Steeves' Summary # 36: “Jesus Can Speak Kikuyu?”        October 2006




Some things just seem too easy.

The Matathia Baptist Church is made of corrugated steel and has a dirt floor.  Unlike most of the houses in the area, they have electricity.  The first time we were there, I started to think about how we could make use of it.  Many of the people had never seen a movie.  Could we show one?

I knew that the Jesus video was available in many languages, and we found a copy in Swahili, the widely spoken trade language of Kenya.  Most people would understand Swahili, even if it was a second language.  I asked a friend if I could borrow his video projector and told him why.  "Sure", he replied.  "Would you like to borrow the Jesus Video in Kikuyu?"  I didn't even know it was available in Kikuyu, the local language that everyone speaks!  When I told Ephantus, our contact at the church, his eyes lit up.  "Even the old ladies will understand it!"

September 24th was the day for the special service with the meal at Matathia Baptist Church.  The 11am service was full.  At lunch we ran out of food as the last people were being served.  Normally it takes a bit of time to get everyone back in the church for the afternoon service.  I grabbed a bite to eat and started setting up the equipment.  Some men were covering up windows and I was testing the equipment when I realized that people were coming back in and it was filling up rapidly.  We put some cardboard on the dirt platform so kids could sit on the ground while adults filled the benches.

Three hundred people watched the movie, perhaps for the first time visualizing how Jesus lived. As I watched the film, I realized that Jesus' life in rural Galilee had a lot of similarities to their lives.  They heard his message in their own language.  There was some laughter as John the Baptist spoke loudly with clearly enunciated words -- but his mouth didn't match the words.  I think the message was well received.  An invitation was given as part of the film, but the Pastor spoke as well.  We all like to see immediate results, but I think there will a long term memory in these people about Jesus and how he lived.

I borrowed a projector, a VCR and a video tape.  Three hundred people showed up for this uncommon event.  They went away having seen with their eyes a little of how Jesus lived and having heard his words in their own language. It didn't take much effort on my part, yet it has the potential for a big impact on many lives.

Feed My Lambs special day:

The day before, we had been to the church for a gathering of the "Feed my Lambs" project.  Around sixty of the recipients came for a time of fellowship, singing, with each receiving a package of food.  The bag of food consisted of  2 kilos of maize meal and 1 kilo of rice.  It could feed one person for over a week. These people are the poorest of the poor and really appreciate the small amount that can be provided through your donations.

It seems like a lot of what we write about is outreach.  It is the easiest to write about, and we know that people like to hear about it. Even though most of our work time is spent supporting the staff and students at RVA,  "normal work" seems too normal to write about!

Bible Project:  Thank you to all who have already responded to our Bible Project.  Most Kenyans can read, and many would really appreciate a Bible.  

Special Prayer Request:   One of Bernadine's co-workers in Canada has been diagnosed with cancer. Wendy has finished radiation and will start with chemo treatment later this month.  She has four grown children and one daughter who is eight.  Please pray for Wendy, her husband, and children during this difficult time.  Also, please pray for all the other family members and friends who are affected by Wendy's illness.

        Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of Christ.  Romans 10:17

 Michael, Bernadine, Julianne and Evan

 You can see our previous newsletters on our website at www.kijabe.org/mission2005

Michael and Bernadine Steeves
P.O. Box 80
Kijabe, Kenya 00220
phone: 011-254-20-3246-255
cell phone: 011-254-735-317094
steeves@kijabe.org
www.kijabe.org
Africa Inland Mission
1641 Victoria Park Ave.
Scarborough, ON
M1R 1P8
(877) 407-6077 (Toll Free)
www.aimcanada.org