Glory Backman and Outi from the Muranga bushes
March 14-20, 2005

A group of Muranga's pastors and members of the congregation came to the airport in Nairobi to welcome us. They kept on saying, "We are very grateful that you have come to Muranga..." I thought what could that mean, but I found out the next day. We were not on our way to just some ordinary country side place in Kenya - we were really in the bushes!

The red dusty road zigzagged up and down the mountain road. The pastor's car that was used for our transportation was really bouncy because the bumps on the road were really big. That's what it must feel like for clothes that are in the washing machine...But this machine didn't wash us clean. After an hour on the red dusty road we found ourselves to be just as covered in dust as the car was. The presence of the Holy Spirit and the love of the church people is so great and glorious that we're willing to go through anything.

The scenery to Muranga is beautiful. Up in the slopes we saw green banana trees, coffee bean bushes, peanut trees, down by the river we saw women washing clothes and children taking water back home. We really felt Africa in our veins!

When we arrived to the village, people from the congregation received us with singing and dancing and waving palm branches. A banana tree had been planted on the side of the road just for our honor. The congregation is small, like a small Finnish hut with a roof approximately 5x5 meters that has been extended with a plastic roof placing wooden benches on the slope. The whole of the sanctuary is actually open air. When we were seated in the front (place of honor) Glory encouraged them with a thought of getting them a new church building. In spite of all the modesty we felt we were at home and very welcome.

The same day we visited the pastor's home that was just as simple as the church building, no electricity, no running water, no sewer, the floor was ground, and the kitchen's fireplace was made of coals. But this home had warmth and lots of God's love!

The meetings were held at a field, a few kilometers from the church. Each night we had around 1000-3000 attendees, among whom many were children, even hundreds of them. During the first two nights, when Glory presented the altar call; the crowd of people were like they were frozen still. Pastor Stephen told us that the witches from the village had threatened him when had been organizing the meetings. We strongly felt the opposition. The breakthrough came during the last night as people by the hundreds came to be born again and to receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit. It was like the sound of many waters when hundreds of children were filled by the Spirit of God and spoke with other tongues. We know that the village will be changed by way of these children!

We were on the second to last day at a middle school level school holding a meeting. Attending were 250 students of the school. Evil spirits made the children laugh when Glory presented to them the call to salvation, but Glory didn't give up! It turned out that the whole school including the principal prayed for Jesus to come into their lives. In the end of the service about 20 students were delivered from demons that left them screaming. Thank You Jesus that the fruit in them will remain and that You strengthen the people of that village and that they will be rooted and grounded in Your Word. We found out during service we had on the last day that only a few believers of Muranga have their own Bible. I felt the Lord speaking to me that He wants Hope for Tomorrow to help Pastor Stephen by getting a Bible for each member of his congregation.

Greetings of gratitude from Kenya
Outi Välimaa

Pictures from the Munranga Crusade