My name is Joseph Wahome Wacira, a sinner saved by God’s grace. I am an apprentice at iServe Africa currently serving for a second year at AIC Kanzinwa Church – Mwingi. I was born and brought up in the central region of Kenya. As the firstborn, it wasn’t easy for me growing up in a dysfunctional family with my siblings under the care of my grandma. I recall how my grandma was very instrumental in emphasizing the need for us to attend church every Sunday to be ‘good children’. She believed that for our lives to be meaningful we had to be rooted in the church. So I grew up knowing that Christianity is basically being a ‘good’ person, being an active church member and diligently observing the church disciplines. With this distorted view of Christianity, many times I found myself despaired of life because I couldn’t live up the perfect life.
In my college days, I started questioning the whole Christian thing. I could listen to sermons or even read the Bible but this would lead to more confusion and more questions than answers. I desired to know the truth. So I settled it in my mind that in my quest for truth, I had to join a Bible school after college. After my college studies, God graciously provided an opportunity to join iServe Africa apprenticeship program for 1 year.
This is where the Gospel was faithfully and clearly explained to me. Though Bible expositions, I learned how a great sinner I am and in need of the great savior Christ Jesus. Also through the Ministry Training Courses (MTCs), Bible Studies, different gospel-centered books I have been able to read and through reading personal Bible reading, I have been exposed to gospel truths through which I have grown convictions that have transformed my life. I have come to learn that my faith is secure and there’s an assurance of salvation in the hope found in Christ alone, therefore there’s absolutely no need for me to despair. I have come to appreciate how central the message of the cross is in all of scriptures, Genesis to Revelation and how is by grace I am saved and not by my good works. Over time I have come to learn the position of good works in the Christian life, that it is the gospel that actually produces the good works, a godly life that is Christ-centered, and so the gospel then is vital not only to the non-believers but to the believers as well.
Serving in Kanzinwa for two years has been such a worthwhile experience for me. The people here are very warm and they have supported my ministry work greatly. I have been exposed to cross-cultural missions, since this area is dominated mostly by the Kamba people. Initially I struggled with Language, which has been a great challenge in evangelism. But I thank God that over the period I have been here I have learned Kamba and I am hoping soon I will be giving sermons purely in Kamba.
Apart from serving in the church set up, I also assist in a primary school run by AIC Kazinwa where I am the class teacher of class 6. This has served as an opportunity to reach out to these young ones with the Gospel. I am grateful to God that through my interactions with kids I have learned a lot about them. This has helped me to see the need for the Gospel to the children. I thank our Lord Jesus for the opportunity that I have to point them to Him. I also minister in a nearby school; Katse girls’ secondary in most of their CU services on Sundays.
Through all these experiences I have noticed growth in my personal devotions, my prayer life and also it is now not only a quest for the truth but a lifetime of sharing the gospel truths especially to the unreached.
We praise God for such growth in the gospel, and passion for practical ministry. Keep delighting in the gospel Joseph Wahome.