Summer 2026 Newsletter
By expandthenets / September 20, 2026
Greetings friends, from the state of Tennessee. Here is our fourth newsletter that brings exciting things from home and abroad.
Website Created With Redesigned Logo
Expandthenets.com website is our latest edition to the mission organization. Our website designer friend added some new touches to the logo, so it is our personal creation.
You can now go online and see photos and read about some of the work going on in Africa through our mission organization. The website is also a more convenient way to make a donation (one-time or monthly) to the cause: “To support pastors, church leaders, and students in Africa”. The designer also gave us a QR Code that you can scan or take a picture of and it connects you to our donation site:
Zeffy has created the first 100% free fundraising platform for nonprofit organizations. When you start the giving process, a window will come up asking for you to donate an additional amount. Click on it and decide if you want to add any amount for Zeffy or just click on “other” and leave it blank. This platform saves us a lot of money every month!
Pastor Allan Giving Back To Other Church Leaders
While visiting a couple of churches in Bomet, Kenya, the ministers found out that Pastor Allan had earned a college degree in pastoral leadership. They ask him if he would teach them about things he learned. It started out as 20 church leaders, then 30, and now there are 38 church leaders receiving this training!! Pastor Allan has started the leadership training courses from Alef University. It is a 4-hour drive (150 miles) from Nairobi to Bomet. He prints out their homework and reading material and hand delivers it to the students once a month. While in Bomet, he spends a day giving a teaching on the material. He then takes their homework back to grade and return on the next trip. This is a 15-month process and at the end, a graduation ceremony will be given by Alef University, and each student will receive an advance leadership training certificate. Alef University asked each church leader to come up with $30 for the use of the curriculum. This became a several month-long struggle to come up with the money. Once Pastor Allan shared with me the financial need of these rural pastors, Tonya and I decided that Expand The Nets would come up with $20 for each church leader if they would come up with the other $10.
Pastor Allan (tall guy in white shirt) with most of the church leaders in Bomet, Kenya showing their first booklet of leadership training material.
A setback occurred while Pastor Allan was in Bomet. His car stopped working, and he had to pay for an engine. Fortunately, he had some money on him from his crop of harvested potatoes ($350). He gave this to the mechanic to get started, but he needed $650 more dollars before they would release the car back to him. Expand The Nets came up with the money and two weeks later, Pastor Allan was able to return to Nairobi to his wife, children and (8) churches he oversees. I called him and shared the good news. I also told him we were sending a little extra money for gas and for him to buy his wife some chocolates. I wanted to make sure he could get back into the house. He said his wife was somewhat surprised and very happy!! I told him, “Happy wife, happy life!” He thanked me for the acts of kindness and words of wisdom.
Blessing one of the professors of Alef University
Tonya and I had the opportunity to get better acquainted with one of Alef University’s professors, Everlyne Ogaloh (Eve). She graduated from Alef University with an Undergraduate and Master’s degree. She has joined the professorial staff and is now teaching her fellow African brothers and sisters. Eve is a research assistant in environmental science. She is hired as an independent contractor and makes around $100 a week when there is work. She obviously lives very frugally and uses the busing system to get around. Tonya and I asked her if there was something she needed that we could help her get. She mentioned that her cell phone was 8-10 years old and not very reliable. Most Kenyans use their cell phone to buy internet minutes so they can get online for work, school and in her case – to teach Alef students. Most of the time, she buys the minutes (herself) to do the three-hour teachings for her class. No one is paid at Alef University; everyone donates their time. Expand The Nets helped her get an upgraded cell phone and she humbly admitted that it took her a few days to get over the shock that someone really cared!! These Kenyan Christians do not live easy lives!
Eve is the second person from the left. Photo taken at an Alef University Leadership Meeting in Nairobi, Kenya.
Tonya and I want to personally thank each and every one of you that have given to Expand The Nets. Without you, these acts of giving and kindness would not have happened!!
Would You Please Consider:
Please consider having Tonya and I visit your home group, church or Sunday school class and share about our African mission. You could invite some of your friends over for a cookout and we could share about Expand The Nets during our time together. We are willing to drive to most locations unless flying makes more sense. I have a 45-minute power point presentation on my laptop. All I need is a flat screen TV (that I can provide) and an audience (large or small).
Sincerely,
Mike & Tonya Bourassa