The Allison family has been overseen and supported, for their mission work in Kenya, by the Monmouth Church of Christ since 1982. They first began their work in Africa in 1972, going to Uganda then Kenya. They spent 16 years [1973-89] working with the Kipsigis [Kip see geese] tribal group in Kenya. They, and a team of three other families, helped start 120 churches among the Kipsigis.
In 1990 the Allisons moved to Mt. Elgon in Western Kenya to begin a new mission work among the Sabaot [Sah bah oat] people. The Sabaot were chosen because they are a sister tribe to the Kipsigis. [Seven sister tribes make up the Kalenjin {Cal engine} people.] Their languages and customs are similar. Also, the Sabaot are largely pagan. According to the Wycliffe Bible Translators, who are presently making a Sabaot translation of the Bible, no more than 10 per cent of the Sabaot are Christians.
Long range goals of this work include the Allisons plans to continue to work among the Sabaot until 2006. Their hope is that the Sabaot will be able by that time to be completely independent and able to carry on in evangelism and even in sending missionaries to other places.
The Monmouth church and the Allisons ask for your prayers as they persue The Allison family has been overseen and supported, for their mission work in Kenya, by the Monmouth Church of Christ since 1982. They first began their work in Africa in 1972, going to Uganda then Kenya. They spent 16 years [1973-89] working with the Kipsigis [Kip see geese] tribal group in Kenya. They, and a team of three other families, helped start 120 churches among the Kipsigis. In 1990 the Allisons moved to Mt. Elgon in Western Kenya to begin a new mission work among the Sabaot [Sah bah oat] people. The Sabaot were chosen because they are a sister tribe to the Kipsigis. [Seven sister tribes make up the Kalenjin {Cal engine} people.] Their languages and customs are similar. Also, the Sabaot are largely pagan. According to the Wycliffe Bible Translators, who are presently making a Sabaot translation of the Bible, no more than 10 per cent of the Sabaot are Christians. Most of the 300,000 Sabaot people live on Mt. Elgon in both Uganda and Kenya. They are classified by anthropologists as Nilotic people because originally they migrated up the Nile river from the Near East to Kenya. It is thought that the Kalenjin people all settled originally on Mt. Elgon then different family clans broke off to form the seven tribes. The Sabaot are mostly pastoral farmers. They have a very simple lifestyle. Most of them live in mud-walled grass thatched houses. They don't have electricity, telephones, piped water or vehicles. A few have radios and a very few have 12 volt televisions. They raise the crops that they eat, usually selling off a portion to buy their necessities such as shortening, sugar, tea, salt, soap and clothing. Mt. Elgon rises 14,178 feet above sea level. Mt. Elgon sits astride the Kenya/Uganda border, just north of the Equator. Mt. Elgon is a dormant volcanic mountain and has a huge crator. The mountain is known for its many large caves, its heavy rain forest and its many wild animals. It has been estimated that Mt. Elgon has the largest land base area of all the single mountains in the world. The Allison's work among the Sabaot consists of both the spiritual and the physical/social. The spiritual work involves teaching the people about sin and its consequences and about the saving grace of God in sending His son Jesus to die for sinners. Those who believe and are willing to leave sin and follow Jesus are immersed in water and are then formed into bodies or churches. Another aspect of the spiritual work entails a follow-up to these young churches for teaching and training. Still another aspect is in leadership training to equip preachers and leaders for the churches. The physical/social part of the work has taken many forms i.e. a primary health clinic; a zero-grazing and animal husbandry demonstration; providing a grade bull for up-grading local herds; providing eggs from grade chickens to increase the egg production in local chickens; teaching marriage and family courses to strengthen the failing African family; sponsorship of local schools and the building of Kabkirwok Nursery, Primary and Polytechnic Schools. A project in their goals includes the sponsorship and building of a local secondary school. All these works hopefully culminate in the well being of the whole African man with the goal of his or her eternal salvation. The Allisons work in seventeen separate villages where Christians are meeting.
The Monmouth church and the Allisons ask for your prayers as they persue this endeavor together.