Dear Friends,
This week, please join us in prayer for Dr. George Mutuku in Kenya.
An equatorial country known for its savannahs, wildlife, and prehistoric sites in the Great Rift Valley, the Republic of Kenya is home to nearly 52 million people (86% Christian and 11% Muslim) from over 120 ethnic groups. Despite the country’s relatively stable government and competitive economy, 16% of Kenyans live in extreme poverty (on less than 1.90 USD per day). The capital of Nairobi is a commercial and cultural center, with its own national park, but it is also home to Kibera, Africa’s largest urban slum.
George works with DOOR International, a Christian organization that reaches Deaf communities through Bible translation, church planting, and outreach. According to the 2014 Kenya National Special Needs Education Survey, one in ten Kenyans have a hearing impairment. Although Kenya’s constitution prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities, access to healthcare, education, employment, and news media remains limited for Kenyans with impaired hearing.
Scholar Leaders supported George for his PhD in Old Testament at Africa International University. For his dissertation, George investigated the cross-cultural meanings of qetsef, translated as “anger” or “wrath,” in the Hebrew Bible and of ngoὸ in Kikamba, a Bantu language spoken by millions in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and elsewhere. George and his wife Ruth have a son, sixteen-year-old Solomon, and two daughters, eight-year-old Patience and six-year-old Waridi.
George shares the following message:
I’m a Kenyan by the name of George Mutuku. God has blessed me with a family, a wife and three children. My wife Ruth serves the Lord in the marketplace in marketing and training, although she wants to transition to human resources. My firstborn is a sixteen-year-old son who is currently in high school. My daughters are aged eight and six. I am serving the Lord in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital.
My home country is Kenya, an East African country well-known for its wildlife and location on the equator. Concerning spiritual matters, Kenya is strategically located for spreading the gospel to different parts of the African continent. Among the many mission agencies in Kenya, one of them is DOOR International, an organization that translates Scripture for the Deaf. I am currently on staff at the Kenyan office of DOOR International, going through a mentorship program to join DOOR’s team of consultants.
Prayer Requests
In these busy days, it is refreshing to hear someone offer to intercede for others’ needs. Thank you in advance, Scholar Leaders, for the blessing of intercessory prayer. Join me in praying for the following:
1. Pray for my family to love the Lord deeply and serve Him faithfully.
2. Pray for Kenya to remain peaceful and experience economic growth.
3. Pray for the Bible translation work for the Deaf in Kenya. We are praying and hoping that, in the near future, the Deaf in Kenya will have the full Bible in their heart language.
4. Pray for Deaf fellowships and churches to flourish.
5. Pray for theological institutions in Kenya to look for ways to train the Deaf who have a calling to serve God.
George Mutuku