His Work Among the Luo People Of Kenya Go ... and make disciples of all nations Matthew 28:19
October 1, 1990

Fraley's Chapel Church of Christ
c/o Jeff Young
Rt. #2 Box 421
Corinth, Mississippi  38834

Dear family in Christ,

"If anyone wishes to came after Me, Let him. deny himself,
and take up his cross, and follow Me."   Matthew 16:24

     Dad and Mom Rosie have completed their year here in Kenya and I can't better describe what they have done than to use the phrase, "they took up their crosses".  And that's not an easy task here in Kenya.  A year ago they arrived here, unsure what they would find and unsure what they could do to help, but they determined to take up their crosses and follow Him.  For that, we thank God.
      What exactly does it mean "take up your cross"?  It means whatever you are asked to bear,
then bear it for Christ.  Mom and Dad Rosie have done this so gracefully.  For that, we thank God.
      Their crosses were made twice as heavy because they put up with us without complaint for
a whole year.  They bounced for hours on end over these rough roads until their teeth have been
shaken loose along with a few other bones.  They sat on rickety stools in the scorching sun or in a musty mud house without understanding much of what was being said.  They ate corn and greens with their fingers in a mud house when they would have rather had steak and potatoes off a table cloth in their own home.  They went wherever they were asked whenever they were asked and sometimes stayed home just because they were asked, not necessarily because they wanted to sit at home.  I can't count how many times Dad laid under the truck in our gravel driveway attempting to put our old, tired vehicle back together, or how many times he changed a flat tire.  And Mom had never slept in a tent before.  But she did it stoically when her only other choice was a mud house.  In the very beginning she told me she could never sleep in a mud house.  But, guess what? She has done It twice (slept in a mud house) without complaint and woke up smiling.
      Taking up their crosses meant leaving their friends and work in the States where every
comfort is at hand  and being at the beck and call of their kids for a whole year, where every
comfort is not at hand. Truly they followed the call of Christ. They did without their own home,
without their own car, without their own language for a year, and they did it so gracefully. For
that, we thank God.

"whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of
the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the
Father."  Colossians 3 :17.

      I said earlier that Dad and Mom Rosie came not knowing what they could do?  Is that such a
hard thing?  Do we believe that Christ leads?
      From the moment they arrived they jumped right in and taught many words and did many
deeds 1n the name of. the Lord Jesus.  Dad has worn a permanent spot in one of our chairs where he sat to prepare numerous lessons to guide and encourage the Luo brethren.  He jumped whenever Barry said jump and taught whenever Barry said teach.  He fixed when Barry said fix and encouraged when Barry said encourage.. And the brethren have come to love him and love Christ better because of him.  The ladies will feel a big void when Mom has gone home.  When I saw her teach those women I saw a real life example of Titus 2:3-4.
      But one deed that Mom and Dad did that helped this work even more than their personal
teaching was the way they held us up in times of frustration and sadness.  We sometimes think that if we are not teaching directly, then we are doing nothing.  Not so!  That encouragement that they provided us as they guided and counseled helped to give us a deeper love and a better attitude towards our Luo brethren and I know, it set an example for the Luo's too.  What better example of Christ can one have when an angry brother is asking what good are you if you won't do what he wants, than to hear a gentle reminder 1n the other ear that Christ wants us to love despite angry words.
      Yes.  The elder Rosie's did much for this work and for us, perhaps most of which they will
never know fully.' But one deed for Christ they can know for sure is in teaching our very best Luo friends and bringing them to the foot of the cross in baptism.  We rejoice over the baptism of Rose Atieno and James Tindi. We have known them and worked closely with them for five years but just a few weeks ago started to call them brother and sister.  Dad and Mom were such an example to them that putting on Christ became a must.  What better testimony to a year spent for Christ?  What a better testimony for doing all in the name of the Lord Jesus?
      Rose and James wrote a departing note to Dad and Mom Rosie.  I want to share it with you:

      Dear Roger and Doris,

                    Knowing you has given birth to very fruitful events in our life as
      a family.  We are indeed grateful though your going back will physically set a
      vacuum among us; you will be leaving our souls more spiritually rekindled and
      better placed than you found us.  Thanks to God through His loving son Jesus
      Christ for the nice Bible sessions we have shared together and may we
      continue sharing even when you are back in America.  May the good Lord take
      you back as safely as He brought you to Kenya.

                                                    Thank you,
 
 

                                                    Rose, James & family
 

We thank God and know He has been glorified because of the help we received this year in the
work among the Luo.

For Christ.
 
 

Barry, Stacy & Kit Rosie