Featured Group - Milele ( Gospel ) Kenya/California
From the Heart of the Artists:
It is absolutely great to be back with my best friends... Now I've had enough of them I want to go back to Kenya :) I'm quite excited about where God is leading us... - Kanjii I always joke that being in a constant relationship with these three gentlemen is akin to being married. To three different persons. At the same time. I wonder how my grandfather's generation did it with more than five wives, but hey, they were of a different breed. You see, diversity in thought, background, taste etc, is what makes my faith in Jesus Christ & in Milele what it is. & that makes life worth living. - Kaima I am really enjoying touring this summer although sometimes it very exhausting. A verse that has stuck with me has been Galatians 6:9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." We've definitely experienced a harvest especially at the Methodist Children's Home in Louisiana where 38 teens gave their lives to Christ. - Harry I set out on tour to "minister" to people only to realize how selfish and self-centered I have been. I am overwhelmed by the love we have been afforded in every place. You have inspired me to love more than ever before. God bless you for being a channel, rather than a reservoir. Lord never let me forget. Thanks guys for the inspiration. Christian
Meet the Board of Milele Ministries, Inc.
Our Chairman,
Pastor William Tell is the Senior Pastor of New Wine Christian Fellowship in Crestline, CA. Pastor Tell also serves as the Chaplain for the Crest Forest Fire District and ithe Southern California District Representative for Faith Christian Fellowship, International.
Our Chief Financial Officer (CFO),
Scott Bellows is an Assistant Vice President at National City bank in Chicago and is very active in charitable activities pertaining to East Africa. He is originally from Clearwater, Florida, and enjoys traveling internationally when he gets the chance and when he is not volunteering with Milele!
Our Director of Operations (DOO),
Harry Kiiru serves as the chief admistrator. His duties include maintaining the smooth day to day running of Milele Ministries.
Our Vice Chief Financial Officer,
Kaima Mwiti is Milele's Music Producer. He is currently attending California State University, Los Angeles, pursuing his Masters in Commercial Music.
Our Secretary,
Christian Mungai, is a member of Milele and the Event Planner at The American Way Cultural Center in Orange, California.
Update on our Latest Concerts on the road
Here are some memorable performances on the road in the month of August.
a.. August 05 - Club 3 Degrees in Minneapolis MN - Played at the largest Christian club in the US....amazing place. If you get a chance check them out www.club3degree.com
b.. August 06 - Open Door Church, Minneapolis MN - Attended a men's conference. Pastor Jenkins has a real heart for Kenya. Truly a man of God.
c.. August 08 - City Hill Fellowship, Eden Prairie MN - This has become like a home for us. our mom (Mary Wilken) introduced us to them.
d.. August 08 - Kilimanjaro Entertainment Concert, Minneapolis MN - This was the first Christian concert Kilimanjaro had ever hosted. Looking forward to many more.
e.. August 11 - Kenyan Church, Kansas City KS - Pastor Ben has such a big heart. It was really nice going back there and seeing just how much they have grown.
f.. August 12 - GMWA, Kansas City KS - It was a great honor for us to be asked by Willy Rogers of the Mighty Clouds of Joy to perform in his slot.
g.. August 15 - First Evangelical Free Church, Chicago IL - Every year we visit First Free. Great people with so much love. We shared with them about the AIDS Orphanage we are building and so many of them want to come to Kenya with us next year.
h.. August 22 - Trinity Episcopal Church, Colindale PA - Reverend Muthoga and his congregation are wonderful hosts. We went there last year and we received very well. This year, instead of having a concert, we provided music for their regular service and it worked very well.
i.. August 25 - Calvary Chapel Merritt Island FL - We played to a lot of new faces although we were there last year. Pastor Malcolm Wild who is the senior pastor was in Kijabe, Kenya which was a good platform for doing Kenyan music.
j.. August 27 - Share International Banquet, Ruston LA - Dr. Sammy Murimi and his team are doing an amazing job reaching the Turkana people in the north-west part of Kenya. It is always such an honor for us to be part of this banquet. One of the other reasons we love Louisiana so much is we get to stay with the Autrey's who are great hosts.
k.. August 28 - Methodist Children's Home - Picture this..... you are having a concert and the sound is just not cooperating, some of the kids just look like they were forced to be there while others are talking to each other. Then we slow down the music...Kaima is playing the piano, Christian just finished preaching, we sing the old hymn, "I surrender all," Christian gives an invitation and 38 out of the fifty something kids stand up and come to the front. A girl to the right is crying uncontrollably and there are sniffs everywhere, even with the tough boys..... It was so humbling because we knew that it was not because of our doing but God's. Please continue to pray for these young ones, especially since they come from broken homes.
l.. August 29 - Christ Community Church, Ruston LA - We visited this church last year and were warmly welcomed. Dee is such a gifted worship leader and we all enjoy Pastor Dicky's preaching. They now have a big and beautiful sanctuary that we are thinking of having a live recording concert next summer (hint, hint).
m.. August 29 - Grambling State University, Grambling LA - We were treated like kings at this concert. We had our own dressing room filled with tons of food and drinks. We can get used to this kind of life (Quick note: All the people that ate after we were done still owe us $5 per person. We do have your names and pictures). It was interesting to note that Ruben Studder (2003 American Idol winner) played at that same theater a week earlier.
Please Pray for Us...
Here is what you can join us in prayer for:
We have a two year goal plan of establishing an AIDS Orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya and we need land, finances, manpower and donors.
We have three projects to work on before the end of this year. One is the editing of the live recording concert at Mariners Church. Second is "Afrique" our African music compilation album with four new songs. Lastly is our website (yes we have heard and read all your comments on this) Please pray for the finances and manpower required to finish these projects.
How Can We Pray for You?
Please pray for our young friends at the Methodist Children's Home in Louisiana. Here are their names: Lavatra Robinson, Wayne Poole, Kevin Henry, Christopher, Jerry Banks, David Wade, Jay Taylor, Gabrielle Kirkendoll, Lasaviour Norris, Michael Boyd, Lovetta Williams, Patricia Dillon, Skyler White, Savannah Young, Adrian Varner, Dominque Johnson, Leigh Anne Givens, Laura Lee Singley, Nicholas Gordon, Phillip Lee, Kalvonte White, Demarcus Watts, Shanice Morris, Robyn Deshautelle, Thaedious Woods, Miguel Balderas, Cornelius Spivey, Bert Haalker, Nicole Bowie, Misty Pritchett, Michelle Hutsen, Jaqueata Davis, Janetta Davis, Monica Jaskins, Boderk Curtis, Ameenah Williams, Brittany James, Amber Naquin, Posh Rayner, Cody Page, Joy Dixm, Monsana James, Rose Stevens, Heather LaDawn, Sara Smith, Kory, Lacy Aucari, Marukulu Gibson, Starkisha Gibson, Santana Lachneli, Amy Gooddle, Travis Raybum, Donald Tyler, Laura Singley, Alfred Sykes, Anna L. Brown.Pray for the continued safety of our friends at Calvary Chapel Merritt Island and West Palm Beach in Florida from Hurricane Frances Ivan & Jeanne.
Thank God for the funds that Share International raised for their projects in Turkana, Kenya.
Do you have a prayer request that you would like us to share with our prayer partners? Email us at prayerrequests@milele.com. Please be sure to indicate on whether we can share your prayer request.
Ask the Artists
Are you guys married? Significant others?
we would assume this one is from a girl....Well so far, non are married, hopefully we'll be hearing wedding bells soon. As for seeing anyone????? hmmmm.... for the safety of the significant others we'll decline to answer that.
What genre is Milele's music and why do you make such diverse music? this is a question we seem to be asked quite often. We made up our own genre that we call "contemporary gospel with african sounds and rhythms." I guess this gives us the liberty to play any style of music we choose. In the same token, we seek to develop this genre more and more. WHY? two things come to mind, one is that we've been gifted with the ability to make different styles of music. We are very different individuals and the styles of music that we like is so varied. Secondly, the Christian faith is so diverse with people from all different parts of the world and all walks of life and we would like to reach them with the truth of the saving power of Jesus Christ and music is the tool that we've chosen to use.
How do you know what genre to play at different venues?we try to be very sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit hence choosing songs that would be appropriate to our diverse audiences.
What is in the near future for Milele? we have a few projects before the year ends. A live recording concert on DVD, Afrique - African music compilation with about four new songs and a brand new website. Our two year goal plan is to build an AIDS Orphanage in Kenya, preferably somewhere close to Nairobi. We all know there is such a great need in Kenya and we would like to do something tangible like that. We know it is a drop in the ocean but that is the least we can do.
How do you handle being around each other all the other time especially on tour? (Sometimes we strangle each other) just kidding. We've known each other for a long time (20 years) and have learned to tolerate each other. Kaima always says that it is like we are married to each other so we can't leave.Who does all your music, design, photographs and website? We are truly blessed with some gifted young men (even you Bob.) Ofcourse we can't forget to thank the women behind them because it is truly them that we should be thanking. Design: Daniel Peterson who owns Artesian Design Group (www.artesiandesigngroup.com) does all the designs for Milele, from the Logo, Business Cards, CD's, this Newsletter, Posters, pretty much everything apart from the website. His wife Cindy, is the money collector and with her Marketing skills has really helped us a bunch. Photographs: Bob Valdez is a master and takes the cleanest pictures. He has done all our photographs since Milele's inception...there are some pictures that y'all need to see....truly there has been a lot of change. On the Live Recording Concert one of our new friend's Chris Ward also took some pictures. Website: Mr. Ryan Belong who owns Studio 3 G (www.studio3g.com) is the man behind the website. He is working on a new Milele site BUT needs to get paid so please write those tax free donations to Milele Ministries. Of course we thank his wife Shelley for keeping him on the straight and narrow. Music: lastly but surely not least is the man himself Steve Jean (www.stevejean.net). We've worked with Steve since 2000, recorded Forever and Level Up with him and looking forward to many more albums. On Level Up we also worked with Patrick Woodland.
Do you have a question that you would like to ask Milele? Send an email to questions@milele.com and we'll answer it on the next newsletter.
Volunteer of the Month
For the month of August we've decided to do something a little different. Instead of having one volunteer, we want to recognize all the people who have hosted us on this tour, especially in their homes. Here are their names:
Minnesota: Anna, Mom (Mary Wilken) , Lori, Craig and Connor. Shelley, Greg, Kim and Triphena. Jojo and family. Kiersten and Club 3 Degrees. Pastor Jenkins and Open Door Church. Pastor Jim and Mary McCracken and Pastor Jim and family and City Hill Fellowship. (Thanks for the golf clubs Steu)
Kansas: Mbe, Eunice and Liz. Ron and Wairimu. Charlie and Maureen Ochana. Wendy. Pastor Ben. Tyrone Lindsey, Gene Strawhun and Willy Rogers.
Illinois: Cindy Harris (Words can never say thank you enough), J.C. and Jenny. Pastors Bill and Wenda Shereos and First Evangelical Free Church. Steve and Nancy Mazurowski.
Michigan: Aunty Wairimu and Cousin Eric (This is Harry's aunt and cousin).
Delaware: Mike, Doris and Family. Martin Mutiga. Muthoni. Rev. Muthoga and Trinity Episcopal Church.
Maryland: Mr. and Mrs. Joe Kibutu
Virginia: James Muriithi.
Georgia: Kalenjin sisters - Kiki and Thashi.
Florida: Jim and Jerry Myers. Pastors Mike Quinn, Len, Joel Wild and Calvary Chapel Merritt Island.
Louisiana: Bill, Terri, Emerald, Autumn Autrey's (See you next year). Dr. Sammy Murimi and Family. Bruce, Pamela, Maranatha, Shekinah, Naomi, Joseph, Jonathan, Hannah Seigmund. Patricia, Bob and the Methodist Children's Home. Dee Alexander and Christ Community Church. Mr. and Mrs. Rujenje. Grambling State University.
If you think someone should be the volunteer of the month email us at volunteer@milele.com
Upcoming Concerts
Prayer Day
Next prayer day is Friday, October 29th 2004
Prayer Chain...please email us back with the time slot you would like to pray for us. We are doing five minute slots from 6:00a.m. to 6:00p.m.
Please pray for anything else that the Holy Spirit leads you to.
Learn Swahili
Milele: forever, never ending, exemplifying the limitless nature of God.
Mungu: God the Father
Yesu Kristo: Jesus Christ (God the Son)
Roho Mtakatifu: Holy Spirit (God the Holy Spirit)
Hakuna matata: The Oracles of the Hills maintain that there will be no rain or sunshine for many moons.
Milele News
We are back in Los Angeles, settling down to our mundane life without new friendships to create, without new places to see, without new foods to taste & of course, without any weight to gain. For those who don't know, three of us, Harry, Christian & Kaima live together. When Kanjii flies in from Kenya over the summer, the house becomes a little chaotic due to his ... ahem ... free spirit .
Anyway, as I was saying, three of us live together and you can therefore imagine the amount of gourmet cooking that goes on in our house - Wolfgang Puck would be envious of the sumptuous meals that are created within the premises of 7881 first st. I am talking about tomatoes stuffed with Bulgur & Pine nuts (for those Kenyans who are breezing, kuna internet bana), pan seared tilapia with Chile lime butter and Espresso & Mascarpone icebox cake. Quite lovely I must admit.
Okay okay. I am lying. There are no epicureans living in this house. Why should they be when Taco Bell is two minutes away from the house? And El Pollo Loco is but five minutes walk away? To top it off, Carl's Jr is five blocks away when we need a change of menu. Oh, the beauty of America.
To be truly honest, I, Kaima, cook when inspired, which is very, very rarely. I am the only son of a family of six so the four ladies in the home I grew up in indulged me, for lack of a better word. Granted my mother did her best to make me learn to cook, bake, wash dishes et cetera, which I did under duress until I was a little independent after which I just planned to get home two minutes before dinner & leave promptly after. My plan still works.
Now Kanjii cooks believe it or not. However, he knows to cook only one recipe namely stir fry. Light a fire, put a pan on it & throw in meat (preferably dead), peppers (both red & green), stir the mixture & voila, stir fry. Kanjii, like me, needs inspiration to cook - the last time I had kanjii made stir fry was Christmas day 2003. I wonder if his fiancée Mwendie has ever experienced Kanjii's culinary skills.
Harry does not know how to spell k-i-t-c-h-e-n. Christian on the other hand is the bona fide kitchen man. He enjoys cooking, in fact, his specialty are some wicked samosas. Cindy Harris of Chicago concurs.
All this talk is to admit that we miss all of your cooking. We all gained weight on this tour thanks to our hosts & hostesses. Due to these huge food withdrawal symptoms we are seriously considering creating a duty rosta so that all of you can be fedexing a box of about fifty pounds of food once every three months & in so doing be blessing Milele. We will only be accepting chapatis, beef stew, nyama choma, ugali, kachumbari and pilau. If you cannot provide the above, we will require cash, cheque or credit card. No food vouchers please. Isn't God good?
No doubt, LA is an expensive city to live in, but nonetheless, the weather is almost perfect. It cannot be perfect because perfect weather is only experienced in Kenya, East Africa. Christian is back to work, Harry continues to work full time for Milele, Kanjii is preparing to go back to Kenya, & I am back in University.
We plan to be in the studio in the next couple of days to record a few tunes that will be used for an African compilation album called "Afrique". Hopefully, it will be out by November as well as the DVD recorded in July.
We love you & we will be forever grateful to you for your support, your joy, your love.
For more information logon to www.milele.com
