June 17-28, 2023 

Hakuna, What A Sweet Word

The village He gave us to minister to wasn’t Lower Elgon View, where we had worked in 2021 as we were originally told, but instead a more rural location where His Spirit had already prepared good soil for the seed we were called to plant and we saw a great harvest. The people there are blessed to have large farms with rich farmland and some of the nicest homes we’ve seen outside of cities but were missing the most important thing, with few exceptions they had never heard a clear gospel presentation and instead were trying to work their way to heaven. Because of His work in advance, your prayers, and the vessels He used, hundreds trusted in Christ alone for the first time. Hallelujah! To God be the glory, great things He has done!

Our church plant in Ngeria, Kenya this June was so sweet for so many reasons. Logistically in preparation, the Lord answered so many prayers. He took away all the obstacles to travel we had to deal with during Covid, provided flights without U.S. connections, saving us time and troubles that had been issues in the past. Baggage moved without concerns on the airlines, airports, and through customs. The list of answered prayers could go on and on but in addition what made this such a special trip for me was the focus on personal evangelism the Lord allowed for me this year. As the team leader for small teams the last couple years, much of my effort is filling the ministry demands including those who will preach the gospel at our crusades, at schools, or at prison and who will be doing devotionals/giving testimonies/preaching/doing children’s ministry each day at our afternoon crusades and those ministering at the Church Dedication Service. This year the Lord raised up a team with five men and five women ready to serve the Lord in whatever capacity He desired. Praise the Lord!

Because of this great team, I was given the opportunity to spend each of our five days in the field sharing one on one, or to small groups in their homes, fields, along the road, or at shops in Ngeria. Typically a clear presentation of the gospel will take 30 to 40 minutes with translation but many of the people the Lord led me to this year spoke excellent English not requiring translation. But it wasn’t an English word which gave me such great joy over fifty times again this year, starting with Eunice and ending with Patrick, but it is a response to a question we ask after the presentation of the gospel. The Swahili response we desire to hear is Hakuna or there is nothing keeping me from trusting Christ right now. In this lost and dying world, there is no sweeter word that I can hear knowing a sinner has clearly understood of the Lord’s free gift of salvation to those willing to trust in Him and the work He did for us.

On dedication day, what a joy to see a full church with so many young men and women that had trusted in Him over the last few days. Pray for Pastor George and his wife Lucy as they lead the new body of believers at Ngeria Bible Community Church.

This year’s team on Lion Hill, overlooking Lake Nakuru

The new church Church building

The new Church building and pastor’s house

Building Trust

Like most years, it is very apparent when we begin in the mission field that we are in an ongoing spiritual battle. Often it comes by the way of local pastors and priests discouraging the villagers not to listen to the newcomers. This year it was taken to a new level. The week we arrived, the news broke of a cult leader in coastal Kenya that was tied to the starvation deaths of more than 300 people and fear of religious outsiders was high. As I began to share with Eunice at her home, a young mother in her 20’s, busy taking care of her young child, Lucy my translator, the wife of our new pastor, assured her that we had nothing to do with this cult. As I shared the Bad News/Good News from the bible, initially resistance was high, as we discussed the need to trust in the finished work Jesus did on the cross for us. She was hesitant to accept the free gift of salvation but as we went through additional illustrations the Lord convicted her of her sin and her need for a savior and when I asked her if there was anything keeping her from trusting Christ right now she said Hakuna, she gladly accepted His free gift.

After Eunice, the next five days were filled with many great stories of the Lord’s work. Not one I spoke with that listened to the entire gospel said no. There was Gilbert the local drunk, who was told repeatedly by those around him wanting to hear the good news to be quiet but ultimately through prayer listened attentively and after he was born again couldn’t wait to lead us to his friends so they also could be saved.

The last one I spoke with who trusted Christ was Patrick, a man now in his 30’s. It was our shopping day in Nakuru and I get a chance to speak with the shop keepers and hawkers. Many of them have trusted in Christ over the years as we have visited them but Patrick was the one that the Holy Spirit had been convicting prior to our arrival. Every time over the last 15 years that I saw Patrick he was so drunk he had trouble standing. This year was different, Patrick said he wanted to be free from his old lifestyle and begin a new life. I grabbed his shoulders and asked him to look me in the eye as I shared the gospel with him. Finally he has been born again. I told him to let his wife know what happened and to share this good news with her using the tract I gave him. I asked the believers who were there to look after them and make sure they are taken to church, they agreed. Pray for Patrick and his wife.