YOUTH MEETINGS AT OROBA CHURCH
Part one
Last week we had the young people together for a good old-fashioned one day Beachy fellowship meetings. The youth seldom see each other unless we Americans help bring them together. We don't have evening services in this area because it's too risky to be out after dark. Because of the equator location, darkness falls around 7:00 PM year around. During the day the youth are in school except for 3 months in the year; April, September and December. The 8 churches in the area are spread apart pretty far (an hour this way or that)and transportation is a problem. Even though public transportation is available in most places; the funds are scarce. So you see, the young people don't get acquainted unless we help them. It's a time for the boys to see the girls and the girls to see the boys. Isn't that why young people attend the fellowship meetings? Even with this shy and inhibited group, the excitement was pretty high!
This time the meeting was hosted by the Oroba Church where Joseph and Becky Hostetler are pastoring. It's an hours bumpy drive out of Kisumu. Each pastor collected his own group of youth and away we went. Only instruction class and full members were allowed to attend. There were approx. 135 youth, otherwise it would have been close to 400. At the last meeting we had many church attendees and wannabees. This was much more managable especially with the food. Upon arrival we were served mandazis and chai and the meeting began at 10:00.
The Oroba church is one of the oldest established in this area.
Part one
Last week we had the young people together for a good old-fashioned one day Beachy fellowship meetings. The youth seldom see each other unless we Americans help bring them together. We don't have evening services in this area because it's too risky to be out after dark. Because of the equator location, darkness falls around 7:00 PM year around. During the day the youth are in school except for 3 months in the year; April, September and December. The 8 churches in the area are spread apart pretty far (an hour this way or that)and transportation is a problem. Even though public transportation is available in most places; the funds are scarce. So you see, the young people don't get acquainted unless we help them. It's a time for the boys to see the girls and the girls to see the boys. Isn't that why young people attend the fellowship meetings? Even with this shy and inhibited group, the excitement was pretty high!
This time the meeting was hosted by the Oroba Church where Joseph and Becky Hostetler are pastoring. It's an hours bumpy drive out of Kisumu. Each pastor collected his own group of youth and away we went. Only instruction class and full members were allowed to attend. There were approx. 135 youth, otherwise it would have been close to 400. At the last meeting we had many church attendees and wannabees. This was much more managable especially with the food. Upon arrival we were served mandazis and chai and the meeting began at 10:00.
The Oroba church is one of the oldest established in this area.
Several of the church buildings have walls and windows; others only have a roof. Kajulu has walls but no windows or concrete floor as of yet. This photo will give you the ratio of boys and girls. There are only a third as many girls as boys. No one knows why exactly...maybe the sacrifice is greater for the girls.
Each church group stood up front and had introductions and presented a song. This is the Kajulu youth including the three Kauffmans. Jack and Norah Ouko are a young married couple who are getting a chorus practice started. Jack is far left and Norah stands beside Monica in the back row. Norah at 17 years of age, is one month older than Monica.
Sam and Jonathan Martin watching from the back. Jonathan's nephew, Cory Martin, (sitting) is a visitor from the Martindale church in Ephrata.
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