Greetings and Blessings from Eldoret, Kenya!

Thursday, November 07, 2013 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments

I am writing today from Eldoret, Kenya, which is about 200 miles northwest of Nairobi. We have travelled to Kenya to hold a leadership conference and Gospel Crusades.

I taught two opening leaders/pastors sessions on Wednesday morning, after 33 hours of travel and arriving Tuesday evening. Felt totally refreshed after a full night of sleep and had no "jet lag!" I taught using an interpreter who translated into Swahili. The pastors from Eldoret and Kisii (Kenya) said they were blessed and greatly encouraged!  ForWednesday late afternoon, our outdoor crusade was cut short due to rain and wind.

Teaching with an Interpreter

This morning, November 7 begins day two of our mission.

We are the guests of Pastor Allan Mugoha and the Restoration Vision Centre, which serves people in an impoverished part of the city. Eldoret is the second largest city in Kenya. It has thriving small businesses and a number of colleges and training centers. Eldoret is also home to a training center for Kenya's world class distance runners. Most people are self-employed as vendors of various goods and services, from fruits/vegetables, to fabrics, to handmade furniture such as bed frames and wicker chairs.

Furniture makers

Kenya is reported to have an 80% Christian population. As in the USA, this certainly does not indicate that 80% of the population are born again Christians. However, indicators of identification with Christ are impressive. Many shops and minivans used as taxis carry Christian graphics and names such as "Glory" or "Blessed by God." Unlike other African cities like Lagos, Nigeria, where Islamic prayers can be heard blaring over loudspeakers every morning, Eldoret is more influence by Christianity and less by Islam.

That said, it seems clear that many people, and especially children, need to know Christ as Savior and Lord. The poverty we've seen outside the central city is overwhelming. While hunger does not appear to be a major crisis because of the richness of agriculture and livestock, many people are living well below poverty, and some live in squalor.

Eldoret Downtown traffic

Our team is staying in at a Christian owned Hotel and Conference facility on the outskirts of the city called the Noble Center. It is a beautiful facility with manicured landscaping, flowers and excellent accommodations. Everyday, I've seen prosperous Kenyans enjoying breakfast and gathering for business meetings at this conference center. I certainly have more in common with these folks, in terms of lifestyle, than our host Pastor and the people we are ministering to everyday. However, my heart is joined to those in need.

As in the USA, I am concerned that the prosperous Christian community here in Eldoret may be isolated from their impoverished fellow citizens and believers in Christ. I certainly cannot conclude anything from a few days in country, but the disparity between "haves" and "have nots" seems to be much greater than in the USA.

Giving prophetic word to pastor

Though some American Christians want to criticize "big" government and pretend that people in poverty should simply "pull themselves up by the bootstraps," our practice of public/private partnerships in helping one another and sharing our blessings with people who are less fortunate is a reflection of our Christian love and generosity.

Every bad road we have travelled for our brief time here, every open sewer running past the homes of people, and every uneducated child, reminds me that our Christianity cannot be confined to our churches and privileged lifestyles.

We are looking forward to continuing in ministry to pastors and Christian leaders in the mornings and holding Gospel crusades in the afternoon through Saturday. Thank you for your prayers!

Pastor Bryan Hudson