RAIN!!

While we are waiting on CT to do his super-awesome-post-everyone-is-dying-to-know-about, I wanted to share the great, great news with you:

IT'S RAINING!!!!!

A LOT!!

A few weeks ago I went to Kitengala with friends and I promise you we saw 20 dead cows within 2 miles. It has been so, so pitiful. People are starving and their livestock are dying left and right.

This is an exert from an email we got from some good missionary friends up country:

Severe Drought in Kenya

Most of Kenya, especially northern Kenya, is experiencing severe drought conditions. Samburu is currently littered with dead buffalo, elephant, and live stock due to the drought.

The International Red Cross (IRC) has been tracking the drought conditions since January of this year, and you can see on our blog an IRC Kenya map that graphically illustrates the food insecurity of people across the country as of August. Most of northern Kenya is just one level above what the IRC considers a Humanitarian Emergency. The situation is dire by any standard of measurement.

There has been a run of dry years in Kenya (since 2003/4), and combine that with the effects of election chaos at the end of 2007 through early 2008 you see a growing catastrophic situation. Runs of dry years have been a common phenomenon here, but apparently there used to be a wet year in every four, rather than in every seven. The destruction of forested areas in Kenya or water towers, such as the Mau Forest has no doubt contributed to the rains failing.

Hydro electric power, which Nairobi and the nation is overly dependent upon, is now ineffective as there is little water in the dams. Currently power is being generated by diesel generators and rationed for at least three days per week - city wide for householders and businesses alike. We experience blackouts twice each week with brown outs in between here in Maralal. The 'jua kali' fundis (carpenters, welders, small businesses) who operate on the side of the road are struggling badly alongside major industries. Boreholes are running dry everywhere.

The cost of vegetables and food has gone up dramatically due to the shortages. The amount of maize Kenya produces this year will fall well short of what is required as the main staple food (10 million fewer 200 lb bags than usual). Kenya has not had a bumper maize crop since 2006 - due to inadequate and poorly distributed rainfall.

We pray that there will be a good rain which is predicted to run from September to January (if the El Nino rains occur). The year upon year with the lack of adequate rainfall has manifested many problems in the country. Apparently Kenya is now listed among the top 5 most rainfall deprived countries in the world. The Kenyan government is currently appealing to other developed countries for food aid.

The Samburu people are primarily nomadic, pastoralists who depend on their animals for food and their livelihood. With the cattle and goat herds dying off and the sheep eating the grass down to the roots, their livelihood and primary food sources are almost gone. In some areas, the Kenyan government offered to buy live cows regardless of their condition. Some people in our Lare-Oibor church plant recently tried to bring five cows to town to sell to the government, but all of them died before reaching the town just 2 km away.

Adding insult to injury, raiders from the Pokot tribe have been attacking manyattas and stealing cattle and goats to restock their own animal losses. These raids bring misery to people already suffering and the loss of life is much higher than what the media reports. The police are powerless to track and punish the raiders, and the Samburu often retaliate escalating the violence. We definitely see Satan at work here.

Most schools remained open during the usual August break, in order to continue feeding children. In mid-August trucks bearing relief food from the World Food Program and non-government organizations began arriving here in Maralal. The Kenya army was also involved in the effort. What has happened to that food is a mystery. The 250+ men, women, and children in Lare-Oibor church have only received one ration of relief food in the past 30 days. We know that corruption is part of the problem, because some people who can afford to buy the relief food are doing so at reduced prices and then they resell the food at a profit. We also have reports from pastors in more rural areas that people are on the move by foot to find grass and water. Some of these people faint from hunger along the way and die of starvation.

We know full well that only God can intercede in this situation. We pray with the Lare-Oibor people frequently that God will bring the rain, end the drought, and stop the raiding. We feel compelled to help the people in the Lare-Oibor church, and we would assist the people of two other churches if that were possible.

For the last two weeks we have been distributing rations of maize, beans, some cooking fat, and powdered porridge known as Uji to the Lare-Oibor congregation on Sundays after church. We purchase 400 lbs of maize and 200 lbs of beans, one case of cooking fat, and 100 lbs of powdered porridge for about $200. We asked the congregation to elect seven people to serve as a committee to pick the 45 neediest families to receive these rations, (much like the seven who were chosen in the early Jerusalem church). We need to sustain this effort probably until the end of this year.

Thank you Lord for answering the prayers of so many!!