ESTABLISHMENT AND HISTORY OF THE CHURCH

Lakeside Baptist Church-Kenya was established in 1984 on Rusinga Island, Lake Victoria, Kenya in East Africa, to offer Holistic Ministry among the Abasuba tribe along the Kavirondo Gulf.

Abasuba is a marginalized tribe in Kenya. Its language is listed third by UNESCO as a dialect facing extinction. New Testament was translated into the Abasuba language in 1994 by the Wycliffe Bible Translators.

Lakeside Baptist Church has planted several churches on Mfangano and Rusinga Islands, as well as on the main lands of Gembe, Lambwe and all across the Homa Bay County, Western Kenya.

Lakeside Baptist Church works with Lowlands Baptist Association, under The Baptist Convention of Kenya, which is the umbrella organization and the license holder of The Baptist Church works in Kenya.

The church has several partners, Donors and Collaborators which support its Holistic Ministry.

Vision

Mission

Goal

A life improving evangelical Church Organization in the Lowlands Region, Homa Bay County, in Western Kenya, East Africa.

Core Values

To participate in the Great Commission of bringing people to the Lord Jesus Christ as stated in Mathew 28:18-20

Core Values

  • Christian Ethics
  • Team spirit
  • Transparent
  • Accountability
  • Integrity

To release people from poverty in Jesus name through Holistic Human Empowerment and Development in the following domains;

  1. Spiritual
  2. Physical
  3. Socio-Emotional
  4. Cognitive

PARTNERS, DONORS AND COLLABORATORS

Church Programs

  • The Baptist Convention of Kenya
  • Lowlands Baptist Association
  • Christian Health Association of Kenya
  • Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies
  • The Ministry of Health, Kenya
  • The Ministry of Education, Kenya
  • Project Humanity, Kenya
  • Seed sowing, UK
  • Compassion International, Kenya Office
  • Tools With A Mission, UK
  • Rotary Club of Downtown Los Angeles Calif, USA
  • Rotary Club of Suba- Migori, Kenya

Lakeside Baptist Church has the following Programs in addressing its Holistic Ministerial obligations.

  • Ministering the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Spiritual)
  • Kamasengre Baptist Dispensary
  • Graham Compassion School
  • Lakeside Baptist Church Child Development Center
  • Kamasengre Baptist Women Group Water Project
  • Ellen Clarke Community College
  • Friends of Lakeside Baptist Church
Church Spiritual Activities

OTHER ACTIVITIES

1. Evangelism

  • House Visitations in February, April, June, August, October and December.
  • Evangelistic Crusades in June, August and December

2. Church Planting and Development

3. Bible Schooling for Pastors and other Church workers

OUR TEAM

Pastor Moses Ochieng Oraya, Senior Pastor

Pastor Moses Oraya, accepted Jesus Christ as his savior in 1972. He attended college at Tyler Junior College and on to the University of Texas at Tyler (UTT), in Tyler, Texas, USA graduating with Bachelor of Business Administration in December 1983.

He attended Seminary at International Baptist Theological Seminary of Eastern Africa, Arusha, Tanzania, graduating with Bachelor of Theology in August 1992.

Pst. Oraya has led Lakeside Baptist Church in Baptist Missionary work on both Rusinga and Mfangano Islands as well as the main lands of Gembe , Lambwe and Milambo, planting several churches .

 

 

International Missionaries

Volunteer International Missionaries

Jimmy and Margaret Helmuth

From Tyler, Texas, USA

Have been married since June 22, 1974.

“I met Moses Oraya in 1981 at Tyler Junior College, Tyler, Texas in the USA and became friends. Moses would come to our home and have dinner and visit with our family.  We often took Moses out to our parents’ home and Dorothy Helmuth, Jimmy’s Mother, would play the piano and organ Gospel music to Moses.”

Jimmy was born May 16, 1951 in Elgin, Illinois where he lived on a farm until he was 6 years old. Jimmy and his family (Mother Dorothy born in 1923, Father Floyd born in 1925, older sister Margaret born in 1949 and baby sister Donna, born in 1956) moved down to Bradenton, Florida the summer of 1957. His mother and father had one more child, Carol born in 1959. In 1967 Mr. Floyd (who was a truck driver) and Dorothy Helmuth family moved to Tyler, Texas. Jimmy graduated from high school in May 1969.

Jimmy joined the US Navy Oct. 1969 and served till Jan. 1979. He met Margaret in Dec. 23, 1973 at Calvary Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas and were married in June 22, 1974 at the same church.

They bought a house on Virginia Avenue. Jimmy attended Tyler Junior College 1981 and 1982, he graduated May 1982

He met Moses while attending Tyler Junior College and became close friends. Moses went on to The University of Texas at Tyler (UTT) and graduated in 1983. Moses returned to Kenya and him and his family established Lakeside Baptist Church. Throughout the years Moses and Jimmy continued their friendship with letters, cards and phone calls. Moses returned to Tyler 2004 and we had a nice visit with him at that time.

When Jimmy was a boy growing up, his mother and grandmother would pray and have Bible study and stories every night with Jimmy and his sister. When Jimmy was 9 Years old, he realized he was a sinner and needed Jesus Christ as his Savior. After Jimmy joined the Navy, he backslidden and was living a worldly life style. By September 16, 1978 Jimmy and Margaret repented and turned their lives totally over to the Lord Jesus Christ. Currently, we are members of First Baptist Church, Lindale, Texas, USA.

Two days after their wedding, they moved to Jacksonville, Florida where Jimmy served in the U.S Naval Air in patrol squadron VP-24 and training squadron VP 30 as a flight instructor until January 1979, when he finished his enlistment.

Jimmy and Margaret (born October 1953) and their 2 children (Sandra born in June 29, 1975 and David born in March 29, 1977) moved back to Tyler, Texas.

Throughout the years since we met with Moses, we have helped him many times both with prayers and financial support. We have always wanted to come to Kenya to visit with Moses and his family. We had made plans to come visit 2020 or 2021 but the worldwide Covid pandemic closed down travel plans. By 2023, we prayed to the Lord that if it would be his will to visit Moses and his family in Kenya, we would be willing to go to Kenya. We contacted Moses in the summer of 2023 and communicated to him our plans to visit Kenya.

We decided to take advantage of the military space “A” travel from Dover Air Force Base to Ramstein, Germany. 

From there, we could travel to Frankfurt International Airport and book a commercial flight to Kenya. We had some difficulty securing a Kenyan evisa but finally we obtained one and booked a flight to Kenya.

We have enjoyed visiting with Moses and his Wife Lucy and their family here on Rusinga Island. They have been most gracious and showed us much hospitality during our visit with them. We visited the Church, School, and Dispensary several times and enjoyed the Church services of Sept. 10, 2023. We held discussions with the Church leaders and congregation. We have agreed to help them as being Foreign Missionaries and to coordinate fund raising for their Church Human Needs Programs.

It is our hope, desire and prayer that as long as the Lord gives us strength and wisdom, we will help them as much as possible.

SINCERELY IN GOD’S GUIDANCE.

Jimmy and Margaret Helmuth

4538 CR 313E; TYLER TX 75706 USA

PH # 903 595 3214

Email ssjimmyth@yahoo.com

Rev. John Otieno Oraya Assistant Pastor in charge of Youth Ministry
Rev. James Otieno Odindo, Director Home Missions
Mrs. Rose Mark, Director Women Ministry
Mrs Sarah Onyango, Director Home Cell Fellowship
Mrs Lucy Adhiambo Oraya, Director Sunday School Program
Mrs Janet Onyango Omogi, Director of Prayer Ministry
Mrs Jael Akinyi Asowa, Choir Director
Mrs Emma Inyele Ochoko, Director Children Ministry
Mr. Ochieng Suda, Director Men Ministry