Nine ministers from the South England Conference (SEC) led by Dr Hezron Otieno Adingo responded to a call for a 'City to City Evangelistic Effort' in Kenya, as they set out on 4 October 2023 on a mission to evangelise in the West Kenya Union Conference under the theme, 'The King is Coming'.
At the end of the two-week programme, 309 candidates embraced the gospel message by giving their lives to Christ through baptism. One of the evangelists, Pastor Anthony Opoku-Mensah's remarks, captured what happened at the various sites of the evangelistic endeavour. He said, "We battled with the heavy rainfall almost daily during the campaign. When the rains came, we all ran for cover and resumed immediately the rain abated." There were days "when we had to abandon our meetings halfway because the rains failed to stop," he added.
The evangelists maintained their enthusiasm as they braved the adverse weather conditions and enthusiastically delivered their messages to a waiting audience in the cities and towns of Homabay, Kehancha, Kisumu, Eldoret, Kapsabet, Namgoi, Kitale, Bungoma, and Rongo. Despite the rains, choirs sang, and listeners trooped in every evening in their tens, hundreds, and thousands to hear the everlasting gospel and God's blessings.
The nine pastors from the SEC were Pastors Laszlo Liebhardt, Anthony Opoku-Mensah, Fergus Owusu-Boateng, Vili Costescu, Samuel Ngui, Sampson Aboagye, Emmanuel Asamoah, and Kwadwo Kwarteng-Ampofo, who were dispatched to the major cities and towns within the West Kenya Union Conference of the East-Central Africa Division.
One of the high points for the pastors was to see people responding to appeals as they surrendered their lives to Christ despite the weather challenges. They conducted baptisms in Lake Victoria, local rivers, streams, and swimming pools.
As a result of the evangelistic efforts, two new congregations were established in Bungoma and Kitale, where new members will be nurtured. Pastor Aboagye had the privilege of offering the name Ebenezer Seventh-day Adventist Church Bungoma to the congregation in his centre. In Kitale, a new church was named Great Hope Boateng Seventh-day Adventist Church Kitale after Pastor Owusu-Boateng. The mission coordinator, Dr Hezron Otieno Adingo (SEC), prayed for the Governor of Homa Bay County, Her Excellency Gladys Atieno Nyasuna Wanga, and her cabinet and county officials at the campaign's closing.
Besides proclaiming the message from the platform, the ministers, overwhelmed with empathy and kindness, got involved in humanitarian activities, which saw them give a helping hand to needy people. Pastors Costescu and Ngui significantly impacted lives through their acts of charity, which the locals received well.
In Kapsabet and Namgoi, the locals were very much impressed by the ministries of Pastors Liebhardt and Asamoah, so much so that the two were installed as Nandi (one of the Kenyan tribes) elders. Pastor Kwarteng-Ampofo, on his part, acquired a Luo name, 'Otieno', in addition to his usual name as a sign of respect, embrace, and acceptance.
God be praised for the great things He has done through His mouthpieces.
