Nairobi's Uhuru (Freedom) Park resounded June 17 with prayers of thanksgiving for rain that recently ended a three-month drought in Kenya. The drought resulted in the deaths of numerous people and animals, and caused heavy crop losses.

Pastor Geoffrey Mbwana, leader of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the region led a spiritual convocation that brought together some 30,000 believers to "give thanks to our God for hearing His children as they petitioned Him to end the suffering of so many. And the rains came and revived the land."

The Uhuru Park, sandwiched between the country's Parliament and Ministry of Health buildings, was lush in a revived greenery of trees and grass, and provided a venue for a gathering that also concluded a leadership conference and ministry advisory. Both events were organized by the headquarters of the Adventist church in East-Central Africa.

The 10-day meetings were organized under a theme of "Hope in Christ: Tell Your Neighbor" and brought top leadership from eight of the 10 countries that makeup the regional territory of the church: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rwanda, Burundi and Congo. The newly opened regional headquarters office in Nairobi coordinates the Adventist mission activities of 2.2 million church members.

Addressing the convocation, Mbwana challenged the believers to "walk a journey on the road of hope ... but don't walk this road in a lazy manner."

As "you are walking in hope," he continued, "you can see a difference you are making ... and others will join you."

Seventh-day Adventists throughout the region are involved in varied mission programs, community activities and numerous health-related services. That includes working to combat HIV and AIDS, empower women, increase literacy and other education programs, as well as provide relief and development. [Editor: Rajmund Dabrowski for ANN/APD]