Meet Richard (Once again)

I once told you about Richard.

Two years later, the young man’s story of faith still continues. Thanks to support from friends, Richard is now in Form 2.

This is how it happened…

We took the challenge by God’s grace. Richard and Irene (I’ll tell you her story another day) are now through with their first year in High School. While we thought taking Richard to boarding school was the best we could offer him, he had other plans. He needed to visit the churches he helped establish. He needed to juggle between his assignments and visit community in their homes. He humbly requested to enroll in the nearest secondary day school, which is like over 20 km away from the communities he loves serving. He knows all church members, prospective church members, their family members, their neighbours, their livestock, their challenges, which homes have (or do not have) bibles… everything!

Sometimes he has to walk to Kitelakapel from school every Friday, to conduct church services in one church, while coordinating with the elders (whom he has trained and mentored) to conduct services in the other church. Sundays are visitation days, after which he has to make the long trek back to school.

We are positive that God will provide the funds for their school fees this term, somehow. The best investment we can make for Kitelakapel is to educate Richard and Irene. They have re-defined self-sacrifice, radical commitment to the Lord’s cause and missionary lifestyle.

Radical Richard

For Richard, Mission is not an event, it’s a lifestyle.

I sat on the edge of my seat as I listened to little Richard narrate his story during the ALIVE Kenya Mission to North Pokot. He’s in class 7. You will always find him with two things: his old Swahili New Testament Bible, tarred and all marked; his old black mamba bike and a biro pen. Bring up a trifling conversation, he’ll pull away and find better company with his little bible.

Richard doing Translation to Pokot

He cycled for over 12 hours to get to the Mission site. He actually attended all 3 Missions that ran concurrently, never mind the distances. By the time the last Missions are done, he’ll be back to school. While in his school, he is busy having bible studies with his classmates (and yes, even teachers). He was expelled from his former school for ‘filling the school with his doctrine’ (read Present Truth). He has been summoned by the His former Bishop to defend his belief. He was poisoned by his mother when he broke the news that he was converted (Praise God he survived to lead her mother, brothers and father to baptism!).

Talk about a Sense of Urgency. Talk about Radical Commitment. Talk about Love for mission. Talk about Excellence. 

Am challenged.