Prayers for Kalacha

Greetings from the church in Kalacha!



I want to tell you her story. Kalacha is in northern Kenya. Due to tribal wars, the British government did not allow missionaries in this part of Kenya until 1960 when they let the Catholics in. About 1966 is when the Protestants were allowed. In the past, both Catholics and Protestants have made the mistake of confusing evangelism with Westernizing a culture. Tryinug to avoid this mistake, the exact opposite was made by those first evangelizers to the Gabbra tribe. In Kalacha especially, they presented the gospel as only an addition to the Gabbra traditions. They had many who went to the Catholic church, but all continued the sacrifices and rituals of their past. When the Protestants came and tried to unveil the syncretism of their faith, no one accepted the 'hard road'. They didn't see why they had to either, considering the easy road the Catholics had offered. It took 18 years for the first believer to accept the gospel at all! And now, 44 years later, the church is small but growing. there are supposedly 70 believers in a community of 8,000. Yet all have refused to completely walk away from the traditions that surround them. Noone knows what will happen if they defy the authority of the Gabbra culture and refuse to attend or participate in the sorios (sacrifices). Pray for someone to see that there is nothing for Christians at these events (many are seeing and talking about that) but to also actually take a stand against them by not attending. I was told that a previous missionary worked hard with the youth to inspire this kind of strength, but what often happens is that they get married and have to do the sacrifices associated with that event and they give in to the tradition. I have a friend here who is going to get married in January. Pray specifically for her and her Christian husband to be brave and stand up for their beliefs. Her name is Fadhe.


The growth and strength of the church here is a great burden on my heart. I long to find a way to encourage the missionaries and to walk alongside them in this cause. After a few suggestions, I have been sobered to the fact that their is not much one can do but be faithful and to pray. Therefore, I am asking you to join me in these prayers. Only the Spirit can do the work of the Spirit. I am also sobered as I think back on my own life and how I have rarely had to take much of a stand for the Cross. What we ask of them is so much more than I have ever been asked. To put myself in their shoes is hard to imagine, but even then I find some sympathy knowing that I have never been asked to deny father, mother, brother or sister for the name of Jesus.

Please Pray! (I saw this little guy yesterday)