Audio Bible for the People of Kenya
Read below about the many exciting things happening in Kenya through Faith Comes By Hearing.
Proclaimer Gets Around
One pastor in Nairobi received a Proclaimer for use in various church ministries. Not only are weekly listening groups taking place, but the Proclaimer is being used in the children's Sunday school class, for daily door-to-door evangelism - and within the walls of this prison the chaplain is using it to reach every prisoner with the Gospel!
"All that matters . . . "
An evangelist shared the following from his experiences: The program is transforming church members. They have understood that all that matters is a relationship with the Savior. Through the program, [they have learned that] heaven is for all who are called by the name of Jesus. It is the most exciting and motivating thing to listen to the Bible in our local language. Hearing Jesus speak in our own language is convincing, so FCBH has changed our lives.
Maasai Radio
One short-term mission leader writes: I have been overseas on many mission trips to multiple continents and people, and never have I seen such a tool that can reach out and grab people like the Proclaimer. It was amazing to see the reaction on the faces of the people when they began to hear God's Word spoken in their heart language. Most [of the Maasai] assumed that it would be in English or the common tongue of Swahili, but oh the joy from their lips to hear it in Maa.
The response from the pastors and the people was overwhelming. They were very pleased with the quality of the Maa spoken [on the recording]. And many people in the "bush" wondered at the little Maasai man in the "radio" that knew a lot about the Bible. The Proclaimer became known as the "Maasai Radio" during this trip. I was told to pass on the pastors' thanks for this incredible gift for them, their evangelists, and for their people. This, along with many Bibles in Maa, was a wonderful blessing to them.
The need for God's Word in Maasai land is overwhelming. So many people have not even heard the name of Jesus. But this wonderful tool will be used, and was used during our time to spread that life-changing name. The need for more Proclaimers, Maasai Radios, is very great. But I know that these are being used and will continue to be used in homes, out in the bush, and even in small shops in town. The novelty draws them in, and the Word of God changes them forever.
Listening to God's Word is Exciting
An evangelist shared the following from his experiences: "The program is transforming church members. They have understood that all that matters is a relationship with the Savior. Through the program, [they have learned that] heaven is for all who are called by the name of Jesus. It is the most exciting and motivating thing to listen to the Bible in our local language. Hearing Jesus speak in our own language is convincing, so FCBH has changed our lives."
The Light of God's Word
Every Church Every Village is a program that provides free Audio Bible Proclaimers to mission teams headed to the field. The following excerpts are from a minister's report:
"Mornings here in Kenya have a startling clarity to them. It's as if the sunshine cuts through the air with a sharp focus; the air even smells crisp.
"My day started off with another excursion into the bush. Our destination: a small city in the middle of a semi-arid area. Within a mile of town, the landscape turns dusty, dry, and barren except for the thorny acacia trees that cover the area just like mesquite trees in Texas.
"There are few roads, if any, in this place. The dirt tracks are more for cattle and goats than wheeled vehicles. I know people live out here somewhere, but there are few signs other than an occasional group of cattle with a lone Maasai herdsman standing silently on the side watching us pass.
"It should be no surprise that the population is so sparse. The drought that has taken over this land has devastated it. No rain for over six months has turned the soil to dust, and the grass to wither. The cattle, which are the mainstay of life for these Maasai, are dying from lack of water. Even the sturdy acacia trees have shed their leaves, adding to the barrenness.
"We arrive suddenly at the church. Again, we are out in the middle of nowhere, and I have no idea how a church got built way out here. Where do all the people live? How do they know to come here for church; never mind how they even know how to get here without getting lost?
"To answer my questions, the pastor takes me down the road to a traditional Maasai home. After walking about half a mile, we come to a wall of thorny branches piled four feet high in a huge circle, surrounding a handful of mud huts. I am told that even lions will not get through these barriers. The thorns are three inches long and, trust me, they are sharp!
"I am invited to crawl into a hut. As I squeeze in, I see that it is like a compressed hallway that twists and turns into the room. It is a little claustrophobic for me. The room is shadowy dark with a small campfire burning in the center. I stumble into the gloom and find a ledge to sit on. A little toothless woman sits in the middle of a five-foot diameter room, tending the fire. She smiles. The ledge I am sitting on is her bed. The man's ledge is on the other side.
"I feel like I am in the home of a Hobbit—but one that lurks in darkness. It is so dark that it takes time for my eyes to adjust. The "windows" are two three-inch holes. That's it, nothing else. There is no room to stretch or even sit up straight. And I'm not sure what I would bump into if I did, or if the whole place would fall in.
"Back at the church, we find people have been filtering in from the bush, dressed in their brightly colored robes. A small crowd is waiting for us. I wonder what they are expecting. What will the Muzumgo have for them? Am I just a curiosity, or are their hearts hoping for something that will break through the average monotony of life?
"I have brought with me an Audio Bible Proclaimer and, as my Maasai host shows them how it works, their excitement switches on like a light bulb. You should see the pastor as he excitedly explains how this Proclaimer can play the Bible in Maasai! And it is not dependent on electricity because it has a solar panel and an auxiliary hand crank! They laugh and applaud as he dances around the room, turning the hand crank to show them.
"This is a very big deal. Few of these people have a formal education or have learned to read, so this is an incredible blessing and a miraculous opening of God's Word. Their only exposure to the Bible up until now was confined to scattered glimpses when someone else shared his or her Bible with them. But here is the Word of God, spoken in their own language, which they can listen to and understand.
"Most Americans do not understand the depth of this situation. It is difficult for us to comprehend the challenges that face these Christians who are immersed in a land of spiritual darkness and witchcraft, and yet forced to stand strong in their faith without a Bible to read.
"One Pastor told me that, of the 45 people in his church, he is the only one who has a Bible, and 30 of those 45 can't read. So how does he feed them the Word of God? Every Sunday, he passes the Bible around so that each member can read a verse, and then pass it on to the next person. That way, he tells me, they all get a chance to "see how good it feels to read the Word of God."
"Can you grasp this? To read a verse just so you can have a chance to see how good the Word of God feels? May God have mercy on us who take our freedom and prosperity for granted. And may God forgive those of us sitting in our comfortable churches who have passed over the desperation of these hungry souls.
"This is where it strikes me how important this is. Imagine believing that Jesus Christ is Lord. You have been saved and have felt the Spirit of God change your life. You know that it is the truth, and that the Bible is God's Word and is vital for your spiritual walk—but you cannot read so you are cut off from the very thing that can give you life.
"It's like groping around in a dark room looking for a door that opens to the outside. And then some stranger arrives and gives you the key that opens the door to Truth, a lamp that sheds the darkness, and the Bread of Life to feed your starving soul. The curtains of that dark room are suddenly ripped open to reveal a huge bay window—and the brightness of God's Word is like sunlight, blasting your soul with the glory of God. It doesn't get much better than this.
"I guarantee you that, if you were to come here just one time, you would never be the same ever again. The feeling is overwhelming. It swells your heart so much that you can hardly speak."
If you are interested in providing free Audio Bibles to Kenya (or any other country), contact us at or 1 (800) 545-6552.