I was in Lodwar a while back running some errands with Maurice, our new language helper and translator. I was drinking water while Maurice was drinking yogurt, which is close to the drink he likes from goat milk. We stopped to get diesel for the truck. He tossed his empty yogurt carton from the truck onto the nearby trash heap and immediately two small kids ran out and started fighting over it. The winner frantically pushed her fingers into it and licked them repeatedly, while the loser walked behind hopeful for possible leftovers.
May 30 2010 | Turkana Life | No Comments »
I roasted meat today. It was a good day. It is culturally appropriate for me roast a goat for the old men of the area. They came over to the house in the afternoon, we walked down by the river together, and I speared two goats for the group – one for each clan. I asked them about their area, past and present. They said they were happy to have us live in their community and happy for the help we had already given the community. I think it was a good start to future relationships.
May 26 2010 | Turkana Life | No Comments »
It has been a busy few days. In three days I have made two runs to the hospital, one after a fight involving a machete and the other a gunshot to the chest. The first is healing and the second seems to be stable. The events were due to adultery and theft. The village seems a bit stunned and asking a lot of “why” questions. I have talked to church leaders about these things being outward signs of a deeper problem. Adultery, alcoholism, theft, treachery, and fighting are all symptoms of the greater problems of either not knowing God or disobedience to him. The church is the answer yesterday, today, and forever.
May 24 2010 | Turkana Life | No Comments »
I want to pass along some images that have lasted in my mind recently, both good and bad.
We were working on getting solar panels lifted up onto a metal stand so we can rotate them with the sun. I was telling the guys what to do while pushing up from underneath on the set of panels when I noticed something beyond them. I didn’t recognize it. It looked like a big swirling mist. I asked the guys and they answered, without much excitement, flamingos. It was beautiful. There were two big flocks very high up swirling around in circles. As they would turn, the color of the mass would change from white to pink to black as different sides were toward us. Sometimes they would seemingly disappear as their color blended with the sky. I had to sit down and just take the scene in while I could
May 23 2010 | Turkana Life | No Comments »
I heard exciting news today about the recent evangelistic camp we helped support. Over one hundred believers from our area traveled very far north to a new area that has shown interest in the gospel. The group went door to door sharing the gospel for three days. In sharing the message, they asked people to give up their traditional items to be burned in a fire. Hundreds came to the final gathering and offered their traditional items in the fire. The community was very receptive and wants to learn more. It was amazing to hear the report but also to see the excitement in those who were there. It is great to see the local churches’ focus beginning to turn outside themselves to those in need around them. Two of my favorite comments from the discussion were, “We started to share about Jesus and the man looked around and asked us where he was expecting him to be one of us in the group” and “I couldn’t believe how rocky the place was and that they actually lived that way. It was amazing.” Interesting to see that in their three days they were able to see an impact in the people they intended to reach, as well as have an enlarged view of who is included in God’s promise of salvation available to all through his Son. We are currently praying with the local church leaders for one church leader willing to move there to continue teaching.
May 20 2010 | Turkana Life | No Comments »
We came down to Eldoret this week. Three of us were sick, all were tired and a bit overdue for a break from the stress. It has been good for us. We are nearly healthy now, rested, and able to look back at the past ten weeks which have gone by in a blur. Here are some of the highlights.
Homesteading.
I don’t know if anyone out there ever shared a romantic view of homesteading with me. I had read books and dreamed of what it would be like. Well, the reality is that it is a lot of hard work. We are using an existing house and it is still hard work. It took five days to get a new sand point installed, repair the water lines, and get a water pump working to pump water into our elevated tank on a cliff. Then obviously all the drain lines seemed to be clogged, cracked, or some combination of the two. We installed the solar system and reran some wiring, cleared the yard of thorn trees and debris, repaired all the torn or missing screens, had a fence built, and the list goes on. All the while meeting everyone in the village and beginning new friendships. It has been an exciting time, and honestly a lot of fun.
A Great Gift.
Because of rain, I was delayed in getting back to Nakor for the solar system. When I did go out I was feeling stressed about getting it all done in one day with the five hours of driving included. When I got to the house many of the men came to see me. We talked about the news for a bit which I always enjoy but as the conversation drew on my stress was rising. Then they surprised me by asking how they could help. They all worked with me through the heat of the day removing the entire system and loading it in the truck. It was their way of saying thanks and it meant more to me than I can express. I knew how much our friendships meant to me, but on that day I got a glimpse of what they meant to them. I pulled out in an overloaded truck at sunset feeling truly blessed.
Visitors.
We had our first visitors to Turkanaland! They were a great group of men from First Christian Church in Springfield, OH. We had an exciting few days including a goat roast, discussions with church leaders, a visit to one of the irrigated gardens their donation made possible, night church, drilling a well, and lots of four-wheeling in our two attempts to get back to Lodwar for their return flight. The rain they seemingly brought with them was amazing, by far the most we’ve seen here. It was very encouraging to hear their thoughts on our work so far. I think the highlight for us may have been just sitting and talking in the evenings with friends from home about familiar things. We are extremely grateful for their visit.
The Third Garden.
Our third irrigated garden has been completed. The solar panels were just raised so water is now pumping continuously from sunrise to sunset. The twelve families with plots will now be able to begin planting their crops (eventually feeding over one hundred people year-round) and the whole community is drinking clean water. Partnering with the local churches with daily Bible studies, the garden ministry has an amazing impact on communities both physically and spiritually. It has been exciting for us to see the impact they have made already. We hope to be able to do many more.
May 05 2010 | Turkana Life | No Comments »
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