Church at St. David’s

 Sunday morning we headed back to St. David’s for church. When we arrived at 9am we were again greeted by the school children’s singing. The head teacher, Benard, led the children in what we would call Sunday School in our country (Bible stories, reciting passages, and of course lots of singing!). 

Church services don’t really have a hard and fast start time (things tend to run on “Africa time” over here) so as the congregation began trickling in Pastor Enosh asked me to deliver a message from the Word to the children and the other members who had gathered. I preached again on Luke 7:1-10, Jesus’ healing of the Centurion’s servant, and felt quite a bit more comfortable preaching with a translator. I should have that sermon down pretty well by the end of the trip :) 

Pastor Fred conducting the liturgy

The worship service began around 9:45am and by my count around 55 people were in attendance, some of them trickling in at various parts of the service. Pastor Fred conducted the liturgy from a Lutheran hymnal that had been translated into Kisii, the local language (which is a completely different language from Swahili and is spoken very fast. “Kisii runs like a river,” they say. Which leads me to speculate that maybe some of my Bernthal ancestors may have been from the Kisii area…we tend to be a very fast-talking people too. Ha!) The service followed a liturgy, like our worship services do. I was able to tell when the Apostle’s Creed and Lord’s Prayer were being spoken. There was also confession and absolution of sins, Scripture readings, sung portions of the liturgy, and a number of hymns. All sung beautifully without accompaniment.

(The video clip above is the lively song they sing as a “call to worship” just before the service begins)

Pastor Enosh read the Scripture readings and once again translated for Pastor Gurath who preached on Isaiah 6:1-7. I always enjoy getting to listen to someone else preach, but it’s especially enjoyable to see and hear Pastor Gurath. He really is in his element here mixing in enough Swahili phrases to draw the headers in, and then preaching in such a natural and free-flowing manner despite the challenge of preaching with a translator—and did I mention he does it with no notes, no manuscript, only his Bible in his hand. Even more amazingly his sermon didn’t meander or wander off topic, but beautifully, and in such a warm and engaging way emphasized the Gospel and God’s forgiving love for us in Jesus. 

The worship service concluded around 11:30am and we stayed around afterwards for more “picture pictures” and to greet the members, and chat with the teachers, and students once again. As both of us expressed in our good-byes at the end of the worship service, even if I never were to see these wonderful people again in this life it is a great comfort and joy to know that we’ll see them again in heaven, where there will be no distance or language barrier between us. 

Group picture of most of the people who had attended Sunday’s service

From left: Me, Joshua, Pastor Gurath, Silas (a former Bible student of Pastor Guraths when he taught in Chotororo), Pastor Fred, and Pastor Enosh.

Me and as many St. David’s students who could cram themselves into this selfie.

Pastor Fred & Pastor Enosh

Pastor Enosh and his wife Elizabeth graciously invited us and a few others to lunch at their home near the school. Enosh has a small tea farm and also works as a director/manager of several tea farms in the area. A few of his adult children were there for lunch with us, along with a few of their adorable grandchildren. The two youngest, Mirabelle (2yrs) and Braden (3yrs) were at first very shy of Pastor Gurath and me, but within a few mins we were good friends. Mirabelle even hopped on my lap and didn’t want to get down when it was time to eat. The children here are just all so heart-meltingly cute! It is worth the long trip out here just to see their smiling, laughing faces. 

Lunch was potatoes, stewed goat meat, and ugali (pronounced: oo-gah-lee), which is a Kenyan staple at meals (which is maize flour boiled in water and made into what feels like mashed potatoes. You roll that up into a ball with your hands and dip it in the stew). We joked that I was finally “officially” in Kenya because this was the first time I had been served ugali (I had been served plenty of rice, also a Kenyan staple, but I’m not sure how it happened that I went a week without trying ugali. Oh well, I’m “officially” in Kenya now! Full disclosure: I prefer the rice.) 

Us with Pastor Enosh’s family

The whole lunch group in front of Enosh’s house

Pastor Enosh’s house.

This picture is here so that Pastor Gurath’s daughter, Evie knows that I’m here too. She’ll see pictures of her dad and ask, “Where’s Luke?” (I’m usually the one taking the photo). Here is “proof of life” that I am, in fact here with your dad, Evie 😊

My new friend Mirabelle

The rest of Sunday was spent back at the hotel getting some rest, having a relaxing dinner, and finishing up my preparations for the pastoral conference this week.

Monday morning we do the long drive to Matunda & the Moi’s Bridge area where our pastoral conference will be held.

-Pastor Luke