Nov 2, 2022 Spiritual Sight Healed in Kenya

That heretic is spreading false teachings! He must be stopped! yelled Ben* to the crowd of angry villagers. Ben was persuasive and aggressive. The crowd got so worked up; they took up their torches and machetes, with Ben leading the way to the house belonging to Malachi, the Adventist gospel worker.

The Holy Spirit woke Malachi up, giving him a sense of urgency to get dressed and leave his hut. Hurry! Leave! Malachi listened, even though he didn’t understand. When Malachi was safely in a forested area just outside the village, he heard the angry crowd. Malachi saw smoke rising from his hut in the distance, and then he understood God’s promptings and urgency. Malachi cried and prayed. He prayed especially for Ben who had been his strongest opposer in the village.

This village in the Olposmoru region of Kenya had been built up by another Christian denomination, which kept Sunday as their day of worship. They built a strong community center, a borehole for water, a guest house, a farm, a small hospital, and a school. Understandably, many people in the village deeply appreciated this church, however, their knowledge of the Bible was limited, since many are unable to read. Ben and his family deeply respected this church, and everything it had done for their village.

Ben was angry that this new gospel worker, Malachi, was challenging everything he believed in. Worshiping on Sabbath? Jesus as a High Priest in a Sanctuary in Heaven? thought Ben, What kind of strange doctrines are these? Ben and many other villagers were also upset that Malachi was given land to build a Seventh-day Adventist church. He thought that the presence of another church was an insult to all the other denomination had done for their village. However, as the ashes of Malachi’s hut cooled that night, Ben’s conscience troubled him.

After a restless and prayerful night, Malachi gathered courage. He was more determined than ever to share the Adventist message in Olposmoru. He talked again with the chief, telling him about what happened, and asked for more security. Praise God! In addition to the land, the chief found someone to donate iron sheets, timber, and cement to help build a simple church. If it hadn’t been for the chief’s protection, the church also would have been destroyed. Malachi stayed at the church and continued to do visitations and Bible studies in the village.

Time passed and a new person came to town. Pastor Robert visited Olposmoru to support Malachi and other new believers as they prepared a series of meetings. Pastor Robert began to do house-to-house visitation, befriending people, and inviting them to the meetings. Through these visits, Pastor Robert became good friends with Ben’s son. Pastor Robert did not know that it was Ben who had been fighting the Adventist church.

When Ben and Pastor Robert finally met, Ben’s face lit up. Hey! Great to finally meet you! My son has told me a lot about you, said Ben.

As they got acquainted, Ben never revealed that he had been fighting the Adventist church. Could I help buy your son some school supplies? asked Pastor Robert, knowing that school was starting up soon. Ben became so excited and thus their friendship began. After their visit, Ben said, As long as you’re visiting our village, Pastor Robert, you will be getting milk from my cows every morning. In Kenyan culture, this is a warm act, expressing friendship and appreciation.

Pastor Robert and Ben became best friends, and they talked often. Please don’t leave our village without saying goodbye and visiting my family, said Ben towards the end of the meetings. You have no idea how much we appreciate your friendship. God has really been working on my heart.

In the end, Ben was one of the 49 precious souls who were baptized! Before his baptism, Ben shared, I just thank God for His patience with my stubbornness. Please, don’t harden your heart like I did, struggling against His Spirit. Accept whatever new light God wants to give you through His word.

Praise God! Ben is now an active church member of the Seventh-day Adventist church. The Lord is truly able to transform lives, and the most powerful way He does it is through love and friendship!

Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?

And he said, Who are You, Lord?

Then the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting… Acts 9:4-5

*Names changed

---