Hi Everyone!
We hope you are doing well. Here’s some updates from April and part of May!
Kuza App - The Kuza app is starting to really take off. Last month we had around 300 downloads, for a total of 650 downloads. Of these, 450 people are actively reading our devotions. We’ve also started some significant partnerships with other organizations for our app. Our partnership with Kubamba is progressing very positively. We’ve also started partnering with Nairobi Chapel, which is one of the biggest churches in Kenya, with many satellite church plants. Their youth pastor and young adult pastor loved the app and are planning to use it as their curriculum. Kuza is meeting a huge need as a cost-effective way for them to help disciple their youth. We can’t tell you how many youth and church leaders have thanked us for this app. We found out that the youth involved in a bible study in a Nairobi slum have started sharing together what God was teaching them from the Kuza app. We pray that Kuza will continue to be a way to build community and discipleship.
Kuza is also going on tour! There is a tour for Christian artists called “Safisha Tour” that travels to over 40 different high schools and churches all over the country. Their primary goals with the tour are to preach the gospel and help youth be empowered to fight against sexual immorality. Our devotion “Truth about Sex” was the perfect fit for them.
We were able to promote Kuza at three different concerts this past month. Two of the concerts had around 2000 youth each. We are continuing to pray for the best and most effective ways to promote Kuza.
Kuza Seminar - We were planning to teach 3 Kuza Seminars (for youth only) this past month, however, we ended up teaching 5! This seminar teachers the basics of the Christian faith to youth, and is proving to be an effective training that pastors are very grateful for.
Momentum Conferences - We also held 8 Momentum conferences, where we strive to equip senior pastors to reach youth through the start of a bible study or full-on youth ministry. We were able to train several hundred people, and have 4 more coming up, as well as teaching in one seminary.
Personal - It’s been raining pretty frequently here, which we’ve needed desperately because of the drought. We’re looking forward to a hopefully somewhat restful summer here in Kenya. Our house is being renovated by the school, so we have to move everything out and stay in a friend’s house (they will be in the U.S.) for the summer. Our poor cat Chewy broke her leg, so has to stay in the house with a cast on her leg for a month or two. She is NOT happy about that! Kelly’s also been dealing with some ongoing lower back issues, so please pray for continued healing with that!
Thank you all for your support and prayers, we are grateful for you!
Matt and Kelly
Prayer Request:
1. Pray for our partnerships with Kuza to be effective.
2. Pray for more Christian community to be built around our Kuza app.
3. Pray for Kuza to be promoted well, youth to receive salvation, and for youth to escape the trap of sexual immorality during the Safisha Tour.
4. Praise God for 8 Momentum conferences last month and the 4 Kuza Seminars.
5. Continue to pray for us to reach our goal of 10,000 downloads of Kuza this year.
6. Pray for us to find favor to promote Kuza via radio and TV this year.
7. Pray for Kelly to finish the school year strong.
8. Pray for First Baptist Church of Lake Wales mission trip with next month. Pray that it will be uplifting for both them and the Kenyans.