Fraley’s Chapel Church of Christ
C/o Jeff Young
Rt. # 2 Box 421
Corinth, Mississippi 38834

Dear Family in Christ,

        As usual, this has been a terrifically busy month!  Have you ever known us not to be busy?  Barry and I completed 22 teaching appointments in November.  Or, we should say that Christ completed 22 appointments through us.  May He be praised.  13 of the visits were for evangelistic purposes.  9 were for teaching church leaders.  18 different churches were visited.  7 of those 18 received multiple visits this month.  Not bad for one couple working alone while their co-workers are on furlough.  And even more exciting than all this is that teaching and visiting among Kenyan Christians without our help far exceeded 22 appointments.  It’s been a month of sweet, sweet fellowship.
        Here’s the big question: Will you do anything for Jesus?  I was forced to ask myself that question one day en route to one of our ladies classes.  Kit and I had already hiked 5 miles when we were confronted with “the bridge”.  Now I knew why 200 people were following us!  They wanted to see if Abuso (me) would do anything for Jesus and they knew about “the bridge”.  Actually, they called it a bridge.  I called it “pure terror”, two small tree trunks, 60 ft. long, suspended 30 ft. above the water, no handrails.  Dear Lord, I prayed.  Is teaching these women so important that I must cross this bridge?  And what about Kit?  The lady in front of me already hoisted Kit on her back and was beginning her 60 ft. long balancing act.  “Please go carefully with him,” I called, “He’s the only child I have!”  That produced a gale of laughter.  I felt a nudge on my back.  “Are you afraid?”, they asked.  There were 20 people crossing on those two little sticks, and one of them was my only child.  I didn’t want to be the 100 lbs. That plunged the whole lot of us into the river below.  That observation brought another gale of laughter.  I couldn’t put it off any longer, and of course, I had to do “anything for Jesus” (my pride was also involved here, I sadly admit) so. . . I started across.  I know you can imagine what I looked like and I know you are chuckling over it.  So were the 200 onlookers.  Actually they were downright gripped by uncontrollable laughter as tears rolled down their eyes.  I had one foot and one hand on each of the “sticks” and was proceeding at a snail’s rate with my rear end stuck high in the air.  My tongue was held fast between clenched jaws, for I knew that those onlookers were waiting for my typical response.  You see, I am known around here as the crazy Mzungu (white person) who drives into a mud puddle and then begins to cry because I can’t go forward and I can’t go back.  These people were gathered for just this sort of Laurel and Hardy entertainment.  They didn’t reckon on Jesus being there!  My knees were shaking almost uncontrollably.  And sweat was pouring down my face.  60 ft. seemed like 60 miles.  But I made it with His help.  And He was glorified.  “Ah! Abuso is brave because of Jesus!”, someone in the crowd exclaimed.  We had a lovely ladies class that day, but far more important, I think, was how the neighborhood witnessed strength because of Christ¸ and how the Christians saw “anything for Jesus” in action.  I’m a chicken at heart and know that “anything for Jesus” is often times beyond me.  This though was a small victory for Him.
        This month has had its’ downs too.  Klement Kasuku died on November 29th.  10 minutes after Barry had left for a weekend gospel meeting on the Tanzania border, Kasuku’s brother arrived at our gate asking for help to get Kasuku to a hospital.  I was helpless and unable to reach Barry.  Klement died the following morning.  We’re happy for him.  He’s with Jesus.  But his wife has a bleak future tied by marriage to this family who are still so steeped in tradition.  She will be used by the brothers and left to struggle to raise their two little girls.  Please pray for her.
        May your holidays be wonderful and may your new year be filled with plans to get closer to Him.  We are praying for you.
 

Because of Him,
 

Barry, Stacy and Kit

P.S. I apologize for the handwritten newsletter.  The computer is on the blink.  Thank you for understanding.

P.S.S. Of course this copy of the December 1993 newsletter is typed to be able to put it on the web site, but the original newsletter was handwritten by Stacy.