Mikko in Mombasa

December 31, 2004

New Year's Eve in the JCC's tent in Bamburi

The tent started to fill up around 10 o'clock in the evening. When the countdown to midnight reached seven, everybody went crazy, running around the tent, dancing, waving handkerchiefs and pieces of cloths and even branches, shouting, burning sparklers, hugging each other... As for me, I stood still just in case, as I had my back pack beside my feet as well as a plastic bag of gifts Kirsi had just brought me with her from Finland, and I didn't feel comfortable leaving them unattended. The girl sitting on the bench in front of me seemed to be hinting me to mooooove a bit...

The year 2004 was the year of "Restoration and powerful miracles" in the Jesus Celebration Centre's congregation led by Pastor Wilfred Lai. The theme of the year was the following verse:

Titus 3:14 (NKJV)
"And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful."

In accordance with the congregation's tradition the plan for the following year is announced at the New Year's Eve prayer meeting. The year 2005 has been named the year to "Begin moving and winning souls." Pastor Lai confirmed the necessity of this year's theme by the following verses:

Psalm 82:5 (NKJV)
"They do not know, nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are unstable."

Psalm 11:3 (NKJV)
"If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?"

I myself understand these verses in the following way: it is best to reach out to those wandering in darkness before their foundations are torn apart. It is time to win souls for God. The congregation's goal throughout this year is to reach 100,000 born again believers in Mombasa.

Read the introduction: Why is Mikko in Mombasa?