Ministries

Christ the King (Saviour) Chesongoch Parish is located in the Kerio Valley in Tot Division, about 75 kilometres away from Kabarnet – Iten main road was formerly an outstation of Nerkwo parish.

It was established in 1972 as a parish and is the mother of all other stations. The first group of missionaries to arrive consisted of Father Benedict Ruegg who became the first parish priest and was also in charge of Chesoi outstation and the new mission in Arror, Father Paul Steinmann, in charge of Chesetan school and the health Centre, Father Hilderbrand Meienberg, in-charge of Tot school, education of catechists and development projects.

With the help of Brother Sebastian Kainzbauer, Brother Lawrentius (Lawrenti) Kuberzko and Brother Nonnous Bleicher, the mission expanded. It developed into a very great establishment and demanding parish; a big church, running an extensive health clinic and supporting and running 14 primary and 2 secondary schools up to 1995. Also, the catechists took care of 6 outstations for the spiritual needs of distant living Christians. Apart from the Benedictine monks, two congregations of the Sisters played an important role in the development of the mission.

Among the first Tutzing Sisters to arrive in Chesongoch in 1973 was Sister Ruth Greubel who was a teacher of home science and Sister Margaret Arnold who was a nurse and midwife. Also, two Sisters of the Assumption Sisters of Eldoret started their work in the school in 1974 as teachers but they left after a short period of time, that is 1977. The missionaries continued with pastoral work until 1999 when they handed over the parish to the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret. Until our 2022 Golden Jubilee, the parish had grown to 12 outstations and 72 small Christian communities.