A New Year & A New Village

December 31, 2013 (Tuesday) We have an early morning meeting planned in another part of Turkana land.  We enter a very small room made from the mud of the earth.  Pieces of cloth are hung from the walls as decoration.  It is cool inside and a welcome relief from the sun that beats down upon us. The room is small but it is full.  The drums beat and the singing begins.  Women adorned in bright colored beads dance in the small space that is available to them. Another takes over the drum and the worship continues. Children gather near the door and just gaze in at the white woman.  A quick smile sent their way brings a few giggles!  

I’m welcomed by the mamas and they tell me that they have been praying for me. When they heard of my injured ankle in May they prayed even more.

 

At the end of our service more food was given out. Hunger is not far from all that live in Turkana land.  It is a desperate and needy place especially when it doesn’t rain.

As we talk I am told about more fighting between the Pokot and Turkana.  It seems that many Pokot with machine guns have stopped the bus that travels out of Turkana land.  They had all the Turkana get off the bus and killed them.  The remaining people on the bus were sent on their way.

Soldiers have been called in to oversee certain areas of this desolate road that must be traveled if one is leaving here by vehicle.

Pastors, reverends and priests from this are have all come together for a conference to see what can be done to promote peace between these two tribes.  These tribes have been in conflict with each other for years and the problem is escalating.

January 1, 2014 (Wednesday) From the safety of my room I could hear those that chose to stay up see the New Year in.  Their music and singing woke the stillness of the night and morning came early, all though it was right on time.

Today we traveled across the river into a new village.  On one side of the river a large group of Turkana were preparing for a wedding. Others were taking advantage of this muddy river that flows down from Mount Elgon and were using it to bathe in.  The river calls out to those that want to refresh themselves. It is a gathering place for the children and adults.

A little further down the road there is a big sign encouraging everyone to register births.  So many people don’t have a birth certificate and it will hinder them from going to school if they have the opportunity to do so.   Birthdays are not celebrated and the date of their birth has never been important to them. They might be able to tell you about an event that happened around their birth but that is about it. 

One of the pastors that we are traveling with is sick with malaria.  Her counts are high and she needs daily injections to recover.  We encourage her to stay behind and rest but her heart is to continue on with us.

As we pull up into the soft hot sand near the little grass hut church the children come running from all directions.  Pastor Joshua welcomes us inside and the singing begins.  The little ones gather together and share a song or two for everyone to enjoy. 

One little girl cuddles her doll in her arms as she sings.  This doll is missing both arms. Children seldom are seen with toys, it just isn’t thought of as a necessity of life. 

One of the elders of the church tries on his new reading glasses. They are so happy that people in America have remembered their needs.

There are many special songs that are sung for the guests. It is the first time a white person has visited and the Chief was come with her. The sun is hot and beats down on us through the holes in the roof and still they continue to sing and dance to the beat of the drum.

 

The area is full of children and they are starving for affection.  I saw the looks and I felt the stares coming from them.  So I asked them if any of them had every touched a white woman before.  The answer was unanimous, “No.”  I placed myself in the center with children all around me and gave them permission to touch me. My arms had little hands all over them. They giggled and laughed.  Some tried to rub the white off.   When I knew they felt comfortable with me being close to them I started hugging them and holding them tight.  The smiles got so big and the giggles turned into laughter. What fun we had! 

My hair is something that they love to touch.  The color, the length, the softness fascinates them. Today I made it easier for them to touch.

We had a great time in the little grass hut church which sits on some of the hottest desert sand I’ve stood on.  The days here aren’t always easy. It isn’t a comfortable place to be, it’s hot! But when you see fifteen people ask Jesus into their heart you thank the Lord for letting you be part of such a grand day!

Matthew 18:10 “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”