Ministering to the tribes of Kenya

Kenya (MNN) — The Bible is full of examples of God working through the little guy. David was a shepherd boy, Mary and Joseph were working class newlyweds, and Jesus’ first disciples were fishermen. Sometimes the smallest groups can yield the most astonishing outcomes.

Soon, you may be able to add the Christians of Kenya to the list of believers who beat overwhelming odds.

World Mission recently sent a team to Kenya to train leaders and pass out Bibles among the tribes. According to their Facebook page, “We had participants in attendance throughout the 3 days of training ranging from pastors, farmers, teachers, missionaries and self-employed business people – all eager to learn how to make disciples of oral cultures through their natural social networks.”

Greg Kelley of World Mission said the Turkana tribe was particularly responsive. “Among the Turkana people, one of the largest people groups in the north that is largely without a Gospel presence, we saw 36 new leaders who are training and launching into ministry.”

World Mission volunteers also distributed Treasures, solar-powered audio Bibles that make hundreds of hours of translated Scripture easily accessible to anyone who’s willing to listen. “People were coming from all over northern Kenya just to receive a Treasure,” Kelley said. “One person walked six hours just to receive one of these.”

The team also worked with the Gabbra people. “About 89,000 people live in this very desolate area, and there are only about 200 evangelical Christians,” Kelley said. “The Gospel has only been established in about four communities.”

And yet the team distributed hundreds of Treasures and introduced some communities to Scripture for the first time in history. “Even with only 200 evangelical, you can already see the impact of the Gospel on these people.”

For example, Kelley got a chance to talk to one woman who had been facing demonic attack. “She had gone to the Muslims for answers, she had gone to the Catholics for answers, she had gone to a cult for answers, and no one could help her at all.”

“Finally she came to one of the missionaries serving in this area and they shared the Gospel and showed her just how much Jesus loved her. She was set free of that demonic oppression. Now, after just two months, she’s serving God and is a missionary herself.”

Want to help? There are plenty of ways you can come alongside the tribes of Kenya as a small group of Christians spreads the Gospel to their communities and neighbors. “The hunger for the Word of God has just been so encouraging and uplifting,” Kelley said. “These people are going back and they’re setting up listening groups where hundreds of people are hearing the Gospel for the first time.”