A church sanctuary is the last place you might think to visit for a comedy show. But that’s exactly where you will find Comedy Relief for African Relief on Oct. 16-17 at Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church in Gary.
“We will feature the comedic talents of two great religious entertainers from Chicago — Stephon and Bryant L. Turner, aka BLT,” said Janice Culver, church Sunday school superintendent, who became aware of the need to help a church in Bungoma, Kenya, and an orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya. “These men present a great, clean, Christian comedy show.”
But the reason for the performance is no laughing matter.
Culver, the wife of the Rev. Isaac Culver Jr., learned about the church in Africa, which has renamed itself as a sister church of Jerusalem Missionary Baptist, during a fact-finding missionary tour in April 2014. She also learned about the orphanage in Nairobi during her trip.
All proceeds from the show will benefit the church and orphanage, she said.
A chain of positive coincidences sent Culver on her trip to Africa to visit the intended recipients.
After recuperating from heart surgery a few years ago, Culver became acquainted through Facebook with the Rev. Ronald Wafula, who headed a Baptist church of 50 members in Bungoma.
A retired pastor-friend of hers had asked for prayers while she was healing, and Wafula responded. They continued contact after she went home and the seed of making that trip to meet Wafula was planted in Culver’s mind.
Culver’s husband was supportive but concerned.
“At first, there was some apprehension (about the trip),” he said. “Neither I nor Janice had experience in this endeavor. We had no idea about contacts, lodging or what was needed for the journey over there.”
Culver was contacted by local radio personality Marvin Lyles after hearing about the church’s plans to help the congregation in Bungoma. Lyles said he traveled to Kenya every year with a missionary group from Broadview Baptist Church in Chicago — Friends of the Sheltered Children in Kenya.
Lyles put the Culvers in touch with the leader of the group, Deacon Willie McLaughlin, aka “Sarge,” who extended an invitation for Janice to accompany the group on its next trip.
She accepted the invitation and saw the needs firsthand. She called the trip “the most humbling experience of my life.”
“When I arrived, I found out that Pastor Wafula and his church had been praying a long time for someone — anyone — to come and help their church,” Janice Culver said. “This was a miracle in the making.”
The plight of the village was an eye-opener, she said.
“The pastor of the church has a worn bicycle to go up a very steep hill to get supplies, and young girls have to walk miles to get fresh drinking water daily,” she said. “They need a new roof on the church and have other needs as well.”
The Chicago-based Friends of the Sheltered Children in Kenya has been helping children in Kenya for more than 20 years, she said, and is working to buy this orphanage a washing machine.”
She also recognized the unwavering faith of the people she visited: “They love the Lord, despite their conditions.”
Another trip to Africa is already on the drawing board, but Culver wants to raise $15,000 to take with her.
That amount of money will pay for a well in Bungoma so residents can have their own water supply, a new roof for the church and electricity, and a motor scooter for Wafula to use when picking up supplies. A wringer washer for the orphanage is also on the to-buy list, as well as other supplies.
As with her previous trip, Culver said, she will pay for personal travel expenses. All of the $15,000 raised will directly benefit the community, church and orphanage in Africa, she said.
The African residents’ situation is not a laughing matter, according to Culver, “but we hope these comedy shows will bring people out to champion our cause.”
Also, performing each night to warm up the audience is Reggie Hogan and One Nation, and video excerpts of the church’s past productions, Choir Rehearsal, Deacon Willie’s Last Will and Testament, Mourners to Glory, Birth of the King, and the Christmas Choir.
Sue Ellen Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Information: 219-689-0783.
If you go
Comedy Relief for African Relief
Where: Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church, 1747 Fillmore St., Gary
When: Doors open at 6:15 p.m. Oct. 16-17
Tickets: $15 per night
