As mentioned before, we spent the greater part of June hosting a small team from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's
Student.Go program in the US, and one of the first places we took them was Kapchorwa. There we met up with Bishop Thomas Godwin, who assists us in our work around the district, and a team of pastors and health workers he put together to accompany us to Greek and other rural villages. Then we all hit the ground running hard for three straight days of mosquito net distributions, sports, games and Bible stories.
It takes about two hours to drive out to the villages around Greek from Kapchorwa town, where we stayed, so we left out early each morning toting several hundred treated bed nets. Our first net distribution was in Greek, where hundreds of people gathered to hear us talk about malaria, the team that brought the nets and what compelled them to bring them. We then moved just across the Greek River to an area they call Locales and distributed nets there, as well. The people there were very pleased that we had also come to see them across the river. They are mostly Pokot, of a different tribe than the other Sebei people, and we wanted to be intentional about going to see both people groups - particularly in this diverse community of people who are emerging from years of tribal conflict and making great efforts at peace and reconciliation.
Demonstrating how to use the mosquito nets
The second day the team returned to Locales to lead a sports camp for local children - and adults, as it turns out, since we got several of the local women involved, as well! The day began with a dramatic narration of the Bible story of Jonah for several community members, then we moved outside for games, soccer drills, and other fun activities for the little ones. The headmaster of the local primary school (which meets mainly under trees with volunteer teachers) came out to watch, along with several community leaders, and we were able to leave the sports equipment behind so the school could continue to utilize it.
Small children lining up for soccer drills
Ladies enjoying a relay game
The following day, on Sunday, we headed out to a small village on the road to Greek and joined the morning service at the local church. There we also handed out mosquito nets and prayed with the people. We noticed that each net distribution went progressively better, and each new group we worked with seemed more and more organized. After that visit we hopped back in the van and drove out to Greek to also attend church service with the people there and shared another Bible story with the church. Finally, we stopped at another village along the road back to Kapchorwa for one more net distribution before heading back to town.
All in all, we distributed over 500 mosquito nets in Kapchorwa and completed one day of sports/VBS. As we made our way around to different villages those few days it was so exciting to see people walking around carrying their mosquito nets or to spot a net already hanging up in a home! And it was a blessing to get to speak to so many people about how God and our team cared for them - as whole people - and that we were interested in preserving their life both physically and spiritually. We are also very blessed to have great partners there in Bishop Thomas and the other pastors, and I am so grateful that we can have a part in strengthening the local church's efforts in Kapchorwa.
To see more photos from the team's time in Kapchorwa click
HERE.
And also, I have plans to travel back to Kapchorwa with three friends who are coming to visit in just a couple weeks. We will be going to check on the progress that has been made so far on construction of the community resource center and to take even more mosquito nets to new communities, so be on the lookout for that update soon!
JUMP!
The valley just near Sipi Falls in Kapchorwa. It was a breath-taking view and great reminder that we serve the Creator of the Universe!
On the road to the Greek village...
This is Greek. There are a few vegetable and fruit stands...
Peter, Missy, Jade, and Shawn shared in this church. Here Peter is praying for Greek and the churches in the area.
The Greek project has hit a few bumps in the road but the Lord remains faithful. We trust Him in all that is being done in Greek!
