ENTERING INTO REST
Dan Kuria laid to rest.

"Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints." Psalm 116:15

"Those whose walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death." Isaiah 57:2

Violent street riots broke out in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Tuesday April 17th. Initially a student demonstration to protest certain conditions on campus, things took a nasty turn when looters joined in, stealing and damaging property. The army was called in to quell the disturbances and in two days 39 people were killed and hundreds injured.

On the morning of Wednesday, April 18th, Dan Kuria, who was then leading the church in the city, had gone over to the campus of Addis Ababa University to make sure that all the disciples were fine. Later on that day he and Hanna Woldeyes, who leads the women's ministry in Addis, went to check on a sick sister in the congregation to see if she needed to be taken to hospital. On their way back, they encountered a huge wave of people fleeing from armed soldiers. Rather than run for his own safety, Dan chose to stay back with Hanna to make sure that she was safe. A shot rang out and Dan fell to the ground. He had been hit in the shoulder.

Despite Hanna's desperate screams, no one stopped to help them. Dan lay on the ground bleeding while Hanna tried her best to stop the flow of blood, while at the same time continuing to call out for help. After an hour, a taxi driver finally stopped and took them to a clinic. The doctors did all they could, but it was too late. Dan passed away at 7:30 p.m.

We received the sad news that reached Nairobi at 8:30 p.m. Early the next morning, Herve Fleurant, GSL for East Africa, and Steve and Carol Mukenya left for Addis Ababa to strengthen and comfort the disciples, as well as to bring Dan's body back home to Kenya.

The job of informing Dan's family in Malaba (about six hours from Nairobi) was given to John Kilaha, an evangelist in Nairobi and a friend of the family, Jane Adhiambo, a Women's Ministry Leader in Nairobi and also a family friend, and Pharis Mukurai, HOPEworldwide Director in Kenya. Dan's family was shocked by the news and took it very hard. Dan's father had passed away three years ago and Dan had become the glue that held the family together.

Dan was born on August 25th, 1969 and was baptized in Nairobi on April 25th, 1996. After becoming a disciple, Dan abandoned his academic dream of pursuing a Master's degree in the USA (to which he had already been admitted) in order to follow God's spiritual dream for his life. Dan went into the full-time ministry in December 1998 and two years later assumed leadership of the work in Addis Ababa.

During Dan's three months in Addis Ababa, the church grew tremendously. In the month of March, the 28 disciples had seven baptisms and one restoration. The person restored was Mulugeta Tadesse, who had been a member of the original team that planted the church in 1992, but later fell away. He returned to the Lord convicted of his need to change and inspired by the love of the brothers and sisters. He established a Bible Talk in Dire Dawa, a town about 350 kms from Addis Ababa, where he practices law, and flies back and forth for Sunday service in Addis Ababa.

Dan's impact, however, went far beyond numeric growth. He quickly endeared himself to disciples and non-disciple alike with his openness and deep love for people. The brothers and sisters in Addis Ababa all commented on Dan's humility and how he really loved and cared for people.

Before Dan died the disciple in Addis Ababa remarked that not only was Dan growing, his growth and progress were evident on a daily basis. The day he died he was fasting. In an e-mail Dan sent to one of the brothers in Nairobi in early April he wrote, "I now understand what it means to not just hang in there, but to make every effort." He commented to Hanna around the same time that he had never done as well spiritually as he was doing then.

During the funeral service, disciple after disciple spoke about how giving Dan was, how he had helped them in their time of need, and how much he had persevered in making changes in his walk with God. Mike Taliaferro, GSL for Africa, spoke about how we cannot allow ourselves to be bitter towards God or bitter towards the soldier who fired the shot. Rather we should pray for that soldier to one day get a chance to know God and become a Christian. Herve Fleurant candidly implored Dan's family to find the peace, love and unity that Dan had long desired for them, prayed for and worked tirelessly to bring about.

As Dan lay bleeding on the street following the gunshot, Hanna commented that he was calm, completely at peace and ready to meet his God. The inspiration we drew from him in his life will continue to encourage us long after his death. We bid you farewell, dear brother Dan, and we'll see you on the other side.