Dear NDI/KE Partner,

After our recent time in Sudan, we flew on to Kenya where we landed at the small dirt “bush runway” at Kurungu.  Then we drove about 5 kilometers to South Horr to visit our “Samburu Sports Camp & Safari Lodge.”  As you know, it is headed by our Samburu partner, Stakwell Yurenimo.

We stopped in to check on the garden project.  It is especially needed now due to the severe drought going on all over northern Kenya that is resulting in the death of many cattle and people (Please read the update below on the drought by my missionary friends and partners, Ken & Susan Black).

Because of the long-running drought, the water tables in the wells is rapidly dropping.  Many have dried up all together.  We have had one well at South Horr dry up.  Now everything is resting on the one remaining well.  By God’s grace we were able to contact a missionary friend who drills wells.  He immediately sent in his well drilling rig that is there in South Horr right now trying to find another deeper source of water.  This will cost us another $5,000 that was totally unexpected.  But lives are depending upon it!  So PLEASE help us as you can.  Not only does our well supply the garden and ministry at the Camp, Stakwell also takes water weekly to surrounding villages where there is little or no water at all (Please note the pictures of one of the “water deliveries” I went on with him recently).

So thanks for your continued prayers for Stakwell, Francesca and their two little daughters, Wendy and Maribell.  They are giving out both physical water and the “water of life” – the Lord Jesus!

More in my next report from Zimbabwe – which was my last country on this past 3 week, 5 country mission.  I will see you then and there…

On His Mission with you,

Severe Drought in Kenya

Unfortunately, this story is the headliner for our prayer letter update. 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.

- Ken and Susan Black