Partner with
Local Missionaries in Kenya

Map of Kenya

Population:

53.7 million

Evangelical population:

47.6%

People groups:

110

Unreached people groups:

32

Kenya

Hard-hit by both drought and flooding, and then locust swarms, Kenya is an economic leader in Africa, and yet half of its population lives below the poverty level. Ailments associated with poverty such as malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition remain common threats, killing many children. Corruption in government is responsible for an inability to address these concerns.

Kenya has a diverse population of many ethnic groups. The largest native ethnic groups are the Kikuyu, Luhya, Kalenjin, Luo and Kamba. The northeastern border area with Somalia is inhabited by many ethnic Somalis, and Muslim extremists from Somali rebel group Al Shabaab or their sympathizers have launched many guerrilla attacks on migrant workers from the interior and other Christians.

English and Swahili are the two official languages, with many rural communities speaking their native ethnic languages. At least 69 languages are spoken in Kenya.

While 78 percent of the population identifies as Christian, many belong to nominal denominations, while others blend animistic tribal religions into their church practice. Islam, practiced by 10.9 percent of the population, is the country’s second-largest religion, with most Muslims living in either coastal areas or along the border with Somalia.

Indigenous missionaries are reaching more than 30 unreached people groups. They need assistance for training and support, Bibles, discipleship materials, and bicycles and motorbikes. Other ministry tools such as sound systems and projectors for gospel films are needed, along with simple structures for churches that meet outside.

To combat Kenya’s widespread poverty, ministries are undertaking income-generating projects to support their workers and the communities they are serving. One ministry seeks funding to supply goats so that 40 families can achieve economic stability. Another ministry plans to provide cows to 10 pastors. Local missionaries seek to provide poultry projects to 10 widows and sewing machines for 10 others who complete sewing classes. Local missionaries also seek assistance to provide a brick-making machine to youths who are helping to support their families by selling hand-made bricks. Workers are also providing food, clothing, medicine and education to the children of a community they hope to reach for Christ.

Missionaries and the people they’re serving have been devastated by natural disasters like locust swarms and drought, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. Hunger is widespread, and people must migrate or starve. Local workers are providing relief aid to the poor and helping orphans and other needy people with basic necessities and schooling.

Sources: Joshua Project, Wikipedia

Kenyan man dances outside while other stand in a circle watching

How to Pray for Kenya

  • Pray for churches to be unified, biblically grounded and sources of light and warmth in their communities, and that they will be kept safe from hostile animists or Islamic extremists.
  • Pray that poor children will be become educated or learn trades so that they can obtain work that will lift their families out of poverty.
  • Pray that local missionaries and those they are serving will survive COVID-19, drought, flooding and locust swarms and glorify God with their lives.

More stories from Kenya

Help Bring the Salvation Message in Kenya

Meeting many people who are ill and oppressed by unclean spirits, native Christian workers offer to pray for them and see God manifest His power. One worker prayed for a woman who had suffered with an illness for 15 years, and the Lord delivered her. “She gave her life to Christ, and now she is a born-again sister,” the ministry leader said. Visiting homes with the gospel and distributing Bibles over one six-month span, workers shared the gospel with more than 700 people.

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A christian missionary in Kenya sharing the Gospel with a woman on a bench on a dusty street

Help Workers Spread Biblical Truth in Kenya

In the face of illness, flooding and rampant false teaching, native Christian workers visited homes and villages to bring biblical truth to poverty-stricken people who found hope in Christ. “Through door-to-door evangelism, we meet people who are oppressed by the devil, and we encourage them to have faith in God through Jesus Christ,” the ministry leader said.

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A Christian Evangelist in Kenya preaches the gospel to a group of Kenyans while standing outside on a stage

Help Workers Plant Churches in Kenya

A gospel campaign over four days this year brought the message of salvation to 550 homes and individuals and 1,500 people in open-air events at a market center. “Our 400 Swahili Bibles were distributed to the new converts,” the ministry leader said. “We praise Jesus that we were able to plant a church among three sub-tribes on the slope of the Pokot tribe.”

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Help the Poor and Hungry in Kenya

Drought devastated the country last year, and native Christian workers helped hungry people to survive, providing thousands of liters of clean water and bags of dry corn, along with corn flour, beans and cooking oil, among other foods. This year many are again hungry as Kenya suffered its sixth straight failed rainy season, and native ministries are again meeting the needs of desperate people with the resources available.

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Kenyan pastor preaches to a congregation standing outside and clapping their hands

Enable Gospel Outreach in Kenya

The gospel is spreading as people are delivered from the powers of darkness and the Holy Spirit leads them to share their testimonies with others. These testimonies lead to more invitations for native Christian workers to share the Good News.

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Help Send the Salvation Message in Kenya

A local chief who persecuted the church in his area, frequently jailing native workers, attended a funeral. After hearing the pastor preach at the memorial service, he came forward and announced that hearing the gospel had changed him.

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