On January 11, 2027, Teresa and I are scheduled to leave the United States for a year of ministry in Africa.
We have made many trips to Africa over the years, but this one will be different. Instead of arriving for a few weeks of meetings and then returning home, we will have the opportunity to spend an extended season working alongside local believers and ministry leaders.
Our home base will be at the Nyarombo Transformation Center in the Migori region of Kenya. And right now, a great deal of our preparation involves things that may not sound especially spiritual: rooms, walls, internet connections, security cameras, furniture, and transportation.
So why are these things part of our ministry vision?
Because lasting ministry needs more than a powerful meeting. It needs relationships, discipleship, and a place where people can continue growing long after the meeting is over.
Why Nyarombo Matters to Us
The Nyarombo Transformation Center has become an important part of our work in Kenya. It is a place where we can gather believers, encourage pastors, teach God’s Word, and work toward the kind of local ministry that can continue without depending on foreign visitors.
In February 2025, we held a leadership conference there with approximately 50 pastors representing 12 regions. We were reminded again how hungry many local leaders are for sound biblical teaching, fellowship, and encouragement.
We do not believe our assignment is simply to arrive, preach, and leave. We want to invest in leaders who will disciple others in their communities. Paul gave Timothy this same principle in 2 Timothy 2:2: entrust what you have learned to faithful people who will be able to teach others also.
That is what excites us about being present for a longer season. Relationships can deepen. Questions can be answered. Leaders can be encouraged through real-life challenges. Discipleship can become part of a weekly rhythm rather than an occasional event.
And through all of it, our message remains the same: helping believers develop an intimate relationship with Christ and learn to walk in the Spirit.
Turning Existing Buildings Into a Place to Live and Serve
Our future home in Kenya is not a new house built for missionaries. We are adapting space that already exists at the transformation center.
Some of the buildings were originally designed for public restrooms and guest accommodations. Over time, parts of those spaces have been used as dormitories and other practical facilities. Now we are working through a plan to provide modest living quarters while retaining essential public restroom and shower access for ministry gatherings.
The goal is to use what is already there wisely. We want a functional kitchen and living area, a bedroom, and a small office or guest space. We are thinking carefully about plumbing, doors, and how the building will serve both our daily needs and the people who come to the center.
Two important funding goals have already been reached: the planned remodel and the perimeter wall. We are grateful for every person who has helped make those steps possible.
We are also preparing for security cameras, reliable internet, basic furnishings, and a dependable four-wheel-drive vehicle. Those needs are not about luxury. They are about being able to live and work responsibly in a rural setting, communicate with our ministry family, and travel where the work takes us.
Reliable internet will help us continue teaching, sharing ministry updates, and connecting in prayer with people back home. Security improvements will help protect the property and those staying there. Transportation matters because ministry will not happen only inside the transformation center’s walls.
Every practical decision is connected to the larger question: How can we make this place useful for the work God has called us to do?
Our Goal Is Not Dependence—It Is Lasting Transformation
One of our deepest desires is to see local believers equipped to carry the ministry forward.
We want to see pastors strengthened in the Word of God, discipleship groups established, and local leadership taking ownership of the center’s vision. We also see the potential for agriculture and other practical activities to contribute toward long-term sustainability.
That takes patience. It takes good relationships. It takes listening to the local community instead of assuming that we already know every answer.
It also takes faithfulness in small things. Some days may involve preaching to a crowd. Other days may involve a conversation with one pastor, helping solve a problem with the property, or praying with someone who needs encouragement.
Jesus told His followers in Matthew 28:19–20 to make disciples of all nations and teach them to observe His commands. Making disciples is a process, not simply an event.
That is the heartbeat behind this year in Africa.
As We Go, You Are Going With Us
Teresa and I cannot do this alone, and we do not want to pretend that we can.
Some people will go with us through prayer. Others will encourage us, share our updates, or help provide for the practical needs of the work. Every part matters.
We often say, “As we go, you are going with us.” That is more than a slogan. We want our ministry family to know the people, stories, progress, and needs behind the work. When a pastor is encouraged, when someone grows in the Word, or when a ministry space becomes more useful, you are part of that story.
As January 11 approaches, we are grateful for the doors God has opened and for the people who have stood with us. We are looking ahead with expectation, but also with the understanding that this will require perseverance, flexibility, and dependence on the Holy Spirit.
Our prayer is that the work accomplished during this year will continue bearing fruit for many years to come.
Join the Family
Would you like to follow the journey and pray with us? Join the Burning Truth Africa family to receive our Tuesday night Zoom prayer invitation, biblical encouragement, and stories from the field.
You can see our current preparation and launch goals at Africa 2027. If God is leading you to help support this work financially, you can also become a monthly partner or give a one-time gift.
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