Zealous

The following article will also run in our July newsletter.

URGENT ATTENTION

Friends, we write this newsletter to ask you for your urgent prayers.  One of our dear partners and friends in Kenya has recently been diagnosed with Stage 3 Liver Cancer.  He is currently undergoing Chemotherapy at a reputable hospital in Nairobi.  I want to tell you more of our friend as we devote this newsletter to him and ask you to read, pray, and support them during this critical time.

Pastor Meshcak Chitiavi, my friend.

Meshack Chitavi has a wonderful wife named Beatrice (OSM National Team Secretary) and 2 beautiful young children.  I met Meshack about four and a half years ago.  He was mild-mannered, yet poignant in his speech.  He was serving under the guidance of his father-in-law, Pastor Geoffrey Indiazi at Berith Life Church.  He was also assisting with the teaching responsibilities at African Bible College.  

Meshack and I quickly became good friends.  His maturity and character were only matched by his deep zeal for ministry.  Meshack and I are almost the same age, yet he carried himself as a man twice his age.  He was committed to excellence in his personal life, yet seemed to influence those around him often without saying a word.  Families, friends, young men and old, often came to Meshack for advice.  His integrity served his counseling sessions.  I, too, sought his opinions on numerous matters.  

About 3 years ago, Meshack asked me to join him one weekend in conducting an outreach to a group of young people in Kericho, a smaller city in Kenya.  My agreeing to accompany him was due more to our friendship than anything else.  Yet, I was curious to see Meshack minister to a group I had been suspecting him to be most passionate about.  

Meshack speaking during a youth weekend in Kericho.

I’ll never forget that weekend.  It served as the catalyst to numerous other outreach weekends to youth all over Kenya.  Watching Meshack during those times taught me what a zealous man can accomplish for the Lord.  He never asked me or the ministry to fund these events, yet after the first one, I was convinced of the “right-ness” of such investments.  Days and weeks after the conclusion of our time in these areas, young people were still emailing and texting “Pastor Meshack” with their questions.  He always had time for them.  In fact, their hunger for guidance seemed to be fodder for the fire which burned inside him.  

My suspicions were right!  Meshack loved discipleship.  And he was good at it.  He was especially good at connecting to the hearts and minds of young people across his homeland.  He seemed to earn their trust in such a way that people like me never could.  He would speak directly to them; bluntly.  Yet, they were never offended.  They just believed him and found themselves surrendering to the Christ he was so passionate for himself.  

What’s not to love about that?  I remember Meshack pulling me aside once and telling me that perhaps my assessment of a group of people was wrong.  Yet Meshack tempered everything he said with love.  I knew this man loved me and wanted to preserve the longevity of our ministry to his country.  

He didn’t just thrive in ministering to his younger fellow citizens. We brought our interns to sit under his teaching on numerous occasions.  We encouraged them to write down questions about theology and Kenyan culture, then present those to Meshack during their time with him.  Meshack would take those questions in advance to go and prepare responses for them.  His answers were ALWAYS from scripture.  He would point the students to scripture as well.  Grace, a past intern, once commented, “He’s just awesome.”  Yes indeed, he was...     ... and he still is!  

Meshack and his family are facing a major health crisis.  The cost of this treatment far exceeds what they make in a lifetime.  Others have already given funds and encouragement to their need.  Just before we left Kenya, I met my friend at his house.  The entire time we were there to pray with him, scores of people were coming by to visit him, pray with him, and show their love to he and his family.  I suspect that they were just like me: smitten and indebted to this zealous warrior.  

Now we can serve him back.  We can fund this need, fast in prayer on his behalf, and mimic the kind of zeal in our support of him the way he has for thousands of others; even you!  Yes, you!  You see, about 3 years ago Meshack fasted for America.  God laid it on his heart and he did it because he loved Christ, His church, and his brothers and sisters in the US.  That’s what a zealous man does.  

Three things you can do for Meshack Chitiavi and his family:

1. Pray fervently for this situation.
2. Support their medical needs through your financial contributions.
3. Read the blog for updates, and share his story and need with your church, friends, and family.

Email us and we will help you with the specifics needed to earmark your contributions to go directly and immediately to Meshack.  On behalf of Meshack, his family, our family, and this ministry; thank you!

Meshack w/ his father-in-law, Pastor Indiazi during the construction of Berith Bible College (2008).