Team Kenya's Busiest Day!

The 2026 Missionary Team in Kenya had a big day today! We spent the day in Kitale, doing outreach in the community, courtesy of Pastor Calvin Luvisha, the pastor at St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church (a CLC church in Kitale). Today we visited one church and two schools - all three are not yet members of the CLC, but were keen to hear our message.

First, we visited Bethel church (an independent Christian church not yet affiliated with the CLC). The drive was about 45 minutes away from where we stayed, and we picked up Pastor Luvisha along the way to accompany us. The building itself was small and made of the clay walls and corrugated metal roof that we've seen so often here, but that didn't stop them from blaring a speaker system in order to call in anyone from around the neighborhood to stop by to hear the gospel! Here, we did things a little differently than usual for our team - we split, so Pastor Tom could sit inside with the adults, as there were multiple pastors from local churches in attendance, curious about our Lutheran doctrine. The other three of us (Abby Gerbitz, Elijah Sumey, and Lauren Gurgel) went outside with about 20 young children to teach our usual Bible lesson program. This group put in the extra effort to have a translator inside and outside. After many, many well-wishes, we moved on to our next stop.

Next, we stopped at a local school that served primary (elementary) students and junior (middle) students. We arrived around lunchtime, and the staff were very kind and served us white rice, roasted chicken, chicken soup, chapati, and sauteed cabbage. Once they had given us as many helpings as we could handle, we met with the school's directors and leading teachers. Then, they gathered all ~130 students to hear our program, and we again split, so that Pastor Tom could discuss doctrine with the school and local church leaders, while the three of us told the stories of "The Feeding of the 5000", "The Tempting of Jesus", "Jesus Raising Lazarus", and "The Prodigal Son". They sang songs for us, and we taught them a song in English as well! After some photos with the staff, and many thanks, we got back in the van for our next stop - not done yet!

It was nearing 4 p.m. (the end of a typical school day) when we arrived at our last location for the day, Ka-Ahuho Primary and Junior School - another unaffiliated local school. When all students were assembled on the lawn, they totaled over 550! Here, we gave our typical presentation (although much louder, so everyone could hear!) We were impressed by the number of students who answered our questions in English before the interpreter relayed in Swahili, and we were impressed by the number of students who knew their Bible lessons and answered our questions! Although there is still doctrinal dissonance here, we pray that many of these students have heard enough of the true Gospel to meet in heaven someday!

What an incredible blessing to be able to spend an entire busy day in outreach efforts - we are overjoyed to plant the seed that hopefully will bring entire congregations and schools into the Good Shepherd's fold. Our team ended the day with a devotion based on 2 Corinthians 3:4-6: "Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. [5] Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, [6] who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."

Abby Gerbitz