The Miracles of Simeo Ondeto

Baba Simeo Ondeto did many miracles. He was many things to many men. He preached the message of hope and eternal life. Always, he reminded humanity to work and pray. For him, there is no faith that can be demonstrated without work. 

“Work hard every day so you do not steal,” he reminded his followers.

“Without work life can never get better,” he said.

“I came with only two things: work and prayer,” he taught.

But apart from giving prominence to work and prayer, Simeo Ondeto also performed numerous miracles in order to improve the conditions of the people he met in his life. Yet, he never prioritized miracles over his message. He did not preach miracles, but eternal life. To him, it was better to die and receive the miracle of eternal life, than to receive a miracle of wealth, power or healing and remain in sin.

Resurrection Miracles

Even though he had the power to give life, Simeo did not raise the dead every day. He did not call the world to bring their dead to him so he could bring all of them back to life. He always concentrated on his message and reminded people that this earthly life is just a stage to be passed. He always affirmed the greatness and glory of everlasting life which awaits all who trust God with their future. Nonetheless, there were occasions when his compassion overwhelmed him and his pity for the bereaved compelled him to raise the dead. Therefore, when he visited a Holy Ghost church in Gombania Tanzania, a man died when members of the church were praying for him. And he raised the man back to life.

Simeo Ondeto had pity on a woman who came crying to him when he was in Kisumu. He gave that woman his headgear to be worn on the head of the woman’s dead husband. When this happened, Amoke of Asembo, who lived in Kisumu, was brought back to life. In a third incident, Simeo Ondeto raised to life a teenage girl called Angeline, the daughter of an affluent family in Seme, Central Nyanza. In a fourth incident, Simeo Ondeto raised back to life the Son of Kalaudia in Makongeni Nairobi. Simeo also raised back to life a woman in Nakuru and another woman in Winam Kisumu.

Simeo Cures 10 Years of Bleeding

Simeo Ondeto cured several people from their sicknesses. He met with Dalmas Oyier who was crippled and could not walk, and ordered Oyier to walk! Dalmas Oyier walked as Baba Simeo had ordered. Baba Simeo also met with Joseph Obote who was dumb and breathed into Obote’s mouth. Obote was immediately healed and started speaking. But most important was the healing of Salome Owiny who had been ill for ten years. Owiny had gone round to hospitals but could not find cure. Her bleeding was ceaseless. When she met Simeo Ondeto, she was cured with just the breath from the mouth of Simeo.

Simeo Calms a Storm

Simeo did many miracles against nature. While preaching at Ephesus Church, he stopped rain until he could preach and finish. When he was called to Bumaenga in Western Kenya, he found the villagers complaining about monkeys who were excessively destructive. Simeo called the monkeys to a meeting during daylight and all the monkeys heeded. He ordered the monkeys to stop straying into farms and homes, and the same day the monkeys stopped. 

But most importantly, when Simeo was in a boat and on a journey to Nazareth, the current suddenly changed and huge waves started to knock the boat as they approached Wath On’ger. Sadly, a huge log was also being moved by the current towards the boat. Susana Ouma woke Simeo up from his sleep, and then he took up some water from the boat and poured into the stormy waters, and there was immediate calm!

Simeo Ondeto: The Champion of Human Freedom and Dignity

During his earthly life, Simeo Ondeto was an unyielding champion of human freedom and dignity. Simeo could take any risks, face any hardships, and endure any affliction in order to ensure that humanity was never at peril. His resolve to deal with the problems of human freedom and dignity was always evident in his actions and words. 

When he preached, he encouraged spiritual freedom. His miracles were always about giving hope to the suffering, empowering the weak and the emotionally insecure and making life livable. He neither performed miracles to demonstrate his power nor performed miracles to boost the numbers of his followers. But everywhere he went, he performed miracles only when necessary for freeing a suffering soul and for strengthening the hopeless.

Homes for Orphans, Widows and the Needy

During his lifetime, Baba Simeo ensured that Legio Maria churches were the safe havens for orphans widows and the needy. After he was forced to desert his Hill of Calvary (Got Okwon’g) through police raids and eventual burning, Simeo Ondeto decided to settle in St. Mary Church Jerusalem Amoyo from 1966-1991. And he turned Jerusalem into the home of thousands of Orphans and hundreds of widows. Any widow could just walk in, find a place to build a house in the church’s compound and live there with her family. Simeo would then provide food to all the orphans and widows from the regular gifts he received from church members and from people who visited him. In fact, Simeo never kept any gifts or moneys. As soon as he was given a gift, a widow or orphan was there to pick it. And he would give out the gifts without looking at his side.

The widows and orphans programs were not only running at St. Mary Jerusalem. Baba Simeo also ensured that all Legion Maria churches had allocated small sections of their land to the widows’ programs. In his decrees, he also ordered that widows be welcomed in Legio Maria churches and shown where to build their houses in the churches without being asked to pay for it. In return, he expected the widows to be committed to the service of God while they lived in the church compounds. Indeed, the widows and orphans programs allowed many single families to settle in Manyatta church, Efeso Nzoia church, Kodero church and Nyapiedho church, among other churches.

Involvement in Political Freedom

While Baba Simeo did not engage directly in political affairs, he advised politicians whenever necessary. According to Susana Ouma, his foremost maidservant, Baba Simeo was involved in the fight against colonialism in Kenya. Susana recounts how she met with Baba Simeo while she was boarding a bus in Nairobi. She said: 

“On that day, I went to town to buy a few things for my aunt whom I worked for as a baby nurse. While inside the bus, this man (Simeo Ondeto) entered the bus and sat next to me. I did not yet know that he was one of the freedom fighters. But the people in the bus said it loudly that this man was one of the Mau Mau fighters who was fleeing from the police…..We talked all the way until he alighted.”

Well, it is not just Susana Ouma who reported the involvement of Simeo in the freedom fight. Even Simeo himself recounted several times how he worked closely with African and Kenyan freedom fighters to liberate Africans from the colonial yoke. Indeed, it is because of these narratives that Legio Maria calls him Dedan Kimathi, which is a symbolic name for Simeo’s liking for liberation and freedom.

Moreover, Simeo Ondeto worked with Jaramogi Oginga Odinga during the struggle for Multi-Party Democracy in Kenya. Often, Jaramogi Oginga visited Simeo for discussions on freedom in Kenya and how to achieve it. In fact, even when Oginga was despairing, Simeo encouraged him. And in 1989, Simeo gave Oginga Odinga a two-branched image to symbolize the imminent victory in the struggle for pluralism in Kenya. Furthermore, in his sermons, Baba Simeo frequently instilled hope in his listeners, telling them that “however bad things may seem, human freedom and dignity would always prevail.”

Simeo Ondeto and Melchizedek: High-Priests of Different Eras

Melchizedek of Salem is highly regarded by Legio Maria faithful. His role in the history of glorification of mankind is re-told with broad smiles among members of the glory-of-God movement. But who is Melchizedek? Why is he so crucial to Legion Maria faithful?

Old Testament High Priest

Melchizedek is mentioned a few times in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. His name first comes up when he meets with Abraham. In the scene, Abraham has just rescued his nephew Lot and is having rich loot in his custody. But when Abraham meets with Melchizedek, the patriarch recognizes the priesthood of Melchizedek and gives a tenth of his loot to the priest. Melchizedek blesses Abraham.

Priesthood before Aaron and Levi

Through this encounter between Melchizedek and Abraham, we are introduced to a priesthood that comes before the later priesthood of the house of Levi. Melchizedek is introduced not just as a common priest ordained through an earthly order, but as the priest of the Most High God. Moreover, Melchizedek is said to have neither father nor mother; neither beginning nor ending. In a sense, three critical points are made by this encounter:

1.      There can be priesthood outside the house of Levi.

2.      The priesthood that exists outside the house of Levi (Judaism) is greater than that of the house of Levi and is recognized by Abraham.

3.      The priesthood of the Most High God is without beginning and without ending.

Essentially, Melchizedek is one like the son of God, without beginning and ending. His priesthood is eternal and greater than the priesthood of Levi. He is a priest for all and of all.

The Messiah and Melchizedek

Later on, David proclaimed in Psalms that the expected Messiah would be priest in the order of Melchizedek. Therefore, he would serve as a priest forever and his priesthood would be outside that of the house of Levi. The Psalmist’s prophecy was fulfilled through Jesus. The salvation ministry of Jesus existed outside the priesthood of Levi. Jesus was not anointed by the priests of Judaism, neither was he accepted by the teachers of the law and the custodians of the Levitical priesthood. However, he called all humans to God and offered himself as an eternal ransom for human sin.

Jesus Promised to Come Again

While the sacrifice of Jesus was a once-for-all affair and an eternally sufficient payment for human sin, the Lord promised to return to earth to pick his faithful servants and take them to paradise. This promise, therefore, implies a second appearance on earth of a person in the order of Melchizedek who would gather the worshippers and servants of the Most High God, and take them to heaven. In his second coming, Jesus would not be negating the efficacy of his sacrifice on the cross but would be gathering his faithful servants up in order to receive their eternal reward, which is eternal life.

The Last Visitation of the Son of God

The final visitation of a person in the order of Melchizedek is for the establishment of God’s Reign and the rewarding of the saints. While so many verses in the New Testament describe what would happen when the King of Kings return to earth, they all agree that in his second coming, Jesus would not be dealing with sin but will be rewarding his most faithful servants with eternal life. Indeed, therefore, the final revelation of the Son of God (priesthood of the order of Melchizedek) on earth would be to reward and glorify the saints.

Simeo Ondeto as Priest in the Order of Melchizedek

Simeo Ondeto does not belong to the order of Levi. He is not a Jew. Yet, on March 9^th, 1962, when the Holy Spirit descended from heaven, he was declared as the second Christ, the fulfillment of the second coming of Jesus. Besides, during his mission, he sat on his glorious seat, passing judgment on the living and the dead, and making saints from among the daughters and the sons of men. Therefore, since he was not a Jew and yet fulfilled the prophecies of the second coming of Jesus, he belongs to the eternal priesthood of Melchizedek. Moreover, Simeo’s giving of eternal rewards to both the living and the dead means that his ministry has eternal effect.

Simeo Ondeto: The Eternal Lord of Legion Maria

In 1991, when Baba Simeo Ondeto was in the house of Raphael Onyango, he taught Legio Maria faithful saying: “In Legion Maria church of African mission, I am the only groom. I am the only man. Who among you can stand up and claim to have brought Legion Maria. This mission was led by me and Mama Maria alone. I am the only groom and all of you are my brides. I have heard some of you say they want to bring progress to Legion Maria. What progress? Where is that broken part of our mission you want to fix? If there is any place to fix, then let you fix it so I can see what you can do.”

Lessons from Simeo’s Teaching

A.      Background to the teaching: This teaching is one of the last that Baba Simeo gave before his departure in September of 1991. In the teaching, he is hinting at what is about to cause his death. Some of the top leaders of Legion Maria are interested in changing various aspects of the faith. Some of them desire the church’s leadership. Some desire the papacy. But they cannot have their way as long as Simeo is alive in the flesh. Yes, he will still speak to Legion Maria members through the spirit when he is gone, but his presence in the flesh is a real hindrance. He will rebuke them if they do what they desire.

The previous year 1989, while Simeo was in Nyalenda, Kisumu, he had been pushed to name his successors. He named Atila Timotheo as the first pope; Chiaji Lawrence as the second Pope. Owino Peter Wilson Obimbo as Third Pope, but then added that the place of Owino would be taken by Rafael Titus Adika because Owino would stubborn as soon as he is gone. Therefore, the year 1991 was very decisive. He had arranged for the church’s leadership the previous year. And the top leaders where now interested in leadership, not his presence with them. Indeed, when he was poisoned in Manyatta, some of cardinals of Legion Maria knew and were part of the scheme.

B.      Lesson One: Simeo is the eternal Lord of Legion Maria

All followers of Simeo must submit to him just as a bride to a groom. Therefore, regardless of the position that someone holds in Legion Maria, he must submit to Simeo Ondeto. The pope is just a bride. He must listen and obey to the teachings of Simeo Ondeto forever. He cannot come up with his own teachings. The Cardinal is a bride just as the bishop. As they lead the flock, they must only do so according to the teachings and will of Simeo Ondeto. The priests and deacons, the nuns and teachers, church administrators, brothers and sisters, must all submit to Simeo Ondeto. He is the only man.

C.      Lesson Two: Any person who attempts to make changes in Legion Maria will fail if he departs from Simeo’s will

Simeo Ondeto is the son of God. He reigns over all. He is omnipotent and controls Legion Maria. Therefore, whoever sidesteps him and thinks he can introduce changes to anything in Legion Maria cannot succeed. Whether he is a pope or a priest, if any man attempts to introduce the wisdom of men in Legion Maria with a view to making the movement more appealing and progressive, he will fail. All progress in Legion Maria must be controlled and willed by Simeo Ondeto for them to occur.

D.      Lesson Three: God’s Time is the best Time

As humans, we can be quite impatient. We really do not want to wait. We rush to do things with the hope that we can improve our lives and bring progress in our ways. Yet, the more we rush things up, the more we bring destruction. Simeo Ondeto observed the impatience of church leaders with the speed of growth and development of the church. He observed that some of the leaders were interested in making quick changes. Some were bent on rising to positions of leadership quite first. Yet, he cautioned them that in their haste, he will not go with them. He will simply stand aside and watch how they try to fix Legion Maria. 

True to his words, these leaders did not fix anything Legion Maria as soon as Simeo Ondeto departed. Court battles for leadership, reduced frequency of prayers, decreased conversion rates, baffling sicknesses to many cardinals (even subsequent popes), and sudden deaths of church leaders followed. In fact, those who have tried to fix Legion Maria have all ended in trouble.