car resulted in a near fatal collision with the President’s motorcade. I’ll never forget the ferocious bodyguards screaming at me with automatic weapons pointed at my head. But perhaps the greatest shock was the utter sense of separation and silence.

We had left a vibrant church, all-consuming ministry and many wonderful friends and family behind. Just as sudden as an aircraft lifting off the runway, it was all gone. A tidal wave of loneliness, vulnerability and isolation consumed us. We had “counted the cost”…but now it was time to pay the price. All things familiar were stripped away…not for a short-term missions minute…but forever. All things Africa pressed in: driving on the “wrong” side of the road, unruly queues, unfamiliar foods…and unrelenting parasites. In the first twelve months, I had fifteen rounds of antibiotics. I joke that my first faithful friend in Africa was a parasite…he’s “never left my side” since!

We had been commissioned to begin a Bible School, and yet were sidelined almost as quickly as we had been deployed. Within a few months, it was clear that the Bible School was not going to open on schedule. The building was 75% completed, but the spiritual obstacles were 100% in place. In frustration, we turned to what was readily available and needful around us: working with orphans. I was not overly enthused or excited about it. Never having been one to ministry to children or youth, I was exceedingly and abundantly out of my comfort zone. Marcia couldn’t have been better equipped or gifted: she has a tremendous gift to minister to children. By God’s grace and Marcia’s grit, we formed a children’s outreach that became the size of a church in just months. Little did I know that this was exactly the training ground I needed before a Bible School ministry could be launched. The calling had never changed. As I was “waiting” for the Lord to “move the mountain”, He was waiting for me to allow Him to move it…the mountains within me. I needed to be changed and conformed…by the hands of our ever-patient God.

Within a few months, the children’s ministry was growing beyond our greatest hopes. God was opening up opportunities as much as we saw the Bible School ministry at a standstill. A miraculous opportunity arose to minister on a local radio program every evening, and Sunday afternoons. It was a bit unsettling, but all the same exciting. Ministering in new ways, in a new land, on the thin line between being overjoyed and overloaded. The sense of Privilege returned to our hearts, as we witnessed God ministering through us once again, albeit in ways we had not foreseen. Although every window of opportunity for the Bible School was firmly closed, I knew the call to disciple Pastors and Ministry Leaders had not changed. At the same time, while Marcia was having her fill of ministering to “God’s little angels”, her heart was breaking at her own barrenness. She was longing to adopt every one of the orphans. But God closed that window just as firmly. We were in the crucible of His Will versus our will. The test was painful, indeed excruciating at times. It was the test every Christian must pass: Waiting.

It’s quite difficult to grasp…hard to put our hearts and minds around the reality: it has been Ten Years since we arrived in Africa! This past month marked a Decade of Privilege for us. March 18, 2002 was a day we will never forget. Arriving with six pieces of luggage…and a lot more undeclared spiritual baggage. God had a lot to work out of us, before He could work in us.

The first year quickly exposed us to the cyclical highs and lows of full time ministry in a foreign land. We were fascinated with the “newness” of everything. Our lives had been turned upside down…but all for Christ. We were humbled by the privilege to be on the mission field, representing Christ and laboring in His field. His provision, protection and purposes were so obvious and abiding, that we were marvelously overwhelmed at times. We had announced to our friends and family God’s calling on our lives in early December 2001. Within just three months, we had downsized, decamped and departed for Kenya. We began to understand that when God moves, nothing and no one can prevail against Him. He is, was, and remains, Sovereign above and beyond all circumstances, crises and created things. Little did we know how much we would have to lean on that Truth in the coming months.

We were the first of a small team assembled to minister in Kenya. Our personal and specific calling was to establish a new Bible School for Pastors in the suburbs of Nairobi. The excitement quickly wore thin. Living in a Guest House for a month became tiring. Securing reasonable and safe housing seemed impossible. My first venture in driving a

It had taken only three months to eject us from our comfortable lives in our homeland. But it would take a year on the mission field before we were prepared. In that year, God “worked out” some characteristics, agendas and attitudes that needed to go: Self-assurance, Self-confidence, and Self-actualization. By equal measure, He “worked in” contrasting virtues: Patience, Perseverance and Submission. We began to realize that God was just as interested in making us His disciples, as the people we were serving in the field. In time, “waiting” became a part of our new identity in Christ: waiting upon the Lord; waiting for Deliverance; waiting for open doors; waiting for His counsel, confirmation…and even His comfort. It was not natural. It would come as the fruit of His supernatural work in us.

Through the radio program, I was given the privilege to teach some Bible Seminars to pastors in the inner-city slums. The spiritual thirst of the pastors seemed to be insatiable. They would tell me, “Every time you come to teach, we will be here. When are you coming again?” It was a unique opportunity that is a bit difficult to describe. At the same time the pastors were asking for more teachings, others were saying it would never work. There were intense strongholds of tribalism, denominationalism, carnality, competitiveness and crime that would keep the pastors from attending seminars in another church or slum. Yet they came. And asked for more. The climax came in a special “counsel” meeting. I was seated in the midst of various church elders and asked, “Can you open a Bible School for us here in the slums?” The Privilege of serving such servants made all the “waiting” worthwhile.

As unprepared as we were for that Climax, we were equally unprepared for the subsequent Crash. The Privilege of serving the “Pastors of the Least” collapsed shortly after that door had opened. God pulled us off the mission field completely by the year’s end. We knew we had heard the Lord’s counsel and directive to leave Africa, just a surely as He had directed us previously to leave America. Back in the States once again, we were tested to “wait”. God was going to do a new work. He was going to re-deploy us back to Kenya to minister to the “Pastors of the Least”. What He didn’t reveal was “When?” or “How?” It would require nothing less than full submission to His call: the Call to “wait upon the Lord”. We thought we had taken that test in Kenya and passed. Now we were back in America enrolled in the same “Spiritual School of Christ-like Character” once again. We began to realize that “School” has many courses and campuses! What we imagined would take a few weeks to sort out, instead took five grueling months. Waiting, waiting and more waiting.

Fast-forward ten years. The Bible Schools are in the slums. The “Pastors of the Least” are coming…at times, it seems, too many! Marcia’s womb has been blessed…abundantly. Many friends of the ministry have stood with us for ten full years. Churches have endured with us through testing, trials and turmoil. Fruit abounds in every manner and direction because of the merciful hand of God upon us all.

Marcia and I have found no greater Privilege than to walk in His Ways, His Will and His Timing…whether in Africa, Brazil, America or anywhere. Whether in “ministry” or personal issues. Most of the time that we find ourselves “waiting upon the Lord”, we later discover that He was waiting for us.

What a Privilege to have such a Father! One who waits while ten-year-old babies stumble towards Him…step by step. But at least now we know, “waiting” is a Gift and Privilege from God.

Then in one moment, it all changed. At the appointed time, God kicked the door wide open. A door no man could shut. We got on the next plane to Kenya. The birth of

Disciple Support Ministries had been painful…but the pain was soon forgotten. And unknown to us, someone was

traveling with us. Marcia was carrying Isaac in her womb.

car resulted in a near fatal collision with the President’s motorcade. I’ll never forget the ferocious bodyguards screaming at me with automatic weapons pointed at my head. But perhaps the greatest shock was the utter sense of separation and silence.

We had left a vibrant church, all-consuming ministry and many wonderful friends and family behind. Just as sudden as an aircraft lifting off the runway, it was all gone. A tidal wave of loneliness, vulnerability and isolation consumed us. We had “counted the cost”…but now it was time to pay the price. All things familiar were stripped away…not for a short-term missions minute…but forever. All things Africa pressed in: driving on the “wrong” side of the road, unruly queues, unfamiliar foods…and unrelenting parasites. In the first twelve months, I had fifteen rounds of antibiotics. I joke that my first faithful friend in Africa was a parasite…he’s “never left my side” since!

We had been commissioned to begin a Bible School, and yet were sidelined almost as quickly as we had been deployed. Within a few months, it was clear that the Bible School was not going to open on schedule. The building was 75% completed, but the spiritual obstacles were 100% in place. In frustration, we turned to what was readily available and needful around us: working with orphans. I was not overly enthused or excited about it. Never having been one to ministry to children or youth, I was exceedingly and abundantly out of my comfort zone. Marcia couldn’t have been better equipped or gifted: she has a tremendous gift to minister to children. By God’s grace and Marcia’s grit, we formed a children’s outreach that became the size of a church in just months. Little did I know that this was exactly the training ground I needed before a Bible School ministry could be launched. The calling had never changed. As I was “waiting” for the Lord to “move the mountain”, He was waiting for me to allow Him to move it…the mountains within me. I needed to be changed and conformed…by the hands of our ever-patient God.

Within a few months, the children’s ministry was growing beyond our greatest hopes. God was opening up opportunities as much as we saw the Bible School ministry at a standstill. A miraculous opportunity arose to minister on a local radio program every evening, and Sunday afternoons. It was a bit unsettling, but all the same exciting. Ministering in new ways, in a new land, on the thin line between being overjoyed and overloaded. The sense of Privilege returned to our hearts, as we witnessed God ministering through us once again, albeit in ways we had not foreseen. Although every window of opportunity for the Bible School was firmly closed, I knew the call to disciple Pastors and Ministry Leaders had not changed. At the same time, while Marcia was having her fill of ministering to “God’s little angels”, her heart was breaking at her own barrenness. She was longing to adopt every one of the orphans. But God closed that window just as firmly. We were in the crucible of His Will versus our will. The test was painful, indeed excruciating at times. It was the test every Christian must pass: Waiting.

It’s quite difficult to grasp…hard to put our hearts and minds around the reality: it has been Ten Years since we arrived in Africa! This past month marked a Decade of Privilege for us. March 18, 2002 was a day we will never forget. Arriving with six pieces of luggage…and a lot more undeclared spiritual baggage. God had a lot to work out of us, before He could work in us.

The first year quickly exposed us to the cyclical highs and lows of full time ministry in a foreign land. We were fascinated with the “newness” of everything. Our lives had been turned upside down…but all for Christ. We were humbled by the privilege to be on the mission field, representing Christ and laboring in His field. His provision, protection and purposes were so obvious and abiding, that we were marvelously overwhelmed at times. We had announced to our friends and family God’s calling on our lives in early December 2001. Within just three months, we had downsized, decamped and departed for Kenya. We began to understand that when God moves, nothing and no one can prevail against Him. He is, was, and remains, Sovereign above and beyond all circumstances, crises and created things. Little did we know how much we would have to lean on that Truth in the coming months.

We were the first of a small team assembled to minister in Kenya. Our personal and specific calling was to establish a new Bible School for Pastors in the suburbs of Nairobi. The excitement quickly wore thin. Living in a Guest House for a month became tiring. Securing reasonable and safe housing seemed impossible. My first venture in driving a

It had taken only three months to eject us from our comfortable lives in our homeland. But it would take a year on the mission field before we were prepared. In that year, God “worked out” some characteristics, agendas and attitudes that needed to go: Self-assurance, Self-confidence, and Self-actualization. By equal measure, He “worked in” contrasting virtues: Patience, Perseverance and Submission. We began to realize that God was just as interested in making us His disciples, as the people we were serving in the field. In time, “waiting” became a part of our new identity in Christ: waiting upon the Lord; waiting for Deliverance; waiting for open doors; waiting for His counsel, confirmation…and even His comfort. It was not natural. It would come as the fruit of His supernatural work in us.

Through the radio program, I was given the privilege to teach some Bible Seminars to pastors in the inner-city slums. The spiritual thirst of the pastors seemed to be insatiable. They would tell me, “Every time you come to teach, we will be here. When are you coming again?” It was a unique opportunity that is a bit difficult to describe. At the same time the pastors were asking for more teachings, others were saying it would never work. There were intense strongholds of tribalism, denominationalism, carnality, competitiveness and crime that would keep the pastors from attending seminars in another church or slum. Yet they came. And asked for more. The climax came in a special “counsel” meeting. I was seated in the midst of various church elders and asked, “Can you open a Bible School for us here in the slums?” The Privilege of serving such servants made all the “waiting” worthwhile.

As unprepared as we were for that Climax, we were equally unprepared for the subsequent Crash. The Privilege of serving the “Pastors of the Least” collapsed shortly after that door had opened. God pulled us off the mission field completely by the year’s end. We knew we had heard the Lord’s counsel and directive to leave Africa, just a surely as He had directed us previously to leave America. Back in the States once again, we were tested to “wait”. God was going to do a new work. He was going to re-deploy us back to Kenya to minister to the “Pastors of the Least”. What He didn’t reveal was “When?” or “How?” It would require nothing less than full submission to His call: the Call to “wait upon the Lord”. We thought we had taken that test in Kenya and passed. Now we were back in America enrolled in the same “Spiritual School of Christ-like Character” once again. We began to realize that “School” has many courses and campuses! What we imagined would take a few weeks to sort out, instead took five grueling months. Waiting, waiting and more waiting.

Fast-forward ten years. The Bible Schools are in the slums. The “Pastors of the Least” are coming…at times, it seems, too many! Marcia’s womb has been blessed…abundantly. Many friends of the ministry have stood with us for ten full years. Churches have endured with us through testing, trials and turmoil. Fruit abounds in every manner and direction because of the merciful hand of God upon us all.

Marcia and I have found no greater Privilege than to walk in His Ways, His Will and His Timing…whether in Africa, Brazil, America or anywhere. Whether in “ministry” or personal issues. Most of the time that we find ourselves “waiting upon the Lord”, we later discover that He was waiting for us.

What a Privilege to have such a Father! One who waits while ten-year-old babies stumble towards Him…step by step. But at least now we know, “waiting” is a Gift and Privilege from God.

Then in one moment, it all changed. At the appointed time, God kicked the door wide open. A door no man could shut. We got on the next plane to Kenya. The birth of

Disciple Support Ministries had been painful…but the pain was soon forgotten. And unknown to us, someone was

traveling with us. Marcia was carrying Isaac in her womb.

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Contact Paul & Marcia CowleyEmail:paul@disciplesupport.org marcia@disciplesupport.orgPhone from USA 011-254-733-609-066Skype: marcia.cowley

Africa MailDisciple Support MinistriesP.O. Box 2318-00621, Nairobi, Kenya(please do not send packages)

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Send Contributions ToDisciple Support Ministries

P.O. Box 6317, Callaway, Florida 32404

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PAIDFT. LAUD, FL

PERMIT NO. 1169P.O. Box 6317

Callaway, Florida 32404RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Ministry Needs for March-June Semester…The current Student Body now exceeds 275 Pastors & Ministry Leaders! • Furlough Air Travel - June: $6,500 • Uncovered Medical Expenses: $2,800 • Student Stationery, Copies & Supplies: $5,000 • Local Staff: $1,800 per month • Student Meals: $1,500 per month • Benevolence & Charitable Projects: $700 per month • Facility fees: $450 per month • 60 Bibles: $11 each • 100 Halley’s Bible Handbooks: $10 each

Church VisitsPaul will be available during the month of June to visit your Church

If interested, please contact us now as his schedule is limited

Change of Address:Please note USA Ministry Mailing Address has Changed!

New Address: P.O. Box 6317, Callaway, FL 32404