From: Patrick Ochieng’
Subject: Progress Report No.4/12
Date: 30/04/12
Dear Brethren,
Greetings in the name of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, to you all from my family and the entire Korr fellowship.
INSECURITY: The world is encompassed with trouble as Satan seems to rule the sons of darkness in a terrible manner. Just before I left Nairobi there was some news about the bandits attack of the lorry which was headed to Nairobi from Moyale. It is indeed shocking to hear such things happen in an area you may think people are illiterate and know nothing except to look after the animals.The very day by God’s providence our vehicle passed, five vehicles were attacked between Merille and Archers Post. Our vehicle of course was given some tight security as we were travelling with a senior government officer at Marsabit. As we proceeded towards Loglogo from Laisamis, two days ago the tanker belonging to the World Food Programme was shot at and caught fire. The consignment of food was burnt to ashes. As Christians this shows how terrible sin is. All these people want is to kill, steal, and destroy properties. Sadly, it is still a matter of concern as the government seems not to do something in order to avert the situation.
LOGLOGO: I spent a whole week at Loglogo before getting transport back to Korr. Life was not easy there as it was expensive paying for a meal despite having to pay for the room. Thankfully the Lord provided for the resources from Nairobi and I was given some kind of comfort though worried about my family. At Loglogo, I had the opportunity to witness to the people I met about Jesus. I found out that we have not much utilised our time to preach Christ to the people. Christian people cannot pretend to be satisfied with merely going out to the few in their surrounding. The Lord’s command in Acts 1:8, ‘You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’, seems not to be heeded optimally.
As I was returning from Nairobi, the scripture which kept on ringing in my mind was Romans 8:28, “All things work for good…”Despite the difficulty in reaching Korr, I met with six ladies said to be from the Foor (Fora) who came to sell the milk under the shade.After the introduction based on my interpreter, a worldly man who too doesn’t have any religious basis at all, a broker for the transport system, I shared with them about Christ from the book of John 3:16. These poor ladies had startling questions about Jesus, for it was their first time to hear that name. After finishing to introduce Christ, one asked me, “Which goob (settlement) does Jesus come from?” Before I could answer, another lady shot another question, “Is he married, and does he have children in their goobs or his morans (warriors) are looking after the animals in their foor.”
Here is the place I have been cheated into believing that having so many denominations around the gospel must have penetrated to the inside areas where people don’t have time to visit….I doing personal research, I came to learn that there is no evangelism outreach at all from churches in the area. There is a vast opportunity for evangelistic work to be done, but the labourers are few. Given the famine situation around, most families stay away in the foor to look for pastures for their animals. Focus must be given to these areas or else our work will have no impact at all.
EVANGELISM: We are very much willing to do as much as we can to fulfil our Biblical mandate to reach out to others, but the challenges we are meeting with are enormous. We are praying that the Lord bless His work with the provision of funds for the purchase of sugar, tea and milk when we visit further places. The transport system has been a major hindrance especially to some of our ageing evangelists. No matter how long it takes, we trust that the Lord will provide at His own appointed time.
DESERT LIFE: By our Kenyan standards, life in the desert is more expensive than life in the urban areas including Nairobi. It is extremely hard to meet the family requirements therefore lacking the urge to want to pursue more in terms of person to person contact. We need to be dependent on God always.In view of the missionary life among the most needy people, it is tempting when people who have genuine needs come to seek for help. Our mode of dress and calling is being interpreted as those best suit to meet the people’s demands. .. It is inhuman to eat while others look or fail to welcome those whom the Lord has brought you to minister to. The Lord is able to use a sharing of a cup of tea to change one’s life.
INCOME GENERATION: In order for effective work in Rendille I wish to propose that an income generating activity be set up for the church. If for instance we start with the purchase of 20 or so female goats, in a year’s time the number will increase and the male animals will be sold and the income used to put in the church’s account for emergencies such as famine, hospital bills, etc., besides caring for the widows and orphans. This is what we have shared as leaders and we were in full agreement.
SCHOOLS: We appreciate the efforts by the church in Nairobi for taking care of the schooling of our children. This help is being witnessed far and wide. We’ll continue to ensure that these children are led to grow in the word of God.
The tradition is hampering the development in some areas as the community leaders insist on employment of their own sons to teach. Clannism is very strong here.
We pray that one day they will learn to live as the Rendille no matter the clan affiliations.
Please pray for more gospel workers.
• Pray that we should not be discouraged at all despite lacking some evangelism tools.
• Pray that the work of evangelism may have a positive impact in the lives of the people.
May the Lord bless His work for His work for Christ’s sake!
In Christ’s Service,
Patrick Ochieng’