Rono, Joseph Kiplang’at (1938–2004)

Joseph Rono was an Adventist pastor, evangelist and the second president of Western Kenya in Field.

Early Life

Rono was born in the Chemamul village in Kericho County to Zablon Kiprono Cheptal and Naomi Tabelga.¹ He started his education at the Chemamul Primary School in 1948, and then served in the Litein Intermediate School, and later went to Nyanchwa Adventist School for a period of three years. He was a classroom teacher at Marumbasi and Kabokyek Primary schools, all of them Adventist schools.

In 1965, he married Sarah Chepngeno Chumo at the Chemamul SDA Church during a ceremony officiated by Pastor Zephaniah Oyier, who was in charge of the Kipsigis Mission in Kabokyek.

Pastoral Ministry

After teaching for a while, Joseph Rono felt called to the pastoral ministry. He joined Bugema Missionary College in Uganda in 1963, where he received his ministerial training. He returned and served as a district pastor starting at Kimogoro, Magenchi, Kabokyek, Mataarmat in Kericho County, and then Olenguruone in Nakuru County. In 1973, he was ordained into the ministry. He also pastored various churches in Trans Nzoia and Bungoma counties in Western Kenya and later in also Kamara and Kericho. He was called to lead the Kericho Station, which is at present in the South Rift Valley Field

Administration Work

Pastor Rono was appointed to serve as the director for Kipsigis Mission at Kabokyek, becoming the first Kipsigis to hold the position after Pastor Paul Nyamweya (1948-1953), Pastor Paul Kilonzo (Tanzanian) (1953-1959), and Pastor Zephania Oyier (1959-1964).² When the Kipsigis Mission was converted to the Kipsigis Station, Pastor Peter Butuk took over from Pastor Oyier. In 1971, Pastor Rono took over from Butuk. In 1984, he was appointed the departmental director for Lay Activities and Stewardship at the Western Kenya Field.³ In 1985, he was elected the executive director of the Western Kenya Field, where he served for a period of five years (1985-1990). He took over from Pastor A. J. Kutondo, and Pastor Jonas Maina took over from him. He was elected Stewardship director for the Western Kenya Field, where he served for two years.

Legacy

Rono was a man of principle who stood for the truth, which he fearlessly expounded. He saved the Church from attacks from sects that had branched off from the Adventist Church due to differences in beliefs, practices, or interpretations of Scripture. He was also instrumental in expanding the number of schools and other facilities in the Western Kenya Field. He went on to prepare the Western Kenya Field to attain Conference status during his tenure. He also promoted the stewardship principles that fast tracked the attainment of Conference status. After his tenure at the Conference, he returned to the districts, serving in Kamara and in Eldama Ravine.

Pastor Rono retired in 1997 and moved to his farm in Chepnyalilo, in Ole Nguruone. He served on various community initiatives and appointments. He passed away on November 26, 2004, and was laid to rest in his farm in Chepnyalilo, Ole Nguruone, Nakuru District. He was survived by his wife Sarah. They had seven children named Methuselah Langat Rono, late Japheth Abel Kibet, Seth Langat Rono, Betsy Chebet Cheriro, Everlyne Chepkorir Rono, Karen Chepkoech Keter, and Pastor Jared Langat Rono.

Sources

Sang Godfrey K., Kili, and Hosea K. On the Wings of a Sparrow: How the Seventh-day Adventist Church came to Western Kenya, Gapman Publications, 2021.

Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook. Various years. https://www.adventistyearbook.org/.

Wangai, Frederick K. The Power of the Word, A History of the Seventh-day Adventism in Central Kenya, Grandmaster, 2021.

Notes

1. Wangai, Frederick K., (2021), The Power of the Word, A History of the Seventh-day Adventism in Central Kenya, Grandmaster, p. 101.↩

2. Sang Godfrey K., Kili, Hosea K., (2021), On the Wings of a Sparrow: How the Seventh-day Adventist Church came to Western Kenya, Gapman Publications, 190.↩

3. “Western Kenya Field,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (1985).↩