Olepolos community celebrates ten years of transformation
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| Joseph Naimodu (right), pastor of Olepolos Community Church, chaired the 10th anniversary festivities and honored En Ole Ntutu (left), an elder in the church, and Stanley Shunkur (not pictured), a church planter at Entiriben, the first church planted by Olepolos Community Church. |
In August, four hundred people gathered to celebrate ten years of development in Olepolos. Clair and Beth Good, with their daughters Hannah and Naomi and five North American church friends, traveled to Kenya to celebrate. Beth shares this reflection.
NKOBEN, Kenya – It was August 21, 2005 – just ten years since our family had been invited to move to the Maasai community of Olepolos, Kenya. Just yesterday, Olepolos Community Church had been filled to capacity with more than 400 people, gathered to celebrate ten years of God’s transforming power. As a good friend reminded us of the humble beginnings of that church, we made ourselves comfortable on the tree-shaded ground just across the river.
This day, we sat at a place called Nkoben ("Burned Stump"), so named after a historic fire left nothing but burned tree stumps in its wake. Nkoben is a Maasai community that has continually struggled to adjust to the modernity closing in around it; but Nkoben looks across the river to Olepolos, another place that seemed entirely ruined, but has now been transformed by God.
Ten years ago Olepolos was considered hopeless – an “Nkoben.” In their own words, the people of Olepolos were drowning in desperation due to alcoholism, adultery, and illiteracy. But yesterday at the 10th anniversary celebrations, we heard moving testimonies from people about the changes that have taken place in Olepolos.
Alcoholism has decreased dramatically; women no longer feel the necessity to prostitute themselves to feed their children; nearly all of the children in the area attend school, and many adults have learned to read and write; crops are productive; cattle are healthy.
The community has built their own church, school, and clinic. Those from outside the Olepolos community send people to leadership seminars taught at the church, because they have seen the transformation.
What turned this “hopeless” community into what it is today? All who spoke testified to the power of transformation through Jesus Christ. Throughout the celebration, they gave all the glory to God for the positive changes in this community. The vision statement posted at the front of the church reads: Each life transformed by Christ in Olepolos and beyond.
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The new church planting group gathers at Nkoben
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Now, today, we sat under trees in the bush of Nkoben to take part in the birth of a new congregation. The people were ready and anxious to open themselves to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Olepolos Community Church has started this new outreach as it celebrates the 10th anniversary of its own beginning transformations.
“Lord, pour out your Spirit on Nkoben!” we pray.
-Beth Good
Learn more about the Olepolos transformation story by watching Olepolos, a community transformed, available now on DVD.
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