By:  Ksenija Savis

The lyrics from Sara Groves are like a constant whisper in the back of my mind ever since I returned from documenting & visiting the Pokot in 3 remote regions of Kenya, Chemolingot, Kauriong & Kodich.

 As I continue to process my time in Kenya, there are three things that are certain & clear:

1) When it comes to love & giving of yourself to others, there

is no such thing as “not enough” or “too little.”

2) I saw what I saw, and I can’t forget it.

3) The Pokot are people who shine like no other.

 

I have experienced overwhelming warmth & joy in the Pokot, of all ages. I have felt it in their handshakes & hugs. I have seen joy in their smiles & a sense of community in their lives that we do not have at home. I have watched countless children walk around holding hands, or arm in arm. I have heard them call each other brother & sister. I have seen 3 year olds pick up a crying one year old and carry them on their back. I have seen immense joy as they get their nails painted pink by one of our team members. I have communicated with the elders despite our great language barrier. I have watched their watermelon-sized smiles as they grab my hand & place it to their heart.

I have heard the children sing & it was as if I felt a sweet piece of Heaven wrap me up. I have watched the children play for hours on end in the same area, with the same friends, with the same dirt & rocks to run on… yet all with endless smiles & screeches of laughter. I have walked by the children & felt their arms reach out to gently touch my skin. I have been asked ‘what my name is’ by what must be hundreds of beautiful faces.

I have had the ability to make others smile just by taking their picture & saying “roriya!” (smile!) in my broken Pokot. Their roaring giggles as I showed them their photograph on the back of my camera will be forever stamped into my heart. I have seen beauty like I have never seen before – there is no make-up, or hair accessories, or fashionable pick of clothing… yet the Pokot truly shine.

Above all this, I have seen God’s undying love, grace & perseverance — just by looking into their eyes.

The Pokot have redefined my definition of poverty. Their love & willingness to learn is like something I have never seen before. They have a richness that cannot be bought nor given.

It is in their soul. It is in their spirit. It is what makes them shine on.

 

Water is our most basic and vital need in life. Without it, nothing can happen. Nothing can grow. But with it, everything changes. Clean water quenches thirst, but it also restores health.

With access to clean water, life can be given back to a community. Time spent getting water becomes time to work, to go to school, to grow an economy. And most importantly, clean water reveals hope for a new future and is the foundation upon which the church can be established and grow into a thriving community of believers.

Kensington Church in Troy, Michigan has seen the strategic importance of water to accomplishing the goals of Julius Murgor and Pokot Outreach Ministries of reaching all of the Pokot with the gospel. Their effort recently moved into an exciting new realm that will provide unprecedented exposure to the Pokot water crisis.

Kensington’s Hope Water Project launched in January 2013 with an ambitious goal of 1,000 people from the church and community to commit to running the Detroit Free Press Marathon in October. Each participant was challenged to raise $1,000 toward the Pokot water initiative. In other words, the total fundraising goal for the event is $1 million or more than 40 wells providing clean water for nearly 100,000 people.

As of the writing of this article 1,275 people have committed to running for water! It is so amazing and exciting to see how people have responded to the need and are doing what they can to be part of the solution and all in the name of Christ.

Every person has something to contribute and the commitment to participate in a marathon is huge. However, the energy and momentum behind this initiative is inspiring and has already brought hope to the Pokot who have learned of what is happening on their behalf.

I met with pastors in January at several of the proposed well sites where we discussed their plans for planting churches at each location when water was available.

You too can join Team Kensington, even from the comfort of your own home or recliner. There are still spots open if you would like to participate in the marathon. You can also donate to the cause by supporting someone who is running in the race or through a general donation to the cause.  Please visit hopewaterproject.org for more information.

During the opening session of the 2nd annual Pokot Outreach Ministries Pastor’s Conference, Reverend Kiokio Mwangangi powerfully pointed us to the Jesus who builds, owns and protects his church (Matt 16:18).

As I looked around the large classroom, more than 90 Pokot pastors were laser focused on what Rev. Mwangangi had to say. Hearing the pastors admitting faults, talking about new ideas, confirming truths, and laughing loudly reminded me what this is all about.

Each evening of the conference the pastors would give updates on what has been happening through the churches in their region. These pastors face many hardships like the lack of clean water, funding, housing, children’s school bills and transportation, all the while attending to their pastoral duties like weddings, funerals, preaching, Sunday school, the church building and much more. I felt as though I was in the presence of the early church as it was beginning to gain momentum all across the known world.

The work of Pokot Outreach Ministries (POM) is extensive and spread out all over the Pokot region of Kenya. Many of these pastors never see each other except for conference like this and they each celebrated in hearing about all that God is doing across their land.

These pastors reminded me of Nehemiah 4:19-20 because they knew it was God who would see them through. God will fight for them, God will build the church and protect them as they help to advance the good news about Jesus.

Still many of the pastors were visibly convicted as Rev Mwangangi reminded them not to be consumed with building, owning or protecting their church, as that is the job of Jesus alone. It can sometimes be hard to remember who is building, who owns and who protects the church when you have so many concerns to address every single day. As I heard this, I too was convicted of all the plans and possessive statements I have made about my church and my ministry back home in Michigan. What a relief to know that I am not the builder, owner or protector of the church!

Near the end of the conference, one of the lead organizers of the conference who’s name is Reuben told the pastors of his hope to be sent out by POM as a missionary to the South Sudan. As I saw all the pastors cheer and affirm Reuben I realized that they know on a far deeper level than I, who it is that builds, owns and protects his church and they were just happy to be a part of it!

As they closed the four day gathering with communion, song and prayer, I was reminded of the verse that was shared with us the previous night after we had watched some video’s of all that has been done in and through the Pokot to advance the Gospel in the last few years. “Therefore, dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain “ (1 Corinthians 15:58).

As you assess all that is going on in your life and begin to feel spread out like the church in Pokot, remember what we have learned both from Nehemiah and the pastors of the Pokot. It is Jesus who builds, owns and protects his church and you and I are able to be a part of it. So whatever part it is that you have to play in building God’s Kingdom remember that ‘your labor in the Lord is not in vain.’

 

Dear Prayer Partners,

Greetings from my trip between Kenya and the US! Kenya was good when I left in mid March, but is still in a general election mood. I was running for senate, which I lost to a lot of money being poured by former president sponsoring my opponent.

As a family, we sought God’s will for the senatorial seat that win or lose we wanted to be God’s will. Therefore, we take it that God wants us to fully concentrate on the ministry. Of course, God gave me an opportunity in the government to witness to the congressmen and I was made the Bishop of Parliament.

The nest for us is periodically empty except for my wife Rachel who is warming it up for us when we go back to it. Josephine is doing well in college at Rochester College in Michigan. She went home to Kenya in December and plans to stay in school in summer trying to work to meet some of the financial expenses. Pray for us on the financial needs of our children both Josephine and the other three in boarding school. Rebecca is doing fine both academically and also in athletics. Miriam is keeping with music. Jumboy (Jared) is a fan of soccer, especially Manchester United. Rachel continues teaching the word to women groups on Tuesdays and Saturdays in addition to teaching third graders.

CHURCH PLANTING & EVANGELISM

The Women and Youth Conferences of August and December gave our ministry a lot of spiritual uplift. Karita, Naparokoscha and Kalowani area in Uganda are full of evangelistic activities as a result of the conferences headed by Peter Ngoleruk. Peter Siwa, who used to be a leader of cattle raiders and killing whoever crossed his path, headed the direction of Turkwel, Kaptolomwo, Kasey, and Korpu area. I had the opportunity to speak in their huge final meeting two weeks ago where a good number of people came to the Lord.

Between the Pokots and Turkanas are the East Pokot who constantly kill each other over water, grazing land, and resources in general have found a solution in the Word of God. The inward changing of the Gospel has made Ugandan government recognize POM for this and have invited us to take over schools that they have established with preaching of the gospel.

ORPHANAGES

Kodich orphanage did not do too well on the national exam of last year, 2012. That made it necessary for the head teacher, Yona, to be replaced by Mark Lolem. We have several students going to secondary school from Kauriong orphanage. Spiritually, pastors Solomon in Kauriong and Simon in Kodich continue to lead the kids to Christ, which establishes good character and discipline in the lives of the young people.

We are grateful for the ladies programs in Kodich and Kauriong that as they do the projects they have, there is teachings of the Word of God. Along side with it is the Anti FGM (female genital mutilation) headed by Rebecca at the office. Girls will benefit from this program in an area in which female circumcision is very high and results in many girls marrying at an early age.

Chemolingot orphanage is doing well. Our older kids still go to a nearby elementary school but we hope that we will grow the kindergarten school we just started recently.

WATER DRILLING

God has given us a lot of success in water drilling and it has become a very effective tool in the ministry. The process of drilling water gathers people together in unbelief that water would actually gush out of a dry ground, so they come to see it for themselves. As water comes out of the hole, there is an acknowledgment that God has had mercy on the particular village where the borehole is. In the past two months, we have drilled twelve boreholes and we have succeeded in all of them except two.

I was recently in Losam, an area that generally has no source of water. After being given a bowl of water to clean my face in the morning, I took the first scoop in my hand and put on my face, by the time I went for a second scoop, the bowl was filled up with bees and some were on my hands and I knew that the next would be my wet face, so I took off without completing my morning cleaning.

One borehole accomplishes so much:

-Settles people near the well

-Makes it possible to establish a healthy church

-Makes it possible to establish a school

-Provides rest for the women who no longer have to walk long distances looking for water

-Helps reduce miscarriages on pregnant women

-Reduces the conflict among neighbors

-Provides clean drinking water for the people

-Helps improve the health of the people by cutting down typhoid and other waterborne diseases

Pray that God will provide for this effective tool in our ministry. Thank you for your faithful support, which is such an encouragement to me.

We have received great news of God’s powerful work in Chemolingot from Pastor Yusef Losute.

Firstly, The African Inland Church’s Chemolingot Children’s Home has been granted a Certificate of Registration as a Charitable Children’s Institution for a period of 3 years by the Republic of Kenya, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development which will be renewable.

The congregation of the church was very concerned for the disadvantaged groups of people in the immediate community. The church committee met to discuss and address myriads of problems inside the community. They have chosen these programs to be the beneficiaries of the A.I.C.: Orphans (both single missing parent and both), Neglected Children, Early married girls, and Children of very poor families.

Already achieved activities in the home that are truly worthy of praise are a Boy’s dormitory, a Girl’s Hostel, a dining hall, two pit latrines, and a semi-permanent church-sponsored school with a 3 teacher Service Commission and some volunteer teachers. Additional praise is given for the completion of the orphanage’s borehole solar panel installation and the hand pump at Nyaunyau also being complete. The hard work is paying off as the Church/Children’s Home chapel tiles are now also complete and we are praying for a provision of windows, good chairs, and some final finishing touches.

Just so everyone is up to date on the current activities and goals of the Church, they are now running the semi-permanent school for local and surrounding communities with teachers being sourced by the Teachers Service Commission.

The home is providing formal and vocational education and training respectively to specific target groups. Chemolingot is now preparing a guidance and counseling center that will be instrumental in guiding the locals in a positive Christian manor. The home is also enrolling the children from nearby warring communities and is providing the basic needs for these people. Chemolingot is conducting awareness classes on the importance of group building in a community with the hopes of returning morally upright citizens back to the community.

One of the major impacts the Church/Home has on the community is it’s creating self-reliant citizens because of the acquisition of skills and professionalism. Additionally, the A.I.C. is creating jobs for the community and its neighbors.

Change in the negative attitude of the children and the community at large towards the disadvantages has started to occur by the grace of God. Due to the change in attitudes and enrollment in the program peace has been enhanced among the neighboring communities by the interaction of their children!

The children have now continuously received protection and accessibility to quality education and amazing talent results are already evident. The target groups have given a good challenge to the community for a caring and harmonious relationship between the children which will eventually lead to an increase in the living standards of the entire community.

These children have become the role models to society at large both now and for the future. The A.I.C. Chemolingot congregation values Christian based leadership training for the children’s home and for the young stars to emerge from poverty, go to high school, college, and return home a true and responsible leader. This in turn will influence their home churches, communities and Nations.

With the growth of the Church and Home, come many needs and requests for prayer. One of the main draws to Chemolingot is the water hole. There are woman now traveling 25km for water because the water holes in their communities have dried up.

Clean water is critical to the survival of the ministry. Through people like YOU, our prayer partners, the AIC Chemolingot Children’s Home seeks to address all the obstacles that arise by faith that may hinder or impede the healthy development of the Children’s opportunity to reach their full potential. Many of these barriers stem from such factors as the unsanitary conditions of a child’s home and community environment, occurrences of natural disasters or widespread health epidemics, or issues that directly affect an individual child’s family if there is one, and home life.

There is an obvious need to establish a Child Survival Program which will purely focus on each child’s health growth. If you feel compelled to tithe towards the start of this program please donate and designate your donation accordingly.

Fighting poverty through education is crucial because it plays a significant role in releasing the child from the burdens of finances. An educated child, when equipped with the tools they need, will fight poverty and overcome significant health concerns. Additionally, the school offers a safe, supportive environment for the children to learn life skills and make new friends.

Please pray for fruit from the Kenya Water Trip Team trip. Please pray not only for the provision of safe drinking water but also the hope of giving children protection from life threatening disease through that water.

Also pray that those same children will have the provisions to attend school and to dream and reach their full potential. As we reach out to the world, we should know that we are providing safety and security essentials to God’s people. There is a great need financially for repairs and upgrades to the church/Home.

Pray not only for the supplies and man power but also that all local building codes will be met upon completion. We have a duty to make these repairs and to continue to grow the classrooms. The AIC family is praying for God’s provision in order to offer educational assistance to cover: primary and secondary education fees, costs for pre-university preparation classes and entrance exams, lab, and test fees, in addition to the repairs needed to the current school building.

If you feel compelled to give to the school, please click here and designate your donations accordingly.

We feel so blessed to have God working his wonders in Chemolingot and hope that through your prayers and support that the ministry will be able to continue to grow and produce children who turn into Christians that influence a nation.

Water shortage in East Pokot District especially in Mondi and Nginyang Divisions was increasing at an alarming rate during the month of January to March, 2012. This was due to siltation and high rates of water evaporation in all the Water Pans, which threaten an estimated 40,000 people who rely on the water pans as the only source of water relied upon by the masses.

The only functional borehole in the entire Mondi Division was Oroo/SDA. Chemoril and Natan boreholes experienced mechanical problems which needed an immediate intervention. The only functional borehole during that period attracted big population and high number of livestock hence a threat to both human and livestock survival as it was also the borehole which was operating at an optimum capacity.

Many families during those three months migrated from their original homes in search of water for domestic and livestock use and at the same time several schools from the affected areas were experiencing low turn up of school going children within the first term since many children have moved with their parents. Riong’o dispensary was at a verge of closure as it was experiencing acute shortage of water.

Moreover, we regard water as a responsibility of public service, not as a resource for the few who can afford to pay.

It is therefore, crucial to note that water for health is a basic need, hence there is need to provide safe and sufficient water in improving sanitation conditions for hygiene practices to all for healthy and promising population. At the same time, water for food, it helps secure food supplies with; 1) efficient irrigation; 2) use of under-utilized natural water resources (ground water, rain harvests, rivers, lakes, and lowland collections); and 3) mitigation of risks by improving water management in communities that suffer chronic drought and /or flooding.

Water for the future, there is need to put in place programs to protect watersheds in order to worship with the world, worship resources’ as Jesus stated that ‘give me a drink’ as we study His word.

Water for peace; as God’s servants, we should have always programs which supports the peaceful sharing of water resources. However, water resource governance brings together the uses of water (drinking, food, domestic enterprise, environment, energy) and users of water (neighbors, and communities).

For peaceful coexistence and being the body of Christ we should avoid conflicting demands which may occur or arise, as we support equitable and efficient water sharing and resource management. In adhering to the above statements, we shall be able to make a Christian witness heard in the present and future debate on water issues, raise the awareness of the church on the urgency of the concern and engage as church community in common action at all levels.

Partial solution to the problem:

In August a new bore hole was completed in East Pokot. The bore hole was sunk a few meters from the dining hall. This was a great achievement for the home. There are three pumps on the system and it is producing plenty of water. The children are very excited to have fresh water readily available and we are happy to be able to have water for our operations, but there are still a lot of people in East Pokot who are in need of this life source.

MOTTO: POM clinic gives you the better medical services.

VISION

Aspiring to become a leading and roll model center of Excellence in the provision of Quality Health care services to all people all the time.

MISSION

To provide efficient, effective, affordable and sustainable Health care services to all people all the time.

CORE VALUES

Love, Joy, humility, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control

These are our nine fundamental core values. We are committed to live and uphold unto these values.

Since we live by the spirit, let us keep in step with the spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

(Galatians 5:22, 26)

The POM clinic has the following departments; – Clinical Department, Laboratory department, Pharmacy Department, Mother Child health and family planning (MCH & FP) Department, Reception Department, cleanliness and security Department.

Message from the Clinical Department Desk

Pokot Outreach Ministries Clinic offers affordable medical services to you all, we have the best drugs at affordable prices, come and experience for your-self. Furthermore, we have friendly, humble, diligent and hardworking health workers. This is the best place you can find attention, care, medical advice and treatment. We are driven by serving, touching and changing lives of our clients. Servant leadership is our Motto.

In this clinic we offer services such as Laboratory tests, MCH, FP, PMCTC & Pharmacy services. On the other hand, the POM Clinic is only an outpatient clinic but in the near future is yet to be an inpatient with X  – ray and ultra-sound (scanning machine) services.

The clinic is operational from Monday to Friday at 8:00 am to 5:00pm then on Saturday we are opened as from 8:00am to 12:00 noon. We are not opened on Sunday.

(Philippians’ 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.)

Message from the MCHC/FP Department  – Peris Areutum Chepchumba C.O.

This department renders various health services like maternal child health care, campaign targeting children less than five years, family planning awareness and methods used in promoting family planning among the families. We also sensitize the women on preventive, curative and health talks in enlightened way to the entire community on how to promote health status in reducing morbidity and mortality rates especially among the children less than five years. According to the health report 2010/2011, it is recorded that west pokot have the highest mortality rate of 40%. This high number may be due to many reasons for instance lack of awareness among the members of the community and therefore, there is a need to create more awareness in order to reduce this rate of mortality.

However, this department therefore is committed to creating much awareness as it can in any possible way to contribute in the reduction of this mortality. We also carry campaigns against home delivery which is rampant among the communities in pokot, we carry campaigns against FGM which makes women to face difficulties during their delivery which have resulted many of them to have died. The women are also enlightened on the problems of early marriages which have contributed to the highest rate of poverty among the community.

Message from Laboratory department desk

The laboratory department is one of the essential organs in the POM clinic. It deals with specimens like blood, urine, stool, urethral swabs, virginal swabs, and sputum for AFBs.  The above mentioned specimens are used to carry out tests of various diseases for example malaria, VDRL test, Widal test, brucellosis test, HP estimation, Blood sugar, VCT, urinalysis, pregnant test, determination of ova and cysts.

In this department we have the following equipments; light and electric microscope, centrifuge machine both electric and manual, hemoglobin estimation machine and glucometer.

POM health clinic offers quality and better services, therefore, welcome all.

 John 8:29 ‘the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.’

 The pharmacy department deals with the following areas;

Dispensing:  this involves receiving and scrutinizing the prescription, filling, packaging, labeling, patient counseling and storage.

Compounding:  this is characterized by weighing, measuring and counting by use of triangular tray and manual. Reference material for instance British pharmacopeia (B.P), Indian Pharmacopeia (I. P), USA Pharmacopeia (U.P) and drug index. Examples of the drugs available include the following; Anti malaria, Anti-histamines, Anti-tussives, Anti- fungal,  both narrow and broad spectrum antibiotics, topical polypeptide

We hope to improve as we continue to update you what we are doing in the clinic. I want to assure our partners that this thing has brought a lot of hope to what God can do no man can do. Thank you brothers and sisters we appreciate you all and we assure you that it is not in vain what you are doing, it is touching and changing lives here in pokot. Our staff have had a different live and a noble opportunity to serve people. We all feel as one family and we are encouraged to be stewards in serving our Almighty father. Thanks to all God bless you in a special way. Proverbs 11:25,30

Every morning I wake up thinking about the Pokot children.  I wonder what their day has already brought them (by the time I’m waking up their day is half over).  I pray that they are healthy, that they have what they need to sustain them.  More importantly, I pray that they know they are loved by God and by someone on the other side of the world.  I pray specifically for my girls, Chepkite and Sharon – two girls who have stolen my heart.  I have sponsored these two girls for the last 3 years.  I’ve grown to love them as we exchange letters and get to know each other.  I’ve had the privilege of spending time with them.  What gives me so much peace is that I know that they are being well cared for and loved by the managers and pastors of each home.

One of the managers is Peter Lodiomuk.  I first met Peter in 2010.  He is a soft-spoken, kind man who loves the Lord with all his heart and loves the children.  I’ve never seen him without a beautiful smile on his face.  He knows the children – something that gives me so much confidence in how my two girls are being cared for.  The responsibilities of the managers seems overwhelming to me, yet they get up every morning and take care of these precious children.  Their desire is that every child in their care will know Christ. They are truly the hands and feet of Jesus.  What more could I ask for my girls?  With confidence, you too, can sponsor a child.  There are 124 children waiting for someone not only to financially support them but to pray and care for them.  Would you prayerfully consider sponsoring a child? You can do so by going to http://nochild.org  and choose a child that will steal your heart as Chepkite and Sharon have stolen mine.

Imagine, after several months of building a relationship with unreached tribal people and having just started witnessing about Jesus’ love, you find no one has showed up for your group.  Did you do something wrong?  Were these not the people the Lord wanted you to share with?  You can only imagine the thoughts that might run through your mind.

The reality is that there is no water!  In East Pokot, Kenya, rain is like gold.  The majority of the people are pastoralists who raise cattle, and without water there is no food for the animals, or the people.  The only recourse these people have is to move on.  Often times the animals die and families are left destitute – women are left to care for small children while the men leave with the animals to find water and grazing.  The impact of this one weather condition creates many challenges to both the physical and spiritual health of the people.

The Chemolingot orphanage compound is concerned for the lives of the children and the community as well as the souls of all of East Pokot.  Their mission is “to provide a transformational child care centre in spearheading quality child wellbeing in equipping them with knowledge, practical Christian moral values necessary for the service of God and humanity within the context of Biblical Christianity.”  This remote area faces many challenges, most predicated upon the drought conditions and extreme heat that evaporates any water that may exist.

Currently a bore hole is in the process of being dug at the orphanage which will bring some relief to this condition, but like other bore holes, it will be strained by the needs of the community at large, which often causes damage to the system.  In order to limit the traffic to the well, it is necessary to fence the perimeter of the compound.  This is needed for the protection of the children as well.  Currently there is only one other well that is functioning in the area, and it is being overused.  Schools and medical facilities are closing due to the acute water shortage.

The orphanage is blessed to have a semi-permanent church sponsored school with 3 teachers and some volunteers.  This is a blessing for the young people as they are able to get a quality education even in the harshest of conditions where many other children living with their families are not.  The children also benefit from a fine Christian example, and increased image in their communities and safety and stability in a life that for many consists of constant moving and uncertainty.  These children are being reached with the Gospel while so many others are losing out due to the harsh climate and struggle to even exist.  In light of the challenges to the pastoralists, the orphanage wants to begin a vocational training program which will give the children skills that are not as dependent upon the weather and agriculture.

The orphanage is far from paradise, conditions there are hard also, but there is a hope and a plan for the future, and that hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ and his promise to supply all our needs. His love is felt with each and every milestone the orphanage reaches.  There are many more things that need to be accomplished – a permanent school, another dormitory for both the boys and the girls, another latrine, the fencing of the compound and the completion of the well, but these things are in the Lord’s timing.  Beyond these immediate needs there are plans for the future which the Lord has given to the administrators – these plans include incorporating more community activities to bring more people to the Lord.  Please pray for the work in East Pokot, for the people who do not know the Lord and who seldom get to hear because they are always on the move and for the completion of the many projects. Give praise that the Lord has blessed you with water, free-running and clean within your homes.  Praise Him that you do not have to walk on foot in blazing heat to find your next meal, and most of all give Him thanks for His death on the cross that we might have eternal life with Him.