DALLAS, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- With the recent initiative set into motion by worldwide organizations and socioeconomic groups, Bishop T.D. Jakes, globally recognized as the leader of The Potter's House, an international church of 30,000 members located in Dallas, Texas, is launching an extensive outreach in Kenya September 26 - October 2, culminating in Uhuru Park in Nairobi. "African-Americans may have left in slave ships," Bishop Jakes said, "but we're returning in 747s."

These 747s will touch down in Kenya with a skilled team of 120 medical professionals and hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical supplies; a 140-member church choir to record an original album; an ambitious well-digging project; food, medicine, and hopes to stir new business opportunities for Kenyans. On Oct. 1 and 2, when Bishop Jakes leads worship services from 2 to 5 p.m. in Nairobi's Uhuru Park, local pastors predict a crowd of at least 350,000 worshippers from across Kenya and neighboring countries.

"Faith For Africa: Kenya Mission," comprised of as many as 300 African Americans, may represent the largest-ever single group of slave descendents to visit Africa as U.S. missionaries.

Bishop Jakes received word about the dearth of available drinking water two years ago when The Potter's House sent large shipments of food to Kenya.

"African Americans have reached the point that they can go back and help brothers and sisters," said Bishop Jakes. "Water is the source of life, and for thousands of families living in Kenya, and in much of rural Africa, that life source is held hostage by plague and pestilence as they are forced to bathe in and drink what amounts to liquid disease. Our focus is to ensure that in order to quench their thirst and feed their children, parents are no longer pressed into these unimaginable circumstances."

This marks the third time Bishop Jakes has traveled to Kenya. In January 2005, he worked closely with the Kenyan Parliament and inaugurated three boreholes sunk in three different parts of the Rift Valley Province of Kenya -- the West Pokot and Sigor constituencies and the Baringo North constituency in the Baringo District. Additionally, The Potter's House distributed approximately eight tons of maize, beans and oil for food relief.

The decision to drill water in these areas was finalized after a team from The Potter's House and Life Celebration Centre Deliverance Church Nakuru, led by Bishop Mark Kariuki of Kenya, visited the region in late 2004. At that time, Bishop Jakes was briefed about the widespread panic the people of Kenya are experiencing on a daily basis as they struggle to maintain life overwhelmed by extreme poverty and watch helplessly while loved ones suffer the ravages of HIV/AIDS. In addition to Deliverance Church, the "Faith For Africa: Kenya Mission" will work in partnership with several local churches, including Nairobi's Jubilee Christian Church led by Pastors Allan and Kathy Kiuna.

In the United States, Bishop Jakes was recently asked by President George W. Bush to join him in counseling and comforting survivors of Hurricane Katrina living in Louisiana shelters. President Bush also asked Bishop Jakes to deliver the sermon at the Washington National Cathedral during the September 16 commemoration of the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for Gulf Coast residents affected by the hurricane. In Dallas, Bishop Jakes pioneered "Project Exodus" and with the Mayors of Dallas and New Orleans and other local religious and secular leaders, provided evacuees living in the city with housing and household furnishings.