th and settled into the Anglican Church of Kenya Guest House. The first order of business was to make plans with members of the Kenyan Presbyterian ME National Board. Weekend venues were scheduled and team assignments made for the various presentations. This was followed by doing some workshopping with some of the Kenyan team.
An important part of the mission was to travel to Cameroon and the Wards and Estelles were joined by Eustace & Juliet Nkoroi, the National Executive Lay Couple for Kenya Pres. ME. The trio of couples flew the four hours from Nairobi on the Eastern side to Douala, Cameroon on the Western coast of Africa. They were met by Henry & Olivia Enoabane and Rev. Joe-Set and Helen AJI-MVO. They then drove to Buea and were housed at the Presbyterian Church Headquarters. They met the next morning with the Rev. Dr. Festus Asana, the Synod Clerk. We had a very warm greeting and the explicit support of himself and the Moderator who was traveling. They are encouraging the establishment of Presbyterian Marriage Encounter in Cameroon and grateful to Worldwide for helping make it happen. We then left for the 8 hour drive to Bamenda, arriving about 7:00 pm to over 100 people who had waited since 4:00 for us to arrive and sang their hearts out as we walked up the stairs and into the meeting/dining hall. It was a sight and sound to behold, one we shall not soon forget. Cameroon was a totally new and exciting experience. The welcome by the Cameroon Worldwide Ecclesial team of Willibroad & Harriet Ndikum with Fr.Joseph Ateh was warm and heartfelt. It set the stage for the Deeper weekend to come. That started on Friday night and we had 15 couples ready to grow and share and write. In the midst of the weekend we signed an agreement to the Bylaws and they elected their new national leadership.
On Monday after a day of touring and sharing worship together with Rev. Estelle providing the sermon and the Worldwide Team as honored guests, we worshipped together at a nearby Presbyterian church. Then up the next morning to drive 8 hours back to the airport and a night spent flying back to Kenya arriving at 6:30 am and a clergy “midweek” beginning that evening. That was housed at JJ McCarthy Prayer House in a suburb of Nairobi with several lay and clergy couples who were writing and came in to be workshopped. The US & Kenya team made up an international team of presenters and it must have gone alright as requests were fielded to bring the Weekend to their churches and communities. On the following weekend we worshipped at Nairobi West church where Rev. James & Hannah Kahenya serve and then were privileged to join with them and Daniel & Florence Mwaura, KPME finance couple, on a drive out to the Ngong Hills. Back to work the following week workshopping and a tour of some poverty areas and projects that we have shared in the last couple of years. Then Friday off to the Presbyterian Headquarters and Guest House where the US team presented a Deeper to 12 couples while the Kenyan team led 22 couples on the original. Several other couples also came on the weekend to continue their writing. The closing worship was done jointly and the Spirit was alive in the building. So much, so soon ended. The team that made it possible was really back home praying and providing substance. Enough cannot be said about the Worldwide grant, the friends, family, churches, communities that reached down in the purses and pockets to provide. The Coins for Change was great with one of the donations over $300. And the countless prayers that were lifted up. We can never say thank you enough to God or to all of you. But, thanks. Click here for a printable version (PDF, 894KB)
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