His Work Among the Luo People Of Kenya Go ... and make disciples of all nations Matthew 28:19
November 7, 1991

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

Dear friends and fellow workers,

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His
great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.   I Peter 1:3.
                             ,
Let's consider ourselves for a few moments.  An American Christian has the hope of resurrection in him, but he differs from a Luo in that he also has a hope in his own abilities and a hope in the multitude of opportunities open to him in America.  You have chosen the school you attended and your career.  You have chosen where you live, what kind of house you have, what kind of food you will eat today, the clothes you are wearing and what you will do in your leisure time.  When you get sick, you will choose the doctor and the hospital you will use.  And you understand that despite all your hopes in your own abilities, you make mistakes which Christ covers over for you.

A Luo, on the other hand, has little hope in his life.  He cannot choose his school or even if he will attend school at all.  His life of subsistence farming (growing just enough to feed his family) takes away many of his choices and hopes in his abilities and opportunities.  Lack of industry in Kenya robs him of hope for a good job and a better future for his children.  Lack of available land takes away his choice of where to live and his hope of producing better crops.  He cannot choose what he will eat, or the clothes he will wear.  His life of subsistence farming takes away his leisure time.  More often than not, there is neither choice of doctor or hospital, nor hope of any health care at all.

Consider this traditional Luo story taken from a Luo Oral Literature book entitled Keep my Words by B. Onyango-Ogutu and A.A. Roscoe:

                                        MAN MUST DIE

                    Nyasaye-Nyakalaga-Were-Akumu (God) wanted to put a stop to the rampages
              of death - death which claims the lives of everyone
                    young and old
                    boys and girls
                    men and women
                    strangers and kinsmen;
                    death which kills
                    the innocent and the guilty
                    chiefs and their subjects
                    the healthy and the sick
                    the wise and the foolish.
                    So one day he sent a servant to earth with a message for all of his people:
              "Send me an offering of fresh, untainted fat," he ordered. "It should be as
              clean and sparkling as the moon."  Hearing this, the people slaughtered a
              goat, removed its pure white fat, and placed it in a clay dish over spread
              with fine fresh leaves.
                   Now they summoned Ng'ongruok, also known as Hanifu the Chameleon, and
             ordered him to take their offering to Nyasaye.  They also fashioned a long
             pole that reached up to heaven where Nyasaye dwells in his glory.  This was
             the path Ng'ongruok would follow when carrying their offering.
                  But Ng'ongruok accidentally soiled the fat with his clumsy feet, and on
             his arrival before Nyasaye presented a dirty and unsightly offering.
             Nyasaye was furious and rejected it, shouting: "Tell the people of the earth
             that because of this insult they must continue to die, just as their
             ancestors have done!"
                  Ng'ongruok descended from heaven, delivered Nyasaye's message, and
             returned the offering to the people.  Ever since then, alas, death has
             continued to ravage mankind.  For his clumsiness, Ng'ongruok was cursed by
             the people.  Hence, he must always walk on all fours, and his steps must be
             hesitant and slow.  That is why you will always see him carrying one leg
             raised from the ground as he tries to decide exactly where to tread.

Traditionally, the Luo had no hope in God for his God was a God who had no mercy and could accept no mistakes.  The Luo knew that his abilities were worthless to this God of theirs.  A Luo's hope is dead because of past belief and because of the present conditions of his life.  He could never hope to obtain a promise of a living hope and an eternal life.

When the story of a God of mercy and His Son whose actions cover all of our human mistakes is given to a Luo, he begins to learn of a possibility, of a choice, and of a hope he never before dreamed of.  His life becomes full of opportunities.  No, his problems in this life are not solved, but suddenly  he has something to look forward to, something to hope in, something to work towards.  That is an exciting discovery here in Luo land.  Hope for the future!

You may ask me if I ever have doubts about leaving America and coming here to Kenya to work.  And I can emphatically answer, "NO!"  I know of nothing more joyful than watching hope unfold for a Luo, nothing more peaceful than watching the fear of being imperfect fade away, and the confidence that the future holds a brighter life take its place, nothing more unbelievable than how quickly the story of a God of hope replaces their God who has no room for mistakes.  I know of nothing so great as the change taking place in the hearts of these people who used to be without hope and without a future.

Each Lords Day as I eat His Supper, I remind myself that without His living hope of resurrection I would not be here spreading His story to the Luo people.  And I thank Him for your hope of resurrection that makes our stay here in Kenya possible.  We love you and pray that you are living each day reminded that Christ covers your shortcomings and offers you a hope beyond measure.

For Him,
 
 

Barry, Stacy & Kit