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Peter & Katy Wilson both work at Titchie Swot, Rift Valley Academy’s Elementary School in Kenya. They tell us about the different challenges and encouragements they see in the Kenyan Church.
Despite the majority calling themselves Christian and attending church on a weekly basis, there is a separation of knowledge and practice. Tribalism, secularism, nominalism and corruption are very real problems in Kenya. Christianity is drawn upon when it benefits, and tossed aside when it does not. Islam is growing fast in the north and along the coast.
Yet God is at work. There are very real encouragements as workers are accessing unreached areas. We’ve also seen people moving from difficult to reach places to cities like Nairobi, where they are hearing the gospel for the first time. The Kenyan church is playing its part in the Great Commission and bearing witness to what the world needs to hear. But we need to pray. Real change won’t just happen as we improve the way we do things, we need an outpouring from God to see what’s still to be done accomplished.
Rendille reaching Rendille
The Rendille live in scattered villages and in accordance with their nomadic lifestyles, these villages move several times a year. One village that is not far from the church in Korr is Rungumo. It’s actually several villages and they range from four to eight miles away. Not far if you have transport – but a long hot walk if you go by foot. These villagers are hungry for God’s word and have requested that someone come and teach them. A Rendille lady evangelist, Ndubayo, and Samuel, a stone mason who works with the church, have begun holding Sunday services there. 200 come – including children!
There is a little shelter with a tin roof where there used to be a nursery school class, but it had to close down due to lack of funds. Samuel and others from the village have resurrected this school and hired a temporary teacher to continue the classes. This year there are 40 plus students. And under this structure the villagers have met on Sundays. They overflow the building. Praise God for the interest in hearing God’s word.
A foundation of prayer
Pray for workers serving among the Swahili, Digo, Orma, Somali and Toposa, both expat and Kenyan. Pray for open doors. Pray for people of peace, ready to receive the good news perhaps because they’ve recognised everything else is false and empty. Pray that they would accept that they need forgiveness of sins and restoration with their Maker. Pray for health and safety. Pray for provision of education and for places like Rift Valley Academy that are helping provide education for many missionaries’ children.
More workers for the harvest
Pray for churches and individuals in the UK and Europe that understand these needs and who will stand with those willing to go and serve. Pray for more workers to go out to the harvest field for it is ripe for the harvest. Pray that Kenya, a nation blessed with over 100 years of exposure to the gospel, would be a nation seeking to expose other nations that as yet have not had that privilege. Pray that we would see Kenyans reaching the 32 unreached people groups in their own nation and sending people to the Horn, to North Africa and beyond until he comes.