Pastors
Why Pastor Stanley Never Gave Up
An acacia tree in Narok County became the first church, the first classroom, and a lasting reminder of God's faithfulness.
“Who dares despise the day of small things...”
At Kimelok Hope Center in Narok County stands an acacia tree that carries a story. To a visitor, it may look like one of many trees scattered across the semi-arid landscape, but to Pastor Stanley and the Kimelok community, it is a living reminder of where their church began. With no building, no walls, and no roof, Pastor Stanley began preaching beneath its branches to the people he knew and loved.
For several years, this tree was our church, a house of worship for our Lord. We never had a church, but we endured the challenges under this tree.
On hot Sundays, the congregation moved with the shade. Heavy rains sometimes interrupted worship, strong winds could scatter sermon notes across the dusty ground, and during flooding the people had no choice but to return to their village. Still, Pastor Stanley kept coming back. He kept preaching, praying, and believing that the absence of a building did not mean the absence of God.
The Tree That Also Became a Classroom
The same tree also became part of the story of Kimelok Christian School, serving for a time as an open-air classroom where children learned beneath its branches. What began in such a simple place slowly grew. Through Special Ministries and Helping Kenya Kids, a permanent church building was eventually established at the Hope Center, giving the community a safe and dignified place to worship in every kind of weather. The school grew as well. Yet the old acacia tree remained, standing beside all that had been built as a reminder that God often begins great things in small places.
Persistence in prayer and hope in the Lord without giving up is a clear indication that God’s time is the best.
Look How Far God Has Brought Us
Perhaps the most beautiful part of the story is that no one removed the tree when the building was finished. It still stands at Kimelok Hope Center today. When Pastor Stanley and the community look at it, they remember the scorching sun, the rains, the prayers, the small gatherings, and the years of simply showing up. They also remember how far God has brought them.
What once looked like a limitation became the beginning of something much bigger — a church, a school, and a place where many have come to know Jesus Christ. Pastor Stanley never gave up. He kept showing up under the tree, and God kept building. Today, that same acacia quietly reminds everyone who passes beneath its branches: “Look how far God has brought us.”
About the Author
Mario Kuraki
Mario Kuraki lives in Nairobi, Kenya and works as a freelance writer for the BBC and local news outlets. He lends his interviewing and storytelling skills to Special Ministries / Helping Kenya Kids out of his strong belief in the results he is seeing from this ministry.
Pray With Us
Pastor Stanley and the Kimelok Church
Pray for Pastor Stanley and the believers who now gather each week at Kimelok Hope Center. Ask God to keep strengthening this church, to draw more families to Christ, and to give every leader in Narok County the perseverance to keep showing up while they wait on His timing.
