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Issue Number: 599 – April <strong>to</strong> June 2012and Protestant. Reflecting Kenya asa whole, most are identified with theSeventh Day Adventists, others with thePentecostal Assemblies of God and interdenominationalcongregations such as theFull Gospel Church of Kenya. Kisii Town hasa Mosque for Muslims and a Temple forHindus. A surprising number of Kisii havegone abroad for education, and they arethe most heavily represented Kenyans inIndian and American universities.Keith Watkins, a minister of the FreeNear the summit of Mount KenyaPresbyterian Church of Scotland nowserving in Kenya and one-time memberof the TBS Committee, tells of the work inWest Kenya.The FPCS Mission work began in 1986,when the first deputies from Scotlandvisited Kenya. This visit was a response<strong>to</strong> a letter written <strong>to</strong> the Scottishchurch by a resident of Sengera inKisiiland in Kenya. (Later the writerof that letter proved <strong>to</strong> be a conmanskilled in the art of deceiving churchesand missions—there are many suchin this part of Kenya, but the Lord canuse even evil intent for His purposes.)Further visits were made, and in theend the mission was registered, ahealth centre was built and regularchurch services established in variousplaces. Different ministerial, medicaland administrative staff workedin Kenya for varying periods. Thebeginnings of the Kenya Mission, withthe church deceived by a conman,were none <strong>to</strong>o promising. But itwould be good <strong>to</strong> say with Joseph,‘Ye thought evil against me; but Godmeant it un<strong>to</strong> good, <strong>to</strong> bring <strong>to</strong> pass, asit is this day, <strong>to</strong> save much people alive’(Genesis 50.20). 17An EkeGusii translation of the whole <strong>Bible</strong>does exist, but it is highly inaccurate,even heretical. Ongoing translation of theportions <strong>to</strong> be read in public worship isa necessity, and there are great hopes ofTBS being able <strong>to</strong> publish a sound EkeGusiiNew Testament, and more. Since 2002<strong>Bible</strong> verses supplied by the mission havebeen used at TBS <strong>to</strong> produce our Words ofLife pic<strong>to</strong>rial calendar in EkeGusii, for freedistribution. Do remember in your prayersthe issues faced in a culture that claims<strong>to</strong> be Christian, but opposes anyone whoseeks fully <strong>to</strong> implement Biblical principles.Mr Watkins in a recent Synod report wrotethat, ‘Even in front of the Kirk Sessionbarefaced lies can be <strong>to</strong>ld. Discerning “thetrue grace of God” is so difficult when somany people are deliberately cheating,making the gospel a cover for secular gain’.EpilogueIn this magnificent country there arethree languages of particular note <strong>to</strong> TBS:Swahili, Pokot and EkeGusii.Swahili, in which there is no sound<strong>Bible</strong>: if one could be accomplished in thesovereign providence of our God, it wouldserve across many countries. In many yearsof overseeing the preparation of bothour Golden Thoughts and Words of LifeCalendars, it always concerned me thatsuch a generally useful African languagewas not available <strong>to</strong> us.Pokot, in which the pioneering Scripturework of Lawrence and Annette Totty needs<strong>to</strong> be built upon, developed and enlarged:29

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