Dan's story

The community of Olchorro Onyokie had become frustrating to Tim and AfricaHope's Church Ministry national staff, Tom. For years they had weekly visited the community and there still did not seem to be any interest from the people in the gospel. So, they began to pray, asking God if it was time to “shake the dust off their feet” and enter another community, or continue.

A few weeks later, Tim and Tom arrived in Olchorro Onyokie to find people already gathered for the weekly Bible study and a young man named Dan leading worship. Dan had been in and out of the community Bible study since it began years ago. This Friday, he pulled Tim and Tom aside afterwards, saying, “I know you have been coming here for a long time, and many people have rejected your message, but we need the church. When you come, I will be here.”

Dan was faithful to his word, and weekly gathered community members for Bible study. After the gatherings, Tim and Tom spent time in Dan's home, sharing and discussing the word of God with him. In November 2013 he chose to give his life to Christ and was baptized. This January, six more individuals from the community became believers, including Dan's wife and another young couple. Praise God!

Please pray for this small group of believers. Tim and Tom have begun to disciple and equip them with the ability to share the gospel and their testimony. They still have many challenges, including that none of the believers are literate. When asked in his home about the needs of the young church, Dan responded, “the greatest need is the Word, the only time we hear God's word is when you come visit each week.” The community of Olchorro Onyokie is not alone in this need. Although the Bible has been translated into Maasai, the tribal language, over half of all church leaders and pastors in our area are illiterate, unable to read the Bible and share it with their congregations.

In response to this challenge, Tim recently formed a partnership with Simply the Story, a ministry providing non-literate church leaders with access to solar-powered, audio Bibles and equipping them to teach through oral story-telling. Last fall, AfricaHope held its first story-telling training for church leaders in Maasai-land. Dan was one of 30 to attend this 3-day seminar and go home with a new audio Bible.

As we follow-up with Dan and the others who are now using the audio Bibles, we are praising God for the results. In several of these leaders' homes it has become a nightly ritual for neighbors to gather together, sharing chai (tea) and listening to God's word. One man joyfully told us, “I've been in church for years, and I've never heard this!”