NEWS FROM KENYA
He was born into a family where Christianity was not on the agenda. Throughout life he has experienced that God can lead individuals where he wills.
Albert Mwarigha Mwashumbe was born in Mlalakawai near Voi in Kenya some 50 years ago.
Now he works at Scripture Missions radio studio (Fahamu Biblia) at Voi. "I come from Tausa district in Kenya and was born in 1948 into a non-Christian family where in my youth, traditional values and ideas characterized everyday life. "In the meantime, I began early to like the Christians. They were people who appealed to me. When I started school in 1957, I also started to go to Sunday school. There I heard about Jesus but it did not have any decisive significance for me at that time," he says. Mwashumbe was baptized in 1964 and confirmed in the Anglican Church the same year. "It is very common for us to have baptism and confirmation the same year, especially for those who are not raised up in a Christian home. Still, I was a Christian in name only," he admits.
When Mwashumbe was through with grammar school in 1968, he started to teach as an untrained teacher. While teaching he went to college and became officially approved in 1976. "In 1972 I moved in with a girl who now is my dear wife. We took the short cut you might say outside of the church, something that is not uncommon with us I am sorry to say. Her name is Jesylidah Wall and is from a place close to Wundanyi. We were formally married after a time," he says.
"In September 1976 I had been separated from my wife and three children for 9 months because I was not able to pay dowry," says Albert Mwashumbe.
"The separation was very hard on me and I started to ponder what in the entire world had gone wrong in my life. I thought about all that I had learned about Jesus and I realized that I was hopelessly lost without Him. "If you came to save mankind, Jesus, then save me," I prayed that day. "I got to experience myself saved from all the sin that clung to me. Until this day Jesus has been my dear companion and friend and I have never been ashamed of being a Christian.
"Not long after I was able to put in order what was keeping me from my wife and children and we have been able to stay together through life since. We have 6 boys and 2 girls, I have really been blessed in life!" he assures. While Mwashumbe was a teacher in Manyani prison near Voi, he took part as Scripture reader at worship services. There he became acquainted with Jon Jossang who saw that he could be of help in the work at Voi. In 1980 Jacob Trodahl opened a little studio at Voi with the thought of producing Christian radio programs and Mwashumbe was asked to work as program leader. At first he was just there on a part time basis because he experienced that his teaching was his primary call. In 1994 however, he went to full time to the radio. Then he felt himself done as a teacher. "I was minus only 4 years from being retired from teaching, but chose to depend on that God would provide for me in my old age with or without such a pension. Fortunately it seems to be working out. "My main duty at Scripture Mission is administration, but I am still program leader and also answer letters from listeners when time permits. What is the greatest need amongst the Christians in Kenya today? "That must be to have courage and wisdom to live according to God
*s will. There are many who call themselves Christians, but who do not live up to it in their daily lives. We need an awakening amongst the Christians back to dependence on God.
How can you help meet this need? "Through the radio I hope to reveal how the ways of sin leads people astray and how they can be saved from God
*s wrath which is the result of a life lived away from Him. "In our broadcasts we try to be very concrete in our instructions so that people can be helped to live a life in line with God*s will for their life. "The responses from the listeners signify that at any rate this goal is being met to a certain degree" says Albert Mwarigha Mwashumbe.
By Eivind Jatan