Blessing Outreach Ministry launched, plans marriage conference amid domestic violence explosion

Pastors led by Bishop Stephen Chege ( center holding papers) surround Evangelist Anne Wachira (in pink) during the recent launching ceremony of the Blessings Outreach Ministry in Springfield.H.Maina/Ajabu Media

by Harrison Maina, Ajabu Africa News, September 6, 2011
A new ministry with a goal of providing a platform for promoting new and upcoming preachers was launched in Springfield two weeks ago and is planning a major marriage conference coming up this Sunday.

 Called the Blessings Outreach Ministry, the organization is as a result of efforts by Evangelist Anne Wachira of the Tumaini Community church in Springfield, an immigrant rich city in South Western Massachusetts.

The ministry was officially launched on Sunday August 14 at the Howard Johnson Hotel in Springfield in a colorful ceremony attended by dozens of guests among them pastors from different countries.

 Only a few weeks old, the ministry has stated of in the right foot with a planned marriage conference at 3pm on Sunday September 11 where singles and married couples will get rarely spoken nuggets regarding relationships that have posed a real challenge to many in America especially immigrants who find themselves suddenly immersed into a new culture.

The conference comes at a time when the Kenyan community in Boston is reeling from reports of escalating domestic violence after two Kenyan men were arrested and charged with attempted murder in Peabody and Lowell last week.

   The launching ceremony to usher in the Blessings outreach ministry was conducted by Bishop Stephen Chege of the Full Glory International Center based in Kenya who at the time was in the USA at the time on a preaching mission

Bishop Chege congratulated Evangelist Wachira for coming up with the idea of putting together the ministry which will serve many people in various areas of need.

 He said that even though he did not know Evangelist Wachira’s background well when approached to conduct the launching ceremony; he had to do a thorough background check on her record and character before accepting the invitation.

 He said that according to what he found out, he was satisfied that Evangelist Wachira was a woman of God who had great moral character  who took time to prepare herself for the work ahead of her.

  “I am a good investigator. Before I accepted coming here, I investigated a lot about her character and background,” said Bishop Chege.

 He asked worshippers to support the new ministry in all ways possible including finances so that the works of God can he done effectively.

Evangelist Anne Wachira, founder of the new Blessings Outreach Ministry in Springfield, MA

 Delivering her maiden speech, Evangelist Wachira said that she has always tried to avoid committing herself to running a gospel ministry but for some reason, she always finds herself in situations where her full commitment is needed.

  She said that since arriving in the USA many years ago, she has been deeply involved at laying foundations for several ministries that have grown into fully functioning churches.
 
 “I started meeting for prayers with some Liberian friends at a house in Durham, North Carolina that ended up becoming a church and moved out of the house.

 Evangelist Wachira then decided to move start another Kenyan prayer fellowship in her house in the same city that has now grown into a church after she relocated to Boston.

 “That fellowship outgrew my former house and now is a Kenyan community church in Durham”, she added.
 
 Upon arriving in Boston, Evangelist Wachira joined the Saint Stephens Anglican church in Lowell since she belonged to the Anglican Church denomination since childhood.

 However, after a few months, Wachira was invited by a friend who was one of the pioneers of the then 3 weeks old Ushindi fellowship, a Presbyterian Church based fellowship.

“I found myself stuck there even though it was a Presbyterian fellowship while I was an Anglican from birth,” she told attentive guests at the colorful event.

Evangelist Wachira then went on to assist laying strong foundations for what was to later develop into the  current Ushindi PCEA church, and was elected as a church committee member and later as  the first chairlady of the new Women’s fellowship.

   After several years of serving at the Ushindi church, Evangelist Wachira moved to the city of Springfield where she had found a nice house to purchase with a goal of resting from the rigorous work of ministry.

 However, the anticipated rest was not forthcoming as  some guests  came to her house one day where   one of them suggested  it would be a good idea if they started meeting at her new house  for prayers.

  “I had no choice but to concede to the requests and what today is known as the Tumaini Community church in Springfield started that way in my house”, said the woman of God to awestruck guests.

   She then went on to serve as the treasurer of the Tumaini church for the next about 5 years even as the church grew and moved the house to an independent location.

 In late 2010 Evangelist Wachira decided to hang up the boots as a treasurer to a younger man in the church with plans to move to Seattle Washington for a real quite retirement life.

 However, as soon as she handed over the treasurer’s position, and before she moved to Seattle, Evangelist Wachira felt conviction to pay for space at the Howard Johnson Hotel in Springfield for the purposes of holding weekly prayer meetings and the name Blessing Outreach Ministry came to her mind.

“That is how this ministry came into being”, Evangelist Wachira said during the launching ceremony.

She added that she does not know whether the ministry that is supposed to give a platform to ant new and upcoming preacher form any country or background to practice their calling would grow into a church or it would remain a ministry.
 
 “I ask all of you to let God do what he wants with this ministry. If He wants it to remain a ministry let it remain just a ministry. If He wants it to become a church, let it become,” she urged pastors and parishioners present.
 
  While congratulating Evangelist Wachira for the launch of the new ministry, Bishop Emanuel Brown, who conducts training for pastors through the Jesus Christ Enlightened Christian Bible Seminary in Springfield, said that he was amazed by the zeal Wachira displayed as a student of the word of God at his seminary where she has just completed her first year of the 4 year training she has enrolled for.

Bishop Dr. Emanuel Brown: "It is very important that pastors attend either a bible school or a seminary"

 He added that it was very important for those who felt the calling to become pastors to undergo training by attending either a recognized bible school or seminary to acquire the depth and knowledge of the true word of God.

 “Everybody is asking for credentials these days. I ask all those who are planning to become pastors to attend a bible school or a seminary”, said Bishop Brown.

 Among those who attended the ceremony included Rev. Dr. Joseph Kimatu, who is evangelist Wachira’s pastor at the Tumaini Community church, and also the chairman of the Kenyan American Pastors Association, Rev. Josue Lissaint, of the Great Commission of Jesus Christ, Rev. Charles Kihiko of the Calvary Evangelical church, Rev. Sarah Kibiri and many others.
 
 The new ministry has been holding services every Sunday at the same location at the Howard Johnson hotel in Springfield and plans to continue with the weekly services starting at 4pm.

 According to Evangelist Wachira, the ministry will also be holding regular revival meetings where new preachers are welcome to take part.

Scored of believers are expected to turn up in large numbers at the marriage conference event that will  tale place this coming Sunday at the  Howard Johnson Hotel starting 3pm.

 “We are welcoming anyone who is in a relationship or is looking to get into a relationship soon to hear words of wisdom from the various speakers who will be present”, said Evangelist Wachira during a phone interview with Ajabu Africa.

 The hotel is located on 356 Boston Rd, Springfield, MA, 01119.
Evangelist Anne Wachira can be reached on : 978-996-7220

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