Our second stop was to visit Sam and Melly Oluoch and Grace Baptist Church in Kisumu, Kenya. Kisumu is the third largest city in Kenya, with a population of over 400,000. It is located just a few miles south of the equator, where the mountains meet Lake Victoria. Sadly, we reached Kisumu on Sunday evening too late to hear Brother Sam preach, but we were able to enjoy some time fellowshipping with the church after the evening meeting.

On Monday, we were able to meet with all of the missionaries that HeartCry supports in Kenya, as well as Bill Issa from Uganda, and the leadership of Grace Baptist. Sam’s co-elder, Ken, and his wife graciously hosted us in their home. My commission from Brother Paul for this trip was to gain a broader and clearer perspective on the work in Africa. Our Monday meeting with the missionaries certainly achieved that purpose for Kenya and Uganda. What a privilege to interview each of those men and hear the joys and struggles of their labor for the Lord. (Segments of those interviews will be posted in the weeks to come.) The meeting was about so much more than information, as the Lord strengthened our relationships and appreciation for one another.