-----Original Message-----
From: Rev. John Makokha [mailto:jmakokha2000@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 3:29 AM
To: Steve Parelli, Executive Director of Other Sheep
Cc: Jose Ortiz and Emmanuel Kamau, Other Sheep Co-coordinators for Africa; Rev. Michael Kimindu,
Coordinator for Other Sheep East Africa; Anne Baraza, Other Sheep Kenya Counselor and Advisor
to LGBTI people and their friends and families
Subject: Re: Other Sheep Kenya Mombasa Mission Trip, July
Dear Brethren,
- First Day: Tuesday, July 15, 2008
- Rev. Kimindu and I (Rev. John Makokha) left Nairobi on the morning of Tuesday, July 15, for
Mombasa, Kenya (a city located on the Indian Ocean coast), for the purpose of making
contacts for our LGBTI Other Sheep and PLAG ministries. We traveled by bus and reached
our YWCA guest house at 8.30 pm.
- After taking our rooms, we had a discussion with two local workers on the topic of the Bible and
homosexuality. We gave out some materials and later went for dinner.
- After dinner, we made phone calls to some of the ministers we know in the Anglican and United
Methodist communities (Rev. Kimindu is an Anglican priest, as well as a newly ordained MCC
minister; Rev. Makokha is a UMC minister). They promised to meet us the following day.
- Second Day: Wednesday, July 16, 2008
- We tried getting in touch with the Anglican priest of St. Emmanuel Church, Kengeleni (the
oldest Anglican church in Kenya) but he technically avoided meeting, even after reaching the
gate of his church.
- Rev. Kimindu called a long time friend, [name withheld] who was with his family at a local
hospital where a family member had been admitted. We visited them in the hospital, prayed for
the sick family member, and had the opportunity to share our story about our mission in
Mombasa. Unfortunately, the long time friend of Kimindu expressed his view that gays and
lesbians should be taken to a mental hospital. By this remark he was demonstrating a high
fever of homophobia that can be found in Kenya. But later, his wife said we need to
understand gays and lesbians without making any judgement. His wife works in the field of
education and has experienced a lot in this area of sexual orientation. We gave them the
materials we had carried.
- We also met a Mr. [name withheld],a lay leader in his church, and gay him materials after
talking with him. He said he has a brother in-law who is gay and lives in Europe [name of
European country withheld]. He said there are so many gay people in Mombasa and yet
people pretend they do not know them and that they do not exist due to homophobia.
- We met with one of our denominational [Anglican or UMC: information withheld] clergypersons
whose [description here withheld]. During this meeting we discussed our mission and gave him
materials on the Bible and homosexuality. He connected us with a Rev. [name withheld] of the
Pentecostal church who was not able to meet with us because of a previous appointment but
expressed willingness to meet with us in the future.
- We met with an old friend and workmate of Rev. Kimindu when Rev. Kimindu served as a
Chaplain in the Kenyan Armed Forces [name withheld]. This same individual had met Steve
Parelli and Jose Ortiz when they were here with Other Sheep in Kenya in July and August of
2007. He promised to help us get pastors in Kisumu where he has connections. He also
spoke of the possibility of having a seminar in Eldoret at some future time.
- We met with Mr. [name withheld], a professional in his field of work [work withheld], and a Mrs.
[name withheld], a sales person in the line of [withheld], who are both church leaders [office
withheld]. We gave them materials and our business cards.
- Rev. Kimindu left for Nairobi in order to travel to Lambeth Conference.
- Third Day: Thursday, July 17, 2008
- I had a meeting with a Mr. [name withheld], a very close associate of Rev. Kimindu [how,
withheld] who is the [position withheld] of a five-star hotel. He invited me to meet at the hotel. I
gave him our materials and business cards.
- Fourth Day: Friday, July 18, 2008
- I traveled back to Nairobi.
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Report on Contacts made back in Nairobi
Saturday, July 19, Nairobi, Kenya – Contact with two NEGST students
I invited two Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology students to my Other Sheep Kenya
house office. We met in the evening and had a wonderful discussion on the ministry of Other Sheep. I
gave them materials and business cards. They were [names withheld]. They wrote in the visitors'
book that they learned something new.
Sunday, July 20, Nairobi, Kenya – Contact with UMC national leaders
I attended the service at Kayole UMC in Nairobi where all the UMC national leaders were meeting,
including Bishop Daniel Wandabula ( East Africa Annual Conference) and Bishop Felton May (USA),
interim Secretary General of General Board of Global Ministries.
I was told the leaders, including the Bishop, wanted to meet with me on my ministry concerning LGBTI
people. However, no meeting was forthcoming at the time. Instead, the bishop told me that he was
going to the Central Conference in Zimbabwe and would meet me when he returns. He said, "This
homo thing is controversial..."
I distributed my materials and business cards to all the UMC church leaders after some informal
discussions with a couple of them.
During the service, when they made the altar call. I went in front and bishop put his hands on my
head and asked me what he wanted me to be prayed for. I told him to pray for my ministry to LGBTI
people and my family. He prayed for me.
Grace and Peace,
John
Other Sheep Kenya Coordinator
Nairobi, Kenya
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| REPORTS |
| Gay and Christian in KENYA, UGANDA, TANZANIA, RWANDA AND BURUNDI |
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Report on Other Sheep Kenya mission trip to Mombasa, Kenya July 15 – 18, 2008 Rev. Michael Kimindu (Angclican/ MCC) and Rev. John Makokha (UMC), both of Nairobi, travel to Mombasa to do Other Sheep East Africa and PFLAG (reaching allies) ministries outreach submitted by Rev. John Makokha, Other Sheep Kenya Coordinator, Nairobi, Kenya This report was sent by Makokha in an email dated July 22, 2008 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- with an end report on contacts made back in Nairobi on July 19 and 20 with NEGST students and with UMC national leaders ----------------------------------------------------------- |
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| This web page was constructed July 25, 2008, in Entebbe, Uganda. Visits made to this web page since its date of publishing from Kampala, Uganda, July 27, 2008. |
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EDITOR'S NOTE: This report is an edited report. Names and descriptions of people mentioned in the original
report have been withheld (for the most part). This edited report is given here so that our general readers may see
the kind of work our dear brethren will do when funds are available. This trip to Mombasa by Rev. Kimindu and Rev.
Makokha, was funded by Other Sheep. This trip would not have taken place without funding from outside of Kenya,
in that Other Sheep Kenya has no funds for ministry costs at this time.
- Steve Parelli, Editor
report have been withheld (for the most part). This edited report is given here so that our general readers may see
the kind of work our dear brethren will do when funds are available. This trip to Mombasa by Rev. Kimindu and Rev.
Makokha, was funded by Other Sheep. This trip would not have taken place without funding from outside of Kenya,
in that Other Sheep Kenya has no funds for ministry costs at this time.
- Steve Parelli, Editor