Kenya Theological School
Graduation
august 24, 2013
Talks by the Rev. Dr. Andrew M. T. Dibb,
the Rev. Grant H. Odhner, Brother George Magero,
and the Rev. Samson Abuga
keugata theological school
kisii, kenya
The Rev. Dr. Andrew M. T. Dibb
The graduation of four men from Keugata Theological School marks a
significant point of progress in the development of the Church in Kenya. In
1993 I was asked to visit Kenya to investigate New Church activity there. I
stayed for a week with the Rev. Patrick Magara, and on the final Sunday there,
baptized 85 people. What I didn’t know was that this would be the beginning
of the New Church in that country. Among those baptized was a young man,
Samson Abuga, and an older man, Nehemiah Gwonda.
At first the Church in Kenya developed slowly, and there were more than
a few bumps in the road. We parted company from Mr. Magara after a while,
and things looked like they might peter out. However, Samson remained
steadfast, and it became evident that he and Khalid Obiri wanted to study for
the ministry.
Working with the Rev. Geoffrey Childs and the Rev. Alfred Mbatha, we
decided that the only way to train these two men was for them to go to South
Africa for extended periods of six months or more for training. Their primary
teacher in South Africa was Mr. Mbatha, who took them into his home and
schooled them in the doctrines. However, all the ministers took their turn in
teaching them, including Mr. Childs, and later the Revs. Christopher Smith
and Chris Bown.
Their training took five or six years of visiting South Africa, but ended well
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