IDEMETOR’S UPDATE – REPORT FROM SOUTH AFRICA

APRIL 2021 – GOD’S HEART FOR CITIES.
 
Dearly beloved Mission Partners,
 
Greetings from Pretoria and thanks for your partnership of many years, especially your generous support to us this past year. Thanking God for the grace He has granted you to lead His people to greater exploits as a Church.
 
Since February this year, nine of our younger leaders in the Navigators Africa representing six countries have been meeting virtually to compare notes and learn from each other on how to advance the Gospel into the different segments of their cities. 
 
The demographics of the African cities are changing by the day with increased urbanization at an unprecedented rate in the past few decades. Patrick Johnstone in his book “The Future of the Global Church”, projects that by 2050, three of the top ten mega-cities (cities with a population of 30+ millions) will be in Sub-Sharan Africa!
 
Our labourers are now thinking of ways to ensure the Gospel is planted in every demographic of our city. This regular interaction is to hear and learn from each other on some of the initiatives each country is undertaking to make this a reality.
 
One of the motivating Scriptures is the book of Jonah, where God staked everything including the life of His prophet (Jonah) for the sake of one city – Nineveh. God’s concluding statement to Jonah reveals God’s heart and concerns for cities: 
 
“But the LORD said, You (Jonah) have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that city?” Jonah 4:10-11.

As I host the meetings and listen to these leaders share their hearts and vision for their city, I am excited at what God is already doing in some of the cities of Africa.  A few countries have taken initiatives to see the Gospel penetrate the highly-dense communities of their city, others are reaching out to youths who may never have the opportunity to go to University/College – these ones make up the majority of the youth population in our cities.
 

• Please pray that God would put His Hand on these leaders (with their teams) and the work they are doing, and bring about abundant and lasting fruit for His Kingdom.

• Pray for me too that in addition to these virtual meetings, I will be able to resume personal visits to the countries and cities to serve these leaders in their context, as was the case before COVID 19 made travelling impossible.

 
On the family front, our two young ladies successfully completed their respective academic programmes in December 2020. 
 
Miriam (our daughter), with a Bachelor of Art degree in English and Psychology, and Eunice (who has been part of our family for the past four years), with a Certificate in IT Support Services. 
 
Eunice has since travelled back to her home country, Congo DR, and has already secured employment there.  Miriam hopes to apply for a post-graduate honours degree and start in 2022, by God’s grace.
 

• Join us to thank God for His amazing love and favour to us as a family.

 
You have been an integral part of our journey in life and ministry over these years.  We want to say “Thank You” for your partnership in prayers and financial support.
 
This comes with all our love and deep appreciation.
 
In His grace,
 
Udobong and Gertie Idemetor
 

REPORT FROM KENYA
  
Greetings to you our dear partners, friends and fellow Kingdom workers. Thank you so much for your continued support for us through your prayers, finances and encouragement. Daisy and I are fully aware that we could not come this far on our own. Our dear Heavenly Father has continously use our lives in ways we may not fully explain. Here is a brief update about what God is doing through our partnership with you:
 
Carren and Gad:
Thank you for continuing to pray for Carren and Gad and for giving financially towards their ministry in country X in the Horn of Africa.  Carren and Gad committed to serve in the Horn for a period of not less than two and a half years (from September 2020 to December 2022, subject to extension as the Lord leads and provides).
The first phase of their time commitment (of approximately six months) was set aside for them to visit the host country to familiarise with the culture, learn the local language and determine the monthly budget they will need for the rest of their stay there. Through your generous support, we (as GRIP Kenya) helped with their budget (during the six months) by purchasing Carren’s and Gad’s return air ticket, paying for their visas, paying for their language school (among other travel costs), and helping meet any deficits in their monthly budget. Carren and Gad will return to Kenya mid next month (May 16th, 2021). After their return, they will use most of the time to visit their respective supporters (where possible) and report back about their six months’ stay.
Their supporters will have the opportunity to hear first-hand testimonies of their experience which we could not share in our email updates due to security and safety concerns. Besides visiting their supporters, Carren and Gad will use the rest of her time to develop more monthly financial support to meet their budget deficits. By God’s will and grace, our prayer and desire are for Carren and Gad to return (to the mission field) by the latest end of September 2021, in order to complete their individual assignments, in country X.
However, this will depend on how fast they develop monthly financial support to cover the budget deficit.

 
Summary from Carren’s report for January 2021:
The month (March) was indeed a very good one despite the corona pandemic. I did not have any health issues and for this I really thank God. All through I enjoyed my stay and emotionally I was happy and healthy. My time with my team here and other Kingdom workers was well, only that Covid-19 affected much of our physical meetings.
I have made few friends in the place I relocated to and lost the old ones. But of course, maintaining our relationship with the family of our language helper. Our house is so open to the locals and some of my new friends are my host friends and those who help us in the house.
Among the things I enjoyed most this month of March were: 1) The day we went to (name withheld for security reasons) and a beach near (name withheld for security reasons) with the team was so exciting. 2) Sharing truths (the gospel) with our language helpers every time we have language classes was exciting too. 3) Reading too has been exciting for me here and I think in March I enjoyed reading the most and of course the books I read were interesting!  4) I also had quality time and space for prayer and fasting which was exciting! 5) And the most exciting thing is that I cooked my food and sometimes our food, I had missed that in the previous months. 6) Hosting (language) classes also in our house gave me an opportunity for hospitality and service.
One of the challenges I faced was it took time for me to make friends especially from the (new) neighborhood, and I was at some point discouraged. I prayed about it and started initiating conversations. At least I have two friends from the neighborhood whom I know a little bit and they know me a little bit.
My plan in the next three to four weeks is to end our language classes at the end of the month and to continue praying and learning the language. I will try my best to continue learning the language by listening and speaking to local people.
Thank God with me for: 1) the few friends I have, 2) Opportunities we have had in sharing the truth (the gospel), 3) Provision, 4) Peace, and 5) Good health. Pray for: 1) Convictions among the people we have shared with, 2) Continued provision, 3) Protection, 4) Coming elections on (date withheld).

A summary from Gad’s report for March 2021:
“March has been quite a fast month with the reality that our stay, for the time being, is almost coming to a stall. I am doing well. I only need to take more water especially recently. My relationship with my team and fellow Kingdom workers here has been well. Playing the guitar at the (details withheld) has opened opportunities to knowing more and more people. My relationship with my nurturers has grown, and they count us as part of their family. Regarding my language school, I have recorded down the verbs we have covered, it will help in the future time.

Unfortunately, I have not been very keen and consistent in listening to recordings. I have put down a plan for April to ensure I will be balanced in listening to the recordings as well as pursuing the Grammar part. Please, continue to support (financially) our language classes, for the remaining three weeks. The numbers in (name of their host country withheld) of Corona infections (are on the increase). Pray that this does not affect the remainder of our time here and that we will stay to the end.
During the remaining three to four weeks of our stay, I plan to just finish up in conversations and continue practicing what I have learned so far (during my language classes). To do so, I plan to make conversations with my nurturers and local people in daily interactions.

Thank God with me that I am more grounded in Grammar (of the host language). Pray that I will have wisdom in balancing grammar and listening to recordings. Pray too for effective witnessing even as we conclude on our stay for this time. Pray with my friend in Kenya “Ushindi”, his dad died from the virus, and he himself is in isolation at the moment.”

Samwel:

In our March 2021 update, I mentioned that (after Garissa University was re-opened, following the terrorist attack on April 2nd, 2016) one of the students we started within 2017 is Samwel Gitau. As we progressively envisioned these students on the need to take the gospel to the unreached/least evangelised people groups, Samwel developed a burden for the Somali people in the Horn of Africa. Samwel graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (during a virtual graduation ceremony on March 10^th.
Before graduating, Samwell filled and submitted to us an application form to join our mission program in the Horn of Africa. He has committed a minimum of 5 years but hopes to serve longer than that. I am pleased to inform you that Daisy and I trained Samwel (together with seven other new staff from a partner mission agency) on how to develop a team of ministry partners/supporters. The training took place virtually via ZOOM, from April 7th to 9th. Shortly afterward, Samwel embarked on the journey of support raising. He is making encouraging steps despite the challenging environment impacted heavily by COVID-19. Many potential supporters are hesitant to make financial commitments at this time. By God’s grace, our plan with Daisy is to train and prepare Samwel for cross-cultural ministry work before we send him to the Horn of Africa. The training is scheduled from June to August 2021. Between now and then, Samwel will concentrate on developing his team of supporters. After the cross-cultural training, he will finalize raising his support team, get necessary travel documents, and depart for the Horn by late September/early October 2021.

Please, pray for God’s leading and direction in all these plans. Pray too for HIS favour upon us and Samwel. As in the case of Carren and Gad, our plan is for Samwel to go for an initial term of six months (October/November 2021 to April/May 2022) in order to learn the local culture and language before returning to Kenya to prepare for a longer-term.
 

Today we were reported there were 7 cousins who got baptized. But then we found out the number of people who get baptized is much more than that. The 1st and 2nd generations believer cousins background has baptized many and the report has come late. 

The Gospel has continued to spread out beyond what we can think of.  One of the field worker report, one of the cousin woman cleric whom always be on the site of the mayor of a city has accepted Isa in her life. The mayor usually ask her to have a religious meeting for the woman in many places in the city.  A few weeks ago she was sick. Our team prayed for her and she was healed. Then she learned about Isa who healed her. And she accepted him. In just a few months she has finished reading New Testament twice. This is just one of the great story the Lord is doing. 

Please continue to pray for us. May many cousins come to believe and worship HIM

Picture Below: one of the baptisms today!