GVCF Kenya Blog

Our Missions Team has been busy preparing behind the scenes, and once again, we are excited and expectant as we prepare to send a small team from GVCF on an international mission trip to Kenya.

This year’s team consists of Jeremy Rensford, Eli Rensford, and Samuel Taylor.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing more updates and information — but for now, please find some key information below.

Kenya Blog

Each year, we maintain this blog that our team will once again be updating throughout the trip. This will be a key point of connection for our GVCF community over the coming weeks.

In the meantime, we invite you to browse through posts from previous years’ Kenya mission trips. They provide a wonderful snapshot of the ministry taking place, the people and communities we partner with, and the many meaningful — and often joyful — moments shared by the team along the way.

Prayer Support

Prayer remains the primary way we ask our GVCF community to support our Kenya Missions trip.

An updated itinerary and key dates will be available on the blog in the very near future. In the meantime, please be praying for the team members as they make their final preparations, and for the many logistics involved in coordinating a trip of this scale.

Please also pray for the relationships, ministry opportunities, and conversations that will take place both leading up to and during the trip.

This year, we encourage our community to regularly check the blog and follow the team’s itinerary for daily points of prayer throughout the trip. For occasional urgent or specific prayer needs, we invite you to join our prayer list using the button below.

Missions Giving Account

Financial support is also greatly appreciated. You can give directly to missions via our giving page or in person at GVCF via our giving station located at the north end of our worship centre.

This year, our team is seeking financial donations to go towards the purchase of Bibles and reading glasses whilst in Kenya. You can use the link above to give to these causes.

Please note that all financial contributions go directly towards on-the-ground ministry in Kenya and not towards the team’s travel, accommodation, or personal expenses.

Sending through another update from us this week.

By God’s grace, we’re in the third of the conference of pastors in Sio Port. Over 150 pastors and leaders have been attending, and it’s been a blessing to see God’s people gathered, encourage one another and encourage our team as we think together about raising up the Next Generation and the Fivefold Ministry. Dharsh was a great encouragement as she sat with approximately 35 widows in the Sio Port area yesterday, encouraged the and heard their testimonies.

Over last weekend, we’ve had the joy of celebrating with Nelson and Rael at their wedding on Saturday, where Hilary officiated the service, as well as ministering at various churches in Mundika on Sunday. We’re also grateful for the provision of affordable accommodation that is nearer to the conference venue, with staff who have been very kind to us. Praise God for his providence, sustenance, and faithfulness throughout the last couple of weeks. 

Please continue to pray for the team’s health, safety, as well as for God’s word to go forth powerfully through the rest of this week. 

I’ve attached a few photos from the last week as well. 

In Christ, 

Josh

This update is from Joshua
Today is the last day of the pastors’ conference in Mundika. We’ve had approximately 60 pastors and leaders attend, 15 widows and 10 youth attend sessions throughout the conference. This week has been a wonderful time of ministry, as we think about what it means to raise up the next generation of church leaders and disciples of Christ, and enjoy fellowship in unity together. The team has been wonderfully blessed by our hosts in Mundika, both at churches, and at the Benedictine Sisters’ Convent where we have been staying. We’ve had the opportunity to minister in 3 different churches on Sunday, and had the opportunity to visit 2 different schools in the area, as well as bless local pastors and leaders with bibles in Swahili and English. We look forward to ministering at the conference in Sio Port next week.

Photo of a Women’s prayer group that met in Sioport.

First day of the Conference in Mundika. Hillary is sharing with Bible students here.

Hey everyone, This is the schedule below for Hillary, Darsh and Joshua.

Fri 11.7.25 Arrival

Sat REST

* SUNDAY 13.7.25-visit churches Busia West

* MON 14.7.25 meeting btwn Australian team and B/West Executive.

* 15-18July CONFERENCE B/WEST

* SAT 19/7/25 WEDDING B.West

* Sun 20/7/25 visit Churches B.West

* Monday 21.7.25 meet Sioport Executive

* 22-25th July Conference Sioport.

* Sat 26th GRADUATION Sioport.

* Sun27.7.25Vissit Sioport Churches.-18July CONFERENCE B/WEST

* SAT 19/7/25 WEDDING B.West

* Sun 20/7/25 visit Churches B.West

* Monday 21.7.25 meet Sioport Executive

* 22-25th July Conference Sioport.

* Sat 26th GRADUATION Sioport.

* Sun27.7.25Vissit Sioport Churches.

* Sun27.7.25 Depart for Australia

By Cheryl O’Shannessy

Monday: Glenys and I got picked up at 6 am. We had a great day on our safari and saw lots of animals.

Now resting before we catch the plane at midnight See you at home.

By Cheryl O’Shannessy

Our last Sunday! Jeff and Annette went to Afulos church, Deenie to Franklin, and Glenys and I to Gabriels.

Deenie, Glenys and I were picked up after church to go to Afulo’s church to have lunch. When we arrived, Afulo asked Deenie to speak to the youth, who were all sitting under a tree in the shade.

They spoilt us again. After lunch we picked up our stuff and headed off to the airport, stopping on the way at the equator.

Our hotel room had hot running water! The shower was wonderful.

By Cheryl O’Shannessy

Saturday: Today was our day off, except for Deenie, she went to Busia to meet up with Rael, Nelson and Rael’s brother Daniel for lunch and a meeting.

Austin, our driver, and Nelson having a cappuccino and mandazi.

This is the Sio Port women’s prayer group who meet monthly, rotating venues and helping needy people in their respective villages.

While Deenie was away, Annette, Glenys and I went for a walk around the market, which was around the corner from our accommodation. There were a lot of things to see.

But we did attract a strange man who followed us all around the market. It was a bit uncomfortable, but we kept an eye on him. We stopped at a fruit stall and the stall holder started talking to us. He told us he was a pastor. He sounded genuine, so Glenys got his contact details, as she had befriended a woman at our accommodation who had just moved to the area and was looking for a church. Glenys took her to meet him, but he wasn’t there, he was filling in while the stall holder had a break. Is that a coincidence or God’s timing?

There are a lot of buses and trucks with signs like this, and storefronts also with biblical words, showing a very strong Christian influence.