Wednesday the 24th of March finds us at Pastor Simon's church in the village of Nakwamekwi on the western side of Lodwar.
The church people are already singing when we arrive. The church made of grass shades us from the sun. A short shower cools us but to the natives it is cold. If jackets and sweaters could be found they would be put on.
The pastor soaks in the Word as it is spoken. He is charged and believes God was speaking directly into his heart. The ladies start to sing and dancing feet keep beat with the sound of the drum.
Turkana Bibles are also given out here in the village of Nakwamekwi along with reading glasses for those that have trouble seeing. Some never thought they would be holding a Bible of their own.
Thursday the 25th Pastor Wilson drove two hours from Kalokol which is north of Lodwar to meet with me. It was raining hard in the morning and his travel was delayed because of the swelling rivers. He was so excited to receive some Turkana Bibles for his church. His Sunday sermon was going to be about studying God's Word more. He knew that the response from the people would be "We can't, we don't have a Bible". He saw God's plan unfolding in his life.
For three years Pastor Wilson's church had three people. There were many discouraging days but he knew God had called him to this area. Now he has approximately one hundred and fifty in his church. He has also planted two other churches. He continues to reach out to the people in the refugee camp in his area. There is much to do and many in need.
Wars, cattle raids, political uprisings, tribal battles have left scars, hurts, pain and suffering here in the northern western part of Kenya. Sudan and Ethiopia are only about 350 miles away and Uganda is a close neighbor also.
We enjoyed our afternoon sitting under a big acacia tree by Pastor Florence's house. We had some rice and beans together while learning more about the culture of the Turkana.
The Turkanas are pastoralist. They are a large group but second in size to the Masai. It is believed that years ago they followed an unruly bull from Uganda in Kenya. The bull is an honored animal among the Turkana. Cattle raids are not uncommon here especially in the rainy season. The cattle raids are becoming more deadly because of the ever growing use of guns in the area. A Turkana woman may even be left with an AK47 to protect herself when her husband leaves for days to tend the animals.
The sun is setting and the motorcycle takes us back to the lodge. We pass the children playing and cooling off in the recent puddles left by the heavy rain. On the side of the mountain one can observe a few structures surrounded by people in colorful robes. Some are wearing white, others purple, red, or yellow. Big white crosses are erected in front of the buildings. The Legions of Mary is a fast growing cult here in the northwest.
We end our day with another invite to join Steve who works with Teen Challenge out of Nairobi, Pastor M'Bogo and Leah for some Tilapia at St. Theresa's. It was delicious J
Friday the 26th has been reserved to explore and see more of the surrounding area. Pastor Benjamin, Simon and Florence show up with a vehicle that has " J O Y " on the top of the front window. They picked that one because yesterday at Pastor Simon's I had shared about putting "J" esus first, "O" thers second and "Y" ou last. It was a sure way of having "Joy" in your life.
Our destination today is Lake Turkana. It is the largest Alkaline Lake in the World. It is also known as the Jade Sea. Lake Turkana sits to the east of Lodwar and is fed by waters flowing down from Ethiopia. The ground covering changes rapidly from slivers of green grass protruding from the desert sand to sandy gravel. The sun hits the earth and some of the rocks glisten as if they are ready to cry out "Jesus is Lord". Camels are now a frequent scene. We are even blessed to see some young ones. The Turkana women are close by and milking the camel. We ask for permission to take a picture but they fear the camera.
We have been blessed with a few cooling showers but in some areas it leaves mud similar to sinking sand. The driver is cautious of these areas and travels out of the way to avoid them. However, he misjudges one area and we get half way across and can't go any further. Everyone gets out and all the men start to push the car backward. Being a woman who has spent her married life living off a dirt road in the woods I know that the mud is going to fly. Pastor Florence did not understand that concept and was soon a site to be seen. She was cover with mud from the top of her head down to her feet.
Our spinning wheels were heard from a distance and soon there were two Turkana boys on their way to help. We were ready and happily hopped in the car only to soon realize the very smooth tire on the back was now flat and also the tail pipe had broken. Here there always seems to be a way and soon the wheels are once again rolling.
We pass termite castles towering to the sky. Each castle is unique in its own design. They not only house termites but snakes are known to take up residence here also.
We slow down for a group of Turkana boys beside the road. They begin to dance and sing beside the car. It is their traditional dance and song. They are singing praises to the bull.
The earth and its surroundings blend in together. The acacia trees become a resting place for birds of color that grab the eye. After a 2 ½ hour ride over pot holes, thorn bushes, and patches of mud we can now see Lake Turkana ahead of us. The beach area around the lake is covered with beautiful desert palms. We ride over the sand dunes and see the waves roll in as if the ocean is before us. The distant Island is the home for the Elmo Tribe. Turkana style huts are sheltered by the desert palms with the entrance looking directly onto the lake. Flamingos and other birds feed in the shallow pools of water. The paradise that we see before us is breath taking.
On our way back we stop and ask a few natives if there is any place that will repair our tire. Not finding away to travel with a spare we continue on to Lodwar. Pastor Florence spots a tree that is used for making tooth brushes. We stop and they gather branches from the tree to take home. They will seal the branch on one end to keep the moisture in. The unsealed end will be used to scrub the teeth.
We arrive back at the lodge tired but safe and sound. Before we part we give the taxi man a Bible. He has been praying for one and today God has answered his prayer.
Psalm 28: 3& 4 The voice of the Lord is over the waters: the God of glory thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic.
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