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The jeep bumps along the road
as Kenyan church leaders
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make their way to visit
a Global Mission pioneer.
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Driving across Kenya
can be a beautiful journey.
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The wildlife, the people,
and the landscape
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all contribute
to a fascinating experience,
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although there’s always a chance
of running into a problem.
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But the best part of this journey
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is meeting people like
Pioneer Linus [Lee-nus].
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He prayed for God to use him
and was assigned to work in a town
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where there were no Adventists.
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In time, Linus helped start
a small congregation of believers
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who are now in the process
of constructing a church of their own!
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Everyone takes part in the construction,
eager to see the building finished.
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Today’s visit with local church leaders
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includes a Bible study
and member testimonies.
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David is a dedicated church member
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who was part of
the Mau Mau Uprising decades ago.
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Between 1952 and 1964,
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there was conflict between the British
and a group of Kenyans.
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Before he became an Adventist,
David fought in this conflict.
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As he recalls that time,
many negative memories resurface,
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but he has since found hope in Jesus.
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He shares how God transformed him
and brought peace into his life.
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Pioneer Linus studied with him
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and welcomed him
into the budding congregation.
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Other members share both the burdens
and the joys in their lives.
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As they close the meeting,
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they pray for God to use
each person in the room for His glory.
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The church’s central location in town
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makes it easy for people
to see what the church is about.
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“Our church here
is in the middle of the community.
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If you look around, it’s surrounded
by houses where people live.
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The idea why we thought
we would have a church here is
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because all the people
who are around here
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would associate with the church.
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I know it will bear some fruits.”
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As the church was being built,
one neighbor named Karumera
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saw the congregation’s
construction challenges
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and offered to store equipment
in her home to keep it safe.
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She’s happy to help her
Adventist neighbors.
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She soon became friends
with pioneer Linus
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and has started Bible studies with him.
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During their visit,
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the Kenyan church leaders
get to know the other community members.
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The neighbors share that they like
getting to know their Adventist neighbors,
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and some would like to visit
the church on a future Sabbath.
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Let’s pray for this small
congregation in Kenya.
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Pray that their example reflects
Jesus to their community.
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As Global Mission pioneers around
the world continue planting churches,
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let’s also pray
for the challenges they may face.
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Thank you for supporting Global Mission,
making testimonies like these possible.