Homa Bay Church of Christ

If this name doesn’t sound familiar to you, there is a reason.  Homa Bay is not one of the places where we are currently engaged with an orphans work.   It is however, where Alfayo Bodi, (our director at Ndhiwa, Grace House, and Manning) was living when he first became a Christian and helped start this church 13 years ago.  It’s also the home of our Stephen Owino, who is my assistant and good friend.  So today I made a special visit to encourage this church and the Christians there.

 

We arrived mid-morning at the new church plot.  The church actually meets at a rented building but has purchased this plot to build their permanent home on.  It may seem strange to us for a church to be 13 years old before having their own building, but not for this church.  They have been caring for widows and orphans almost from the very beginning, and have using their resources to help others instead of focusing on themselves. They have build a small mud house for the pastor to live in and are saving for their building.

 

They had erected a tent for my visit and many of the orphans and widows they are feeding and some church members were there.  It’s a town-church, so most of the members have jobs so it was a sacrifice for them to come meet with me.  The kids there literally had never seen a white person before, so they were a bit shy, but they sang songs and recited poems in honor of the occasion.  We heard testimonies from two orphans and a very aged widow about how the church had been caring for them.  It was very encouraging and humbling for me.

 

I spoke briefly, (very briefly since I am coming down with something and can’t seem to stop coughing), and we prayed together.  After sharing in their meal, we had a meeting time with the church elders and their personal stories were also very touching.  The church has been through a lot, as any church of this age has, but it has persevered.   One of the elders was an orphan himself and he feels very deeply for the orphans in his area.  I don’t know what God will do to help us help this church, but I am praying that he will send the increase we would require, as he has always been faithful to do. 

 

After our time at the church plot, we went to Stephen Owino’s house for lunch.  The ladies of the church had everything prepared and it was a fine meal of fish, ugali, pasta, veggies, and pineapple.  It was so good to see where Stephen lives and I can tell it was very important to him.  On our way out of town, we stopped at a hotel there to check it out for a possible mission trip hotel.  It may work out and would be a lot closer to Ndhiwa and our other orphanages near here than staying in Kisii.

 

Now we have arrived at Alfayo’s house at Ndhiwa Orphanage.  For the next two days we will se this place as well as Manning, and Grace House.  The internet is very slow here so I’m not sure I’ll be able to get pictures up, but I will try.  Be blessed.