WOMEN'S PRISON - 1 - The Visitors

On May 23, Wednesday, 50 people from the Uhuru Highway Lutheran Cathedral, from Kawangware, from "Sprigs of Life" of Kibera and from Nuru Lutheran Media Ministry (The Lutheran Hour in Kenya) visited the Langata Women's Prison. In the next seven (7) pictures and reports we will tell you this experience. Remember that people in prison in your prayers.

This is ABLAZE: To share the Good News of Jesus with them and to share love with them, giving them some gifts. You are invited to help us to help them.

Women's Prison - 2 - Bishop Dr. Walter Obare

Lídia, my wife, is taking English classes. Seven months ago, when we came to Nairobi, she didn't know anything of English. Today, her English teacher asked her to write a letter to our daughter Tatiana, telling her what happened yesterday. This is part of her report about the visit (after teacher's correction...):
"Yesterday, your father and I, with members of Uhuru Highway, visited Langata Women's Prison here in Nairobi. It was a good visit. In the prison, there are many young women with small babies. The babies are healthy. I took pictures of the prisoners and their babies.
The people from the church gave the prisoners soap, tooth paste, tooth brushes, clothes, bath soap, body spray, sanitary towels and many Bibles. It was fine. The prisoners were very happy.
The prisoners sang and danced for us. The Youth member of the church presented a Drama.
You father read the bible in English and prayed in English. The Bishop read the Bible in Kiswahili and prayed in Kiswahli.
When I was introduced, I greeted the prisoners in Kiswahili: Yesu ni Bwana (Jesus is Lord).
The members came to the prison in five cars."

Women's Prison - 3 - Nuru Certificate

Several prisoners concluded the Nuru Bible Correspondence Course and received their Certificates. Presiding Bishop Dr. Walter Obare, Rev. Carlos and Rev. Omodhi gave the Certificates.

Women's Prison - 4 - Biblia

40 Bibles were donated by the church's member, by Nuru (Lutheran Hour) and by a friend from the USA. Every prisoner who received the Nuru Certificate received a Bible too.
Bible in Kiswahili is "BIBLIA", as in Portuguese. This is a heritage of the Portugueses when they settled in Kenya in the XVI Century.
In the picture: Rev. Carlos, Rev. Omodhi, Mr. Jared, Ms. Christine, Mrs. Linneth and Mr. Maina, (Ex. Director of Nuru) and a prisoner receiving her Bible.

Women's Prison - 5 - Nuru Drama Team

Several youths from the parish, invited by Nuru Lutheran Media Ministry (The Lutheran Hour) organized a Drama Team and presented a very nice drama to the prisoners; they laughed a lot! And the Christian message of the drama was very nice!

Women's Prison - 6 - Good News - Habari Njema

The Lutheran Heritage Foundation donated hundreds of Good News magazines for this visit. Good News in Kiswahili is HABARI NJEMA. The prison's chaplains were very happy when they saw the boxes with Good News. Every women of the two pavilions visited received an issue and they said THANK YOU for the donors.

Women's Prison - 7 - Toiletries

Each first Sunday in the month we have a special offering of food, toiletries, clothes...during the Service. This month was asked just toiletries and clothes to the women in prison. Janice, a friend from the USA, read in the BLOG about our planned visit to the prison and sent us a special offering; we bought toiletries and Bibles with this offering. Thank you, Janice, and thank you all who brought Bibles, toiletries, religious magazines, etc. God bless you all!!!
In the picture: Representatives of the women received the donations.

PREACH THE WORD - 1 - THROUGH MUSIC - Kumpa, Kajiado Choir

On April 28, 2007, Nuru Lutheran Media Ministry (The Lutheran Hour) and the Lutheran congregations of Nairobi promoted a Choir Festival at the National Theatre. 8 choirs presented several songs during all the Saturday. The next 11 pictures will show you some aspects of the Choir Festival.
- This pictures shows the Massai Choir of the Lutheran Congregation of Kumpa, Kajiado; they were there as invited guests. They sang and danced very well!!!
- While we quoted the Bible and Dr. Martin Luther as we are introducing the choirs, our goal is to show how we can use the music to 'PREACH THE WORD" as a good testimony of our faith in Jesus Christ. SOLI DEO GLORY - Only to God be the Glory!

Preach the Word - 2 - Through Music - Dagoreti

This is the Dagoreti Choir - Nairobi Lutheran International Congregation.
- The apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:2: "Preach the WORD." We should use all opportunity to preach the WORD. Music is a very kind way to proclaim the Gospel. This was the goal of Nuru as they promoted this Choir Festival.
ABLAZE wants do share the Gospel through music too, so that more people hear about Jesus.

Preach the Word - 3 - Through Music - Sprig of Life

This is the "Spring of Life" Choir, Kibera.
- Luther says: "Music is an endowment and a gift of God. It also drives away the devil and makes people cheerful; one forgets all anger, unchasteness, pride, and other vices. I place music next to theology and give it the highest praise. Music reigns in times of peace. And youth should be taught this art; for it makes fine, skillful people. " (What Luther Says, 3091,3090).

Preach the Word - 4 - Through Music - Eastlegh

This is the Eastleg - Mathare Undugo Choir.
- The apostle Paul says: "Be thankful. Let the WORD of CHRIST dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16)

Preach the Word - 5 - Through Music - Kwaya Kuu

This is the Kwaya Kuu - Mathare Choir.
- Luther says: "That it is good and pleasing to God to sing spiritual songs is, I think, not hidden to any Christian. Everyone is acquainted not only with the example of the kings and prophets of the Old Testament (whom praised God with singing and playing, with poetry and all kinds of string music) but also with the common use of music, especially the singing of psalms, in Christendom from the very beginning. St. Paul, too, instituted this in 1 Cor 14:15 and bids the Colossians (3:16) heartly to sing spiritual songs and psalms unto the Lord in order that thereby God's Word and Christian doctrine might be used and practiced in diverse ways." (WLS 3095)

Preach the Word - 6 - Through Music - UHLC Angaza Choir

This is the Uhuru Highway Lutheran Cathedral ANGAZA Choir. They sing every Swahili Service.
- Presiding Bishop Dr. Walter Obase was at the Choir Festival and spoke about the necessity to restore the genuine Lutheran music.
Rev. Wayne Graumann, from Tomball, TX, USA, was there too and several other pastors and leaders of the congregations.

Preach the Word - 7 - Through Music - Kawangware

The choir of Kawangware was one of the biggest!
Luther says: "We know that music is hateful and intolerable to devils. I firmly believe, nor am I ashamed to assert, that next to theology no art is equal to music; for it is the only one, except theology. which is able to give a quiet and happy mind. This is manifestly proved by the fact that the devil, the author of depressing care and distressing disturbances, almost flees from the sound of music as he does from the word of theology. This is the reason why the prophets practiced music more than any art and did not put their theology into geometry, into arithmetic, or into astronomy, but into music, intimately uniting theology and music, telling the truth in psalms and songs. (WLS 3104)

Preach the Word - 8 - Through Music - UHLC Youth Choir

Uhuru Highway Lutheran Cathedral has a English Youth Choir. The choirmaster is Vicar Nathan Scheele.
Luther says: "I greatly desire that youth, which, after all, should and must be trained in music and other proper arts, might have something whereby it might be weaned from the love ballads and the sex songs and, instead of these, learn something beneficial and take up the good with relish, as befits youth. I would gladly see all the arts, especially music, in the service of HIM who has given and created them." (WLS 3095)

Preach the Word - 9 - Through Music - Kibera Teens

"Spring of Life" Lutheran Church of Kibera has a

work with teens of the slum. They presented a sketch as entertainment between the choirs performances.

"I am writing to you, young people, because you are strong; the Word of God lives in you, and you have defeated the Evil One."

1 John 2:14

Preach the Word - 10 - Through music - Nuru Drama Team

NURU Lutheran Media Ministry (The Lutheran Hour) has a Outreach Drama Team, with the goal to reach people with the Gospel through drama performances and music. They are all youths from several congregations from Nairobi. They were at the Choir Festival too.
"Young people, enjoy your youth. Be happy while you are still young. Do what you want to do, and follow your heart's desire. But remember that God is going to judge you for whatever you do. Don't let anything worry you or cause you pain. You aren't going to be young very long. So remember your Creator while you are still young."
Ecclesiastes 11:9 - 12:1

VISITORS - 1 - (Seven Pictures)

A group of volunteers, led by Rev. Wayne Graumann of Tomball, Texas, USA, visited the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya - ELCK, and the Uhuru Highway Lutheran Cathedral - UHLC from April 27th to May 9th, 2007 (some came later and some went back earlier). Rev. Dr. Robert Roegner, Executive Secretary of the LCMS - World Mission and Rev. Dr. David Birner, Associate Director of International Mission LCMS-WM were with the group. They were hosted by Rev. Dr. Paul Müller, Regional Director - Africa -LCMS-WM and by his wife Joy, and by Rev. Claude Houge, Area Facilitator - East Africa - LCMS-WM and by his wife Rhoda. Bishop Walter Obare, Mr. John Michoro (Treasurer of the ELCK), Rev. Enos Omodhi (Swahili Pastor UHLC), Rev. Titus (Mission Training Center - MTC), Prof. Dr. Joseph Omolo (Matongo Seminar - ELCK) and Rev. Dr. Carlos Walter Winterle (English Pastor UHLC) had a meeting with them at our congregation on May 2nd. The group: Paul Althoff, Karan Knippel, Kevin Pieper, Don Reimer, Kevyn Schneider and Mike Linebrink.
Rev. Wayne was in our service on April 29th and visited Meru with Bishop Obare, Ev. Sylvester and others on April 30th.
Rev. Wayne Graumann is the Chairman of the Board of Directors - Concordia Theological Seminar - Fort Wayne,USA. They are looking for opportunities to give support to some projects and to serve in Kenya.

Visitors - 2 - Bishop Obare and Dr. Roegner

Dr. Roegner offered to Bishop Walter Obare the book "Luther and the World Mission", recently published by the CPH, during a meeting of the visitors with the leadership of the ELCK and of the UHLC.

Visitors - 3 - Dr. Birner

Rev. Dr. David Birner, from the LCMS - World Mission (sitting in the middle of Dr. Roegner and Rev. Winterle), traveled with the group to Kissi, where they stayed for three days, knowing the work and the projects.

Visitors - 4 - Kawangware

Rev. Wayne visited the congregation in Kawangware, one of the congregation of the UHLC parish. The church is in the middle of the slum. Children, street boys, ladies infected by HIV/AIDS, a Massai Choir, the youths, Sunday's School Teachers and the elders were there to present their regular activities in the congregation and their projects.

Visitors - 5 - Kiambu

Rev. Wayne visited the congregation in Kiambu too. Kiambu is the poorest congregation of the UHLC parish, and their place to worship is just the wooden construction you can see in this picture.
Standing, from the left: Rev. Omodhi, Ev. Francis, Rev. Wayne, Elder Jacob Maiko, Rev. Carlos.
In front: Evelyn, Jane and Nelson.

Visitors - 6 - Kibera's Slum

The visitors visited the church in Kibera and also the slum, where many congregants are living.
Kibera is the biggest slum in Africa, with more than 1.5 millions inhabitants.

Visitors - 7 - Rev. Dr. Robert Roegner

On May 6th Dr. Roegner preached at UHLC. He shared several experiences about ABLAZE. He presented greetings in behalf of Dr. G.Kieschnick, President of the LC-MS. This was an unique opportunity for our congregation. We thank God for His Word preached by Dr. Roegner.
We wish all visitors a save trip and God's blessings as they are traveling during this week back to their homes.

CONFIRMATION - 1 -

On April 22, 2007, three families brought their teens to be confirmed: Khainga's, Muloko's and Ogendo's families. Evangelist Sylvester gave instruction to the teens about The Ten Commandments, The Creed, The Lord's Prayer, The Baptism, The Office of the Keys and The Lord's Supper during one year. Rev. Dr. Carlos Walter Winterle celebrated the Confirmation, assisted by the Very Rev. Enos Omodhi and the Evangelist Sylvester Opiyo. Every confrmand received a Bible and a Lutheran Prayer Book.
In the picture: Norman, David, Kennedy, Dennis, Samuel, Elizabeth and Thomas. Behind: Rev. Omodhi, Rev. Carlos, Ev. Sylvester.
(The next 6 pictures will show you more details about the confirmation.)

Confirmation - 2 - Elizabeth

Confirmation is a good custom of the church, links the catechumens to their baptism and welcomes them to the Lord's Supper. This rite emphasizes God's work in Baptism, the gift of faith, and the benefits of the Lord's Supper for all who believe in Christ and the words of His testament.
After confessing their faith in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the confirmands received the blessing.
In the picture: Elizabeth, the only girl among six boys.

Confirmation - 3 - Khainga's family

Deac. Mary, Dr. Dickson, Dennis, Kennedy, David, Norman and Pastor Carlos.

Confirmation - 4 - Ogendo's family

God-mother Edna Auma, Pastor Carlos, Samuel, Mr. Thadayo and Mrs. Rhoda, god-father Samuel Auma, and the brothers Philip and Derrick.

Confirmation - 5 - Muloko's family

Mrs. Margareth, Mr. Muloko, Elizabeth with his brother David, Thomas and Pastor Carlos.

Confirmation - 6 - The families with the Pastors

The confirmands, their parents, their brothers, god-parents, pastors and evangelist took this picture as memento of that important day in their life.
Do you have children/teens in the age of 12 to 15 that are not confirmed? Ev. Sylvester will begin a new class now in May. Come and talk with him.

Confirmation - 7 - Women Seminar

On April 21, the Saturday before the Confirmation, Deaconess Mary Khainga organized a Seminar for Parish Women about how to make tireless cooker and how to use it. 25 women were gathered.