We drove three hours from the highlands of northern Kenya down in the remote, desert region of West Pokot. After a few hours on dirt roads, we approached a rope across the road tied to a tree on one side and a wood post on the other. A Ugandan Security Officer asked what our business was. We mentioned the Kenyan pastor of a church 30 minutes away. After a little discussion with the officer, he let us through on our word that we would return before dark.

We stopped at a little town where the main road was made of dirt. We then followed the pastor on his motorcycle to a mud-walled, tin roof church building. The new tin roof had recently been installed by undesignated funds given through the Mission Office. It was in this building that about 30 church members and six other pastors in this remote region would join missionaries Ole Konnerup, Jim Eberhard and myself for a conference on missions.

I met with Pastor David Natekol to hear his testimony before the meeting began. In the sweltering sun – even in the shade – he told me how God had brought him to these people in this region who have never heard of Jesus. He was part of a church staff of the Makutano Bible Baptist Church in the northern highlands of Kenya. While on staff he was burdened to start a church. This church has started 200 churches throughout Kenya and Uganda. Pastor David told me he was in a large gathering of pastors and their men in Tanzania to hear about world missions. There he said he heard me tell the men that they have the responsibility to the Great Commission also and if they go, go to a place where there are no churches and people still need to hear of Jesus.

Pastor David took those words to heart. Although he is an educated man and graduated from the Bible Institute, he decided to go to the region on the Kenya/Uganda border to the Pokot tribal people who had yet to hear of Jesus. He said that the people could not believe that he and his wife would be willing to come there and live among them. However, they were so happy he did as he brought the gospel message of love and hope – something they had never heard before.

Now, David is leading Bible Baptist Church of 35 to 40 members, in a remote setting, meeting in a mud building with a tin roof to give to missions. They are also looking for someone to go from their church to other areas that need a church. He said another village a few miles away heard that he has a story to tell, and they want him to go there. You know what else is exciting? That little church has taken the 938 Challenge and is praying for more laborers into the harvest. Pastor David said, “Missions is our responsibility too.”