Joseph Cheserem (Sengerut): The Pioneer of the Reformed Church of East Africa (1906–1996)

By William Kiptoo

Joseph Cheserem, popularly known as Sengerut, is regarded as the pioneer of the movement that led to the establishment of the Reformed Church of East Africa (RCEA) in Kenya.

As a young boy, Cheserem worked on the farm of a former South African settler, Mr. A. J. Mouton, where he was first introduced to the gospel through his employer’s witness. A turning point came when he experienced a dramatic healing after a near-death illness — an event that deeply transformed his faith. Following this miracle, he gave his life to Christ and was baptized in 1953.

After his conversion, Cheserem began evangelizing on local farms, passionately sharing the message of salvation. With the support of fellow believers, he persistently appealed to the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (NG Kerk) to send a full-time missionary to serve in the area. His efforts bore fruit with the arrival of Eerwaarde Eybers, marking the beginning of what would eventually become the Reformed Church of East Africa.

Despite never having learned to read or write, Joseph Cheserem is remembered as the voice of Africa that urged the NG Kerk members to bring the Good News to his people. His deep understanding of the church’s early history and unwavering faith made him a foundational figure in its formation. As one RCEA Moderator reflected after his passing, “He is not only a master of our church’s history — he is the history of the church.”

In February 1962, when the Mouton family left Kenya for South Africa, Joseph (by then also known as Vingerhoed) and another Christian worker gathered with the family at Chebore for a farewell prayer. During the prayer, Vingerhoed reminded God of His promise to Grandpa Mouton — that He would take care of Abie — and asked God to now take over where he could no longer do so.

In gratitude for the gospel the Moutons had shared with him, Joseph was given a portion of the farm, including the family cemetery surrounded by cedar trees, with the promise to care for it faithfully.

Decades later, in 1992, Dominee Piet Grobler, formerly stationed at Vergenoeg, visited the old Mouton farm in Kenya and recorded the following reflection:

“Joseph is now the owner of 100 acres of Abraham Mouton’s original farm and has decided to dedicate a portion of it for the construction of a church building. Mzee Joseph prayed for us before we visited Abraham Mouton’s grave, which he continues to care for with deep respect. He also requested that the Kaburus in South Africa send support for a ‘project church building’ on the Mouton family farm.”

Through his faith, humility, and gratitude, Joseph Cheserem (Sengerut) stands as a bridge between two worlds — a living testimony of how the gospel took root in Kenya through the partnership between African believers and Reformed missionaries. His legacy continues to inspire generations within the Reformed Church of East Africa.