Development

INCEPTION

CHURCH HISTORY

In the mid-1980s, the church members of Kariobangi church who were staying in Huruma, Mathare North and Mathare 4A Area came together and started worshiping at the City Council Nursery School just South of the current “Grao” Huruma Sports Ground. The nursery building is still there to date. Mathare North church started as a Sabbath School of Kariobangi Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1988. Pastor Francis N. Njau, the then Pastor of Kariobangi church led a two-week effort at Mathare North estate, near Mathare North Social Hall. Mathare North Sabbath School and the church that it is today was as a result of that evangelistic effort.

ORGANIZATION

The Seventh-day Adventist Church, Mathare North was organized by the Central Kenya Conference on
Sabbath, July 8, 1995.
Before this, Mathare North was a Sabbath School of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Kariobangi.
The three pillars of the church at the organization of Mathare North church were:
1. Joseph Omulo Chienjo, late
2. Lorna Achieng Opee
3. Perez Auma Abura
In 1995, the General Conference President was Pr. Robert N. Folkenberg.
The Pastor presiding over the Eastern Africa Division at the time was Pastor L.D. Raelly.
The East African Union Mission at that time was under the leadership of Pastor J.N. Kyale.
Pastor Festus M. Njagi was the Executive Director of Central Kenya Conference.
The Executive Secretary of Central Kenya Conference was Pastor Francis N. Njau.
The Pastor of Kariobangi District was Pr. Thoya from Coast Kenya. Pastor Thoya was therefore the first
Pastor of the newly organized Mathare North church.

MATHARE NORTH PEDIGREE IN DESCENDING ORDER:

Central Kenya Conference
Shauri Moyo Church
Jericho church
Kariobangi church
Mathare North SDA Church and “her children”:
GSU, Survey, NYS Headquarters, Ngei, Ruaraka Central, Kwa Matungu, Simenya, Mathangathini, Perihab
Seme, Makunga Town

BRIEF CHURCH BUILDING HISTORY

The Lord has been faithful. We are eternally grateful to Him for His providence. The double portion plot on which sit the church and the church school was so miraculously acquired in the late 1990s. Details ofthis super interesting story will be availed in a comprehensive Church History that we are working on.
Mabati Church Structure 1
In 1997, we moved from the Social Hall and immediately embarked on building an iron sheet temporary church structure 1. This was on the upper portion of our plot that is now occupied by our church school:The Mathare North Adventist Education Center. Its floor was made of hundreds of concrete ½ meter square slabs. This mabati shed served the church for 11 years! We loved studying the Word, praying and singing God’s praises in it! Later, we have been referring to it nostalgically as Church ya Juu.

Mabati Church Structure 2 and Perimeter Brick Fence

In May 2008, just a few months after the post-election violence, the church moved its regular Sabbath meetings from the upper plot to the lower larger portion across the road. The Development Leader at the time was Elder Ronald Coullins Okoth. We started by using the same jua kali materials that we had salvaged upon partly demolishing our mabati church structure

1. We used these materials to begin the fencing and the construction of our mabati
church

2. Of course, the enemy of souls would have none of it. He sent his own Sanbalats to disrupt both the
fencing of the lower plot and the beginning of the construction of our mabati church
3. A bruising battle for the ownership of the plot ensued! This was in fact a war that had been simmering for several years. Several “private developers” were already salivating for it years before! A certain political figure (name withheld) put up a feisty and arrogant bid for the same plot that belonged to God’s church.

How the war over the plot was won:

The church prayed. Earnestly! For Seven consecutive Sabbaths before officially moving to the lower plot, we would finish the Divine Service at the first mabati church and then immediately after the sermon, the whole congregation would converge at the lower plot, holding hands in one big circle surrounding the plot. Hands together, Pastor Simon Maina, First Elder Paul Odhiambo Onyango, Elder Joseph Chienjo, Elder Henry Nyabuto, Elder Evans Atuti, Elder James Omenge Nyatangi, Elder Evans Bogonko, El. Tom Kidew and all other Elders; AWM like the late Linet Walala, Edwinah Khasera, Dorcas Chienjo and Happy Kidew; Youth and even children would take turns saying audible prayers over the plot

The Unforgettable 7 th Sabbath!

On the 7th Sabbath, a scuffle was witnessed. Goons working at the behest of the said politician came to disperse the congregation that had met at the lower plot to pray. Long story short: God won. He always wins. Elders Samuel Orangi, Elder Joseph Aganyo, Elder Ajuoga Walton and late Elder Samuel Oketch, all of Survey Sabbath School; together with Elder Pr. Kennedy Nyachiro, Elder James Lelei and Elder Momanyi of GSU Headquarters Church supported the work of God a great deal! During these formative years, our unity was key! We were so strong as a team! Church members would give and give and give for the work of God, without begrudging it! None would complain.

2008 – 2009 Church Building Phase

By God’s grace, we succeeded in securing the church plot. We immediately erected the mabati church 2 and the brick fence around the plot; up to about 4 courses. We spent quite an amount doing the mabati 2 church and the perimeter brick fence. The enemy was not pleased. The same goons were sent and they threw down the mabati structure and fence. The church suffered untold losses. Our valiant Head Deacon at that time was Henry Otieno.

2010 – 2014 Phase

We had an architectural plan for a permanent church building. Elder Walutenyo Walukoye Washihundu also known as Elder www of our then Survey Sabbath School drew it. We started building it. It stood right at the space currently occupied by our Church Car Park. We did the foundation, digging very deep and raised pillars. Upon reaching the lintel, we were to station a balcony before constructing the roof. First Elder Peter Sirkoi and Elder Peter Muturi played a major role in leading church development during these years. They worked really hard to raise funds for church construction, only for them and the whole church to be let down by poor structural engineers!

2014 Demolition of our permanent church structure

The County Government sent assessors who declared the structure unfit. Indeed, the balcony koroga was so poorly done, even laymen could see that it had a big problem. It was caving in in the full glare of passers-by! The concrete pillars were obviously not aligned either! One sad morning, we just woke up to find it flattened by City County earth-movers! At that time, it was estimated that we had already pumped in close to Ksh. 14 Million in the approvals and the construction thus far! This is the greatest setback in our church building history! Church members were so discouraged!

2015 – 2016 Phase

We went back to prayers. Enter Pastor Jack Ogeda. By God’s grace, the construction momentum picked up! We were buoyed by encouragement from the likes of Pastor Joshua Njuguna, Central Kenya Conference Executive Director Pastor John Kiragu and Pastor Jonas Singo from Tanzania who spoke passionately to members during Camp Meetings. We did all the legal County approvals. First Elder Henry Nyabuto, Millicent Oduor, late Paul Kaoga, Pr. Jack Ogeda, Eng. Elder Too, Eng. Kowili, Clerk Washy Khasera and James Victor Oswago spent much time at the Nairobi City Hall doing the official approvals for the construction of the permanent church structure 2: our current sanctuary. Elder Otieno Kungu of Nairobi Central Church offered to do a new architectural plan for us. He sent Elder Charles Osebe of Kenhut church to do the demarcation and the actual translation of the plan on the physical ground in readiness for building. Present at the measurement of the church dimensions were Elder Noah Ayodo, Chris David Ouma Matinde, Washy Khasera and the then Church Care-taker, Isaac Otung’.

Summaries

2016 – ground-breaking. Millicent Otondo and later Jael Ateng’ were leading the process.
2017 – Pillars. Extremely expensive! But God enabled us to fit all the heavy metal pillars.
2018 – The roof was done. Another miracle. Story could be told separately. Jael Ateng’ was leading.
2019 – 2020 – the construction of the floor. This alone consumed more than Ksh. 5 Million. Chairman
Patrick Akondo was leading against all odds, at the height of Covid-19! God was indeed in
control!
2021 – 2022 – beginning of the construction of church offices, under the able leadership of Elder Tom
Otieno Mboya.
2023 – the construction of the front part of the church and the ground floor Board Room, ground
floor offices and completion of the suspended Baptism Pool just above the pulpit.
2024 – Envisaged construction of the balcony that will hold about half the congregation every Sabbath.
This is estimated to cost more than Ksh. 15 Million and has to be done all at once for it to be
structurally sound.

BRIGHT FUTURE

We believe God has been at the forefront of the work. He will lead us safely to port.
“We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His
teaching in our past history.” – Ellen Gould White, Counsels for the Church, p. 359. 4
Give. God invites you to be part of this success story!
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken
together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the
same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” – Luke 6: 38, KJV.
To God alone be all the glory!

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