CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY FELLOWSHIP Prayer Newsletter

Eric and Melodic Perry

Ministry with the Narok Church
& Literacy Work among the
Maasai Tribe of Kenya

Box 110

Narok, Kenya
East Africa
ERIC, MELODIE, AND MEGAN

THE

PERRY

January 1997

FURLOUGH REPORT

POST

here affect the work half a world away. The

missionary endeavor is not the work of one family, it
is the work of the Church. A whole army of people
stand behind a single missionary.

EUGENE,OR We have lived in Eugene for six

months now. When we refer to home we mean

Eugene rather than Ewaso Ng'iro. Soon, however, we

will be confusing folks here in our letters when home
will mean Kenya, and America is the place we will
mention by name.
While our time has been short, God has blessed us

Our reports included a week of skits for three VBSs,

presentations for Sunday school classes and pie socials,
sermons, committee interviews, and chats over coffee

or at someone's house. In November, we logged

2,500 miles on a car that already had over 210,000
miles on it. We learned God's provision and the grace
He shows through His Body. Thanks to all!

with changes and challenges in family and ministry.

As we look forward to our departure on January 27,
1997, we would like to share some of these changes
and challenges with you.
MISSIONARY AT HOME?

The call of a missionary is generally regarded as a call

to go. Yet, there is a time when the expectation is
reversed. Then family, friends, and churches expect
the missionary to return. Once a missionary has
returned home, does he or she cease to be a missionary?
The answer is "no." Melodic and I have presented our
work at sixteen churches in the past six months. We
have told the good news ofJesus' love bearing fruit in
the lives of the people of the Narok Church and
Maasai Literacy Program. We have shown how the
prayers and support of the churches and individuals

A missionary at home is a missionary on the phone.

... AND BABY MAKES THREE

LOSSES, GAINS AT NAROK

Megan Elizabeth Perry has utterly altered our lives. It

has only been three months since her arrival on the
afternoon of September 15, but neither Melodic nor I

As many of you know, the past year has been a

can remember what it was like to only be a couple.

himself in a controversy that caused the church's

Leadership Committee to ask him to relinquish his
ministerial duties for a time. His angry response
raised questions concerning his character, and the
leadership placed him on an extended suspension.

There is a danger that as a proud parent I will make

this section the longest of our newsletter. So, I will
confine myself to some basic hallmarks in her life and
what furlough has meant to her:
... as of December 5, she weighed 13 lbs. 2 oz. and

difficult one for the Narok Church of Christ. In

November 1995, one of the ministers involved

measured 24 3/^ in.

During the time of the suspension, the minister

oscillated between bewilderment, rage, sorrow, and

... she has visited 11 different states.

gossip. In July, after the elders discovered that the

... she said "mom" not mama -- not some cooing that

minister was the source ofslanderous rumors about

-sounded like-mom, she said "mom;"

the church and mission, and after witnessing him

... she now gives us 6-8 hours ofsleep every night.

... she loves to laugh and hear her own voice.
... she is cutting her first tooth.

attempt to physically threaten one of our CMF

colleagues, the elders terminated his employment.

... she prefers the music of the group Jars of Clay to

The minister was a dynamic visionary, and his absence

traditional lullabies.

in the Narok Church of Christ will be a loss. The

... I think she already has a crush on Keanu Reeves.

elders, however, have gained confidence as a group to

make difficult decisions regarding the oversight of the

Seven showers were held for Megan, and gifts

church.

continue to flow in. We have learned of the sacrificial

generosity of Gods people and that a significant part

of a missionary's ministry is one of gratitude.
Okay, one story. She met thirty-five Perry relatives
over Thanksgiving in North Carolina. She and her
Great-Grandma Perry hit it off immediately. Every
morning while we stayed at Grandma's, we would set
Megan in the kitchen with her, and they would carry
on the longest conversations. She may look more like
Melodic, but Megan has the Perry sense of
conversational lingering.

The leaders of the Narok Church are exhausted. One

of my colleagues said that in many ways the

congregation is waiting to see what happens now.
Pray for the leadership as they work to mend the lives
broken by the division. Pray that God will also grant
them renewed strength to move ahead with their
vision for the church, and that Satan will not defeat

them with hopelessness.

GET READY, GET SET ...

One of the things we have prayed about during this

furlough is the renewal of our call to serve in Kenya.
The Lord has blessed us with wonderful supporters,
friends, and church families who have overwhelmed

us with prayers and encouragement. He has also

graciously provided for our financial needs, both for
furlough and for our next two years on the field.
Throughout our seven months of furlough, we have
continued to see God's affirmation of our return to

Kenya and the ministries He has given us there. We

have found the refreshment and renewal we have been

praying for.

New laughter in our lives!

You all have been a significant part of our furlough

through calls, letters, visits, and most especially your

strength in the lives of the

leaders of the Narok
Church.
Melodie and me to

balance parental duties so

that both are effective in
our ministries.

Steve Limiero as he and

\
Friends await our return to the Narok Church ofChrist.

I work together to develop

a youth strategy that will
assist our common

ministries and youth work

throughout Maasailand.
Safety for all of us as we
travel to and live in

Kenya.

prayers for us. It has been a busy time of beginning a

family, traveling, reporting, and planning. You have
blessed us and helped us to feel ready for what God
has in store for us back in Kenya.

As we go, we leave family

and friends who helped to make the past few months
rewarding and memorable. Thanks to you all for your
love! We will miss you.

TWENDE!

For the Kingdom,

"Lets go!" Going is also a part offurlough ... the
conclusion and motion of our commission. We will

return to Kenya for another two years.

Eric, Melodie, & Megan Perry

As we go, I return to Kenya as a career missionary.
My work will continue to focus on the leaders of the

Narok Church, empowering them to oversee the

church without direct missionary supervision. As the
Narok leaders grow in their ability, I will begin to
spend more time with the church leaders in an area of

PRAYER PARTNERS ... Old and New

As we go, we need to know who has committed to

Maasailand known as the Ildamat. I also will assist

becoming a prayer partner. If you have not made a

commitment before now, please fill out the form

Steve Limiero, a CMF short-term associate, who will

below and send to us at the CMF office. For those

work with Maasai youth in Narok and the Ildamat.

who have been prayer partners in the past, we ask

that you would renew your commitment to pray
for us during this new term ofservice in Kenya and

As we go, Melodie will continue to work with the

Maasai Adult Literacy Program. Her focus will

return this form, also.

remain on developing materials, training and

encouraging Maasai literacy teachers.

Eric and Melodie,

As we go, many are concerned about Megan's safety.

Kenyans, by and large, love children. Just as she had

I commit to praying faithfully each week for you and your

ministries in Kenya on:
Sun. Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat. (circle day)

an abundance of aunties wherever we went here, she

will have plenty of folks to look after her there. We

also have a pediatrician in Nairobi and two doctors
with our mission who will be on the short-wave radio

every night between 6:15 and 7 p.m. And, of course,

there is God who protects us all.
As we go, please pray for:
God to continue to cause growth and provide

Name
Address

City, State, ZIP_

P/ease return to: CMF International, P.O. Box 501020,
Indianapolis, IN 46250-6020.

CMF INTERNATIONAL Prayer Newsletter

Eric and Melodie Perry

MINISTRY WITH THE NAROK CHURCH

& Literacy Work among the

Maasai Tribe of Kenya

Box 110

Narok, Kenya
East Africa

E-mail: Emelpeny@maf.org

THE

ERIC, MELODIE,AND MEGAN

PERRY

PCS

July 1997

for us, but for Maasai church leaders and the people

Having visitors from the US caused us to see our

lives and work from a fresh perspective. And, nearly
everything the Florence group experienced was new
and different for them! They were sensitive and
interested guests, and we had fun giving them a
brief look at life in Kenya. We know that everyone
can't make the trip here, but we thought we might
answer some of the most commonly asked
questions, so you can feel like you have been on a
mini-safari. Maybe some of your questions will be

of the Narok Church.

answered read on!

BEYOND TOURISTS:
ON SAFARI WITH THE PERRYS

For two weeks in June, we were blessed to have

visitors from Florence Christian Church, Florence,

Oregon. Fred Jensen, Ken Prather, and Mike and

Debbie Rehnberg came to stay with us and learn
more about our daily lives and work in Kenya.
They brought teaching and encouragement not only

How often do you come to Nairobi(the capital of

Kenya)?
We make the three-hour drive to Nairobi about

On a ministry safari: FredJensen, Ken Prather, Mike and

Debbie Rehnberg at the Narok Church.

once a month. Our trips are usually scheduled

around team meetings or business responsibilities.
We usually stay four to five days and use the time to
catch up on paperwork, finances, and shopping for
supplies and groceries. While in Nairobi, we stay at
one of the missionary guesthouses ~ often the
Mennonite Guesthouse, which provides three meals
a day. When our Florence visitors arrived in
Nairobi after their long flight, they were glad to find
hot showers and normal food awaiting them at the
guesthouse!

water heater (which provide on-demand heat) use

bottled propane gas.

What kind ofmoney do you usefAre things

expensive^

Can we take showers? Can we drink the water?

We use Kenya Shillings here. Right now, one

US dollar is worth about 53 Kenya Shillings.
Because you get so many Shillings for each
dollar, it always looks as if you have a lot of
money! But, as our visitors found, it can

disappear quickly! Here is a sampling ofsome

of the items and prices our visitors found:

Understandably, many of the concerns of visitors to

Africa have to do with water! At our house, we have

a regular bathtub and shower, and usually plenty of

well water. On occasion, when there is not enough
sun to keep the solar water pump for the well going,
we supplement by pumping river water into the

storage tanks. This makes for some muddy-looking

Kenya coffee (the best in the world, in our
opinion)
$5.50 per pound

Small "finger" bananas

2shillings
(or approx.

each)

Wool blanket(the first choice in outer wear of

traditional Maasai men)
$6.50

Coke(from a glass botde, not a can)

Postcard and stamp to the US

50$

baths, but reminds us to be thankful for each and

every drop of water! We have a rain tank that is a

source for all of our drinking water, which is
purified further by katadyn filters.

What is it like to visit a traditional Maasai village?

According to one of our visitors, "The experience is
beyond words, and cannot be captured adequately on
film!" Still, we'll try!

$1.50

It should be noted that many prices are

negotiable, and shopping for souvenirs in
Kenya is a bargain-hunter's paradise.
Bartering is an art form here and fully
expected. However, it is not for the shy.

One afternoon we met with our friends Naitayuang

and Mary, and they took us to their homes in a
nearby village. The traditional village is made up of
several huts arranged in a circle. These are
surrounded by a tall fence made from branches of
thorn trees. As we entered the village gate we were
surrounded by children. Our visitors remembered
to greet the children by touching the tops of their
heads and saying, "Supa."

Do you live "in the bush"?

Our house is near the roadside town of Ewaso

Ng'iro, and about 50 yards from the Ewaso Ng'iro

River.^ric-oftcn refers^to Ewaso Ng'iro as the "grayfringe of civilization." Our house is located on the
compound of the Maasai Training Center, which
also includes a church building, dormitories,
classrooms, and a dining hall. The Training Center
is a place for teaching, literacy, fellowship, meetings,
and worship for Maasai Christians. Another CMF
family lives at the center, as well as national staff and
their families. We are a 20-minute drive from

Maasai houses are made of a framework of poles and

sticks covered with a mixture ofcow dung and mud.
They are not very tall, and all of us had to duck as
we-made our way into-the darknessTWe-sat-on
benches and low beds near the cooking fire and
talked as both women prepared tea for us. After we
sat for a while inside, our eyes adjusted, and we
could actually make out one another's faces! Both
Naitayuang and Mary made chai for us, and
everyone enjoyed it! Chai is tea leaves boiled
together with water, milk, and a generous amount
ofsugar.

Narok, a town of about 13,000 people.

When we drank chai, Mary asked us to be in prayer

Do you have lights? Electricity?

Our electricity for our computer and lights is
supplied by solar panels on our roof; our small
refrigerator runs on kerosene; and our stove and

for her co-wives and husband. Her husband has

shown an interest in the Gospel, but remains very

weak in his faith. Mary wants her whole family to
be strong Christians.

Commitment" at the Narok Church, and also

brought the Sunday morning message. For both of

these events, he had a translator who spoke in
Kiswahili. It was Ken's first experience with a
translator, and he did an excellent job!
Eric often preaches or teaches in English and has his
words translated by Matthew Ngomo, one of the
Narok elders. However, Eric is currently practicing
his Swahili and hopes to preach a sermon without a
translator this summer!

What is it like taking care ofbaby Megan in Kenya?

This is something everyone seems to be curious
about! First of all, there is no shortage of babysitters
here! Dad and Mom take turns, and we also have a

Megan on a visit to Mary's house ...we have no shortage of

babysitters!

Do we have to eat weirdfood?

Usually, a visit to a village will include a cup of chai.
If you are a special visitor (and all of the folks from
Florence were!), sometimes food will be prepared.
Our group was treated to roasted goat meat, rice,
and potatoes in the village of one of the Maasai
church leaders in an area called Oletukat. They also
ate several meals in the homes of believers from the

Narok Church. These also included rice, potatoes,

and beef, as well as chapatis (kind of thick, fried

tortillas). Most Kenyan food is very tasty and not
too much of a challenge for our American tastebuds!

househelper named Josephine who is available to

watch Megan for at least an hour or two every day.
Megan finds her fun and fascinating, and plays with
Josephine's children. When we are at church,
Megan usually disappears with some of the girls
from the youth group or with other Kenyan women
in the congregation. She loves the attention and the
change ofscenery from Mom and Dad!
Megan is now crawling, so we have to be extra
careful! Our house has concrete floors (no houses
are carpeted here) and a couple ofsteps for her to
negotiate. She has her own small room and lots of
toys. At night, she sleeps under a mosquito net.
One of our teammates is a pediatrician, and she is in

radio contact two hours each day. So far, Megan has

been very healthy, and we continue to trust the Lord
to watch over her.

At our house, we eat more familiar foods, and most

dishes are prepared from scratch. Our visitors ate

things like pizza, baked chicken, french toast, and
tacos when they weren't indulging in goat meat in
the village!
Will the church services be in English?
Sometimes! At the Narok Church, the first Sunday
service is in English, and the second in Kiswahili.
Most of the congregation Is more comfortable with
Swahili, so the second service has a higher
attendance and lasts much longer!
Ken Prather, the senior minister at Florence
Christian Church, led a seminar on "Christian

MEGAN MILESTONES

About 1 inch of hair and 6 teeth.

Crawls everywhere, eats everything.

Claps and points at people (although we
told her this is rude).

Likes to: make funny faces, chase Mom and Dad,

swing ride in her backpack, sing along at church,
and pet the dog.
Will be one year old September 15!

Do our prayers make a dijference?

Pray for the Home Groups, which are beginning

to meet in Narok. These groups are an opportunity

We were so thankful to have visitors who were able

for deeper study, prayer, and outreach to those who

CO come and experience life in Kenya with us

firsthand. We know that the group from Florence
saw the effects of prayer in the lives of those they
met. We cannot emphasize enough the crucial role
that each of you has as you pray for us, the Narok
Church, Maasai Christians, and the specific needs
we bring to you. Thank you so much for laboring
with us in this way. Here are some ways you can
continue to make a difference through prayer:

would not normally come to a church building.

Please pray for the members of the Narok Church

who are leading and participating in these groups.

Prayfor those who can be reachedforJesus through
these groups.

'Pray for our new neighbors, the Reids: Greg and.^^

ccky Johnson, teammates who have been our
neighbors at the Maasai Training Center for several-^
^ears, are returning to the States to begin a newT
ministry with CMF. Oiirteam has asked DennTs
and Mary Reid and their family to continue in the
ministry at the Training Cemer., The_Reids.will

Give thanks with us for RAIN! We know that

many of you have prayed for the country of Kenya

to receive.rain. Beginning on Easter Sunday, and

continuing through the end of May, we received

good rains! Land that was once barren and brown is
now covered with lush grass. Maasai Christians are
continuing to give thanks for God's grace to them,
shown in the gift of rain.

?ransition to the center during July and August.

Please prayfor them in this move, andfor their quick

Pray for the Maasai-wide women's course to be

held August 19-22. Maasai Christian women from

Eric, Melocbe ^

an area called Olombokishi will host other Maasai

Eric, Melodie, and Megan

adjustment to their new ministry roles.

For the Kingdom,

women from many different areas for this course.

Maasai women will do the teaching, and they are
praying that this course will be a time of
refreshment for Christians and a witness for those

who are not yet believers. Prayfor us as we help with

the planning andpreparationsfor this course.

7/97

Eric and Melodie Perry

Christian Missionary Fellowship

Nunpri>f>( Orginizjiiiin
U.S. Postage

P.O. BOX 501020

PAID

INDIANAPOLIS,IN 46250-6020
317-578-2700

Pctmit No.2975

Indianapolis, Indiana

Address Correction Requested

Mission Services

Editorial D^pt
P 0 Box 427

Knoxville, tN 37901-427

^"7 30

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CMFINTERNATIONAL Praxer NewslettermVEMBEK 1997

Eric and Melodic Perry

Ministry with the Narok Church
& Literacy Work among the
Maasai Tribe of Kenya

Box 110

Narok, Kenya
East Africa

E-mail: Emelperry@maf.org
ERIC, MELODIE, AND MEGAN

THE

PERRY

POST

NEEDED:PRAYER FOR MAASAI

LITERACY PROGRAM
At a recent meeting of all CMF missionaries working in
Maasai, there was considerable prayer and discussion
concerning the Maasai Literacy Program. We all agreed
on some significant changes in the way we want to
continue to work toward literacy goals in Maasai.
Melodic and several of our teammates have discussed

the program and the changes with the Maasai literacy

teachers over the past few months.
Currently, 15 Maasai literacy teachers continue to teach
local literacy classes. Praise be to the Lord,in many
Maasai churches the goal of five to six readers per
congregation has been met successfully! However, in
the areas where this goal has not yet been reached, we
plan to make two major changes: One, we want to focus
on much smaller classes and concentrate on teaching
those who will be able to use their reading skills to
directly benefit their local church.

Second, as of January 1, 1998, teachers will no longer

receive a monthly salary from CMF missionaries. At that

time, they will have the opportunity to begin teaching in

an incentive program ~ students will be tested quarterly,
and the teacher will receive the equivalent of a goat or
calf for their students' successful completion of different
literacy levels.
(conunued on page 2)

ERIC PRESENTS A DIPLOMA TO DANIEL OLE TUKE.

NEEDED:PRAYER FOR
LEADERSHIP TRAINING
Along with many of our teammates, Eric is

involved in teaching leadership courses at the

Maasai Training Center where we live. He
teaches on a variety of subjects from
stewardship to the Holy Spirit. These courses are
part of a program designed to help Maasai church
leaders as they serve their home congregations.
Please pray for the Church in Maasai as
believers learn and apply God's principles to
their daily lives.

(continuedfrom page 1)

Our team believes that these two changes will lead local
churches to be more involved in the literacy work in
their area, as well as encourage teachers to be more
consistent and committed to their work.

Please pray for the teachers, Melodic, and our CMF

teammates as we travel this new direction in the

Maasai Literacy Program. These changes will bring

some financial challenges for some of our teachers.
Please pray that the Lord will continue to provide for
their needs as they go through this transition time

THE GREEN BEAN CHALLENGE: TRY THIS AT HOME,KIDS!

and into the future.

RAVE REVIEWS FOR NAROK

CHURCH SUNDAY SCHOOL!
For about a year now, the teachers at the Narok

Church have been involved in an exciting

teachers-in-training program. Each of the three
permanent Sunday School teachers chose another
person in the church to be their special
teacher-in-training. Each Sunday, these teaching
teams have worked together to bring God's Word
to the children who attend the Narok Church. The

teachers-in-training are learning all the specifics

of teaching kids, as well as providing support and
encouragement for the permanent teachers.
Teachers and teachers-in-training have also been

NEEDED:PRAYER FROM PARENTS

FOR PARENTS!

So far, Megan has been a parent's dream funny, full of

laughter, and endlessly entertaining! She has grown
more hair and more teeth, and added lots of words to her

vocabulary: bear, ball, shoe, Joe (for nearby neighbor

and teammate Joe Cluff), and a very distinct "Bye."
Please keep praying for us as we negotiate the
growing challenges of parenthood. We need God's
daily blessing as we "train up Megan in the way she
should go." Proverbs 22:6 We'd like to ask fellow
parents (and there are a lot of you!) to lift us up when
you are praying about your own challenges and blessings
as parents. We all face many similar situations as we
seek to raise our families to be followers of Jesus!

involved in outreach to the families of the Sunday

jol-dnldfeurrAt-least-once a-monthrthey--

organize home visits to pray, sing, and bring a

word of encouragement from the Bible.
Praise God for the teachers and

teachers-in-training who work so faithfully

week after week.Pray for their lessons and for
their outreach!

It's hard to believe, but we will celebrate omfifth

wedding anniversary on April 3! Join us in
praising God for our marriage!

"WALKING? STAIRS? PIECE OF CAKE! I'M ALL FOR BUNGEE

JUMPING! MY FIRST STEPS WERE ON SEPTEMBER 18. 1997THREE DAYS AFTER MY FIRST BIRTHDAY!"

Been Praying
Dennis and Mary Reid (along with children
Marshall and Elizabeth) became our new

neighbors at the Training Center in July. You've

been praying for their transition to this new
location and ministry ...
God's Been Answerin
We really enjoy having the Reids so nearby! We
not only have another family with whom to share
ministry plans but wonderful times of fellowship
as well. We have established Monday as worship
night, and it has encouraged ail of us to sing and
pray together weekly. Friday is game night, when
we share dinner and a relaxing activity together.
We are often joined by neighbors and teammates
Steve Limiero and Joe Cluff. Steve and Joe work

with youth in several of our area churches.

Dennis Reid and Eric have also been working

closely with each other to continue ministry to
the Damat area of Maasai. Eric and Dennis have

been teaching leadership lessons in four different

places within Damat. The attendance at these
two-day courses has been excellent, and many of
the leaders have been asking for more teaching!
Praise God with us for teammates and

partners in this work! Praise Him for the

Reids' willingness to transition into the new
ministry role of oversight and encouragement

of the Training Center staff. Praise Him for

the Damat Christians who are so eager to
learn from God's Word!

NEEDED:PRAYER FOR DEEPER

RELATIONSHIPS!
^ch of our work continues to center on deepening
relationships with men and women who attend the Narok
Church. One of the ways we are involved is "Visitation

fursday." Eric and John Saitet, the minister of the

church, visit different men of the congregation on
Thursday afternoons. Often, this means going to their
place of work for a short time of prayer and Scripture
reading. Recently, John's wife Lillian and Melodie
began venturing out on Thursdays to visit different
women from the church as well.

Visitation Thursday is a great time of getting to meet

people where they are and to pray specifically for needs
they have. It means a lot offooting, as the Kenyans say,
through some of the poorer areas of Narok. And, it
means drinking a lot of tea and warm sodas through each
Thursday afternoon! But, it means deeper, more personal
relationships with those in the congregation who might
not find Jesus in their everyday life any other way.
Please pray with us speciflcally for Visitation
Thursday. Pray for John and Lillian as they learn to
minister to the people of the congregation they serve.

You've Been Praying...

You prayed for the Maasai Women's Course held
last August at the Olombokishi Church (in the
Damat area of Maasai, where Eric continues to
teach and meet with area leaders)...

God's Been Answering...

Over 10 women attended this three-day village
course! There were refreshing times of worship,
intense times of prayer and solid teaching by
Maasai Christian women!

Praise God for those who were introduced to

Jesus and for those who are continuing to

grow in Him!

THANK YOU for continuing to pray for us, write to us,

e-mail us, and encourage us. Bach of you is so important
to us and to people we continue to serve. Keep praying!
God is answering!
For the Kingdom,
MELODIE WITH TWO OF THE WOMEN FROM THE NAROK
CHURCH. LUCIA AND MARY ARE BOTH ACTIVE SERVANTS OF
THE CHURCH.

Eric, Melodie,& Megan Perry ^