Interesting Memories and Great Inspiration!
Tonight Tom and I had the privilege of having a surprise dinner with John and Jane Kilaha. John and Jane lead the church in Nairobi now and they became Christians in July of 1991. July was a wild month in the Nairobi church in 1991. John and Jane were 2 of 104 people that got baptized in Nairobi. The church was growing quite a bit in 1991 and rumors about the church were scattering all over town. One of the best ones was that we were dancing naked in the isles during church! We met downtown at the New Stanley Hotel. Jane was invited to church one Saturday and when she told a friend she was thinking of going, that friend quickly informed her of the rumor and said that would be a bad idea. Jane didn't visit the church that Sunday. But the next Saturday, another disciple invited her again to church and this time Jane decided to try it. She said she sat very close to the door, though, so that if anything weird happened she could quickly escape.
Instead of a weird group of people performing odd acts of worship, she found a warm, welcoming group of disciples that were truly interested in getting to know her. And she heard a strong, truthful message preached straight from the scriptures. She loved it. She came back and started studying the Bible and was soon baptized. Now almost 22 years later she is a strong, devoted woman of God, married and raising her children to know her God.
The church in Nairobi has just over 1,600 members now and they have 1,000 children among them! There are also churches in 8 different cities in Kenya that have been planted from the small mustard seed in Nairobi all those years ago, and 7 other churches throughout East Africa as well. It was so encouraging and faith building to sit and talk with them tonight. So many people from those early years are still faithful and doing well spiritually, serving the church in various ways. It made my heart sing to hear how God is blessing their efforts to grow. The church is strong and unified. There are about 300 teens. One hundred of them are disciples. I will keep all those families in my prayers. There is still much to do...
The 25th anniversary of the church is being planned and I hope Tom and I can somehow find a way to be there. I can't think of anything better...unless it is followed by a trip to Johannesburg...
Instead of a weird group of people performing odd acts of worship, she found a warm, welcoming group of disciples that were truly interested in getting to know her. And she heard a strong, truthful message preached straight from the scriptures. She loved it. She came back and started studying the Bible and was soon baptized. Now almost 22 years later she is a strong, devoted woman of God, married and raising her children to know her God.
The church in Nairobi has just over 1,600 members now and they have 1,000 children among them! There are also churches in 8 different cities in Kenya that have been planted from the small mustard seed in Nairobi all those years ago, and 7 other churches throughout East Africa as well. It was so encouraging and faith building to sit and talk with them tonight. So many people from those early years are still faithful and doing well spiritually, serving the church in various ways. It made my heart sing to hear how God is blessing their efforts to grow. The church is strong and unified. There are about 300 teens. One hundred of them are disciples. I will keep all those families in my prayers. There is still much to do...
The 25th anniversary of the church is being planned and I hope Tom and I can somehow find a way to be there. I can't think of anything better...unless it is followed by a trip to Johannesburg...
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