An encouraging story from Naivasha. A week ago, I was privileged to be among a small group of pastors from Nairobi who visited one of my favorite places in Kenya. Our mission: to meet representatives from the different pastor's fellowships in order to share the vision of Msafara (www.msafara.co.ke). Rather late in the day, we realized it was the first joint pastor's meeting since the violence in that town. Twist! The divisions that had happened there had not spared the church, and there was much tension even among the pastors present.
Feeling very inadequate, we challenged those at the meeting to put aside their differences and to work together to take back their city from anarchy. At some point, it seemed we were wasting time - such was the suspicion in the room; I imagine from the pain & injustice many of them had experienced. But then the miracle took place before our eyes; genuine confession and repentance took place among the pastors, and a commitment to work together was made. This last Sunday, most of the churches in town joined in a peace march to pray over their town.
Well, just spoke to one of the pastors. He tells me it went amazingly well. Of all the good things he described, the most amazing to me was; people at the event started to confess about the stuff they stole during the fracas and to ask where they could return it to! The pastors have designated one of the churches in town as a collection center for stolen goods to be returned.
There is hope in Naivasha!
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3 comments:
Hey Pastor M,
This is very encouraging. The hope that we have in our hearts will be transmitted to the hearts of those in Naivasha.
We shall continue to pray for you and every one involved in the Msafara.
God Bless you :)
Talk on Naivasha incidence and the cry of my mother- in-law comes into my mind. Her house Vandalized by a group of mungiki led by a pastor. This passtor is from crisco churh and has been her neighbour for the last 7 years. she saw the pastor comming with the mungikis and took off with her children. They broke into the house and stole everything and destroyed the three bedroom house in kabati. She has struggled to put up this house with loan only to see it being reduced to nothing. She is bitter with the pastor and has vowed never to attend a church with a kikuyu pastor.
I feel you wartchdog... Traveling around the country breaks my heart because of all stories about the evil that we have committed against each other. As a pastor, I can only say I'm deeply sorry for the terrible betrayal by a fellow pastor.
Yet our only hope for Kenya lies in the power of forgiveness. Bitterness draws us in to become a part of the very evil that we so despise. Like someone once said, its like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies. I pray that somehow your mom will find the power to let go and to let God heal and restore.
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