Figure 1.--Differently from the Amish, the Mennonites have an evangelical missionary mission. In Africa instead of setting up isolated agricultural colonies they help found churches and convert the local popultion. These are American Mennonite missionary kids in Kisumu, Kenya.

Elam and Elizabeth Stauffer and John and Ruth Moseman were commissioned by the Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities (EMBMC) to establish the first Mennonite mission station in East Africa. The firt church was located in Shirati, Tanzania about 13 kilometers from the Kenyan border. Zedekiah Kisare, a young Tanzanian Christian, interpreted for the missionaries who did not speak local languages. The fifth mission station was opened in Nyabasi, Tanzania, again near the Kenyan border (1940). The missionaries sought to avoid establishing large institutions, but instead to offer basic education and healthcare. The preaching of an African evangelist at the Mugango mission station started a revival which spreads to many other locations. The African Mennoites are convinced that their plain Christian lives have helped them spread the Gospel. Chief Wilson Ogwada, a retired chief living Migore, Kenya, says the revival caused him to leave Shirati, Tanzania, and travel throughout Kenya with another believer, Nikanor Dhaje, preaching (1942). This revival created a new understanding and relationship between Africans and missionaries. The Mennonites in Africa have pursued this evangelical mission rather than setting up agricultural colonies isolated from the local popultion as they have done in Latin America. The Kenya Mennonite Church is a Mennonite conference in Kenya. They are associated with Mennonite World Conference. The KMT in 2006 had 11,800 members in 140 congregations.

Created: 9:31 PM 1/22/2016
Last updated: 9:31 PM 1/22/2016