Two days before going to the second evangelistic campaign
site, I got sick! They suspected it was malaria but I didn’t dwell on it, and I
have faith that it can’t be either. So, I just rested the whole Sunday, without
eating any food. Prayer and fasting works! Praises to the Great Physician for
restoring my health.
The following day was the 14th day of April, that
is, six days to go before our tourist visa expires. With the requirements that
we must accomplish and with the fee that we must pay the immigration, the extension
processing come into a challenge. But we thank God for the assistance of the
man-Adventist, who happened to attend the fourth child evangelism training at Better
Living SDA Church, who also works at the immigration; and impressing the heart
of two immigration officers to help us. Have we forgotten something? Have we
forgotten how He led us smoothly through the first encounter in the Philippines’
immigration? No, we haven’t! Persistence in prayer was our weapon against
Satan’s obvious hindrances. Lo and behold, or visa was extended through the
softened heart of the immigration officer, Mr. Haji Juma, who was actually a
Muslim but was able to study in Adventist institutions. It’s just amazing how God
moved this man’s heart and be a vessel of aid to His workers. Assuredly, this
was another manifestation that God is with us, whose ears are ever open to hear
His servants’ plea; and approval that the mission was to go forth in this part
of the world. Oh, how the words from the pen of inspiration had become a
reality that day: “God works out His plans, though to human eyes they are
veiled in mystery” – and more unveiling of mysteries to anticipate to.
Off to go to the site! It was in Dudi Village, within Oyugis
town; an hour and a half travel from Kisumu. Upon arrival, we were welcomed in
the district pastor’s house and by the rain afterwards. We also met Pastor
Monica Omeny – Women, Children, and Sabbath School Director of Kenya Lake
Conference (KLC). Then we were brought to and accommodated in a mansion, again!
My first time to be in a house which uses solar power – astounding! Our hearts
were filled with gratefulness to the Owner of the world and for the generosity
of the house’s family for such a place of comfort.
The following day was the inception of the children’s
meetings. It was a historical one at Manyuanda Academy since it was their first
time to have such. The population of the place comprised mainly of the Luo
tribe and they were so glad that we have Luo names.
During the course of the 8-day children’s meetings, we
averaged 30 in attendance, besides the two Sabbaths were the room got crowded.
Here, we decided to have the morning and afternoon lectures as we deemed it
necessary to cover the essential truths to be taught to the children. Though
the kids are keeping African time, they showed enjoyment in coloring, attentiveness
in listening, and zeal in learning. The big ones were those who can be seen
with a notebook and a pen, making sure that they write down the scripture
passages for every topic.  |
| with William, our translator |
One day, the brethren initiated on feeding the children – it
was our pleasure to help them out in serving food to them. They were grouped
into three, comfortably seated on the grasses – they enjoyed eating their meal! How I
reminisced the scene when Jesus fed the 5,000, besides women and children. They
were out in the field; probably the children were sitting on the grasses too,
while they were enjoying the miracle-wrought food. No spoons and forks then
yet, now the kids used them; while others found delight in eating with their
bare hands.
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| I used to do this when I was a kid, haha! Yummy! |
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| Kenneth and William, powerfully preaching the Word! |
At 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm, we had the adult’s prophecy lectures. Despite the inapplicability to use the projector because it’s still bright in
the open, truths were powerfully presented using the Bible and the Bible alone.
Kenneth and his translator’s voices were being heard not just within the site
but around the surrounding community as well – reaching those people who are
listening in their homes. The rain was a challenge during the meetings, yet
there were some who consistently come and feasted with the truth with us.
During our first Sabbath, I had the privilege to talk to
Sis. Elizabeth, the youngest daughter of the owner of the school. As she opened
the conversation, she had lots of inquiries about Amazing Facts. Thus, I was
driven to talk about PAFCOE to her and the soon opening of AFRICOE. She was so excited
and looking forward to enrol and be part of the training. So far, with the
places that we have been to, this wasn’t the first time that I personally
encountered this. With confidence, these are already God’s working and His
divine appointments – letting us meet people whom He is calling, with the
expression of their soon involvement in this great work. Getting excited on having
them to be part of the training and how God would set everything up for
AFRICOE!
In the afternoon, I had a great time with the kids. I taught
them how to sing ‘God is so good’ in different languages like English, Swahili,
Portuguese, Spanish, French, Japanese, and our very own Tagalog. So glad that I’ve learned some of those other
foreign translations during the IWM training; and they also taught me how to
sing it in their tribal language. It was a wonderful time of singing with God’s
younger family members. While waiting for the adult lectures to begin, I decided
to make use of the time and had the kids raise any questions from the Bible. I
was amazed with what they had in mind. Some of the questions asked were: ‘Why
was Zacharias stammering when John the Baptist was still in his mother’s womb?’
‘Who first saw Jesus when He was resurrected?’ ‘Who is the father of Jesus?’
and ‘Where was Jesus taken to before He was crucified?’ I never imagined that
they could have such questions voiced out – from their fresh and blooming
minds. It was then a humble privilege for me to answer them with care, clarity,
in simple words, and according to what the Bible says.
However before we
finished, it rained hard – causing a slight damage to the tents but looks like
almost what happened to some places when typhoon Yolanda had stricken the Philippines.
Looking to what the rained had caused, I was at the same time talking to one of
the fathers; and he admitted that when typhoons (and even just an earthquake)
would hit their place, they couldn’t bear its effect (as what he had seen on TV
about Yolanda news) and surely many lives would be lost. The amazing fact is,
Kenya hasn’t yet experienced any typhoon before and only a minor earthquake
ever since.
On the second day of the second week, we started the visitation.
To make room for it despite our too-tight time, we had to divide the group – a
team would go out for visitation while somebody would take charge of teaching
the children. We had Tabitha and William who had guided us to reach the homes
of non-Adventists. Many of them are worshiping in a church where the ‘voodoo’
type of music is used and most of the houses have no Bibles. We invited them to
the meetings, prayed for them and with them, and it was a blessed fulfilment of
our duty to open the Word of God to them. 
Visitation is not just a blessing for the families we visited but had also been a blessing for us – being invited! We were invited in a friend’s house and the food prepared was overflowing. That day, I had a narrow happiness over a small cube-piece of coconut – at last! We were all satisfied with the abundance of the table and grateful for the house’s hospitality.
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| Tabitha (on my right) and the family who fed us very satisfactory! |
Also, we had the opportunity to visit Kenya Lake Conference Headquarters. It’s one among the conferences embracing West Kenya Union; apart from Western Kenya Conference, Central Nyanza Field, and Ranen Conference. Gathered in the meeting were all the officials and church leaders comprising it; and where Kenneth and I were privileged to speak before, about the work that we have been doing and promoted for their support in the soon establishment of Amazing Facts-Africa. Everyone’s countenance is lighted with favour. Already having and experienced the overwhelming support from the Union headquarters in this part of the country, once more God had impressed our hearts that this conference would have their full support too.
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| with Pastor Ayayo (far right) and Pastor Omeny |
On our way back to the site, we passed by Kendu Bay
Adventist Hospital to visit some Filipino couple-doctors there. But they were
already transferred in another hospital, so we just explored the place. In so
doing, we passed by their kitchen. African men were there cooking – my first
time to actually see that, because here in Kenya you can hardly see an African
man go to the kitchen and cook. One among them was cooking ‘ugali’ (rice cake)
for 400 students – that was a lot! It seemed so easy for him but when we tried
it, ohhh…it was a great struggle to lift the stick to mix it, even just once!
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| Struggling to mix! |
Back to the site story, we experienced times when we run out
of fruits and ground nuts in the house – which had become our consistent food. But
heaven saw our needs! From the people we visited and from the friends and
families we got acquainted, they were replenished. Praise the Lord for impressing
those people and manna rained down from heaven! Trusting that God will provide
when we most need it and learning to worry for the things sufficient for the
day are lessons for all of us and to every missionary working for the Lord.
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| The boy who accepted Jesus as his personal Saviour and Lord |
The second Sabbath was the day-end of the evangelistic
campaign and a holy convocation of God’s chosen people from the surrounding
churches and visitors from everywhere. Sabbath school was divided into three:
children’s class, adult’s Luo class, and the youth’s english class. Here in
Africa, we’re already getting used to the hour of worship time, which is mostly
consumed by announcements. As a result, we ended up at past 2:00 pm. Nevertheless,
the bread of life that fed and convicted our souls this day was about the
Unpardonable Sin. At Kenneth’s appeal, one boy stood up to accept the Saviour
and be baptized. Heaven was rejoicing and honour and glory to the Saviour of
mankind over one soul that repenteth.
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| The congregation... |
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| At the children's Sabbath school class |
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| At the adult's Luo class |
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| At the youth's english class |
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| During the hour of worship's children's story about Heaven |
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| Kenneth and William preaching God's message |
In our last night together, we had an evaluation for the
10-day mission. Given the privilege to spearhead the last devotional, I posted
the question: “Are our efforts here successful?” It was a united answer of
‘yes!’ Indeed, it was – had it not been that God availed us of help and
empowerment from His Comforter and the ministration of His holy angels. On the
other hand, we had grown and gained a richer experience through the challenges
we’ve met. One was that the meetings ended too soon and there was no ground
preparation. Despite the number of attendees, God was still faithful and will
ever be – this experience for sure would pave the way to grander success the
next time around.
Suddenly, as we were talking over how God has blessed the
meetings, a diversion of topic was in the air. One among the team who helped us
said something that really bothered my conscience – it was addressed right
infront of me. The words “Why didn’t you spare some time to share your mountain
of knowledge on health?” Until now, it keeps coming back into my ears – still
so fresh. All I was able to answer was because of time constraint. We hardly
had time to insert it in our so-tight schedule for the days, but we could have
created time for it. It was only that night that I realized; I’m leaving the
place without ministering to people’s needs – sharing some health lectures. God
knows I had that longing to do it but wasn’t able to do so because of some
circumstances. A lesson learned for me: A little time created to share the
right arm of the gospel would be a time that God will stretch in making a
difference to peoples’ lives. Therefore, it’s expedient not to make a golden
opportunity pass and leave people ignorant of living a healthy lifestyle. Now, time
lapsed was time that can’t be redeemed. What I’m left of is to pray for the
people in that community that God might bring the health message through other
missionaries or another chance for us to work there or whatever His will is –
may His will be done!
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| Pastor Ayayo lecturing on Women's Abuse |
Notwithstanding what happened, I Praise God for He didn’t
left me with the feeling of guilt, somehow. This time, Pastor Ayayo involved us
in one of the Women’s Ministry’s activities – Fistula awareness and fund
raising campaign for its victims. Along with it, she requested me to do a
lecture on cancer. We had it in two churches, Kehancha SDA Church and Homa-Bay
Central SDA Church, where more than 50 mother-leaders combined benefited a lot.
They learned some facts and counsels on meat-eating, taking dairy products, and
other foods that feed the cancer cells which cause and provoke variety of
cancer diseases. I Praise the Lord for the wisdom about these and the opportunity
to impart such – opportunity lost was regained!
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| Health lecture at Kehancha SDA Church, with translator |
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| Health lecture at Homa-Bay Central SDA Church, with the Pastor as translator |
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| the women-leaders who attended the seminar at Homa-Bay |
In addition, we were able to meet a medical missionary
family up in the mountains. Their greeting was “Magandang Gabi” That surprised
me! Yes, they have been to the Philippines and we’re so glad for the warmth of
their welcome. Glory to God in the highest for such an appointment of knowing
humble and committed workers like them.
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| with the missionary family (to my left): Mr. Jim and Mrs. Dorcas Ayayo and child, Musa |
In this mission, we are heartily overwhelmed by God’s amazing
leadings and blessings. Being overwhelmed, we are led to the Rock that is
higher than us!
