First Year of Ministry in Kakamega

We have been in Kakamega for about a year now.  We are excited to be the first Bethany missionaries in this part of Kenya. However, it is in no way a new location for John or me.  We both grew up in Kakamega and God has given us a heart and vision for this place since long ago.  Our time in Nairobi served as a training period for us in preparation for beginning ministry in Kakamega.  Our ministry vision remains the same though, to mobilize the local Kenyan churches and believers for missions.

The Kenyan church as a whole is still in the baby steps of embracing their role and responsibility in the Great Commission.  We have seen much encouraging growth in this area during our time in Nairobi and we want to see that same growth happen in Kakamega.  While statistically Kenya is 80% Christian, there are still many unreached people groups living within Kenya.  For too long Kenya has received missionaries from the Western world, not to say this is bad, but it is time for Kenya to take a more active role in also sending their own missionaries.   While statistically Kenya is 80% Christian, over 20 people groups are still unreached and John & Pearl are working to help the Kenyan church embrace their responsibility in missions and reaching the unreached. Kenyans are uniquely

We are working to help the Kenyan Church embrace their responsibility in missions and reaching the unreached.  Kenyans are more uniquely equipped with the tools and cultural understanding to reach those unreached within Kenya and neighboring countries than Westerners. 

The challenge we face is, how to bring a shift in the worldview and theology of the Kenyan church?  We meet with key church leaders and believers, training and discipling them to become “fishers of men”.  One tool we use is The Distant Boat Movie, following up over a 6 week period to digest what was presented in the movie and how they can apply it to their lives and to that of the local church.  We also work with churches to begin and set up mission programs and provide opportunities and guidance for those who feel a personal call to missions. One way we do this is connecting those interested with Africa Center for Missions, ACM, in Nairobi. We hope to eventually take groups on short term mission trips for hands on experience and exposure as well. 

In Kakamega alone there are two largely unreached people groups.  There are no local churches currently actively or effectively reaching out to these groups.  Because of this there is much division among the people and discrimination happens.  We want to see God plant a great love in each believer for those around them and for the local churches to begin having vision on how to reach out more effectively. This requires a deeper understanding of Scripture as well as personal conviction of our responsibility to be witnesses.  Was it not Oswald J. Smith who said, “No one has the right to hear the gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once.”

We recently met with a small group of key church leaders and a few fellow missionaries in the area in our home.  We shared the need for Kenyan based and run missions and for the local churches in Kakamega to rise up and take responsibility first for reaching those within Kakamega.   

 

 

 

We were not sure what the response would be.  The past year in Kakamega has felt like we are pushing against the grain.  There have been many occasions where after sharing with a local pastor or believer the response is to disregard what we’ve shared and begin asking us for funding for their various church projects or to ask us to bring them Westerners who have money.   But we had prayed over this meeting and it was evident that God had handpicked each person present to be there that day. 

The response was very encouraging and exciting!!  One of the men was a missionary from Ghana who has set up a Bible training center where he offers free classes for locals to get better rooted in correct Biblical theology.  He was very excited about what we are doing and wanted to discuss how we can work together.

Another of the men is the chairman of the pastor’s fellowship in the area.  He wanted to know the names of all the people groups in Kenya still unreached because it was simply “unacceptable”.  He said he was going to bring this to the attention of all the local pastors at the next pastor’s fellowship and would set up a day, after we return from Nairobi, where we would come and share with all the pastors.   

This is the open door we have been praying for the past year and we are very excited for what God has planned.  We showed The Distant Boat Movie trailer and there is discussion on having a full showing at the pastors fellowship and then eventually in various churches and forming follow up discussion groups etc…
 

 

Showing the trailer

After a year of praying for God’s wisdom, making connections and lots of both encouraging and discouraging encounters, we believe we are now starting to see a foundation being laid.  Please join us in praying for more open doors and open hearts.  That God would continue to lovingly challenge the local churches and believers and to give them His heart for all peoples. 

 

 

The closing prayer led by our friend from Ghana.

Part one

 

 

Part two

 

 

Part three