Justus Nyangau - Testimony

I was born and brought up in a Christian family in a small town called Nyamira in Kenya. Over the years, I followed  my parents' guidance until 1988 when I came to understand the really meaning of being a Christian and what  was required of me.

Life is a journey with ups and downs, smooth and rough life. I have undergone some series of difficulties such as losing beloved mother, my daughter and wife. I was disturbed and I thought that God did not love me and life was very rough for me. I asked God many questions but I did not get answers. Some of the questions were such as: Why do I go through these difficulties? Why this when I am young? What did I do wrong God? Why? Why? Why? I thought of what I had done wrong to God that I deserved such punishments but I could not find anything. But later I came to understand that God gives and God takes at its own time. It did not start with me and it will not end with me. Many people have lost their beloved ones too.

We are just keepers of things and life that God has given us. When he takes things and life back, we feel bad, argue and sometimes accuse him because we think that we possess those things. This is like giving your small child a thing that is good but when you take it back from that child, he/she starts crying as if it was his/hers. This is how human beings are to God. We should learn to let it go. To lose someone you love is a difficult situation that confuses many people. It is a painful and there are different emotions. So we should be aware of different situations and how to handle them. We should not fall and remain fallen but rise up. Despite all these life challenges, God has been faithful and merciful to me. He has given me support to stand by his side all the time.

When I finished school and started looking for a job, I was lucky to get 2 jobs at the same time and I was not able to decide what to take. One was to work in a hotel where I was to get higher salary. Another one was to work for Scripture Mission (NLM East Africa), with a lower pay that was a third of the hotels salary. I asked my father for help to make a decision but he told me that I was the one to decide which one to take. After several hours of thinking, I decided to work for the mission because I thought it could build me spiritually. And for sure it did. I began as a bookseller and in the bookshop many customers came to buy books but they did not know which book(s) contained what they needed to read and I did not know because I thought that I was to receive money when they bought books. Then I thought that it was wise to read what I sold to people and to know what they contained so that I could easily direct customers. So, I had to read many books to know what they contained and this helped me in my work and to grow spiritually. After 6 years, I was changed from the bookshop to the main office where I worked in different positions and finally as a general manager with many responsibilities. The work in East Africa is big and there is more to be done. I did a small part while others had different parts also. 

In 2008, I married Bodil Bjordalsbakke and I moved to Norway in October 2009. God has blessed us with two girls, Karen who is 6 months and Annabel who is 5 years old. Since I moved to Norway I followed the church my wife goes to because I had heard of it while I stayed in Kenya. It is a lively congregation that takes care of its members and mission work. This is one way of fulfilling the great commission of God. Every Christian has a responsibility in the great commission through prayers, active service and supporting one another. Gods work is complex and it is good for every Christian to take part. Even if it is very small to you it contributes to the entire work. I feel that Salem is a good Christian family to me where the Word is preached and congregants meet and share different issues and know one another well. It is also good for different groups such as Bible Study that helps Christians to grow spiritually.

So, life is a journey but God has worked for me in a way that I did not understand. He has a good plan for me and I give thanks for his mercy on me. I trust in Him that he knows my life and he guides me day by day.