Mercy in Madare: Building Faith, Water, and Hope

Huruma, the mercy that names the church, sets the tone for everything God birthed in a tent of prayer. Exodus 33 gives the picture, Moses going into the tent, speaking with God, and the glory coming down, so the work takes its shape around that meeting place. The presence of God, not the environment, carries the identity of the people. The contrast between slum limits and God’s nearness refuses the lie that hardship means zero presence of God. Ebenezer becomes the testimony, the same God who moved the people from five to five hundred can still do a miracle.

Prayer builds a people who survive storms. COVID came into crowded alleys where social distance is a theory, yet the cry, if it is to die, let it be here, if it is to live, let life be here, invited mercy, and no member was buried. The Spirit stands as the powerhouse of the church, the promise of Christ not to leave orphans, so hunger for Pentecost fire becomes the way forward for revival. Mentorship follows Jethro’s counsel to Moses, because one leader will wear out, so leadership multiplication grows elders for the vineyard.

Evangelism obeys the Great Commission. The gospel walks the corridors of the slum, door to door, hands to the poor, rice and beans carried as preaching. Sharing in poverty becomes worship, community Sundays where food offerings turn into meals for the hungry. Living water shows up in a literal well, 250 feet deep, the line long, the office a chair by the corner where a Bible is opened and Jesus is named as the water that never runs dry. Compassion answers disaster when floods sweep homes at night, the sanctuary becomes shelter, the pot becomes a witness, and new life in a newborn is saved alongside the mother.

Connectionalism widens the family so help crosses oceans. The vision rises upward because land is tight, a sanctuary built in phases to gather a people who now split into three services. New Hope Education Center carries the heart of mercy into classrooms, where a cup of porridge at 10 AM becomes open door grace, technology and textbooks meet small hands, and leftovers turn into dinner for siblings. The ache of dropout at grade seven presses the plea for space, labs, and staff, so the church that can give even in poverty keeps aiming for adopted children, steady meals, and teachers who can stay.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Mercy names the tent of prayer [00:39] Mercy is not a slogan, it is a place where God meets a people and changes their story. The tent of meeting in Exodus becomes a pattern for ministry that expects glory to come down. When prayer is the address, scarcity no longer gets the last word. The name shapes the work, and the work keeps saying God listens. [00:39]
• 2. Presence defines identity, not place [08:58] The slum can limit space, but it cannot limit God. When the claim shifts from environment to presence, hope survives storms and grows into testimony. Identity then rests on who comes near, not on what is missing. This re-centering frees a church to act like family in the very streets that dare them to quit. [08:58]
• 3. Power flows through Spirit-led risk [10:32] Pentecost power is not theory when bodies are at stake; it becomes prayer that sneaks in, tears that water the floor, and courage to stay with neighbors. Risk taken in obedience births stories no one can manufacture, like a pandemic with no funerals in the fellowship. The Spirit proves to be the difference between fear and faithfulness. Where the Helper is honored, fruit shows up. [10:32]
• 4. Sharing in poverty makes room [15:27] Generosity that costs something becomes a doorway for the kingdom. Food carried to worship turns into bread broken for the hungry, and leftovers turn into dignity at home. When the poor give, the calculus of heaven shows up, and multiplication has a face. This kind of mercy disciples both the giver and the receiver. [15:27]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:10] - Name and meaning of Huruma
• [00:39] - Exodus 33 and the tent of prayer
• [01:02] - Founding story and family introduction
• [02:12] - Life and limits in Mathare slum
• [03:40] - From leaking roof to current structure
• [04:49] - Vision to build upward by faith
• [06:24] - Ebenezer from five to five hundred
• [08:58] - Presence over environment
• [10:12] - COVID crisis and trusting God
• [12:19] - Mentorship after Jethro’s counsel
• [12:59] - Evangelism and sharing in poverty
• [14:38] - Holy Spirit as the church’s powerhouse
• [15:27] - Community Sunday and food offerings
• [16:50] - Living water and the new well
• [19:20] - Flood disaster and compassionate shelter
• [21:46] - Connectional family across oceans
• [23:06] - Building in phases for one sanctuary
• [26:11] - New Hope Education Center begins
• [32:29] - Porridge at 10 AM and open doors
• [37:57] - Facilities, fees, and dropout pain
• [39:17] - Prayer for labs, staff, and partners

1. In Exodus 33:7-10, what specific actions did Moses and the people take when the tent of meeting was set up? How did God visibly respond?
2. The sermon emphasized that "mercy names the tent of prayer" and that "scarcity no longer gets the last word" when prayer is central. What practical examples were given of God’s provision in the slum despite limited resources? [04:32]
3. How did the church demonstrate generosity in poverty, according to the sermon? What specific acts of sharing were mentioned? [13:54]
4. What role did the Holy Spirit play in the church’s survival during crises like COVID-19? [10:32]

1. Why do you think the sermon connects the tent of meeting in Exodus 33 to the idea that "presence defines identity, not place"? How does this contrast with societal assumptions about hardship and God’s nearness?
2. The church’s food offerings and leftovers became a way to "disciple both the giver and the receiver." How might sharing in poverty reflect the "calculus of heaven" mentioned in the sermon? [15:27]
3. The sermon states, "Pentecost power is not theory when bodies are at stake." What does this imply about the relationship between faith, risk, and tangible needs in a community? [10:32]
4. Why might mentorship and leadership multiplication (as modeled by Jethro’s counsel to Moses) be critical for sustaining a church in challenging environments? [12:19]

1. The tent of meeting was a physical space where people sought God’s presence. What intentional practices or "spaces" (physical or spiritual) could you create to prioritize encountering God’s presence in your daily life?
2. The church shared food and resources even when they had little. What is one tangible way you could practice generosity this week, even if it feels costly or inconvenient?
3. The sermon highlighted trusting God in impossible situations, like the COVID-19 crisis. What fear or challenge are you facing where you need to pray, "If it is to die, let it be here; if it is to live, let life be here"? How can you take a step of faith in that area? [10:12]
4. Mentorship helped multiply leaders in the church. Who is one person you could intentionally invest in spiritually, whether through teaching, encouragement, or shared prayer?
5. The church’s well became a place to share both physical water and the "living water" of Christ. How can you use everyday resources (time, skills, possessions) to point others to Jesus in practical ways? [18:27]
6. The sermon described children carrying leftovers home to feed their families. How can you cultivate awareness of others’ hidden struggles and respond with compassion in your community?
7. The church prioritized education despite poverty. What is one area of systemic need in your community where you could advocate for or support long-term solutions?