May 2026 Mission
Planting churches and connecting those who are lost and separated from Christ through Word and Sacrament is the foundation of ministry of the South East of Lake Victoria Diocese (SELVD).
Each year the SELVD identifies villages that are without a church that has a population to support one and earmarks that village for the annual Mid-South district mission trip. The reason there was no church may be due to the difficulty in reaching the area because of roads and lack of transportation, especially during the rainy season. The people walk or ride bicycles with little public transportation available.
This year it was decided that our mission would be in the Kishapu District and specifically to the villages of Mihama, Mwamadulu, and Nyahwa. Each day began with a long drive over rough roads to reach the designated outreach areas. Upon arrival we met with pastors from the district and local people familiar with the trails. We would divide into teams which would include one or two Americans, and SELVD pastor and locals who could interpret and lead us.
The team would walk through the villages in the assigned direction to share the gospel message sometimes in the homes called bomas or along the road to people walking or riding their bicycles, driving ox carts to market, women peeling potatoes, men making bricks. As we introduce ourselves and became acquainted with them, we began sharing the Good News of Jesus and His love. As a result, many people came to faith and were baptized.
At each baptism, a member of our team would record the names of the person who is baptized on a form. This form would list tribal name and the new Christian baptized name. This critical information would be used by the evangelist or pastor assigned to that area to follow up to begin teaching and catechizing the new Christians at the church being planted in that area.
This year we spent two days in the village of Mihama and donated money to purchase materials to build a church. The people started the process and built a temporary facility with a roof, temporary pole structure and chairs. Later they would make bricks and put up permanent walls. We were invited to worship in this temporary structure the following Sunday. The chairs filled quickly and the men put together rudimentary bleachers in the back with extra lumber to handle the overflow. Bishop Nzelu led the service and consecrated the new worship area. The team presented them with Bibles and Hymnals in Swahili.
In the village of Mwamadulu, they had a very old and small church that needed to be expanded to accommodate the new Christians, and money was allocated to be used to expand the facility and to purchase additional land. In Nyahwa, the District Pastor Ignace will identify a location for a church building. The team also aided these new congregations through the Diocese office by providing support for an evangelist to be assigned to Mihama and Mwamadulu and a motorbike for his travel to this remote area.
This year our team was made up of 14 men and women, representing churches in Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas. We baptized 1236 people and planted 3 new churches. To God be the glory.
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