A new building for Machakha Church of Christ

The need for the church to move

In February we reported that thanks to the generosity of Christian donors in the USA a borehole was drilled and a pump installed to provide a supply clean fresh water to Tongaren for the first time.

Pump of borehole
Donor Dedication on pump of borehole

It was hoped that this might be positioned alongside the church; however, Machakha Church of Christ led by Pastor Johnstone stands on land which is immediately alongside the village school, and it was therefore considered to be inappropriate to use the present grounds of the church for this purpose, with a constant traffic of people using the pump, which would quickly become a social centre.

New land

Accordingly the school provided new land for the church some distance away, in straight exchange for the land on which the church building

Pumping water at Machakha, Kenya
Clean water flows at the new site of Machakha Church of Christ

presently stands, with the agreement that the corrugated iron roof of the old building could be reused for the new building.

This, however, left the need for concrete for the floor; and bricks and cement for the walls.

DIY bricks

Pastor Johnstone has manufactured the bricks using the local clay soil, and the Potter’s Wheel has provided the funds for the remainder of the build.

Making bricks at Machakha
Pastor Johnstone making bricks for the new church

It is hoped that the well and the church will satisfy both the physical and spiritual thirst of the community for many years to come; acting as a hub to reach into the surrounding area,  with transformation of communities, improved health, strengthened families and freedom from all those things that would spoil peoples’ lives, such as addictions; through preaching and teaching by Pastor Johnstone and his team, revealing the knowledge and love of Jesus.