By Andanje Wakhungu
The leadership of the Seventh day Adventist churches of Kenya has called on churches to stop relying on political goodwill to grow their institutions.
The President of the West Kenya union conference (WKUC) Pastor Samuel Misiani while addressing congregants and parents at the Chebwai SDA complex located in the (North West Kenya conference) in Kakamega north Sub County during a funds said it was time churches shunned politicians from mutilating the church in the name of assisting them.
“As a church we have taken a stand not to allow politicians to use our pulpit for their own gains as the SDA church is not partisan as it encompasses all members from different political parties and will not provide an opportunity to politicians that will portray us as partisan among any of them bringing money to our church for worship, and when they come to our congregation they will just be allowed to worship like any other member and in moments like these ( funds drive) when they join us fine, but let it be clear that the core task of building GOD’S church belongs to us and we are doing it for the glory of God,” said Pastor Misiani.
Instead the churches should take the mandate to build themselves through member’s contributions and well-wishers who will not demand favours in return.
“The task of building our institutions belong to us and we want the Chebwai SDA complex like any of our institutions across the country to be the best, we want to create a conducive learning environment or both our learners and teachers hence we came with all our leadership full and together managed to raise over Sh10 Million and we will be traversing all our institutions to do the same, with Ranel Adventist secondary school being next in the coming month and I can assure our members that if we work and walk together this journey then nothing will stand in our way as we forge forward to achieve more.
It is high time our churches believed in themselves and the power of prayer to stand in unison and give out towards the establishment of their institutions without depending on politicians who on many occasions will let them down or contribute less than what is expected in return to what the will gain from such gatherings, we have seen of late political leaders resorting to church gathering to gain political mileage and yet they contribute so less in appreciation, if as a church stand put we can grow enormously without seeking assistance from these people who only come and defile he LORD’s pulpit in pretense of contributing towards our churches.”
The West Kenya union conference President who heads the Seventh Day Adventist churches in 15 counties in Western Region hailed the unity expressed in the realization of the funds and stated that it was a new beginning in fully equipping all the churches institutions.
The North West Kenya conference President Pastor Samuel Mbai on his part lauded the move showcased by his fellow presidents from various conferences and said the SDA church was set for greater heights.
This is a historical moment that will go down in our books and it is an eye opener that as a church through proper planning and unity we can move mountains.
The principal of the Complex George Oromo who is in charge of all the institutions at Chebwai said the money will be channeled towards revamping the complex into an educational hub that will offer both the national curriculum and Adventist education.
The school section has been having challenges in infrastructure development, good performance hence the need to improve its facilities so as to attract more students and produce good quality leaders.
Oromo thanked the efforts put together by the community, parents, pupils and all stakeholders in realizing the much anticipated dream.
