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The unmarked lorry usred for TSM's delivery to Dadaab Refugee Camp on December 23.
09 February 2012
Not enough rain, too much rain, grenade attacks and, as always, the overwhelming needs of the people. These are a few of the challenges faced by our partners in the Horn of Africa over the past two months.
Despite difficult conditions, our friends in the Anglican Church of Kenya and The Sheepfold Ministries (TSM) are continuing to work hard to ensure that assistance and hope reach communities across the drought ravaged region.
In the South of Kenya, along the Kenyan-Tanzanian border, the Directorate of Social Services (DOSS) of the Anglican Church of Kenya has been busy planning and implementing their famine response, made possible by the generousity of Sydney Anglicans during Anglican Aid’s ‘dollar for dollar’ appeal. DOSS has already met with a number of communities in the isolated Kajiado and Makueni districts to assess how to best respond to the local effects of the drought. As a result, materials for greenhouses, drip irrigation systems, water transportation devices and water tanks are on order. Seeds, chooks and goats will follow, accompanied by community training sessions in agriculture, animal husbandry and water use.
DOSS’s vision is not only to respond to the current needs of communities suffering due to the four-year-long drought but also to strengthen their resilience to future disasters.
Anglican Aid Director, David Mansfield, met with DOSS representatives during his visit to Kenya late last month. He experienced firsthand the trauma of people, livestock and land in his long, dusty trip to the isolated Southern regions. David was encouraged to see an example of DOSS’ work at a proposed shallow well site in the community of Turosei and excited to be part of ‘bringing gospel hope and material help to people with overwhelming need for eternal hope and daily bread.‘ For more on David’s travels in Kenya read his blog here.
In the North of Kenya, along the Kenyan-Somali border, Francis Omondi and his team at TSM have overcome many challenges to deliver assistance to the districts of Wajir, Garissa, Tana River and the world’s largest refugee camp in Dadaab.
Firstly, an all-too-brief rainy season in October flooded roads, delaying the October/November monthly food distributions to some regions. This put more pressure on the TSM team as they sought to catch up with distributions in December.
Then, on 22 December, while members of the TSM team were holding a children’s Christmas Party in one area of Dadaab refugee camp, terrorists instigated a grenade attack nearby. When many other aid workers and organisations fled the dangerous situation, Francis Omondi made the difficult decision to stay. The next day, a planned food distribution was carried out but with extra security precautions, including hiring an extra unmarked lorry which enabled TSM to transport food supplies in half as many trips. One of the recipients, Mariam, praised the high quality and large quantity of TSM’s famine relief packs which generally consist of: 10 kg of Maize flour, 5kg of beans, 2kg of sugar and 3L of oil. So far, TSM has supplied these packs, designed to last a month, to more than 6600 families.
Despite the challenges, staff on the ground attest to the incredible results brought made possible by Anglican Aid’s funding, TSM’s perseverance and God’s provision and protection. In the Wajir district, Jared from TSM reported that food distribution and a nearly-complete bore water project had literally saved lives and ‘improved our relationship with the people as far as mission work is concerned.’
Between November and January, TSM provided medical treatment for 787 malnourished children and pregnant mothers. When Asha Jibril, a cleaner with no stable income, brought her three year old twin daughters to a TSM-funded health clinic in Mororo Community, each weighed less than four kilos. The twins received treatment for diarrhoea and vomiting and Asha was given food rations for herself and nutritious uni-max porridge for her daughters. The family was booked-in for a follow-up appointment a week later.
Here at Anglican Aid, we ask you to join with us in praying for our brothers and sisters at DOSS and TSM who are risking their lives to serve devastated communities in the Horn of Africa. May God oversee, bless and multiply their efforts so that many will receive famine relief and, through it, know the grace of God more fully.
As Pastor Mwasia of Church on the Rock (Garissa) said in a letter of thanks to Francis Omondi: through TSM 'the grace of God flowed to cushion us from suffering hunger.'
