Many of you have traveled with me through the years up to the Kakuma refugee camp in northwest Kenya where 100,000 Sudanese and Somali citizens are living in limbo. Picture Kakuma in Kitale. There are at least 50,000 displaced people at two sites...Cherengany hills about 20 minutes out of Kitale and Endebess. Over the last two days James, Juma, Jeffrey and I have given out wool blankets to thousands of folks stuck in these encampments. No where to go, no homes to return to and most people are separated from their family and friends. During the day they roam through the encampments looking for relatives or any familiar faces. At night, they huddle under tarps provided by the Red Cross and lay in the dirt and mud waiting for the light and the warmth of the next day. When I call this place "camp," don't get me wrong...this is NOT Hume Lake or Forest Home. This is a "Grapes of Wrath" type scene with people just trying to get by the best they can until things stabilize here. I met with the pastor who is in charge of the spiritual life of the 20,000+ people at this Cherengany camp. As you can guess, he's a bit overwhelmed by the task of caring for all of these people with virtually no resources. The people are not starving, but have to wait 4 hours for water and it's nasty water at that. They get a little bit of maize flour to make up some ugali and some beans and that's it. No one is starving but no one is well-fed either...it's survival mode. It's impossible to send the photos because they take an hour to upload, but I'll bring home photos of the camp life.
But here's the basics:
But here's the basics:
- People sleeping in the dirt.
- Four+ families to a tiny tent.
- At least 6,000 children separated from their parents. Tiny kids wandering through the camp crying out for their mommy and daddy. Their parents just ran to spare their own lives but left their kids behind.
I wish Dean was here with me today to help organize a soccer game in the field next to the camp. 6,000 kids...3,000 on each team. There's a sight for you...just choosing teams is a day long event. Tonight I've been invited to preach a message around a bonfire we're going to build...a message of reconciliation and hope. So, please pray for me...I'm digging deep.
Psalm 27:1 "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
Hey Steve: Good to be back from the men's retreat which by the way was awesome. I saw Jake there and he was doing good even though the young guys lost the football game again. I'll tell you I don't mis many of the men retreat and it is because it fills me up. Saturday was about knowing the battle belongs to the lord and I am sure you know this one. So as it says in 1 sam. 17:32 Let no one lose heart; your servant will go ahead of you. God is really all we need when we face our giants and he will give you what you need to talk tonight. There was about 600 hundred men there and if we can get all the men to be leaders in the church Wow! What a church we will be! As we learned on Sunday morning from Kenny Luck on Suffering this might be good for you to hear as well. 1 john 3:8 tells us as He lives to destroy the devils work so must we and we need to go in two by two. Your attitude about the evil one reflects you stand against the evil. Kenny used the acrenim of FIGHT: F for Face the reality of evil Matt. 13:24-30 Santan wants you dead or nuetralized so sow good seed. I for INTERGRATE the intellegence 2 cor. 2:9-11 if you are unaware you are ineffective. G for GROW more aware of evil 1 peter 5:8 stay alert. H for HANDEL your weapons with consistence and competence 2 cor.10:3&4 use Gods words. T for TAKE the fight to the enemy (obiedence) Except nothing but VICTORY! So finish the race with one man haveing the courage to fight with another man. That was a quick synopsis of the weekend. Keep doing what you are doing and we will be right behind you in pray and in Gods words fighting the same battle with you. Say hi to everyone and we love you. The Schusters.
ReplyDeleteHi Pastor Steve!
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear from you. Our nephew is in Nigeria right now doing soccer camps with a Christian Sports Ministry. Do you need soccer people??? Boy, he would be great but I don't think he can leave Nigeria until it is time to come home as he left once already and he is on a visitor's visa. I would love it if he could be with you for just a few days. You would love him!!!!
Well, still praying for safety, wisdom and discernment for you. The picture of the tent city says a lot.
Love you!
Lisa Foto
That is heart-wrenching to imagine - 6,000 little ones alone and searching for their moms and dads. I'm certain everyone reading your updates is now wrapping their arms around those children in prayer. We know the Lord is holding their tiny hands and we just pray that they would be kept safe in someone's care.
ReplyDeleteGod bless you Steve for being the ultimate Pastor and bringing hope to these people that love you so much.
We all love you here at home too and pray for your safe travels.
Carolyn, Matthew and a band of Ukrainers!
Dear Steve,
ReplyDeleteWe just talked to Rudy and Shirl Benda and they feel the same as Virginia and I do --overwhelmed with what is going on in Kenya. We feel so helpless to do anything but pray for you and the aid workers and for reconciliation among the tribes. We sit here in our warm and comfortable homes and can't really imagine what it must be like to live in a tent on the ground with 3 other families and try to survive on maze and rice. And wait for what? More of the same? Our hearts go out to them but we pray especially for those children. What a tragedy this conflict is for those innocent little kids. We remember when they had such stunning smiles and we hope that someday they can smile again.
We await news about your message at the campfire. I know the message was a success because it was the Lord speaking through you.
We also thank the Lord for Stonic and Allan. They are a blessing and comfort for you I'm sure. We pray for God's blessings on you for the remainder of your trip and safe and a speedy return.
Earl, Virginia, Shirl and Rudy
Hi Steve,
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that amazed me when I was in Kenya was the pure joy on the faces of the beautiful people of Kenya. I pray for a day very soon when the joy will return. I pray knowing that what man does to harm, God can use for good.
I am also praying for protection for you and our Kenyan friends. Not only for your safety, but for God to protect your hearts. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to in the country you have come to love so much and see such devastation. My heart is breaking from here.
You all are never far from my thoughts and prayers.
May God bless all you do in His name.
Much Love,
Joyce Downs
Steve....As soon as Geoffrey told me about that camp...I KNEW you would end up there. Spending the night in Kipsongo a few years ago was prep for this, I guess.
ReplyDeleteThank God you got there safe...of course Stonic got you through...he loves you so much and wouldn't even attempt it if he didn't know he could insure your safety.
By the way, I reposted Geoffrey's letter about the Cherangany Camp over on my blog on this same site: oasisofhopekitale.blogspot.com
if anybody wants to read it.
Take care my friend...I know you are a big ol' candle in the darkness!
Lydia
PS...Geoffrey told me you lost a huge email after typing for hours the other night (so typical there)....you gotta remember to COPY them first....that has happened to me SO many times.
Dear Steve: Please know many prayers for direction, discernment, protection, and open doors are with you daily. The need is so great that only our Lord through his followers can begin to address it. We pray He will bless your efforts daily. I walk with you in spirit.
ReplyDeleteYour brother in Christ,
Steve Millbern
Steve, I can't even image what you are seeing. We mazoongoos have no idea what the average citizen of Kenya is going through at all. I'l be praying for your "fire-side chat" tonight. I know you will be some blessing... especially with God using you.
ReplyDeleteStonic is the Man! Hey, if he's got the Entiak Travel logos on the truck, can you take a couple of cool photos of that? With him in them?
Blessings, Jim D
Steve: I will be praying for you and the others as you deal with this atrocity in Kitale. I wish I could be there to help. Please give everyone my sincerest love and let them know I am praying. I'm so glad Stonic is with you. Did you get the medical supplies to Sister Freda?
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Lynn