New Life Rehabilitation Concern – Kenya

This is a faith community-based organisation overseen by Machakha Church of Christ, Tongaren; the Director is Pastor E.V. Johnstone Kapa.

Tongaren is a small community approximately 30 km. south of Kitale in Western Kenya, not far from the border with Uganda.

Pastor Johnstone lives with his wife Elizabeth in the house he built himself, using bricks he which he had made himself, on 4 acres of land he had cleared himself.  Living with them are two of his daughters and many of his 14 grand-children. The land is used to rear chickens and rabbits, along with maize, potatoes, beans, ground nuts, bananas, coffee, and other vegetables, by means of which he supports himself and his family. He has two sons Michael and Emanuel who have houses on his plot of land, and who serve as evangelists in Lodwar, North-Western Kenya.

Evangelism

During 39 years while working as an evangelist in Western Kenya and Eastern Uganda with the Kenya Church of Christ he has planted over 70 churches, some as far as 200 km. from his home. He continues as Senior Pastor in 12 of these churches, 4 of which are in Uganda; it may take 8 hours of travel by public transport to reach these.

As a result of his excellent organisational skills it was possible, in the communities served by the churches he leads, to bring together large numbers of people having the problem for training, together with many of their spouses, and to establish recovery campaign groups.

Recovery campaign groups

Tongaren sub-county communities remain the centre both for continuing teaching and for events; but the communities served by Pastor Johnstone, and where the teaching was initially given, include Matisi and Kakamwe in Kenya; and  Tororo and Bumwanga in Uganda.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As part of the training groups are encouraged to save small amounts of money which they bring to each meeting as a subscription, which can then be used to start group projects, such as table banking, poultry keeping, bee keeping and various horticultural projects.

Pastor Johnstone’s role is to give advice and guidance with respect to these,; as well as continuing spiritual teaching, particularly in relation to the Twelve Steps of Recovery; and meeting the pastoral needs of the groups and individuals.