Easter greetings from Kenya!

Christ is risen, He is risen indeed, Hallelujah!

Yes, it's spring and Easter season, but we wanted to share with you the joy we had in December as Correctional Ministry 

blessed about 6,000 inmates at 15 prisons with simple but precious gifts like bread, soap, and toilet tissue. Thanks to all who contributed to this very tangible expression of the love of God.

Tenwek International School of Chaplaincy graduated 10 of its students in February, in a joint exercise with the School of Nursing. Some have joined Correctional Ministry serving in the prisons, and one such alumnus (Richard Nyambane) received special recognition for his ongoing chaplaincy service.

Our newest students to the School of Chaplaincy proudly hold their study Bibles, sponsored by our home church - First United Methodist Church of Loveland, CO. (Front, left to right: Joyce, Cassidy, Wilberforce, and Fenaldo)

The 2016 Conference of Kenya Mission Network of the PCEA (Presbyterian Church of East Africa)
helped Alene learn more about current issues in missions such as Christian/Muslim relations. Rev. Geoffrey Hiuhu from Mombasa shared about his congregation's reconciliation efforts towards Muslim neighbors who had set fire to their church during riots.

We are always refreshed by visits from Read and Suzie Vaughan from Friends of Tenwek - a partner group providing volunteers, funding, and networking. Every year, they jump into medical work and community projects at Tenwek, as well as bring greatly-appreciated encouragement to the missionaries. They joined us on our front porch for a sunny riverside lunch and conversation.

Visiting Endoscopy physicians such as Dr. Kerry King, also bring great relief when they serve with us here at Tenwek. This patient was grateful beyond words to receive a Bible in her mother tongue from Nursing Officer Emmy Ronoh and Dr. King.

Tenwek Hospital now has a recognized Research Department!  

The 3 Kenyans in their new white coats have completed their 2-year Endoscopy/Research Fellowship, and still actively participate in ongoing Endoscopy research projects even though they are now in their 5-year surgical residency programs. Our core team promoting research, left to right: Drs. Sinkeet Ranketi (Fellow 2014-2015), Steve Burgert (Director of Endoscopy Services), Russ White (Chief of Surgery), Justus Lando (Fellow 2012-2013), Mike Mwachiro (Fellow 2010-2011) and Bob Parker (Director of Research Department).

Congrats to Betsy as she completed her Clinical Officer Internship and then became the Endoscopy Research Coordinator

Winnie left her IT internship to join us as the Endoscopy Research Assistant

Dr. Sinkeet and CO Betsy during a research procedure

Endoscopy Tech Ngetich and Steve assisting Dr. Sinkeet

It is a joy to be part of the WGM Kenya Team as pictured here at our December gathering. Alene and Steve appreciate your prayers as they have been asked to serve the team by taking on more leadership and administrative responsibilities.

Happy Easter! We pray that you had a blessed celebration with your families!

Please thank the Lord with us:

• For safe journeys to many meetings, and for Patrick - an excellent, trustworthy driver now working for us
• For the hiring of a new Endoscopy Research Coordinator and a new Endoscopy Research Assistant 
• For increased partnership with Correctional Ministry by local Kenyan churches
• For ongoing financial support for each of our areas of ministry

Please pray with us:

• For the Lord's guidance and provision as both Steve and Alene assume additional administrative and leadership responsibilities
• For visiting Endoscopy physicians to serve at Tenwek Hospital
• For the future directions for each of the 10 graduating Chaplain students 
• For refreshment for all at our upcoming WGM Kenya Field Retreat

Christmas blessings from Kenya!

Merry Christmas, dear partners! We pray a blessed Christ-centered celebration for you and your family! -- Steve & Alene

" This will be a sign for you:

a baby, wrapped in cloths, lying in a manger. "

Luke 2:12

No invasion. No weapons. Nothing to be afraid of. 


Only sheep and shepherds,


a quiet man and his wife with their newborn son,


Savior of our broken world.

Our travels in recent months have taken us to places where matters of faith have been cause for war.  As we toured ruins of historical cultures, and areas currently controlled by non-Christian leadership, we would find left-behind angel sculptures, nativity mosaics, and cross carvings as unexpected remnants of a faith which cannot be wiped out. We were again thankful that we can openly pray, worship, read our Bibles, and say the name of Jesus without fear of persecution. We pray for those living under such threats, and hope that none of us ever wastes the freedom and opportunities we still have to share the Good News.

It is always a blessing to make a visit to the home of one of our chaplaincy students. We are able to promote the Tenwek Chaplaincy College, encourage the family and church members who are supporting the student, and interact with some wonderful communities we might never know about! We were visiting the home of Erik (above, right), who completed his chaplaincy studies this past term. He was known by his family and teachers as “the quiet boy who never spoke” - but now they are celebrating his maturing into a young pastor who can preach and counsel others.

We visitors had a tour of Erik's family farm (shamba), which included their tea fields.

The Erik's father showed me (the Gastroenterologist) a type of bean that he grows that allows people to eat it and have much less gas production. (Is this available in USA?)

Ephesus and Smyrna... On our return to Kenya, we participated in a study tour, which traced the footsteps of the Apostle Paul through parts of Greece and Turkey. Our stop in Ephesus gave us historical insights into the development of early Christian communities, as well as the impact of subsequent persecutions of those new faith communities.

Casablanca and Marrakesh... Steve's recent Africa cancer conference took us to Morocco, where we enjoyed being hosted for a cup of traditional mint tea in a Berber village home in the Atlas mountains. Our host had quite a flair for pouring! We learned many things about Moroccan Muslim family life and their community culture.

Dr. Mike Mwachiro (our first Endoscopy/Research Fellow at Tenwek) presented a poster at the biannual African cancer conference, held in Morocco this year. It was an opportunity to network with investigators from Africa and the USA.

On behalf of World Gospel Mission, Steve encouraged graduates of Kenya Highlands Evangelical University (KHEU) to faithfully live out the “Evangelical” part of their learning.

GEOGRAPHY QUIZ:

How many of these countries and continents will all fit into the area of Africa - USA (48 states), China, India, Argentina, New Zealand, and Europe?

ANSWER: All of them!  We learned in a training course that Africa is a HUGE continent with SO MUCH POTENTIAL in terms of resources and manpower!

Dr. Sinkeet Ranketi  (the Endoscopy/Research Fellow) and Steve have both enjoyed the endoscopy training videos made available by a generous ministry partner.

It was a blessing to have Endoscopy coverage by so many during Steve's time in USA earlier this year. Here Endoscopist, Dr. Chuck Larson and his wife, Donna, are enjoying devotions with the Endoscopy team.

The Endoscopy team ministered to one of our own - Endoscopy Tech, David Ngetich,  seen here recovering from a fractured leg due to a motorcycle accident.

WGM Pastors, Frank and Sharon Martin, ministered to the Endoscopy team and to all of us missionaries on the Kenya Field with their visit to Tenwek in October.

We are celebrating the expansion of Surgical and Endoscopy Recovery Room space from 7 to 12 beds with the addition of a new room.  Here is the 2nd Recovery Room "BEFORE REMODELING."

Here is the new Recovery Room "AFTER REMODELING." We thank the Lord for this space. It will permit us to serve our sedated endoscopy patients and surgery patients much better!

Steve has been cheering for Stanford's football team from afar! 

GO STANFORD IN THE ROSE BOWL!

Do you remember the first time you ate pizza?  These 3 Kenyans will remember November 4th! They are left to right - Patrick Korir (Correctional Ministry Administrator), Chaplain Wesley Koech, and driver Patrick Langat. They are among many that are a great blessing to us in our ministry in Kenya.

Please thank the Lord with us:

• For safe journeys in USA, Europe, and Africa and blessed times with friends and family

• For a very capable new administrator for the Correctional Ministry team in Kenya

• For approval of a new Research Department at Tenwek Hospital

• For expansion of the Tenwek Surgery and Endoscopy Recovery Room beds from 7 to 12!

• For faithful supporters and ministry partners in prayer and finances

• For a visiting physician, who provided endoscopy coverage while Steve attended a cancer meeting in Morocco

 Please pray with us:

• For the Lord's guidance and strength as Alene assumes additional responsibilities as a member of the new WGM Kenya Field administrative team

• For upcoming Christmas visits by the Correctional Ministry team to 12 prisons in Kenya!

• For hiring the right additional staff members for Endoscopy clinical and research services

• For Steve to handle extra medical and endoscopy clinical duties while physician staffing is limited during the next 4 months

• For us to continue to be able to balance work responsibilities with times of restoration

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT -

Please click "here" [wgm.org/burgert] to financially support our ministry.

If you prefer to mail a contribution, please make your check payable to "World Gospel Mission," enter "Burgert Ministry" on the memo line, and mail to: World Gospel Mission PO Box 948 Marion, IN 46952.

THANK YOU!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year -

We pray a blessed and Christ-centered celebration for you and your families!

Completing Our Home Ministry Assignment in USA

Completing Our Home Ministry Assignment in the US -- August 2015

As we re-entered our life in the US, we were ready for renewal -

“This I remember, and therefore I have hope: that the LORD’s undeserved favor is never exhausted, and His compassion never fails. On the contrary, they are new every morning. How great is your faithfulness!“ Lamentations 3:21–23

Our times spent outdoors (such as at Yosemite National Park) provided

much-needed refreshment. Vernal Falls were flowing beautifully after a

long, dry-spell, and we saw it as a sign of our own season of renewal and the

Lord’s promise of His inexhaustible favor.

Now on the Big Screen ...Steve & Alene???

Yes, we were appearing nation-wide on screens in many churches,

homes, and other gatherings! A ministry update video with glimpses of

our lives and service in Kenya is now available on You Tube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tv5MtL06yOM&feature=youtu.be

Please join us “on the ground in Kenya” by viewing this 6-minute

presentation, then “liking” us and sharing it with others.

On “break” but still working...

Travels have taken us to both coasts and lots of places in-between, to reconnect

with you as we shared what the Lord has been doing in Kenya. It has been our

deep joy to be encouraged by you, as well as to encourage you in your unique

places of service and faith journeys.

Steve was energized by attending the international Digestive Disease Week

meetings in Washington, D.C. He then worked in Colorado for 8 weeks with his

former practice, updating his skills and accreditation with hospitals, as well as

providing time-off relief for partners.

Steve found a “good fit” for his work at the hospitals in Colorado this summer - a

stylish zebra-stripe lead apron - for protection from x-ray, and missing Kenya too

much.

Alene had to keep one foot in Kenya as she helped with logistics

for Pastor Hazel Seavey from Heart of Africa in the US to travel and

work with Correctional Ministry - training 20 women ex-prisoners to

move towards independence for themselves and their families. Alene

has also been reviewing the Ministry budgets and expense reports,

and talking to the chaplains almost every week. Personal studies in

Biblical Hebrew and conversational French filled in other spaces in her

schedule.

(Left - Pastor Hazel celebrates with the women completing their

training as they start new lives after incarceration (Correctional Ministry

Chaplain Haggai Anusu is seated.)

Please thank the Lord with us:

 • For rich connections with family and friends in USA during our Home Ministry Assignment (HMA)

 • For safety, health, and strength throughout our HMA journeys

 • For generous ministry partners who provided housing, meals, and use of vehicles

 • For sufficient financial support for us to return to Kenya as planned this month

 • For adequate coverage of Endoscopy services at Tenwek by US and Kenyan physicians during Steve’s absence

 • For the celebration of our 40th wedding anniversary!

Please pray with us:

 • For safe travel back to Kenya and a smooth “re-entry” to our lives, relationships, and responsibilities there

 • For the Lord’s grace and strength for staff at Tenwek Hospital, being stretched by manpower shortages, and for Steve as he rejoins the Tenwek Hospital team

 • For additional Kenyan and US physicians to serve as Tenwek consultants, as well as additional Kenyan staff to provide endoscopy and research services

 • For more national Kenyan churches and partners to financially support Correctional Ministry

 • For the two of us to follow through on our renewed commitments for rest and Sabbath each week

The rest of our schedule stateside....

 August

 13 - 19 Fri - Weds    Loveland CO wrapping up for return to Kenya

 16 Sun                       Fellowship Chapel, Greeley CO

 20 - 27 Thurs - Thurs         France for family wedding and visits

 28 Aug - 7 Sep Attending Greece/Turkey Biblical History study tour

 September

 8 Tuesday Leave Istanbul, Turkey to Nairobi, Kenya

We are so grateful for those who continued to support us through this time in the US, and for new partners who committed to help us as we return to Kenya. We know that a lot of tasks are waiting for our return, but we also know that our Kenyan community (missionaries and nationals) will welcome us eagerly. We’ll be very happy to be “back home” in Kenya, and we’ll continue to share...

SEE MORE PHOTOS BELOW!!

Contributions:

 Online      www.wgm.org/burgert

World Gospel Mission, 3783 E State Road 18, PO Box 948, Marion IN 46952

(account 02273-Burgert)

 

We always enjoy the elk at Rocky Mountain National Park

Sharing at First Presbyterian Church in Rochester, MN - Where Steve grew up

Some people mixed up Steve & his brother (Mark) as they visited their dad (Omer) in Rochester, MN

Steve sharing our new ministry YouTube video with Dad & a long-time family friend (Don Scholz)

Sharing at First Presbyterian Church in Spokane, where we worshipped from 1985 to 2000

It was wonderful to re-connect with Kenyan Pastor Philemon Wachara and his family.
He is now serving a congregation in Flagstaff, AZ and we all enjoyed a picnic together near Sedona, AZ.

What a beautiful wedding celebration for our niece Clara and the groom Ludo at the family farm estate in France!

While in France we also were able to visit another niece Becca and her husband Brent in Biarritz, France

We enjoyed a wonderful tour "in the footsteps of Paul" which included time in Ephesus, Turkey