First Impressions

Our "safari" began when we landed in Nairobi, Kenya, late in the evening April 12, with the senior pastor for East Africa, John Elliott, and his wife, Merrie. The next morning Mr. Elliott held a meeting with Church leaders at the Church's downtown office. Issues concerning the Church in East Africa were discussed including the spiritual and physical needs of the members and a review of the annual budget. Deacon Antonio Ndung'u presented printed copies of the Transforming Your Life booklet in the Luo dialect.

The East Africa work currently includes Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda where around 350 brethren attend services each Sabbath across the region.

The laborers are indeed few, as there are only five deacons overseeing all 27 congregations and additional small groups. These men are stretched thin traveling to remote areas, sometimes walking for miles in visiting and serving members. They have many responsibilities including giving sermons, translating booklets and sermons, managing the construction of church halls, administering assistance requests and providing initial baptism counseling.

Into the West

On Thursday, we joined the Elliotts and Antonio Ndung'u and began a sometimes treacherous drive west from Nairobi through Naivasha and Nakuru to Elburgon. The rented 4x4 driven by John and Barry would be tested to its limits in the coming days. Driving on the left side of the road took some getting used to, along with everything being reversed to us inside the vehicle. We crossed the spacious, green Rift Valley to the south and were greeted by baboons and zebras along the roadside.

We held a Bible study with the Elburgon congregation at the home of Gilbert Kanyingi. The ladies prepared a delicious lunch of chicken, cabbage and chipati (unleavened flour tortilla). For the Bible study, Mr. Elliott spoke about how sin hurts others and Barry Korthuis reviewed the Mark 4 parable of the sower.

The next morning we drove to Ogembo for a Bible study, Q&A and baptism counseling. Deacon Moses Nyaira translated the messages into the local Kisii language while cows mooed outside the hotel. The dedication of the brethren was inspiring. One man walked seven miles to attend the Bible study and many asked questions to better understand the Days of Unleavened Bread. The fact that yeast and leavened bread are rare in rural Kenya adds a challenge to their understanding.

Sabbath Circuit

On Sabbath morning, deacon John Otieno joined us as we drove from Migori west toward Lake Victoria to the village of Got Kachola. It was a grueling road not found on our map and was all but impassable. During the two-hour drive each way, we bottomed out the 4x4 numerous times navigating potholes and dodged a few cattle, goats and donkeys in our path.

As we pulled up to the Got Kachola church hall, we were greeted by the sound of brethren singing hymns in Luo as they sat waiting for services to begin. Barry Korthuis gave the first message on revering God. Mr. Elliott's sermon was about conquering sin as the city of Jericho was conquered. Brothers John Otieno and David Ogweno (deacons) provided translation into Luo and assisted with fellowshipping and counselings.

After services, we walked through the lakeside village to the water's edge, drawing a curious crowd of children and adults. John Angen, Conslater Adair and Jack Perez were baptized in the lake among the fishing boat fleet anchored in Lake Victoria.

A long, dusty drive took us back to Migori where the congregation waited patiently at the hall for services to begin. Hymns were led by an orphaned teenager named Willis who had been taken in by the congregation as a young boy. Mr. Elliott was very pleased to witness the growth and maturity of this fine young man.

Tanzania

The congregation at Nyanjagi, Tanzania, was our destination on Sunday. The border crossing took about 11⁄2 hours with stops at eight border offices. We then drove southward reaching a small group of huts where Mr. Elliott conducted a Bible study and Q&A for 30 people. Singing women warmly greeted us and we appreciated the shade the "meeting hall" lean-to provided from the burning equatorial sun. Chickens scurrying around our feet during the study added some amusement.

The leaders informed us that new congregations are forming in Buturi and Kisumwa. There was also discussion about the complicated church registration process in Tanzania.

After a quick stop to visit a temporary Church office in Tarime that is being used to facilitate the Church's registration in Tanzania, it was time to retrace the official paperwork at the border before crossing back into Kenya.

More Baptisms

Monday morning provided Mr. Elliott time in Migori to hold a Q&A with the brethren and counsel two more people for baptism. We then walked down a trail to the Migori River for the baptism of Bernard Amoko, accompanied by curious neighborhood children. Before leaving Migori we visited the new meeting hall and office site nearing the final stages of construction. The roof had just been completed and the next stage is a concrete floor. The hall was made large enough to accommodate the growing Migori congregation plus combined meetings on Holy Days. The brethren are excited and grateful to the Good Works Program for making the new building possible.

That afternoon we visited the site of this year's Feast of Tabernacles located in Mosocho near Kisii. The site is a private complex that can house about 275 members from around the region. A dining hall will permit the members to eat all their meals together. It will definitely be a millennial setting with lush and peaceful grounds, flowering courtyards and a large field for Family Day games. Afterwards we drove to Kisumu and spent our first and only night in a hotel with air conditioning.

On Tuesday, we drove 21⁄2 hours northwest from Kisumu toward the Uganda border to visit the Bar Ober congregation. We were thankful for John Otieno's navigation as we traveled far off the beaten path. At Bar Ober we held a Bible study for 23 in the shade of tall trees outside the round earthen homes. The children sat quietly on a reed mat in the grass for well over an hour listening to the messages.

Afterwards, our hosts offered everyone soft drinks, tea and chipati while Mr. Elliott conducted baptism counseling. Then many joined us at a nearby stream for the baptism of George Ochieng.

Heading back eastward on Wednesday, our final Bible study and Q&A were high up in the mountains at Kericho with 40 brethren attending. The area is lush and green with cooler temperatures and a relatively good economy from tea plantations covering the mountains and valleys. The Q&A addressed concerns of several new attendees about traditional Sunday and heaven issues. Before we departed, the children sang us a beautiful song about "finding a better way."

Traveling back toward Nairobi, we enjoyed a visit to Lake Nakuru National Game Preserve. There we drove among herds of animals where even the typically shy zebras and warthogs allowed us to get close for photos. The more unusual animals we saw were black and white rhinos, eland, black-and-white colobus monkeys, a side-striped jackal, hippopotamus and spotted hyena. Of course, giraffes, cape buffalo, impala, Thomson's gazelle and varieties of eagles and birds were abundant.

Back "Home" in Nairobi

We drove back to Nairobi for Passover and Unleavened Bread. Fourteen members kept the Passover. Sabbath services the next day included some brethren who traveled from surrounding areas for the Holy Day weekend. The Night to Be Much Observed was a delicious potluck of goat, chicken, vegetable stew, potatoes, chipati, pineapple, watermelon, bananas, cheese, chocolate bars, wine and tea.

The First Day of Unleavened Bread was a joyful Holy Day as we gathered for afternoon services at the Amani Centre. Barry Korthuis gave the first message about "Our Daily Bread." In his sermon, Mr. Elliott spoke about the three greatest safaris in history: 1) coming out of Egypt across the Red Sea, 2) coming out of the wilderness across the Jordan and 3) our coming out of sin and into God's Kingdom.

After services, many of us stayed late talking and drinking tea while Mr. Elliott counseled several for baptism. It was difficult to say good-bye to the brethren. We felt at home among the brethren in East Africa. They were so warm, enthusiastic and giving. They were eager to share the hope that lies within them.

Our final day in Nairobi started with the baptisms of Raymond Tele and Samuel Nasibo at a local hotel swimming pool. Afterwards, Mr. Elliott and the Church leaders had an administrative meeting at the Church office to discuss financial planning, church registration procedures for Uganda and Tanzania, the needs of several congregations, the Kenya youth camp and projects of the regional chapter of LifeNets. Our safari came to an end as we boarded a late-night flight to London and home.

Since our return home, people have asked us what the East African brethren need the most. The answer is our love and prayers. They, like us, need continued spiritual growth along with the needs of daily life including good health. The leaders also need our prayers for God's guidance and strength as they serve all their congregations. Praying for the upcoming Feast and youth camp will also add to their successes.

We are grateful to have had such a delightful trip to East Africa and encourage you to take a "safari" to visit your brethren there. UN