When Harry & Kathy McMichael invited us to speak at their annual crusade and Bible College graduation, we didn't even hesitate. We both knew we were supposed to go and honestly, we didn't even have to pray about it. So, we started making plans.
Pastor Kristie got her passport and the preparations began. This was our first time ministering together overseas. I have to admit, I'm not very down with all the shots we had to get. LOL. But that's just my own personal challenges I'm working on overcoming.
I was super excited to preach in Africa. I knew my assignment and I was ready. The plan was to preach each night at a 3 night crusade and then deliver the commencement speech at their Bible College graduation. The McMichaels are the founders of Calvary Missions International. They have been friends of ours for over 20 years and regular visitors at our church in Salem. For Kristie & I, we thought it was time to go support them with a visit and serve anyway that we were needed. What happened next was totally unexpected...
After more than 24 hours of travel with 20 hours in the air, we finally landed in Kilimanjaro, Africa. We were tired, but we were excited!
Our hosts picked us up from the airport and we travelled an hour into the Tanzanian bush often creating our own path in the grass passing native villagers in mud huts all along the way. We quickly realized that our assignment was going to be much more than a few sermons and a graduation speech.
Turns out, I was asked to teach the Bible students twice daily, minister at the crusade nightly, deliver the commencement speech plus preach at 2 different churches. I love teaching, so I wasn't concerned about it at all. And what was even more exciting was to see the number of students grow every class. We started with about 26 students, but by day 3 I was teaching to over 70 students including pastors. Some of the pastors travelled two days on a bus to attend. Others walked nearly 8 hours through the Africa bush to attend. It was quite a humbling experience.
As we ministered and taught these leaders and pastors, we learned how hungry they were for fellowship, good Biblical teaching and strong leadership development.
Our hosts, Harry & Kathy McMichael, introduced us to their missions director, Dominic Gitau. We hit it off right away with this man of God. He and his wife and family have been working with the McMichaels for over 17 years. They were senior pastors and regional overseers for their previous organization before they parted ways with them to partner with Calvary Missions Int'l. Of course, they continued to minister to others as God lead them, but they were primarily following the call of God on their life and now without a formal covering or spiritual authority over them. When we learned of this fact, Kristie and I couldn't help ourselves. We knew we had to do something about it and we decided to offer them that covering! So we spoke to their mentors, the McMichaels and we met with Dominic and his wife Esther. They were absolutely thrilled to accept our offer and come under our covering.
So we held an impromptu ordination service in the presence of their students at the tail end of class the morning we boarded our airplane to return to America. It was an amazingly blessed time as we anointed them for service to fulfill the call upon their life.
And Connection Life Ministries International Was Born!
Now, Pastor Dominic serves as our International Overseer for Africa. He has many contacts and is already speaking with pastors and leaders who will be joining with us and attending our leadership training. We are scheduled to return for two weeks in May of 2019 to conduct a 3 day Leadership Bootcamp for leaders and pastors. We already have over 200 leaders and pastors committed to attend in Kenya and over 100 committed to attend in Uganda. Of course we will also schedule another Leadership Bootcamp in Tanzania where it all began.
Only a few days after our return to America, I received nearly 3,000 friend requests on Facebook and thousands of personal messages requesting our fellowship and leadership training. We are ministering in the Philippines in March of 2019 and we've also been invited to hold our Leadership Bootcamps in India & Pakistan.
We are now on a mission to REACH the lost, TEACH disciples, EMPOWER ministers and DISPATCH them all over the world to plant churches and ministries and expand the Kingdom of God!
We are excited about this new chapter in our lives and look forward to seeing CLMI churches and fellowships around the globe!
Thank you to all of you that prayed and supported our trip. It wrecked us in a good way forever!!!
By His Grace,
Bishop Kevin & Kristie Truett
Comentários