The Spirit Moves in Kenya 

An exciting report from a recent mission held in East Africa

In September 2025, South African missionary Mark van Niekerk – of the Kurdish Initiative and the Simon Initiative - was invited to Kenya to teach on Israel’s biblical significance and the distinction between Islam and biblical faith. The trip was hosted by Archbishop Benard of the Christo Church of East Africa and focused on pastoral training, public outreach, prison ministry, and community engagement in the Migori and Ndiwa regions.

Bishop Moses – Head of The Pentecostal Churches of East Africa - was one of a number of influential leaders present. Moses holds a particularly high position in Kenyan society, and has direct access to the President of Kenya, to some of his ministers, and to the Justice system. Moses had travelled nineteen hours to attend the conference - one of many to have travelled great distances to be present. Others came from Uganda and Tanzania.

Divine enabling

Mark takes up the story:

I’m humbled beyond words to be invited to Kenya. But I also understand it has taken me thirty years of study and being in the mission field to be able to present the truth of Israel, and to deal with the enormous challenges of Islam.

I started to speak at 9 am and finished at 4 pm, with just two half-hour breaks. I had prepared well, but found to my surprise that at no time did I need to look at my notes. It could only have been the Lord who enabled me to speak for this long and in such a manner. My mouth, which is usually so dry from migraine medication, making it difficult to speak, was lubricated as I’ve never known it. And only the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) could have given me the ability to teach in such a way. It is amazing what the Lord will do if we make ourselves available.

It could only have been the Lord who enabled me to speak for this long and in such a manner.

At the close of one opening talk, a pastor who had spent time working for a Muslim in Sudan approached me. He confessed that his constant hatred of the Jews had rubbed off on him. He had long felt sorry for the Palestinians and said his heart was full of hatred. But the teachings that we brought on Israel had so convicted him of the evil in his heart that he wanted to ask God’s forgiveness, as well as implore Him for the same love that I have for Israel, requesting prayer to be filled with Messiah’s love for the Jewish people. It has been a profound time.

Truth about Islam

Today I spoke to the local congregation. Archbishop Benard insisted I tell the truth about Islam, so I brought it into the message on Jonah. I likened our mission to the Muslims to Jonah’s mission to Israel’s enemy in Nineveh. A man who came to faith out of Islam three days ago was in attendance, having fled his home when attacked that night.

There was little I did not tell them, including many awkward details that few people know about. The Muslim-convert was in agreement with all I said. Tragically, these people are being deceived into believing that Allah and YHWH are the same God. They now know the truth. After the meeting, Potas told us that the regional Chief had come to listen. He had complaints from Muslims who had gathered to say that I was speaking negatively about Islam. Yet, everything I said can be found in the Quran or the Hadiths, the supposed sayings of Mohammed. Remarkably, the Chief told Potas that I was to carry on, for he was happy knowing that the darkness over the city was being driven away. I am so thankful for people's prayers - I have no doubt they are effective.

Spirit of witchcraft

As we arrived at today’s gathering, the sense of joy and dancing that was so evident quickly turned sombre when a witch in the meeting wanted to talk to me after about half an hour of teaching and preaching. “The words you are speaking are very powerful,” he said quietly, before continuing; “You have a lot of power in you.” I knew this was not  normal talk, so I checked to see if he had a knife in his hands. I had come up close to him and was looking into his eyes when he suddenly jumped and attacked me. Someone took a video of the incident.

He had come to the meeting to disrupt it and stop the preaching. Fortunately, he was overcome after a struggle and finally collapsed as the Lord drove the demon out. After a while he sat but then said he wanted to get his magic potions which he had hid in the bush. So we burned all his witchcraft potions along with jaw bone and feathers - everything. The demon started to manifest again but he was soon calmed as his charms got burnt. Apparently, he had been responsible for killing many people.

These beings have incredible strength, and it was not easy to hold him but as we spoke the demon to leave in Yeshua’s name he slowly stopped struggling.

This was the back end of the demon’s struggle. These beings have incredible strength, and it was not easy to hold him but as we spoke the demon to leave in Yeshua’s name he slowly stopped struggling. In the other video before he lurched forward he was saying to Bernard that “they heard that the man of God who was coming had greater power than them”. So he had been trying to disrupt and stop the meeting.

Overcoming fear

It’s not often one sees this. I believe it happened today so that these people could see our God is all powerful. The pastor has been in my bedroom where we are staying literally shaking and asking me to pray for him. His name is Samuel. Pray that he trusts the Lord. He said he had not experienced this before but knew the power of their witchcraft.

As a result of this incident, the bishop of the fellowship came away fearful of what other witches might do. So I had to talk to him and assure him from scripture that he had nothing to fear. I said he was not to be double minded; rather, by faith he had to know and believe that Yeshua is his protection. The man who trusted in Yeshua after burning his goods also had to flee to get away from other witches in the district.

As the meeting continued, more and more men arrived. One stood up after I was talking about the evils of Islam, saying his Muslim boss made him say the shahada - the central Islamic declaration of faith (There is no god but God (Allah), and Muhammad is the messenger of God) - so he was now a Muslim. He did it because he is looking after his four children and three orphans. The poverty is desperate. His wife had told him to leave the work, believing Islam to be ‘bad’. He repented today and came back to Messiah, knowing full well they might kill him because of Sharia.

The meetings have been absolutely incredible, especially the response to my teaching on Islam. They fed us well asking us to stay the night and not go. Again, I am so thankful for people's prayers - I feel it is critical that I’m bathed in the Lord’s covering.

God in the prison

Every day is unique. The following day, we started at the maximum-security prison of Migori. We were told to leave our bags and phones in the office, because, according to the prison officer, I “could be dangerous.” Scenes in the prison reminded me of the documentary, “World’s Most Dangerous Prisons”. There were well over a hundred male prisoners jammed like sardines, with no place to move and hardly any air to breathe. Benard, Potas and James, and other leaders of the local fellowship of Christo Church, were with me.

What do you say to those who have been judged to life imprisonment or to death? I read John 3:16 but emphasised judgement. “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

We walked away to the sound of joy as the door slammed shut behind us. It was a day I will never forget.

I told them they might think they were the only ones under judgement. I pointed out that every one of us was under judgement and only Yeshua could set us free. I said there was only one way and one God who could do this, explaining that all other religions were based on works.

I read the biblical account of Pilate, Yeshua and Barabbas. One was guilty of death for insurrection, while Yeshua was a perfect man, a man without sin, yet was condemned to die. Barabbas, I told them, meant ‘Son of the Father’ - Bar Abba. So there were two Sons of the Father, the innocent one saying “Let him go, take Me”. “We are all Barabbas”, I continued “and Yeshua can let you go free, you do not have to die. He gives you eternal life.”

I made an impassioned appeal to accept Gods love. “You are already judged by man. But you do not have to go before the judgment seat of God. He wants you free. Whatever your crime is, Yeshua is willing to take it.” One could hear a pin drop. James asked if any would like to repent and give their lives to God. Some men were squeezing their arms into the air. I said, “If you are ashamed of Him and will deny Him in front of these men, there is no salvation.” James asked again who wanted to come to Yeshua. To a man they all stood up, bar one alone at my feet, who stayed down. Many were weeping.

James prayed and there followed clapping and literally joyous shouting. An elderly man came forward to address me. “Thank you for talking to us as human beings. Thank you.” He shook my hand and sat down. We left and I heard the men with me say they’ve never seen anything like that. Nobody visits the prisons. We walked away to the sound of joy as the door slammed shut behind us. It was a day I will never forget.

To be continued …..