news from kenya
BUNGOMA
I tried to find the interpretation of the book of Revelation chapter 12 and others, and found that I must have the book ‘Eureka’ by John Thomas and ‘13 Lectures on the Apocalypse’ by Robert Roberts. I would appreciate it if you could send me the latter (13 Lectures on the Apocalypse).
Here we are going on well and I pray to God that in your country there will be peace for the gospel to be spread all over the world.
Bro. Alfred Wanyonyi
I want to send my sincere thanks to you for the letters, the Gospel News and other supplementary materials you have been sending me regularly. It is a tedious task which requires devotion and self-sacrifice. This is so because it’s a world-wide exercise, and I realize how expensive it is.
Similarly, may I also register my appreciation to you for suggesting the idea of a “New preaching and consolidation scheme.” This is an essential project that will help rejuice the shortages of Bibles and eradication of spiritual illiteracy, thus promoting the gospel dissemination.
Bro. Wycliffe W. Wasike
BULIMBO
Our Bulimbo Ecclesia has thirty-two families and we have many friends coming to our meetings, and I have also converted the whole of an Apostolic group. We plan to hold a mini Bible School in our Bulimbo Ecclesia based on Bible Basics and the Youth Activities.
We shall be very grateful if our project is approved by you for preaching the Truth, as the brothers are happy with it. The book ‘Bible Basics’ you have sent us will enable us to preach effectively to those in the Apostolic church, whom we meet with every Wednesday at present. Please continue to pray for us.
Bro. Sadique Joumer
BARATON
We may have a love of the gospel theoretically; we may attend and enjoy the meetings, and in a manner be as strongly in love with the Christadelphian position as the Jews were with their Temple, and yet be lacking in the spiritual element that makes these things acceptable to God as part and parcel of a faithful service. They are good in their place – divine in their place, but if unaccompanied by the sentiment toward God which sincerely offers all to Him, and that disposition toward man which prompts to deeds of blessing and mercy, it may be all in vain. For on the two commandments of love hang all the law and the prophets, and therefore, all the gospel and all the meetings and the whole machinery of the divine service of our day. Therefore, what can we say more to the point than what Paul says? ‘Let us, therefore fear.’ Jesus says, ‘Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be trodden underfoot.’
Bro. Martin Barasa
Photo: Left to right: Bro. Aggrey Wanyama of Luuya Ecclesia and (right) Bro. Martin Barasa of Baraton Ecclesia.
CHERENGANY
The Ecclesia at Cherengany
CHWELE
We are very fine here. Thank you very much for the copies of the New Testament Bible sent to us some weeks ago. We are very pleased to use these New Testaments in our group discussion, be it in the Ecclesia or in our working places. This is so excellent! Many are showing a keen interest in learning more about Jesus and God’s Kingdom.
The photo is enclosed is of friends we discuss with – it was taken during house construction using interlocking bricks (a modern brick-making technique in the area).
Bro. Manasseh & Sis. Doricus Wamamili
Photo: Bro. Manasseh Wamamili and friends. Left to Right: Zebedee, Martin, Bro. Manasseh, Edwin and Evans.
ELDORET
All at once the world came crashing down on a single, innocent man, a man named Job: raiders stole his belongings and slaughtered his servants. Then fire from the sky burned up his sheep, a mighty wind destroyed his house and killed his sons and daughters. Finally Job was laid low with a horrible, painful disease. “What did I do to deserve such suffering?” he wailed. He went in emotional cycles, whined and wallowed in self-pity. Yet, in spite of all these calamities, Job was “a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God , and escheweth evil,...Though God slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before Him, He also shall be my salvation...So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than the beginning.---
“Brethren I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”(Phil.3:13-14). Forget that which lies behind, press on to the better things that lie before.
“Press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Forget the sins which lie behind: if you fail anywhere, if you fall, don’t be discouraged, don’t give up, don’t brood over the sin – confess it instantly. Believe God’s word, 1John 1:9: ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ There is always something better ahead, ‘until we come to a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ’ (Eph.4:13).
Bro. Jacob Okoth
ISHIARA
I am happy now to have a baptised Brother in Ishiara after a long period in isolation; and hope to have some more people knowing the Truth here. It would be a great joy to have an Ecclesia so that we could teach people about the Gospel. I have distributed some Bible Basic books we had – some you had sent to my sister, and I pray that others may learn about the gospel here.
I am requesting, please, more copies of Bible Basics, the books ‘Teach Me Thy Way,’ and ‘Who are the Christadelphians?’ I will really appreciate them.
Sis. Joy Aphaxard
KAKAMEGA
I am writing to acknowledge receipt of a parcel of books for Kambi Muranza Ecclesia which you sent me - thank you very much. As the leader of the Ecclesia, I feel in need of a Bible with marginal references; if you could get me one I would appreciate it.
Bro. Gibson Amesa Ajere
KATITO
The effects of the drought here are felt all over the country. Many people are really starving. Some schools are forced to close down due to lack of water and food. Our politicians are bickering on constitutional implementations and 2012 Campaigns while the citizens are completely suffering. The cost of living has risen from 4.5% to 8% in the last month, and now the uprisings in Northern Africa have increased the prices of fuel. Life is very, very difficult; you can go hungry and at the same time fail to sleep because of the heat at night.
The only remedy that can secure food production is when Kenyans turn to irrigation farming instead of rain-fed. Greenhouses are good near riverbanks, but are very expensive to construct. We also need the type of water harvesting like those in the Netherlands – thanks to LEISA magazine. There are many sources of enterprises but lack of loans from the banks makes it sometimes difficult. If you look at it, we have shown some potential but lack very little assistance.
Bro. Lawrence K’Owiti
photo Bro Lawrence K’Owiti
KITALE
I have received the ‘Good News’ from Mr. Emmanuel Milimo-Tarbo who is far from me. I’m at Kimimiri Centre. The message he gave me is that our Lord Jesus Christ is coming to earth, which was of great concern to me, and I need help through your literature to get ready for this. I am Gertrude Simiyu, and I’m going to make sure that all my family, with my best friend, are with me in this faith...
I received my parcel and I’m very excited, with my family, to have from you the Bible Basics book which will help my family and friends. Also the revision of the studies; many brothers and sisters wanted to take them from me, but I have told them to make photo copies. I would like you to send me a ‘Bible Companion’.
I go to Zurambi Ecclesia although it is 4 km away from me. I understand English well. My fellow neighbours have joined me – they are three in number and they were introduced last Sunday to the meeting.
Dear brother, please help me: I was lost for so many years. I’m 42 years old and have a family of five. My close friend, who I am converting, is Emily Osite.
Sis Gertrude N. Simiyu
Photo: Sis Gertrude Simiyu
The book ‘The Real Christ’ is very interesting and we have discovered a lot of things which we had not known before. We have six members and are expecting two baptisms soon.
Bro. Nasongo Haron
NANGO
I am glad to inform you that I have received the two boxes of Bible Basics and the fifteen New Testaments you sent to our Ecclesia.
Already I have dispatched some copies to some dear friends who needed them to help them enhance their studies of the Scriptures. We are therefore looking forward to some more, since we are planning to have a Bible Studies talk with student members of a certain Secondary School on some Bible topics. The students call themselves C.U. Members (Christian Union Members).
In Kenya, at the time of writing this letter (February), the situation is very bad indeed. The country is faced with one of the worst drought periods and starvation, which has not been witnessed before, and there are no signs in sight that the rain may come soon. The drought situation called ‘Lanina,’ has made many people lose their animals which they depended on, as well as the loss of human life, and it still continues. The real situation on the ground is that many people have died in some counties of Kenya, while animals are also dying daily as a result of drought all over the country.
All these problems are being down-played by those who should feel very concerned. This causes me to refer to Isaiah 11:1-10 for comfort. I hope you will still continue to offer your prayers as well as spiritual gifts to us, as you have done in the past.
Bro. Raphael Joni Aimo
NDHIWA
How are you doing? In Kenya it is the toughest time ever. There is a dreadful famine which has made my feeding programme for the children very hard. But I pray my God to remember me.
I still need more and more books to read, although my eyes do not see well, but I hope God will enable me to see His word, to read it and use it after understanding it.
Sis. Emmy Millicent
Photo Sis Emmy with the children she tries to give a meal to and also tell them about the Bible
NAITIRI
It is with great pleasure that we in Nyange Ecclesia would like to express our gratitude and interest for what you are intending to do for us. Surely many members of the Ecclesia have been undergoing difficulties during Bible studies due to lack of personal copies of the Bible; We hope that your idea of supplying some will help the work of spreading the Gospel.
Brothers, we wish to assure you that your labour won’t go unrewarded – we hope upon the return of Jesus Christ we may all enjoy places in the Kingdom of God which will be established here on earth.
We hope that apart from Bibles, you will keep remembering us in any new thing you produce in order that we may develop our souls in preparation to receive our Lord Jesus. Finally, we hope that our Lord will bless you with financial support to ensure that you enrich people of the world with His word. We wish you all the best in your endeavours.
Bro. Adrian Wanjala
SINDO
I know you love me and I also love you. Proverbs 8:17: “I love those who love me and those who seek me diligently find me.” I shall have to bear my burden of making sure I do the best I can to provide my children with God’s message and to develop their minds to think about and observe His message in the Bible.
By 21st August 2011 I shall have been 35 years in the Truth: I was baptised into Christ on 21st August 1976 in Nairobi City, Kenya, by Bro. David Rowley of England.
I have to trust that with God all things are possible. The Bible is God’s message to mankind, and God’s love is shown by is plans revHHHis plans revealed in the Bible. I am pleased that you have done so much to provide me with spiritual guidance since 1999 to the present day. Every day I face the challenge that men and women in the Faith have faced. We are given the promise of eternal life only if we obey, continue to remain steadfast and immoveable to the end, when we shall be rewarded with salvation.
Unless we follow the example of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, we will be punished by death. Only by the Bible message of love through our Saviour can our problems be solved. If you love someone, you must show your love by action. The God of the Bible has shown He is a God of love to all the human race by raising our Saviour from the death of the cross to conquer death and gain victory over sin.
That is why I love the God of Israel, for His love endureth for ever. I seek Him every day by reading His word and by witnessing His message to everyone I meet. For 35 years I have loved God’s message and have sought Him every day diligently. But I have not finished the journey to the Promised Land. Every day I meet challenges and obstacles, but through patience and endurance I shall finish the journey, God willing.
Bro. John Owalo Onani
TARBO
I was very excited as I looked at the New Testament Bro. Chemiati received from you: I also applied for one but I have not yet received it.
I would like to inform you that now the brothers from the U.K. have helped us to open the Ecclesial postal address, whereby we have our keys now, even though the ones we had been using were of our nearest school.
I would like also to have a copy of ‘The Real Devil,’ ‘Bible Companions’ and the ‘Testimony’. Our young people are doing well and the Sisters’ Classes.
We greet all brothers and sisters who are doing the same work with you. May our Lord at his return not forget you – with eternal life and His kingdom we shall rejoice.
Bro. Emmanuel Milimo
