Heart for the Pokot

I mentioned yesterday that my friend Jonah had recently returned from a food relief effort amongst the Pokot people in communities located hours and hours drive north of Nakuru, Kenya.

He travelled to Baringo, Pokot and Ngoron areas to distribute food supplies to people hit hard by drought.  This area is very dry and they cannot grow crops so they rely heavily on outside sources of food. They are a pastoral people and raise goats and cattle when they have the means. It is a difficult area because of its dryness and lack of potable water.  There is an ability to grow crops if one has water but this area is in lack of water to drink let alone to cultivate crops.

The people are gathering in anticipation of food distribution.

You can see the happiness on the faces of the women who greet the volunteers bringing food aid.

Jonah reports that he and the NGO workers from Kericho Town who helped to transport the food had a great trip and they really enjoyed doing everything that they could do for the people.  He was especially grateful to the US government for donating the relief supplies to take to the Pokot people and also for the relief they have provided to many other people in drought stricken areas of Kenya.  He is so touched by their generosity.

Here you can see the US logo on the cans and bags of food awaiting distribution.

 

 

Jonah and the team had to travel all through the day and the night to get to their destinations and they did arrive safely though the land rover they used to travel and transport is over 20 years old.  They had to stop every few hours to permit the overheated engine to cool down. No doubt the heat of the area added to the problem of overheating.

Along the way, in a place near Kamurio, they met this small boy named Kigen. He is 9 years old and in serious  need of medical help.

Here Kigen's mother and Jonah pray with the staff in the basic medical facility.

Kigen's mother, Paulina tries to feed her baby while Kigen sits under the blanket. The blanket protects him from the flies.

Kigen under cover.

This is Kigen uncovered. He really needs help.

If you can help with funds to get Kigen to a medical facility for proper diagnosis and treatment, please scroll to the bottom of this post where you will find a link to a donation button.

Kigen needs to get to the nearest hospital in Eldoret. We hope they can help him there otherwise they may need to send him to Nairobi. We need a miracle to help him and for his healing. Please join with us. In the meantime, please help get this word out to your friends and contacts and put Kigen and his family on your prayer list if you have one.

If by chance you are one of the blessed ones who could provide a substantial donation to this child or to help his people who really need food and water wells, I would prefer that you do not send the funds to me. Instead, please contact me and we can discuss in more detail how best to send your assistance.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

You can donate to assist in little Kigen's medical mission. 

Donations can be made via Pay Pal here. Just click the donate button.

Photo credits:  All photos the property of Missions of Hope, Kenya, Pastor Jonah.
Photos may be used with credit. Many thanks and blessings.

About a Boy

I am so thankful today. Lately it seems I've lost some of my ability to be thankful. It isn't that I don't appreciate what I have. More like I have been preoccupied with my own needs and issues. I've been too busy to really savour what I have and to ponder exactly how the good Lord blesses me each and every day.

Every now and then though something happens and comes to my attention to teach me just how good I have it. Though the economy has been rough, Jehovah continues to provide me with food and shelter and more stuff than I really need. In fact, I've been giving away things. This is our culture in North America, where we tend to have an overabundance of things. I believe when we have too much we forget just how much of the rest of the world lives.

Today I cannot forget.

My friend Jonah lives in Kenya.  He recently went on a relief mission to try and alleviate starvation amongst the Pokot people (I'll be posting about the relief effort soon). Jonah is a student and so he is doing this as a volunteer. The food was provided by USAID and Jonah enlisted the assistance of a local NGO to take the long journey north to Baringo, Pokot and Ngoron and deliver the food.

While on this mission he came across a young boy who is in desperate need of assistance. Please be ready for a sad sight but this is real folks...real needs.

This little boy's name is Kigen.  His head is covered. I think because of his condition and the strength of the hot sun.

This boy desperately needs medical attention. The nearest hospital is hours and hours drive from the small village where Kigen lives. I don't even know if the place where he lives has a name but it is close to another small place called Kamurio, Kenya. Kamurio is so small you will not find it on a map.

The closest hospital is in Eldoret, at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.  I want to help this boy and I would like to encourage others to help him.

Basically what needs to be done is for my friend to hire a car to make the long journey back to this place to pick up the parents and boy and then make the journey with all of them to Eldoret. These parents have no education and they've never been out of their small village so this is a huge journey for them.  They will need help in every way for lodgings, accommodation, medical costs and medicine as well as the return journey. My friend also needs assistance for food and lodgings and to pay the driver.  Not just any car for hire will do. In order to get into these back roads, we need to hire someone with a reliable SUV.

This is a picture of Kigen without the cloth over his head. You can see his skin is literally peeling off and I fear the worst if he doesn't get medical attention immediately.

Just think if this was your child, your nephew, your grandson. What would you do?

I am thankful today, that my nephew doesn't need to rely on the kindness of strangers when he gets sick. I am thankful that he doesn't have to travel hours and hours on a bumpy, dusty road to get to a doctor and the medical help he needs. I am thankful for so much more.  But right now I am particularly focussed on medical blessings because of this precious 9 year old boy, Kigen.  A boy who lives far, far away from me in a place I've never set foot in and yet he tugs at my heart.  I hope he tugs on your heart too.

If you can help, please contact me as soon as humanly possible.

You can donate to assist in little Kigen's medical mission through

 Pay Pal here. Just click the donate button.

 

Photo credits: All photos the property of Missions of Hope, Kenya, Pastor Jonah.
If you wish to share this story, photos may be used with credit. Many thanks and blessings.