There are many very remote places in the area where our Log
Church of Kisii is located. In some of these areas, there seems to be
relatively little knowledge of the gospel of Christ. When the pastors and
people go visiting in these areas, they find a mixture of belief systems—some animism
and witchcraft, some Muslims, some with no definable beliefs at all.
When visiting areas, Pastor Joel is convinced that God is
leading them to where the people are especially receptive to the message of
Jesus, since they are seeing very many people come to the Lord.
The last time that I was in Kenya, which was now almost a
year ago, the pastors began to tell me about another area in Kisii County where
they had been visiting the homes and bringing to them the message of Jesus.
It was quite a walk away. Pastor Vincent told me that it was
64 kilometers from the where the orphanage and church is located. I am not sure
how he came up with that number, but one afternoon Vincent said that he had
been there the previous day and had just returned that morning, walking all the
way.
I found it just a little hard to believe.
“How many hours did it take you to walk from there?” I asked
him.
“Four or five hours,” he replied.
“Four or five hours!” “Sixty-four kilometers?”
“Well…” he responded with a small smile and a wink in his
eye, “You have to understand. The trail is not straight. The way is so hilly
and the path winds back and forth so much, sometimes you even cross over where
you have already walked!”
Later that day I asked a friend that I have made there about
this 64 kilometer number. He is a taxi driver from the area, so he knows the
different roads and back trails quite well.
He just laughed. “Those pastors don’t know how far a
kilometer is. That area is not sixty-four kilometers from the church.”
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It may look like the area is all forestland, but if you would zoom in, you would see that all
of this land is divided into very small plots with their small family dwellings.
Most people have eucalyptus trees planted on the borders of their property |
So I am not sure if Vincent actually believes it is that
far, or if he was just having fun with the American, but I am quite sure that
it is a four or five hour walk and I am also quite sure that since that time,
he has walked that path many times. I am also very positive that despite the
fact that Vincent has an active sense of humor, he is quite serious about his
work for the Lord.
On the last day of my stay there, during the Sunday worship
service, some of the people that Vincent had been visiting in that area came
walking to the church. They had started out 4½ hours earlier, just as soon as
it was light enough to see the trail. They village from where they came and
where Vincent has been visiting is called Nyakembene.
I was so honored that they had come specifically because it
was to be my final day there, and they wanted to meet me. One lady presented me
with a gift that she had made for what they said was in appreciation for helping the people of the area.
It was a stone carving of an African dove. Kisii County is actually known for
these types of carvings. I accepted it for all of us.
Since those beginning visitations by Vincent and the other
pastors, the people in Nyakembene have gathered themselves together to begin a
church in that area—a second Log Church of Kenya. Pastor Vincent Osoro has
continued to minister there, along with a local brother they have named as the
associate pastor, Pastor Moses Nyanducha.
I am told that the people of the area are very poor, even
more so than where the main church is located. There are many financial needs,
but they have managed to construct a place of worship and to purchase 40
chairs. But the number of chairs along with the building itself is far from
adequate, since they currently have about 170 members.
Between the two churches, there are now about 450 members in
the Log Churches of Kenya. The work is growing very rapidly, since the response
to the gospel has been so dramatic.
In it all, the burden of the people for the children is very
high. With the work in Nyakembene, seven more children have been given a place
in the orphanage, making the total number of orphans in the home to 49.
The need is so great. The leaders of the church have to be
very careful not to overextend what we can do. As you know, it is a struggle
even now. We trust the Lord at every step, but we also must be wise about what
he has given us to do.
I will be writing more about this work in Nyakembene, as
well as the other efforts of the pastors and church members of the Log Church.
I have also lately been talking more with them about some new
efforts in food growing, such as beginning a hydroponics garden for raising
vegetables. Since cropland is so scarce, I am wondering about the feasibility of
growing food even on the roofs of the buildings.
There is so much to be done. Does anyone out there in cyber-land have any experience with growing food by hydroponics or aquaponics that they could share with me?
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If you would like to help the children of the Log Church Orphanage of Kisii, Kenya, you may make your check out to "The Log Church" and write "Orphans" on the memo line.
Send it to:
The Log Church
PO Box 68
Tripoli, Wisconsin 54564
Every nickel given in this way will be used for only aid for the orphans. It will be used for purchasing food, clothing, schooling, and other necessities of living. Nothing is held back or diverted for any other purpose
Greetings from Kenya
Churches and orphanage, we are praying for you each day, we are humbled for the
regular help we receive from you all through pastor Donald and Vivian. Thanks
from the children and church leadership Kenya church. Thanks for your prayers
which has made us reach this far.
Yes we cannot say that we have met all the needs of the
children as some days they sleep without taking food and they stay out of
school for not having paid school fees. But all in this hardship and struggle
God has used all with your resources to support once again receive the thanks
from the leaders.
Thanks for the help you sent =$800 which made us able to
feed the children last week as from Wednesday through Sunday. Below is the
breakdown of what we bought. 
We are humbled for this help, kindly
keep praying for the church and orphanage, we trust God will provide for school
fees and food. God bless you all, see pictures attached. Thanks.
We are humbled for this help, kindly
keep praying for the church and orphanage, we trust God will provide for school
fees and food. God bless you all, see pictures attached. Thanks.
