The church roof is almost finished and it brings relief from
the scorching sun. As the men hammer away preparations are also being made for a
time of celebration here in the village of Nakwamekwi.
The grounds around the church quickly turn into an open air
kitchen as the ladies all work together.
We have the traditional charcoal stove along with a wood fire. Some of the women
are shopping up some tomatoes and onions, others are peeling potatoes and in
the back corner there is a goat! While the goat meat is cooking and one of the elder Turkana women
sorts through the goat’s inner parts. I’m told that the intestines are the
sweetest part…..so sweet. They want to
wash them and cook them for me! It's an honor that I can do without and they are willing to give my portion to one of the elder men. There
are large pans full of rice and as everything cooks the carpenters continue to
put on the last few iron sheets.
The chairs are being brought from their small thatched roof
church. Mamas carry them above their heads.
The area fills with children and the level of excitement increases. Something really big is happening in the
village of Nakwamakwi.
The service starts and even though it’s a 100 degrees it
doesn’t stop them from dancing from one side of the church to the other. The animal hide stretch and woven into the
traditional drum tells those in the distance that something wonderful has
happened. The once empty ground is now
the shelter and stopping point for those within the village to worship in. They rejoice, they clap, they dance and they
give thanks to the Lord.
As I speak the hot desert wind whips through the land and specks
of dirt fly through the air. It is a strong wind and there is no escaping
it. We cover our faces and close our
eyes trying to protect ourselves from the pellets of sand that are thrown against us.
Two men accepted the Lord into their heart at the very first
service held in the new church! Men do
not hug women or show any signs of affection in public. As we stood for a
picture I automatically put my arms around each of them. The Turkana man wrapped in his traditional
robe quickly returned with the same but I immediately sensed how uncomfortable
I had made the other man feel. It was a
few brief awkward moments and then he responded by slowly and carefully putting
his arm around me. All eyes were on the
situation presented before them…..what would the Turkana man do?!? When his arm wrapped around me giggles and happy laughter
filled the church.
Salvation bracelets are a wonderful way to share the gospel
especially when you are working with a tribe that decorates themselves with
beads. It is a very precious gift and
one that they will treasure. It is a
constant reminder of what Jesus has done for them.
The men gather in one area of the church as they
will eat together and the women will serve them first. Turkana men do not sit and eat with the
women. The best of the meat will also be
given to the men. After the men are
given their food the women will be served and the men are not permit to join
them.
As all of this is taking place the children quietly sit and
watch. I knew they were hungry but was
not aware of just how hungry they were.
They appeared to be happy and have plenty of energy but appearances
don’t always tell us the real story.
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All
the dishes had been used serving the men and the women so I big bucket of rice was
set in the middle of the children. I was
not prepared for what happened next and my body froze in place for a few
moments. The children went wild with
panic trying to get a handful of rice from the bucket. The bucket disappeared from sight as they dove into
it while at the same time fighting off those that were close to them. Within in seconds the bucket was empty. These children that I had been singing with and playing ball
with were so hungry that the panic of survival took over. Their daily pain
of going without had become ever so common that it was not spoken of. Today I saw their hunger and their pain. I saw children that love to laugh and play
turn wild before my eyes. Suffering
fills the land it is all around me. It is like the heat of day ….one cannot
hide from it.
March 29, 2014
(Saturday) I now have a shelter to sit under and the children join me. Crayons and paper are pulled out of my back
pack and they gather together on the mat around me. With big round eyes full of wonder they ask
me, “Will you be here tomorrow too?”
Their little hands touch and play with my hair and I find a comb for them to
use. My hair fascinates them as it is
silky, long and blonde!
One little girl wants to know what it would be like to
have hair like mine. It’s the Turkana
way of trying on a wig!
One of the men that accepted Jesus into his heart yesterday
returned today to help!
During the construction process there are always little
pieces of wood left and a mama tries to gather a few pieces for firewood but
the men stop her. They need them also so
that they can have chai later.
The
children play with the left over pieces of timber until it’s time to start the fire. One little guy makes an impressive truck out
of his piece of wood and he enjoys his play time under the shelter of the new
roof.
March 30, 2014
(Sunday) The heat and the lack of good sleep wears on the body but still it
is a land with a people I love. The suffering and hardships seen here are
enormous and one wonders how they survive through months and months of
drought. The camels are dying and their skeletons
rest on the vast open desert floor. It becomes a memorial that speaks of the needs with in
the land.
How can the little that I have
help in a land with overwhelming pain and suffering? It is like a drop of water hitting the vast
ocean but one thing I know.....if one does not try the ocean will consume the land.
Psalm 100:1 & 2 Shout for
joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him joyful songs.
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