OKEHAMPTON minister Mike Davies flew home from a missionary trip to Kenya in the company of VIPs recently. Mike and fellow Okehampton Inspiration Church minister Chris Bourne were guest speakers at the World Dominion Convention in Nairobi last month. When the time came for Mike to fly back to the UK, he was in esteemed company for the eight-hour flight as on-board the same plane were the President and First Lady of the Republic of Kenya, and several Government ministers. A team of four travelled from the UK last month to speak at the conference in Nairobi. They also inspected some of the charity work of ?Kingdom Life Restoration Projects? where funds are being used to assist the poor and needy with education, provision of medical services, and provision of clean water and nutritional food. During the visit, Chris travelled to the town of Kitui, several hours drive from Nairobi, where he ministered and examined the needs of the community. He said he returned to Nairobi worn out and shocked at the increasing level of poverty. He also had a precarious journey back to Nairobi, having to take an alternative overland route as a vehicle in front was hijacked. Elsewhere, Mike received military protection and travelled into the Kibera district ? Africa?s largest slums ? and spoke to several of the people. He also preached at a temporary church building. Mike said: ?It was difficult to keep my concentration as there was a lot going on in the background. With all the security I felt a little bit like George Bush with his security teams. The people were precious and we in the western world need to do something to help our fellow human beings.? Mike Davies also attended a two day conference at Lukena in Kenya at the beginning of September and other engagements and speaking appointments. Mike said away from the big city, the trip was extremely challenging with snakes, spiders and mosquitoes seeming to be in abundance. While in Kenya, Mike met with the chairman of the Undugu Society, which is a national Kenyan charity working to facilitate the increase of opportunities for street children and marginalised communities. Their aim is to ensure every person in Kenya has access to a decent livelihood. The Undugu Society has in the past received considerable support from the UK?s Comic Relief charity towards their flying doctors programme. Mike said: ?The work that has to be carried out in Kenya, Central and East Africa is vast. I am pleased that many within the south-west of England are working with many charities to take vital aid to Africa. Although I keep seeing for my own eyes the high level of poverty, in August it was made even more real. ?I was advised by a church pastor that a member of the congregation was giving birth to her third child. She died in child-birth due to the lack of medical attendance. The baby was born well but had no relatives to look after her. The baby?s oldest sibling was seven. We managed to find immediate care but I do not hold out much for the future of the family.? Simon Bourne, from Okehampton, will be taking a team to Kenya, in December to work with the youth of the country.
