The Modern Day Zacchaeus

Good people, as we have been talking on the four leviathans’ this past month, a particular story has blessed my heart greatly. Last week one of us sent me an email of their story of ethnic reconciliation and I though it best to share it with you as a good example of forgiveness, retribution and reconciliation among ethnic groups.

“I would like to briefly share with you my own personal experience during these troubling times in Kenya. Just before Christmas, I travelled in the company of my wife and two children to visit my mother who lives in our home in Lugari, Western Kenya. This is the place I was born and brought up. During this visit, I could sense the high political and tribal tensions and feared that it could explode if things went wrong during the elections.

Lugari is largely inhabited by the Luhya community and are immediate neighbors to the Kalenjin in the close by North Rift Valley Region. Even though I am ethnically Kikuyu, I grew up in this neighborhood, speaking Luhya and Kalenjin-only learning the Kikuyu language at university!

Only a day after the election results were announced, I learnt that my mother's home was looted and burnt. This action was largely because she is Kikuyu. Last week, we moved our mother back to her 'rebuilt' home. Her neighbors pooled together resources and rebuilt her main house. My siblings and I have sent in non-food item and neighbors have been giving her food.

Then, last week I learnt of the most amazing thing. When the raiders attacked my mother’s home, they took away all her cows, sheep and assorted household items. Late last week they returned them all! At 77 years, my mother is now overwhelmed by the kindness of the people she has lived with for 42 years. On a phone call to her this morning she told me that she wants to live the rest of her life with them and express her gratitude to this community where love and sacrifice for each others sake has always been the way of life.”

My charge to you is this, maybe we don’t have to wait for the Kofi Anans’ of the day to be reconciled with your neighbour.

Pst. Oscar Muriu
Senior. Pastor.

Pastoral Corner: Lorna Irungu has been sick in ICU and was recently moved into the general ward earlier in the week. Please be in prayer for her. Her sister Carol has also been unwell; let us continue to pray with this family during this trying time

Our Prayer service starts on the 3rd of Feb at 9am. Good people, let’s get on our knees and pray persistently.

D.J. Mozz and the K-Krew will be going into the North Rift in the next couple of weeks to meet with an ACK church out there. They will be engaging them in conversations on how best the youth ministries and the church at large can partner with them to assist many of the Internally Displaced People in that area. Pray for safety and for wisdom.

Pst Faith and a team from Chapel will be going to Nakuru to continue to forge ways to assist the resettling of internally displaced families to different parts of the country. Pray for wisdom, discernment and safety on the roads. Do also continue to pray for more resources to facilitate this project.

Nairobi Chapel is looking for ways to be involved with the Toi Market re-construction. Over 3,500 businesses were gutted down by fire after the elections. Through our social justice ministries, we are looking for resources, both human and capital, to assist many of these business with seed capital and technical expertise to restart their business. Pray for wisdom and favour in this.

Praise God foe the enthusiastic response of 30 volunteers who came in the Post Trauma Counselling training and now ministering in Jamhuri to both teachers and students. (The training proved to be therapeutic for the volunteers themselves).

Pray for the Children’s ministries as the go into Toi Primary School from this Tuesday, January 29th, 2008. They shall be ministering there. Kawangware School will follow in the not too distance future.

Pray that God strengthens them and gives the Children’s ministry extra capacity as they go into other schools that are opening up to us.

Gift Sunday: We will be doing more improvements on our site. The next phase will be putting up classrooms for our children in Sunday school. Sunday March 3rd, will be our Gift Sunday. All our giving on that day will be geared toward this project. Be in prayer on how you would give on that day.

Youth Vyb Cross Roads classes start in 2nd Feb, 2008. Parents meeting will be on Feb 9th, 2008 at the Church grounds. For any enquiries please call Anne Mburu Tel. 0202144473/0725417073

Youth Camp for 14-19 yr olds from 14th-19th April, 2008
Club Expressions Youth Service: Will be resuming on Sunday Feb 9th, 2008

Adiya Ladies: Next ladies breakfast meeting will be held on Saturday Feb 16th, 2008 from 8am-10am.

There will be a women’s School of Prayer for believers on Feb 1st, 2008 at the Home Care Fellowship on Kabarnet Rd from 8am-10am. The focus of the meetings will be prayer and will be facilitated by Pst. Simon Mbevi of Mavuno. Charges are Ksh. 800 and this includes books and refreshments. Please sign up.

Children’s Corner
Every 3 months we graduate the 5 & 6 year olds into the next stage. Today, January 27th, 2008, is the first of three graduation ceremonies. We want to celebrate and congratulate the following Children and their families.  Kigen Kiplagat, L. Meitalel, Petra Wanjiru, Ayuma Masiza, Eric Ominde, Vanessah Mwangi, Enos J., Georgia F. Emma C.

Wedding Bann: Geoffrey Luseno and Jennifer Mueni Nzoka will marry on April 4th, 2008 at the St. Austin’s Parish. If anyone has any reason why the two should not wed, please see any of the pastors.