2008-12-13T00:18:00.000-08:00

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PRAYER REQUEST posted on the Samburu/IMB website on September 4, 2008 by Charlie and Sandra Daniels, the IMB missionaries now living among the Samburu, a people group being reached by the Good News of our Saviour thanks to the Lottie Moon Offering and the prayers of Southern Baptists:

“… After a week of baptisms, new work, professions of faith, Bible club and good things, there was bound to be a counter-attack … a group came from another denomination and held a prayer service. They asked if there were any pastors in the area they could invite to join them. Someone mentioned our local pastor and they replied, “No, he cannot pray with us. He is not really a pastor.”

Well, my reaction is the same as yours….says who? You, who come in from the outside and know nothing about his work, his calling, his commitment, his heart? We were furious to hear this story. But the worst part is that our friend the local pastor believed it. When relating the story to Charlie, he said, “It is true.” The other leaders with him all agreed! “None of us are pastors,” they said. “We have not been to any school, we do not have any certificate, we do not receive a salary.”

While they are correct, the same can be said about many pastors in places all over the world, including the US … These men want and deserve official recognition. Charlie has sought the advice of an experienced missionary colleague who works very closely with Kenyan Baptist pastors all over the country. There is a solution and God will bring it to pass. Meanwhile, we pray these men can patiently and confidently stand firm against this persecution.” (Found at Pastors Perplexed, Samburu of Kenya Blog )

ANSWERED PRAYERS

Report from Jack Yates, the "experienced missionary" who works with Kenyan Baptist pastors: “The Samburu people group who live around Maralal are four hours away from their nearest BCOK (Baptist Convention of Kenya) neighbors. So when Charlie called me for help I knew to go the Moderator of the BCOK, Daniel Thiuri, who lives only five hours away.

Charlie needed help in ordination of pastors and he did not want any precedence set that would require a missionary or a lot of legalities. The problem was that he was the only ordained Baptist minister in all of Samburu District. Charlie needed someone to follow him and confirm what had been taught and make ordination a wholly Kenyan service.

Three leaders of the BCOK and I arrived in Maralal on Friday, December 5th, and the Moderator spent all of Saturday teaching the Samburu pastors about Ordination Biblical requirements. The rest of the convention team and I continued the trek into the mountains where Linus Kirimi, who is on the faculty of the Kenya Baptist Theological College, baptized 14 adults from a Samburu community in a shallow pool of semi-stagnant water.”

Linus Kirimi's Report: Leaving Nyahururu for Maralal, Jack asked the Moderator if he had scheduled something for that evening. Daniel's answer was no. Jack had to call Charlie immediately to inform him of moderator's reply. Why all this? Because, pastors in Maralal wanted us to start teaching as soon as we arrived! I realized that these pastors are at the center of nowhere.

In fact when we went up the mountain on Saturday, James, our contact person said, "other denominations have no interest up here; Gospel is taken up here by Baptists only". The people up there are thirsty for the Word of God. We need more than Charlie and Sandra. I also wonder how the two survive up there without roads. On our trip up the mountain, James was forced to go ahead of us getting the branches out of the way. He said that they were laid out their by elephants. I wanted to see these elephants although I was scared. I never saw them.

It was my first experience to baptize in temporary wells. Very shallow and very dirty. I am used to Mount Kenya rivers … First I was to ask Charlie to assure me that the well was not dangerous to my health and Charlie said, "Linus you have no choice". Even to get the little water we got was by grace.

In spite of all these, I was moved by the turn-up of the new believers. All of them arrived within 10 minutes. The missionary’s car was the bell. There was also a nursery school for Baptists. Two hundred and forty kids had graduated from PP3 (Pre-primary 3) to Class one in the middle of nowhere. I asked James what else they were doing to the kids except literacy and numeracy. He said, "The Bible of course." He added, "Everyone of these kids will be a Baptist since we are the only church here." James has 4 wives which is very normal among the Samburu. He knew very well that he cannot serve as a pastor. Nevertheless, he was ready to serve at any other capacity. Among those that were baptized, I baptized the tallest man in my life!

Sandra’s Report of the Sunday Ordination Service: Fifteen minutes after arriving for the ordination service, I was sent on an errand … they had run out of sufurias (cooking pots) … Forty-five minutes later, I returned with the two extra large and three large aluminum pots … I expected that by the time I returned, they would be about midway into the service … They had not even started.

Things soon got underway and as the people filed in, the place was completely packed with standing room only. Charlie counted 150 adults and there must have been over 60 children Joseph and I had a seat on one of the primitive wooden benches at the back. Children milled in and out and were occasionally shushed and told to sit down on the concrete floor. After prayers and introductions, the choirs from each church came forward to perform. One was a small group of youth in matching bright yellow t-shirts … Another group was comprised of small children, another of young women and another of women of mixed ages. With concrete floors and walls, a corrugated metal roof and no ceiling, the singing and drumming mixed with the sound of crying babies in what I kept thinking of as ‘controlled chaos’.

It was loud, but it was Samburu, from the traditional dancing of the mamas, to the youth in their western inspired jeans and t-shirts … And then, there was a transformation. What had been loud and uncontrolled suddenly became quiet and reverent. These people have chosen to be Baptist amid lots of pull and competition from other denominations. The reason we hear over and over for this choice is that we teach the Bible.

As the men came forward to have hands laid on them, people hushed to see this particular Biblical teaching of separating chosen men for ministry come to life. Necks strained in the congregation and all got quiet as they watched their pastors kneel. One by one, the BCOK (Baptist Convention of Kenya) leaders and the two missionaries laid hands on each and prayed for them. It was an incredibly touching and solemn moment … And for me, to know all the trials these men have endured and all the ridicule they have suffered from others and to watch them now receive this affirmation was so moving. Samburu do not express much emotion and I have not seen more than two or three cry, but when the pastors turned to face the church, I did notice more than one of them wiping their eyes. What a glorious day it was indeed. (From: Ordination Story, Samburu of Kenya

More from Jack Yates: In the packed and emotional service, the five pastors were ordained in a colourful service that included their wives – all these pastors have only one wife!Afterwards Sammy Mbiti (Treasurer of BCOK) preached a compelling message that combined all the events of the weekend into a call for dedication, service and responsibility. Nineteen adults accepted Christ in the electrified environment.

As we ate a Thanksgiving meal, I reveled in personal thanksgiving and great joy. What an experience to happen at Christmas and during the International Week of Missions for Southern Baptists - A real Lottie Moon Story that would not have happened if Southern Baptists had not been praying and supporting their missionaries who have worked with the Samburu.

Added note from Linus Kirimi: On Sunday after the ordination, Charlie said there were more people up the mountain to be baptized. I asked one of Charlie’s guys how many we were to expect. He said, "About 40". All because of the zeal for God! I need Kenyan home missionaries to go up there. I love them all.

The Samburu - Responding to the Gospel