Oakseed Ministry Liaison Rev. Sam Oluoch recently visited Kenya Needy Orphans and Children.
Kisumu
Rev. Oluoch and the KNOC team visited one young man, Stephen, at home with his brother and alcoholic father. Steve is a hard-working high schooler who balances his schoolwork with caring for his brother and father. They live on a tiny plot of land with a semi-permanent house that is almost falling apart. His case is truly dire, and KNOC has been a great blessing to him. The KNOC team brought food for the family and shared the gospel and prayed with them.
Eldoret
In Eldoret, the team’s first visit was to the family of Teresa, a 16-year-old girl sponsored by KNOC. Her father ran away from home, abandoning his family for another woman. Teresa’s mom tries to earn money for food and rent by selling things by the roadside, but she can’t afford school fees for her daughter. She truly thanks God for coming to her aid to educate Teresa.
Their next visit was to the Olenyo family, whose son Kevin is a beneficiary. Kevin is a high school student preparing to sit for his final exams this year to join college. The family appreciates the help they have received so far for Kevin. His sister came to Christ at one of the Oakseed conferences and was recently baptized. His father is a driver and was widowed for a long time. He remarried last year, and they are experiencing significant financial challenges. He is a member of the Eldoret church and previously served as a deacon. Kevin also came to Christ this year through the ministry of Oakseed and his church, where he now serves in the sound room with his brother, a former KNOC beneficiary who now runs his own electronic repair shop.
Their third visit was to the family of high-schooler Christine. Both parents are still alive but very poor, earning a living from various menial jobs. Her father is a staunch unbeliever, though his wife is a church member. Her mother brings the rest of the family to church every Sunday. The team witnessed to Christine’s father, who met with them in his house. Please pray for his soul.
Christine’s mother responded to KNOC’s help by thanking Oakseed, saying, “Oh! God came to our aid after struggling to educate our daughter Christine for one and a half years, when she would be in school one term then miss another ( on and off for lack of school fees). I truly thank God for your help; may he add more so that you extend this to other needy families.”
Siaya
Riziki, 17 years old, studies in a school where she is forced to attend weekly mass and participate in other traditions not taught in her church. This is a common struggle for many KNOC children to navigate as they seek an education. Riziki’s mom thanked KNOC for helping her children go to school and even pleaded for further help for some of her relatives who live with her. Her husband has a job fixing broken electronics, which does not pay well. The whole family is actively involved in Trinity Baptist Church in Siaya, where her father serves as a deacon.
After ministering to this family, the team drove south of Siaya to a distant village where Janet’s family lives. Janet’s mom is a widow with three children, and she is entirely dependent on KNOC to educate her daughter and provide for her school needs. Sadly, she is a member of a cult movement in their village, though she claims she knows the Lord. She keeps pushing her daughter Janet to go with her and the rest of the family to their cult church, which Janet has been able to resist up to this point. Seventeen-year-old Janet had previously confessed faith in Christ at one of the KNOC conferences, but she hasn’t had any clear follow-up, proper discipleship in the village, or a good church to go to, and she has struggled a lot in her faith. Rev. Oluoch spoke seriously with Janet about this and lovingly admonished her. One of KNOC’s board members also counseled her. Pray that the Lord will keep Janet safe from these confusions.
Oyugis
In Oyugis, the team met with Emmanuel and his family. He is a 16-year-old high school student who lost his father two years ago to HIV AIDs and is now under the care of his widowed mother. She tries to earn a living selling vegetables at a nearby market to fend for her three children, which is not at all easy for her to do. Emmanuel has a heart for ministry and is currently involved in leading Sunday services in his church. He doubles in school as class pastor, giving spiritual help to his classmates, and also preaches to them from class to class as a Christian Union club official. KNOC has met all his school needs well, as his mother works hard to pay school fees for other siblings, house rent, and feed her children. The whole family is involved in the church and helps clean the serves church every Sunday before people arrive for worship.
She commented, “I was worried about how I would survive with my kids when their father died. I would pray for God’s mercies on us to provide for the children; he has truly been merciful. The children can go to school and eat. Pass my gratitude to the sponsors of Emanuel. I can’t believe the faithfulness of God in providing for us.”
A Summary
Rev. Oluoch: “The visit was another eye-opener, and it was helpful to see how KNOC works with these beneficiaries. It is clear that everyone appreciates their work. Spiritual input can’t be doubted since every beneficiary is involved in an evangelical church, apart from Janet, who is challenged in the village. The van that KNOC purchased with Oakseed bazaar funds is in good shape and came in handy in doing these long drives and carrying food with us for these needy families.”
Prayer Points
Please pray for the board members to continue to have unity and wisdom as they labor together in coordinating the work.
Please pray for the salvation of these young ones and their parents/guardians.
Please pray for the Lord to protect them from unbiblical influences that they meet with at school.
Please pray for Janet, who is faced with and under pressure to join her mom’s cult. Pray that the Lord will provide Janet with a solid evangelical church to attend so she can be rooted in her faith. Pray that the Lord will keep her amid the confusion of unbiblical teaching at home and school.
Please pray for Christine and Steve’s fathers to turn to the Lord in repentance and faith.