Which Way?
WHICH WAY…? From the Field
In the Lord’s parable of the seed falling along the road, on thin soil, among thorns and in good soil He reminds us of what the preaching of the Word may result. While I have been disappointed when contacts(and there have been many) did not develop into full-fledged fellowship, there are cases where despite setbacks there has been seed into good soil and producing variously. This is great encouragement for us whose vision is limited by our sinful human nature.
Some had been looking for a new church in their area of Etago, Kisii, Kenya to replace the churches they were in, namely the Roman Catholic and the 7th Day Adventist. Inquiries were made among tourists from America who traveled through the great Rift Valley. Ombasa was head of a committee to investigate as he lived in the Rift Valley. A non-CLC friend from Michigan, upon being asked, recommended they investigate the CLC. Correspondence was initiated
Meeting in a pasture
Based on favorable correspondence, a meeting was held in April 2000(thirteen years ago) in the village of Etago, in a pasture with about 125 people. My wife Mary and I visited in the area with the interested individuals before and after this meeting. In the meeting we went over the main differences between us and the Roman Catholic and 7th Day Adventist churches. There appeared to be a group favorable to joining the CLC. More literature was given and later mailed. The first service was held on June 18th with 56 attending.
But you just never know which way the pickle will squirt. Ombasa thought he’d done a good job in his task and kept a portion of money we sent sort of as a finder’s fee. The great god Mammon at work. No more Ombasa. The pastor who was appointed, Samson, went along for four years and then old Mammon stuck again. There were irregularities in how the money was used that we sent over. For instance Samson used some of it to make a loan to his father, which was not a spiritual thing for which the money was intended. So the congregation removed Samson. This was disappointing on Ombasa and then Samson to say the least.
Nevertheless through these difficulties and others God was at work with seed in good soil. Enosh became pastor and is still today. Up in that tea plantation country there are now seven congregations. Enosh’s brother-in-law, Fred, came out of the Baptist church and joined the Etago CLC. Now Fred is training around ten men in Chotororo.
But that is not the end of the story. In January of 2003 the Aids Orphan Nursery or Pre-School was opened with 80 children, approximately 30 boys and 50 girls taught by two trained ladies of the congregation. And from then it has grown steadily adding students, teachers and classrooms. One hundred seventy-nine students now. This is an effort with the precious Word of life to reach children, whose parents have died of HIV/Aids. It can only bring blessing.