Saturday morning, March 20th we head east out of Lodwar. The sandy road is straight and the hot sun beats down on us. With the motorcycle traveling is made easy and we arrive safely at Pastor Benjamin's church in the village of Napetet.
The church erupts with praise, dance and the beating of the drum. The benches fill as the singing continues. The colorful traditional dress and women adorned with beads adds beauty and color to the earthen walls. There are those that listen from the shade of the tree outside. The area Chief sits with us as we share the Word. It was like Christmas in the desert when eight Turkana Bibles were given to Pastor Benjamin to share with his church. Also we had reading glasses for those in need.
The afternoon was busy as well. We needed to prepare for our Sunday service to be held in the interior. A four wheel drive would be needed to carry us and the bags of maize, beans, salt and soap that we would be taking. It was an afternoon of finding the best price! In the midst of the heat and preparation a camel walks through town. I'm told there are many camels here.
Sunday the 21st and Pastor Florence, Benjamin and Simon are going to meet us here at the Lodge. As we are waiting I hear someone behind me call my name. It is Bev and Greg the missionaries who went to Sudan for a teaching seminar. They stopped here in Lodwar for one night before returning to Kitale. We had time to pray for one another and then went our separate ways. God is so good.
We hadn't left Lodwar and the 4 wheel drive we rented was acting up. We are headed to Kabli-Asonyak in the northwest part of Kenya, near the Uganda Mountains and we need to have it in good working order before we go.
We are repaired, loaded with sacks of food and on our way. The Chief travels with us today. I'm told I don't need to worry about any "legal issues "– he is the government here. Pastor Simon will follow us on the motorcycle. In the event it rains and we get stuck or break down we will have a back up vehicle to take us out of the interior one by one.
Most of the area is dry and there seems to be no road to follow but they know the way. Here and there we pass a few desert palms with clusters of small round hard shelled fruit. As we stop to enjoy the camels we feel the heat coming up from the dry sand as well as down from the sun above.
Pastor Florence, a small framed Turkana woman, started her church in 2002. Every Saturday she walked 8 hours in the desert sun to preach in Kabil-Asonyak. The challenges of the hot sun along with bandits, scorpions, poisonous snakes and spiders didn't stop her. Her commitment and need did not go unnoticed. In 2008 someone blessed her with a Yamaha 100 to ride back and forth with.
On both sides of Global Field Evangelism Church there are groups of huts with rounded tops made out of the desert palm branches. The huts gently blend into the landscape but then life springs out of it with the colorful robes and cloth of the Turkana.
The sandy path welcomes us into a church with small wooden benches. The women are sitting together on one side and the men on the other. The older women are graced with the deep lines that time and desert sun gives. Their hair has been shaved except a small portion left down the center of their head. One of the older mama's sits up front with a white sheep sitting on the ground beside her. This sheep goes every place this mama goes even to church. They have adopted each other.Turkana's are beautiful in their dress and beads. The women wear rows and rows of beads around their neck right up to their chin. They are bright in color and when goat fat is rubbed on them they shine brighter. The beads are worn night and day. The more beads a young woman wears means the parents will ask a bigger bride price.
Life here in the desert is hard. The ground will not produce food. It is hot and the lack of water demands that they walk for days with their cattle. Hardships and heat do not stop them from a time of worshipping the Lord. The older women never sit still. They are on their feet dancing in the Turkana way. Jumping straight up as high as you can is a way of celebrating Jesus also. The sweat pores off their faces and they continue on.
God's Word is given in English and interpreted into Turkana as the church room underneath the metal roof increases in temperature. They are encouraged to pray blessings over their children every day. Their children represent their tribe, their family name, and their Jesus.
Turkana Bibles and reading glasses were placed on top of the drum sitting on the earth floor of the church. Pastor Florence calls each one forward and the Bibles are given out. Eight Turkana Bibles are now in the interior parts of Kabil-Asonyak.
Before the service ended a ring made by the Turkana women was placed on my finger and a bracelet, that is not to be taken off, was stitched on my wrist. I was so blessed to have the women honor me in such a way. Then one of the older mama's came with a hand carved wooden pitcher in her hands and gave it to me. It was a pitcher to milk camels with! The Turkana's are very giving and generous people.
We inform the church that we have food to share with them and give them time to go to their homes and come back with a bag or container of some kind. We place the sacks of corn, beans outside along with the soap and salt. A line was formed and each mama was given her equal portion and then the men. I even had a little white sheep with a black head pushing his way into the bag of corn! He knows a good thing when he sees it J
The children are not left out. All the little hands with palm side up received some bubble gum. Then the jump rope is tried a few times with much laughter before it is mastered.
We stop a few times on our way out of the interior as our vehicle is overheating. This is a common problem here with the desert heat. Over heating is not the only reason for stopping though. The camels walk beside us and are seen on both sides of the vehicle. There are many camels roaming free in the area. We are thankful for the time God has given us here.
We want to thank all of those that donated money toward the purchasing of food to feed the hungry. You have blessed and encouraged many. Thank you for caring for those that go without.
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
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