March 1995

His Work Among the Luo People Of Kenya Go ... and make disciples of all nations Matthew 28:19
March 3, 1995

I woke up this morning to my trusty old Kenyan alarm clock. Daily, about an hour before dawn, the night revellers, the crickets, toads, and any number of noisemakers, those that chirp, click, and croak, finally go to sleep. Near absolute silence prevails for about a half an hour. I find myself waking up at this silent time in anticipation of my Kenyan alarm clock, for a few minutes before dawn, a single bird will sound his call. It's a lone, sharp, clear and achingly beautiful call, and immediately all the birds come awake and sing in answer to his call. Again the air is filled with cacophony of a different sort that provides background music for my day. I've been here in Kenya for more than nine years and I still don't know the name of that bird that serves as the most beautiful wake up alarm I've ever heard. I can't name any of the birds who answer his call either but I feel as if I know each birdsong intimately. There are those who whoop, those that warble, those that whistle in at least a thousand different ways, those that chirp and those that stutter. There's even one who sounds just like our telephone. Each one unique to Africa and our life here in Kenya. They've become so familiar I count them as old friends and anxiously wait to hear them each day.

Old friends. That's what some of the Luos have become to me. I anxiously wait for them each day also. Where would I be without Atieno who has an appropriate Bible verse always on the tip of her tongue, Aluoch who gently corrects my mistakes, Adhiambo who begs for more teaching, or Akeyo who makes me laugh and can always put my heartache into perspective? I am inspired, corrected, needed and uplifted by them each and every day. It's difficult to think of moving on. Difficult to imagine them walking with Christ in Kenya and me walking with Him in another country. But leave we must, if they are ever to depend wholly on Jesus.

So I force myself to look to the future. Christ is not done with me. I've got lots to do yet and that "lots" still points to the mission field. It's time to share our future with you. During our last furlough in 1992, we shared with you our plans for making survey trips in Africa with an eye to the future and a new work for Him. The men (Barry and Roger Moon) made the first of those trips, to Tanzania before we came home for furlough in 1992. The purpose was to check out the Luo speaking population in Tanzania, just south of the Kenyan border, some 100 miles from our present home. In October of 1993, our family surveyed Namibia, on the south west coast of Africa. July of 1994 took us to the island of Madagascar just south east of the African continent. And then in October of 1994, Barry and Roger surveyed Burkina Faso in French West Africa. These countries were chosen based on the lack of a church in the country and the possibility of finding a relatively homogeneous group of people who are receptive to the gospel message. The survey trips are completed, facts are compiled, and the last several months have been spent comparing these four new areas. Some of you have received our formal reports on each of those countries. Others have been informed through personal letters. Many have asked about our decision after having completed the surveys.

That's a tough one! Even now, after four months of study, review and comparison, the decision is only tentative. Let me try to relate our decision making process. All four adults (Barry, Stacy, Roger, and Sue) agree that any decision must be based on fact, but we also know that personal feelings and God have a lot to do with this decision. Instead of comparing only the four countries surveyed, the group decided to add our present work into the comparison due to some indecision on leaving this present work. We then ranked the five countries across eighteen different criteria, half of them giving emphasis to the probable receptivity to the gospel of the people group, and the other half based on the logistics of moving, learning a new language, and the availability of medical care, education for the children, and goods. Each of the adults then did two personal ratings of the five countries across the eighteen criteria, the first based on personal opinion, likes and dislikes, and the second based on facts gathered during the survey trips. We then met together, and the group as a whole compiled a rating of the five countries across the same eighteen criteria. Much time was then spent discussing results. We've also spent regular times in prayer from the beginning of the survey trips right on through the comparison study.

No matter how we looked at it, Madagascar came out on top. In each adults personal rating of the five countries, in each adults factual rating and in the rating based on group decision, Madagascar came to the top. Whether based on probable receptivity of the people group or on the logistics of starting a new work, Madagascar came to the top. Interestingly enough, the work here in Kenya came in second in the factual ratings and in the group rating. We did have some differences of opinion on the Kenyan work being second based on personal feelings. A work among the Owambo people of Northern Namibia came in third, and a work among the Mossi people of Burkina Faso was the fourth choice. A new work among the Luo people of Tanzania was the last choice across the board.

So. . . what is our decision? Madagascar is the tentative (very tentative) decision. We are proceeding slowly, always realizing that God will guide and that we must do our best to search out His will. We continue praying, asking for His help. We continue to consider the continuance of this work also. Just as I've grown accustomed to the birds of Kenya, I've grown accustomed to her people too. I'm not real sure just what the future holds. Please pray for our future work along with us.