Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! We hope that you are well in the Lord at this time of the year. I have seen it good to update our progress and work here:
We are trying to cope with the hunger famine here that has really hit our congregants hard and most of them finding it difficult to afford 2 meals a day. This was occasioned by the weather patterns in recent times together with the pandemic that hit most of our people who are largely farmers and hence government direction on movements really affected them. Most of them depend on maize and beans mostly for their survival and therefore those in rural areas recently cultivated their farms in the region and now they have to wait up until August late to receive their harvests on the same. Kindly be with them in prayers and if you may have any kind of assistance it shall be highly appreciated more so from the hunger stricken families, not forgetting the orphans and widows within our congregations.
I find it wise to share with you the following update on our recent work as below:-
On the 14th day May 2022 we had a wonderful bible study at Bwake church of Christ in Luuya area of Bungoma county. The study went on well and the attendance was good with a number of people from the area joining us for the bible studies.
After the one class which was very vibrant and actively involved in the studies , two souls obeyed the gospel and made a decision to enter into a new birth through baptism in Christ. Their names are as follows:-
1. Abiud Wekesa Wanyonyi – who was born on 15th October 2007 and studies at Nzoia Industry secondary school.
2. Alex Nyongesa Wafula – who was born on 13th November 2003 and studies at S.A Khatiri secondary school.
On the 15th may 2022 being a Sunday some of our team visited Ematawa church of Christ which is a young congregation but very vibrant in growth. We were with the congregants from 8:00am – 1:00pm. Swahili Bibles were distributed to the members here as in the pictures attached . On the same day we visited Buchifi church of Christ where we had a bible class with the topic of the day about “unity” and “love” which went on well. We ask prayers for Alex and Abiud that they may be strong forever in the lord.
On 2nd and 3rd of June 2022, I and a few others from the Baraka congregation spent the entire day knocking on doors to see if we could find families that want to know the Lord and visiting Christian families to encourage them in the Lord ( Phil.3:14)
On 4th of June 2022, we had two seminars one from morning to afternoon with Baraka congregation and some invited and the second from afternoon to evening with a congregation we are helping and where we have baptized some few members as was in my last report. I and brother Kevin taught in both seminars and based our teachings on The New testament Church ( its meaning, coming, identity, name, organization, entry, worship ,work, unity, creed and history) We also spent time answering some good questions from the audience in both places. We further encouraged the two congregations to study the things we had studied with them in light of the scriptures and see for themselves. If we both will see the Church as God intended for us to see it, then our whole attitude will be changed , and perhaps even our life.
On 5th of June 2022, we had a joint worship with the same congregation we are helping turn to New Testament pattern. This was to help them further see how the worship of the Church should be conducted and insist on the Importance of the Communion. In our Bible study class, we spent some time in Acts 2:42-47, about the Fellowship of the believers.
On 11th and 12th days of June 2022, some few brethren from Butere led by my father visited Homabay County, Labwe valley in small town known as Magunga , at Ugoro church of Christ with invitation by preacher John. A profitable time of good bible class was spent and thereafter a Sunday church service which was successful with John leading the programme and songs, James led the preaching and my father , Wycliffe did the Lord’s Supper and giving. The congregation there is doing fine and growing with good brothers who abide in sound doctrine, the Christians there are welcoming too. From Butere to Ugoro church of Christ, it’s a journey that takes a couple of hours with public means of transport. They also carried some 20 Luo bibles which we distributed amongst the church members of that congregation who were in need of Luo bibles.
On the same day , I was away from Baraka congregation and worshipped with Butere Congregation. I did both the teaching in Bible study and the preaching and was joined with a few preachers later that afternoon for another study and mutual encouragement in the Lord.
On 17th -18th June 2022 my father ,Wycliffe was at Naivasha Rift valley in Nakuru County, where he meet a group organized by the Naivasha Church preacher and who invited him to meet this group and study with them together.
The topic was “SUCCESSFUL CHRISTIAN LIVING IN TODAYS WORLD” also in his teachings he taught on how we can live successfully with the trials and temptations of life. His text was from the scripture in the book of James 1:1-27
An overview of the text:
1. The certainly of trials in the Christians life (Jas 1:2-12)
2. The certainly of temptations in the Christians life (Jas 1:13-17)
3. The bible is Gods answer to life’s trials and temptations (Jas 1:18-27)
Many whom he met were happy to hear the teachings and having a mutual time of encouragement in the Lord.
In addition , Individual Christians here are also involving in personal evangelism. We believe the harvest is plentiful out here and so the need for more laborers. Some of our sisters are doing well in this area and we keep encouraging them to keep up with the good work for the sake of the Lord and pray for those who are able to use their God given energy in such good work. Apparently, other people are like the seed planted on the ground. They hear the teaching and accept it. They grow and make fruit sometimes 30 times more, sometimes 60 times more and sometimes 100 times more (Mark 4:20). This is so important that all of us should understand that this bearing fruit for some is their seemingly inborn ability to lead others to Christ. But for many others it includes a wide range of abilities and talents to love and serve people, encourage, teach, give etc. We’ve to encourage Christians and ourselves that we should not let the 30-60-100 metaphor throw us off or discourage us. (That’s talking about seeds of grain in the head of a plant). Most often people can be wonderful fruit bearers for God while influencing only a few or even just one life, for Christ.
With all this shared, I just want you all to know that this work is only possible through Christ and His work through you as you partner with us. We appreciate your continued support financially and above all in thoughts and prayers to our Heavenly Father, to continue reaching the lost , and helping us to see the hope we both have in Jesus Christ and to see that we matter. God Bless you all and we continue to lift you all up in prayer to our Heavenly Father.
Thank you so much once again for trusting me to share this report with you. God Bless!
(Attached below are pictures of the occasions )
Yours faithful brother in Christ,
Martin Shikuku Afuma
Evangelist - Baraka Church of Christ
MOMBASA - KENYA.
Email : shikukumatoro@gmail.com
: barakachurchofchrist12@gmail.com
TEL : (+254)746-514-026
"And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men,[a] who will be able to teach others also" (2Tim. 2:2).
