Barry and Stacy Rosie

Box 2568

Kisii, Kenya

March 16, 1986

Fraleys Chapel Church of Christ

c/o Jim Brown

Rt. # 8 Box 320

Corinth, Mississippi 38834

Fellow Workers in Christ,

Greetings from Kenya. This last month has been very busy for us. Before continuing, however, I need to correct a mistake that was made in last month’s newsletter. I included a thank you for support to the Clearwater Church of Christ in Largo, Florida. The congregation I meant to thank was the Central Church of Christ in Clearwater, Florida. Please forgive my oversight in this area.

On March 7th we finished language school in Nairobi and re-turned to Kisii on the 10th. While in Nairobi I had the opportunity to see first hand six of the Luo congregations that have been started there. The Luo people can be found everywhere in Kenya, but are most receptive in their natural homes where we pray our work can soon start.

March 11th was the first day we were able to move into and sleep in our own house. Since then we have been very busy. Stacy has worked at setting up the kitchen and making curtains for the windows. I have been working on the necessary wiring from a trans-former so that we can use our appliances.

Today (March 16th) we went to Winyo and worshipped with the same church that we worshipped at during our bonding experience. For the first time I was able to give a short lesson in Luo and the Christians at Winyo were very supportive. On Thursday we will re-turn to Winyo for another month to practice speaking what was learn-ed while in Nairobi.

Soon Stacy will be able to try teaching in the Luo language. In April there is going to be a four-day ladies course starting on the 17th at Mbita. During this time Lawrence and I will go out during the day and preach in various places. We ask that you re-member us in conversation to our Lord and ask for our continued growth and guidance as we start to reach out to the Luo people of South Nyanza.

It was mentioned in our last newsletter how much we appreciate the correspondence that we have received since we have been in Kenya. We are very pleased that this is continuing. You may never realize what it means to us to receive letters from you who are in America. At the same time Stacy and I know that you will only be able to see and experience Kenya and the work here through us. This is very important, as you are as necessary to the work as we are. We have noticed that some of your letters are taking a month or more to reach us. Do not be discouraged if it seems like we are not responding. We answer them as soon as we receive them.

I want to close with a short story. . . Once upon a time, on a bright and sunny Sunday morning, a man named Joseph embarked on one of his favorite chores, driving the church bus to pick up his fellow Christians for worship. This Sunday was to be different though, for when he arrived at the bus stop, he was horrified to find his fellow Christians lying on the street, shot to death. Joseph mourned that Sunday, and prayed for God to forgive those who had done that horrible thing. And on Monday, Joseph awoke to a new day, but a day far more horrible. For this day, Joseph received notice that his twelve-year-old daughter was soon to be drafted onto the front lines of the horrible war by those same people for whom he prayed forgiveness yesterday. Again Joseph prayed, and on the third day, he learned that a babe in Christ, a 17-year-old girl near to his heart, had been tortured and imprisoned for going to worship. And yet Joseph still prayed and is praying today.

The saddest thing about this story is that it did not happen "Once upon a Time". It has happened this month, in Ethiopia, to real Christian people. So the next time your thoughts turn to us and how much we in Kenya are sacrificing to spread the Word, please turn them again to our Northern neighbors in Ethiopia who need your prayers even more.

We love and are praying for you,

Barry and Stacy