A few years ago, Kenya, along with funding and builders from China, began constructing a railroad to go from Mombasa (the coast port) through Kenya to Uganda. In June they dedicated the first leg of the project and it is now open between Mombasa and Nairobi. The first leg of the rail line ended about 1 mile south of CMM. All the planning, surveying, etc. has been underway preparing for the next leg. The routing for the rail line has been completed and it appears that the train will come through CMM.
Needless to say when we first realized this was a possibility it knocked all the wind out of us. We have had an emotional roller coaster due to the history, the miracles, the heritage and the ministry that has taken place on this property. We sent letters to officials, had meetings, obtained legal counsel, prayed and turned it all over to God.
The good news is that the government has been dealing fairly with land owners along the route in compensating them. They have been giving fair market value for the property they take, compensations for buildings and helping to assist in relocation and moving of a business. Over the past few days we have been visited twice by officials in preparing us for how to proceed and the visits have been good. They have been very cordial and helpful in helping us in our preparations for moving. They have told us that they do not want our ministry to miss a beat.
The next action will be the listing of our property in the national paper (Kenya Gazette) issued each Friday.
After consulting with various people in the know of how things will proceed, the compensation we will receive will allow us to purchase land and rebuild. A silver lining is that we will be able to be in a better location and have all new facilities designed for where the ministry is now and where it is going in the future. It will allow us to accommodate many more pastors at conferences, be easier and faster for the pastors to find CMM from town, no traffic delays and issues and more convenient for the college students and guests.
The ministry, conferences, regional meetings and opening the Bible college will continue. We will do conferences like Mom did years ago by renting a facility until our facility is ready. We will do regional meetings and rent a facility for the college semesters until the new college is built. At present we project that if this happens it will take 1 ½ -2 years until enough building is finished to resume the ministry in our own facilities.
To say we request prayer for all of this is an understatement. We need your prayers that God will guide and direct us in all the details. We believe we will find the place He has for us and He will guide our steps in designing the facilities and bringing the right people to build and advise us.
There is so much that has happened and too much to put in one update. We now believe that God has been in this and that Mom’s vision…’Enlarging the Vision’, is happening in one giant leap. Once we are relocated and all rebuilt what we will be able to accomplish and do is mind boggling. It seems somewhat surreal at the moment but the work and ministry here is about to explode.
More details to come but please put this on your prayer list near the top for the next few weeks.
Blessings,
Ronnie and Debbie
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