news from kenya
BUNGOMA
The current turmoil in the Middle East should certainly motivate us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6). I am very happy for the work of encouraging us to spread the good news of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Your letter arrived when we had gone to spread the gospel in Eastern Uganda. We need more books and we would be grateful if you would provide us with copies of Sunday School teaching and other material.
What will happen at the end of the days? The prophet Daniel was a man “on deck?” who had a wonderful far-reaching vision. He thought, prayed and spoke on a global scale through the grace of God and inspired by the Holy Spirit. Daniel had a vision and saw the coming Kingdom of God. He saw the diverse “dark” ages in the bright light of the prophetic word of God when Daniel stood before the Babylonian world ruler, Nebuchadnezzar, to tell him about his dream and how to interpret it. We read in Daniel 2:27 onward, “Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said ….” What will take place at the end of the days is not determined by the “great men” of this world – they cannot foresee it. Even Nostradamus, whose prophecies are increasingly discussed in the media, could not do this. What will take place at the end of the days is determined by God in heaven alone. His plan will be fulfilled. The political events on earth are being guided in such a way so that ultimately his Word will be fulfilled. Everything in the history and politics of the world is moving towards the one great goal: the coming Kingdom of Jesus Christ on earth which will fill the whole world. (Daniel 2:35 and 44-45).
Bro. Chisantus Wasi
I cannot adequately express my deep sense of gratitude for your brotherly reply. Furthermore, thank you in abundance for having sent me a Bible Basics, a Gospel News and a copy of Present Day Events. I would further like to request a book entitled “The Death on the Cross” plus other literature materials available.
Bro. Nimrod Masila
CHWELE
There can be hardly a single one of us who can deny having passed through a situation causing anger. However, high emotion in itself is not a sin: it is one of the feelings created by God.
Anger is brought about by many things: what other people do to us: what our eyes might see and those things our ears might hear. Imagine you are walking along the road in the street and all of a sudden somebody pushes and knocks you down; you get up hurt somewhere in your body, the person has already disappeared without any show of apology. How do you feel about the matter? If this occurs, we should relax, and control our thoughts so that we abstain from any wrong action. We are called fools if we are easily bad-tempered. For the Bible warns: “Don’t be quick-tempered, that is being a fool” (Ecclesiastes 7:9).
During Christ’s ministry, he could lead his disciples in wise teachings, telling them to forgive other people’s crimes and forget. Hear what he says: “If someone slaps uou on one cheek, let him slap the other besides! If someone demands your coat, give him your shirt besides” (Luke 6:29).
A good way we can control our temper, forgiving and forgetting, is an example we show to other friends around us to emulate. What great joy and peace for us all to put these wonderful teachings into practice, for the times we are living in are not very different from the times of our forefather Noah. The Lord is soon returning on earth as King of Kings. Be ready!
Bro Manasseh Wamamili
We have received the book How to Grow a Balanced Diet and the books about Speaking About Jesus. How happy we were when we got them! they are really helping us to know more things. We have divided our quarter acre piece of land into portions to grow different types of crops to ensure our family get supplied with a balanced diet. Also we are preparing manure to to improve soil fertility. How good the books are; if it is possible, please send us some English Bibles.
The Makhonge Ecclesia started in 1978 when I was in Sunday School. There came a time when the UK Brothers and Sisters wanted to build a hall for Makhonge Brothers and Sisters and through the Western Area representatives it was agreed to purchase a plot first. One brother suggested to give a plot in order to build a hall, that was in 1993. A shade was erected for us and after a short period of time the area representatives wanted to have a plot registered in order to build a permanent building. Surprisingly they came to learn that the owner of the land had sold it to another person, and therefore it had a big question mark. The owner has now subdivided the land among his sons, our plot being allocated to one of his sons who has issued us with an eviction notice. We have held meetings with the Western Area representatives but all has been in vain.. We have had challenges at this plot, even our meetings have been held in our homes due to this problem.
Comment; This is a serious problem we understand the Kenya Committee is endeavoring to resolve and needs all our ardent prayers. The important thing to remember is that ultimately the Lord is in control and nothing can happen to us outside of His control, so long term all will work out to the benefit of the Truth. MH
Photo: MAKHONGE ECCLESIAL HALL on the plot they are being evicted from.
ISHIARA
I want to inform you of the loss of Bro. David Aphazard who left home on 13th February 2006. He went and we had hope of his coming back but from that day he has never come back. We are asking all brethren worldwide to remember us with prayer and even more for our brother as no one knows where he is. May we march together to our Lord Jesus’ Kingdom.
Sis. Doris Aphaxard
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ whom we are awaiting. My name is Caroline K. Aphaxard. I attend Ishiara Ecclesia which is an isolated ecclesia. It serves as a family because only my Dad, Mum, my sister Joy and I are baptised. Sunday School children are my six younger brothers but some Sundays other children from nearby attend. We are never discouraged because of that, for we always remember the words of our Lord Jesus when he said, “Where two or three come together, I will be there”. I was baptised last year, together with my sister Joy, by Brother Lazarus King’oo. Sister Tanya and Marlene from UK interviewed us and the same day we were baptised 1st. April. I am very encouraged by reading Gospel News and have realized that many are in the same situation as us. So what can we do? Brethren and Sisters who are in the same faith can pray to God that He will send His Son, soon and take away all our difficulties. What I can do is to encourage brothers and sisters worldwide by a poem which I would like to appear in Gospel News for all Christadelphians in isolation or who have different troubles.
The Lonely Cry
When sorrows deep our trembling hearts ensnare,
When friends have fled, abandoning us to care,
All human conflict gone and we’re alone,
Oh Heavenly Father hear our spirit’s groan.
What heart can feel our soul’s lone misery?
No arms outstretched to comfort tenderly,
Pour out Thy grace when cries the anguished soul,
May Gilead’s balm heal us and make us whole.
Storm rages stronger, dark the night ahead.
Alone Thy presence soothes our troubled head,
Grant to thy lambs the solace Thou canst give
Cleanse painful hearts and O, dear Lord, forgive.
Thy Son thou gavest in Thy wondrous love,
Now may we rest, assured that from above
Compassion still in endless stream will flow,
When sad in heart may we Thy mercy know.
Friends may forsake us, eyes grow dim with tears,
Why do we fear? Thou casteth out all fears.
Man’s love may waver, but changeless, Lord, thou art,
O Saviour hear, and heal the broken heart.
Let us all take it as a prayer to our Almighty Lord God and all hope to see His Son, Jesus coming with clouds (Acts 1:11).
Finally may I give thanks to the Christadelphian Advancement Trust for sending me four Bible Basics and nine Introducing Bible Basics. I am also thanking you for remembering me with my ecclesia and more thanks to another Sister who chose for me a full Bible, Old and New Testaments in the King James version. This book will help me, together with my isolated ecclesia. I also want to thank Bro. Lazarus King’oo and Sis. Eveyline who never forget about us even though we are far from their Yatta ecclelsia. They always try their best to visit us at our home and share encouraging words, mostly remembering the blood and body of our Lord Jesus Christ. They have really encouraged us and even increased our spiritual growth. May God bless them and remember them in His everlasting Kingdom, which will be established soon. My last words to you this time, I have an eye problem and I request one pair of reading glasses grade + 1.5. I have enclosed my snap and I would like it to appear in Gospel News. May Almighty God bless you.
Sis. Carol K. Aphaxard
Photo: Sis. Carol Aphaxard with her sister Joy on the left at the Nairobi National Youth Camp
KABABU
As a brother who had been having a problem with reading clearly (without reading glasses), I have benefited a lot from the experiment made by our brother. I have received + 2.5 reading glasses from Bro. Alan Sutton, who presented them to me on his visit to Kenya. Now may I take this opportunity to thank all those who made their efforts to think about us and helped me with the glasses I received.
Bro. Samwel Masawa
N. KINAGOP
It is good that through Gospel News I find myself communicating to all of our brethren in the Lord and those who are seriously waiting upon the Lord and reflecting on the word of God. Rev. 17:1 says, “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, John, come, I will show you the judgement of the great harlot who is seated upon many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and with the wine of whose fornication the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” Personal reflection – the harlot here is explained in verse 3 as a woman (unfaithful woman obviously). Woman symbolises a church bearing in mind that Jesus compares the church to a bride – Rev. 21:1-12 and 2 Cor. 11:2. From this symbolism one finds it clear to reflect on the first big and splendid institution called the “Church of Christ” (Catholic). Indeed it has done a lot of harm to the gospel of Christ. It bears only the name of Jesus Christ but in reality is not. For this reason, the church bears blasphemous names as per Rev. 17, having seven heads and ten horns. As per the first part of “bearing blasphemous names”, this refers to all names that you will find there, e.g. holy sacrament, holy men and women, sacred rooms, clothes and vessels, sacred books. In truth this has made many people drunk with its false doctrines. Its teachings have made all denominations drunk too e.g. on the very doctrine of trinity and authority of leadership. They contradict the whole truth by heresy, which is one fruit of those not led by the Spirit (Gal. 5:20).
The words of Jesus in Luke 21:34-36 give hope to those in the Lord that he is coming back to take his faithful ones. The verse says, “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares, for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”
Rev.17, the great harlot who is seated upon many waters is explained in verse 15 as a symbol of peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. Rev. 18:4 says, “Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues, for her sins are heaped high as heaven and God has remembered her iniquities…” This advises all those willing to be saved to separate and pray ceaselessly as in 1 Pet. 2:9-10, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” So brethren let us be in ceaseless prayers, reading our Bibles daily, reflecting and meditating for the proper understanding in order to be in fellowship with our God. Jesus is at the corner, ready to appear in the world for the second time, now as a King and a real King of the world.
Bro. Peter Njuguna
MIWANI
On behalf of Miwani Ecclesia I send greetings.Our P.O.Box 97 had been closed but praise the Lord it is now opened; we use the same box number and received all past letters from March to date. Let me express our thanks for the willingness of CAT, and through you our brothers and sisters in England, in helping us understand the gospel and the Bible Basics and for the commitment which you have shown in diligently helping our Ecclesia to grow. The Miwani Ecclesia is growing spiritually very well.
The Brother Stanley Blackstone, Questions and Answers on the Daily Readings is an inspiration to many of us and we would like to receive them regularly. May we thank’s for the books Growing a Balanced Diet which is really very important in this part of the country. They are going to be quite useful in our day-to-day farming operation especially under dry land farming techniques. In one of our letters we responded about the cassava variety that is resistant to disease and tolerant to drought, though we had not carried out research from approved centres. However, we have been currently blessed to receive a list of these varieties which can do well in my area. The following is a list of them:- SS 4, MM 96/5280, Mijera, Unknow 1, Sele Sele, Unknow 2. If we could be assisted to buy some and do bulking and later pass to Brothers and Sisters for food and nutritional security it wouls be good. As Christians we recognize the inherent value of God’s creation. We believe that as we confront hunger and poverty in response to Jesus Christ’s commission, God our Father opens the door to abundant life bringing the possibility of wholeness to all. We believe that the Christadelphians in partnership with others can help alleviate hunger and poverty in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is what can help in the communities where we live, work and witness. We believe that God through Jesus Christ our Lord can call us to that task through a sustainable agricultural and rural development initiative starting with assistance to buy cassava sets and other drought tolerant crops.
We are happy that God has guided us all through this year. Thanks be to the Almighty God our Father in heaven. We are happy to inform all Brothers and Sisters worldwide that we have eight students plus two old illiterate people and thirteen Sunday
School children aged 2 – 18 years. There is need for spiritual and socio-economic development and assistance, as human beings we live with problems that we know will one day be overcome by our Lord when he comes back to earth. Diseases are really troubling in this country especially malaria and not forgetting HIV/AIDS.
Bro. Peter and Sis. Jane Omuny
Photo: Vero daughter of Sis. Lydiah Fuchaka, and her friend
KITALE
I am thankful to God for His kindness and goodness to us in keeping us well and uniting us in our remembrance of our absent Master. I am very happy to have had your letter and Gospel News giving more encouragement regarding the soon coming of Christ to establish the Kingdom of God, for which we are eagerly waiting.
Sis. Lydiah Fuchaka
Photo: Sis Lydiah Fuchaka with a parcel of books recently received
MSAMBWENI
Kenya reports peace and stability despite a few tribal clashes in different areas of Kenya. Peace of mind and heart is prevailing among Brothers and Sisters as we wait for our Master who is soon coming. News breaks are reporting on the Middle East shedding of blood. Israel is in danger now and every Brother and Sister is much aware that is one of the signs of the Lord Jesus’ coming. We are all having that hope as we strive hard to receive our crown of salvation. Paul in Philippians 3:12-14 gives us strength to strive hoping for a crown at the end of our journey in missionary work. I hereby urge all Brothers and Sisters worldwide to wake up and fight the good fight waiting for our Saviour. The Bible calls for repentance and living according to God’s will. Whoever calls upon the Name of the Lord should keep away from evil. God urges us to be holy as He himself is holy.
The work of the gospel is very much done with the effort of very dedicated brothers and sisters who are willing to spread the gospel of the hope of the Kingdom. I am happy to report on several who last year received Jesus in baptism from five ecclesias in Coast Province. Newly baptised Brothers and Sisters include – Stephen Mutunga, Mary Mutosya, Florance Mutuku, Esther Kennedy and Mary Kiamba. In June I, Bro. Gideon, Bro. Zakako from Mombasa.
Bro. Dennis from Kokotoni conducted a Bible campaign of two days at the border of Kenya and Tanzania which was very successful. There is a group of persons willing to receive the truth of the gospel. Lastly keep on sending Gospel News and other feeding material. We fully support the work of the gospel.
Bro. Gideon Mukekh
SINDO
I was happy to receive “Legalism vs. Faith” by Bro David Levin. I was also happy to receive the Gospel News. We actually must give thanks for the blessings of the gospel message about the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. Acts 8:12. The key to understanding the gospel message comes through the knowledge of understanding the Kingdom of God and his Son, Jesus Christ. We must accept the message and get that hope of resurrection or perish in the dust with no hope. 1 Tim. 1:15, Jer. 15:16. God sent Jesus to save us from sins. I am deeply feeling great love for our Lord Jesus’ death on the cross to provide us with immortality.
Demon Study Day
We had a Bible School organised by Bro. James Nyangate of Kiagware ecclesia and Bro. Samuel M. Masawa of Kababu ecclesia. The main Bible discussion was based on “Demons”. The following ecclesias were present:- Kiagware, Kababu, Oruba. Okumbo and Nyandenga. John Owado comes from Nyandenga ecclesia. It was well organised and about 40 brothers and sisters attended. We were given the opportunity to hear the voice of God from the Holy Scripture with Bible teaching with references from both Old and New Testament. Here are a few things we learnt from the Bible.
God is the source of all power and he is responsible for both the good things and the bad things in our lives – Isa. 45:7, Mic. 1:12, Amos 3:6, Job 1:21, Job 2:10, Heb. 12:5-8, Isa. 44:8, Deut. 4:35.
Demons are idols – Scripture references – 1 Cor.10:20,28, 1 Cor. 8:4-6, Acts 17:16-18.
Old Testament demons were idols – Deut. 28:22-28, 59-61, Deut. 32:17. Ps 106:36-39.
New Testament demons – Matt. 8:16,17 – people thought that Jesus was mad and said this must be because he had a demon. “He hath a demon and is mad”. John 10:20, John 7:19,20, John 8:52.
Healing the sick - possessed with demons - are said to return to their right mind – Mark 5:15, Luke 8:35. This implies that being possessed ‘with demons’ was another way of saying someone was mentally unwell, i.e. not in their right mind. Matt. 4:24, Matt. 12:22, Matt. 17:18.
In short, God blessed us in the Bible School.
Bro. John Owalo Onani
SUNA MIGORI
I would like to thank you for your interesting letter and the book, Woman’s Place”, which is very encouraging to those involved in the work. I am very much thankful for the teaching I received from that book, it had a lot of extra Biblical knowledge. All Christians should live to know that the Bible is the real word of God inspired through prophets to let us differentiate the good and bad things in this financial jungle. 2 Tim. 3:15-17. All things shall fade away but the Word shall remain.
Bro. Samuel O. Masara
TONGAREN
May I praise the Lord and our Almighty God for the work He is doing to see that Tongaren has a stand to proclaim his Word in Bukusu language. Tongaren ecclesia members were more than joyful when they heard that the project of a plot was confirmed in the UK; for this we must praise God. Also may I thank Sis. Mary Clement, also the Kenya linkmen, Trevor and Allan who have struggled to see that Tongaren is in existence with all its projects. May God bless them all.
The projects that will exist in Tongaren ecclesia hall are as follows:
Christadelphian memorial services to operate every Sunday from 10.30 a.m. to 12.30.a.m.
Bukusu translation – This project will be operated during weekdays to see that every English version of Christadelphian books is translated into Bukusu language for the benefit of unlearned people. Tongaren members have vowed to do this job freely.
Tailoring School – Our brothers have accepted to have a Tongaren Tailoring School to be operated in the ecclesia plot so that people can be trained as garment makers to earn their living. The project will make the ecclesia more active. To this we shall see that orphans and handicapped trainees are to benefit free of charge.
Correspondence Courses – This project will be done for non-Christadelphians so that they may know the truth of the Bible through Post Office boxes. We shall give out courses in Swahili and Bukusu languages. At this time we are translating the last lessons of Bible correspondence course into Bukusu language.
Sunday School – This is the project we shall never forget. We shall have a room for Sunday School and Sunday activities.
We hope that in the near future we shall buy a plot and run these projects.Two days ago I received a parcel of Bukusu leaflets and Glad Tidings magazines for distribution from Christadelphian Advancement Trust; thank you for these versions...
Bro. Sikolia Kapa
Photo: Bro Isaac Kapa
