NOTES FROM THE FIELD
In this series, thoseinvolved with CLC foreign missions profile one aspect of our overseas endeavors.
From the Missionary’s Blog, December 11, 2011: “Today the entire congregation at Moi’s Bridge, Kenya, was confirmed, and adult confirmands received the Lord’s Supper together as a KCLC church for the first time.
“Great day! It couldn’t get more eventful if it tried today. I was pleasantly surprised to see one of our church members rejoin us who comes from very far away. Aggry makes the longest journey of anybody, even by bicycle. He had been unable to make it for these last two months because of a motorbike accident, but he has fully recovered and was very happy to be with us today.
“I shared a sermon based on the words of Moses in Deuteronomy as the children of Israel were preparing to enter the promised land. It will only be the Word of God, bound closely to the people’s hearts, that will sustain and bless them in the days ahead. Four young girls, one boy, and an older man (Mzee) were baptized in the same service. After this we celebrated the confirmation of eighteen people, ranging in age from twelve up to eighty and beyond, and consequently shared together in the Lord’s Table. There are a number of others who were not able to make it to church today due to circumstances beyond their control. Everyone was very grateful and humbled by all of the greetings, prayers, and congratulations from their brothers and sisters back in the U.S. ‘Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love,’ no matter how many miles, continents, or oceans may get in the way. There was no room for sad farewells today, only reason to celebrate.
“For now, I am simply astounded at what God can do and has done in the hearts of His people. To be called to be a part of that work, even though there is much responsibility, heartache, and trouble that comes along with it, is a privilege and an honor.
“Am I looking forward to coming home? Of course. Will I miss this place? Sure. But I know that wherever the Lord may lead us, we will have a fine time, later on, catching up in our permanent home, which has been prepared long ago.
“So for now, it’s time to pack it all up once again and hit the road. Time to prepare for the transition back to life in the states, which I’ve found isn’t always so quick and easy. Meantime, pray that the work of God would carry on mightily here, and that the many children in our church and school would grow in the grace and knowledge of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
[Author’s update:The congregation at Moi’s Bridge still enjoys the fellowship that they publicly confessed six years ago. While some members have come and gone, the core group of believers remains faithful in ministering to each other and the surrounding community. They have the opportunity to share the truth of God’s Word with the 280-300 students who attend the elementary school at Moi’s Bridge each year.]
Michael Gurath is pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Phoenix, Arizona, and a visiting missionary to Africa.