Dear Brethren,
I pray and trust you all had a wonderful time with your families and the congregations where you serve during the holiday seasons. Happy New Year to you all!
The classes for the second quarter at the Kenya School of Preaching(KSOP) began on the January 7th. A total of 17 students reported back to classes with one requesting more time to handle family issues and is coming back, while two found the going to be tough and dropped out of the classes. This gives me mixed reactions, one, I am sad to lose these two men but hope we won't lose their souls, and second, I am happy because we are not in the business of pleasing the students, but we stress hard work and are very keen on good grades (No room for joy riders), it is quality learning.
The 17 came back very excited and ready to begin another quarter as Elias and I lead them through the courses Hermeneutics I, Life of Christ II, Exodus-Deuteronomy, Homiletics II and Prison Epistles within the regular six weeks. We also have two short courses, Godhead and Leadership lined up during this quarter. We look forward to an amazing quarter!
During the December month, when the students went for a break, a lot happened. One student reported how he spoke for two days at youth’s camp meeting in his congregation, “And those who attended the camp were about 200… youths and God did marvelous job, we baptized 15 youths”
Another said, “I went for evangelism and conducted bible studies… I baptized one of the four who were studying with me.” The students were very active in the Lord’s work visiting congregations and teaching the truth. One student helped a congregation to know the importance of Lord’s Supper in worship service. They have not been partaking of the Lord’s Supper on every first day of the week, but waiting for Easter and December 25th. On the issue of the Lord’s Supper we request for the “small cups” to give out to various congregations here that lacks and even to replace the ones that are worn out.
Always remember this school in your prayers. We pray to get funds to buy land and put up school building and support for another full-time instructor for the school. We are in a neighborhood that is not happy when the students sing while conducting evening devotion claiming that they are making noise.
We also plan to have the preaching students evangelize the area around and even visit and help the congregations within Western Kenya, this too requires your prayers and support.
I have now successfully moved with my family to Kisumu, my children are in school and this makes me happy. We are still facing challenges, life is not as usual. My colleague Elias has also moved with his family to Kisumu.
We love you, and thank you all who have been keeping us in prayers.
His servant and Yours,
Charles Ogutu
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