"SOME OF MY DEAREST MEMORIES"
JIM BROWN
Jim Brown led the Nairobi church once the Taliaferros left for Abidjan soon after the Nairobi team arrived in Kenya. He currently lives in New York where he and his wife, Teresa, are leading the Westchester County Region of the New York City Church of Christ. They have a 9 year old daughter named Mackenzie and a 7 year old son named Dylan.
Fondest memory of the early days in Nairobi:
We were urgent and zealous to get the word spread as quickly as possible and yet to show people that we cared very deeply for them as well. At one point we decided to host a great banquet. In keeping with Jesus' teaching in Luke 14:13 we went out to the streets of Nairobi and invited the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind. Sadly, only a fraction of those we invited actually showed up but I will never forget the reaction of those who did attend. One by one they shared how astonished they all were that we would serve them. Many shared with us that it was the first time they had sat in a chair at a table to eat. They explained to us that all of their lives they had been treated no better than dogs. Even their own families served them food on the floor while the rest of the family ate at tables.
Many shared that they were reluctant to attend our banquet as they assumed it was simply a government ploy to arrest them for begging on the streets. All of them shared how special they felt and how grateful they were to be served in that way. Each guest at the banquet told their story and as we listened, our eyes were filled with tears and our lives were irreversibly changed. We would never look at the lost and the destitute in the same way again.
One of those who attended was Shem (who continues to serve God powerfully as a member of the Nairobi church's Kibera region). He had shared with us that since he had gone blind, his wife and family had deserted him and he was left on his own to beg in the streets. A short time later we were again filled with tears when Shem was baptized into Christ. Still to this day, my favorite cup of coffee is the one Shem boils up in his house.
I'm not sure if it is the taste that is so good or the fellowship that accompanies it. I guess it is both. With every sip of Shem's coffee am reminded of the day God changed my life.
Scariest thing in the early days in Nairobi:
It wasn't long before we had multitudes attending our Bible Talks in central Nairobi. In fact, we had too many people to fit in any of our apartments so we moved the Bible Talk to a meeting room at the 680 Hotel. Even then it was standing room only as we had been out in the streets every day inviting more and more people.
Because of the rapid growth God was giving us, we became a suspect group in the eyes of the government. One day I was approached by some officials from Nyayo House and told to report to the 24th floor. I had heard a lot of rumors about the 24th floor of Nyayo House and none of them were encouraging. I prayed diligently the Lord would be my guard and my shield. I was called in to a large chamber with a single chair in the middle of the room. It was obvious that I was there to be interrogated.
I was first asked why so many people were attending our meetings. I explained that we were simply teaching the Bible. They retorted that simply teaching the Bible would never attract the size of crowds we were attracting and that something sinister was behind the message. After a long and intense series of accusatory questions about sedition and importing arms from Uganda, and after strong warnings to "watch my step", I was let go.
That was the most intense fear I had ever felt up to that date. Of course, there were other times too..........but that will have to wait.
What motivated you to come over o Nairobi to plant the church?
Ever since I became a Christian in 1981 I wanted to help as many people as possible become disciples of Jesus Christ. When Mike Taliaferro asked if I would like to go with him to Africa to help plant churches all over the continent, I believed that God would help me achieve that goal in a great way even though I had never stepped foot on the African continent before. I saw a great opportunity to help a section of the world to know Christ and his power. I'm so grateful the Lord allowed me to be apart of that great work.
How do you feel the experience of planting the Nairobi church helped you grow as a person and as a disciple?
As a result of planting the church in Nairobi and having been there 3 years, my life has never been the same. I learned the meaning of 'depending on God' in a whole new light. Being a disciple in Kenya in those early days often felt like being a first century Christian -- planting churches and being persecuted.
Everywhere we went and everything we did stirred up both waves of praise and waves of trouble.
Some of the most dear memories of my 47 years on this planet are those of my time in Nairobi. Nothing can replace them. The day I said good by to my Kenyan brothers and sisters at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in 1992 was one of the saddest times I have ever had. I was so sad that I knew I could not even utter the words 'good bye' with out falling apart so I simply hugged every one and flew on to New York.
I often recall the lessons I learned and the people I love in Africa. I have truly been blessed by God.
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