Turkana Stats

 
Location: Northwest section of Kenya (located in the Rift Valley).

Population: 500,000

Length of Drought: 2 years

No. of CMF Churches: 42 Community Christian Churches in Turkana (National Church of Maasai and Turkana Churches planted by CMF Missionaries)

No. of Believers in churches: At least 6,000

 

About Turkana

The Turkana tribe is the second largest pastoral community in Kenya. This nomadic community moved to Kenya from Karamojong in eastern Uganda. The Turkana Tribe occupies the semi desert Turkana District in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. Livestock is a very important part of the Turkana people. They keep herds of cattle, goats, and camels. Animals are the main source of income and food. However, recurring drought in the Turkana District has adversely affected the nomadic livelihood.

The Turkana population of nearly 500,000 is experiencing one of the worst droughts ever. There hasn't been any significant rain over the last 2 years. Normally, it is a very dry area so this drought has been devastating. There have been many deaths due to starvation as a result of the drought. In addition, many animals have died as well. With little help from the government, they depend on aid groups to provide help.

Christian Missionary Fellowship (CMF) has been an influence for the Turkana since the early 1980's. In the last 10-12 years they've made an impact providing medical clinics, schools, and adult literacy programs so that people can read the Bible, as well as evangelism and church planting. Christian Leadership Training has been provided through the Turkana Bible Training Institute (TBTI).

Since 2000, CMF has been putting in wells to provide clean water for the remote villages. Traditionally, they get their water by digging deep in a dry stream bed. This has worked at times but now those stream beds are dried due to the severe drought. The women have to carry water several miles from the stream to their village daily. Since the water is dirty and contaminated many people have become extremely sick.

With the wells that are being put in, the Turkana, who are normally nomadic shepherds, are staying in one place. This provides the opportunity for churches to be established, for children to be taught in the schools, and for improved health as children also receive inoculations. Lately, the wells have also provided water for the Turkana to begin to grow some vegetables in community gardens, giving them ownership of these gardens which provide valuable nutrition to their otherwise bland and un-nourishing diet.

“To bring fresh water and living water to the Turkana.”

“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."John 4:13-14 (NIV)