Bwanabob

11/26/1999

Dear Friends and Prayer Partners,

This last week we traveled to Turkan for a crusade. On the way I was delayed by a herd of some forty elephants crossing the road. We went to the Bible Baptist Church of Kalemenyang and held a crusade on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. I’m not sure of the exact number of people who accepted Christ, but I do know that we baptized 29 before leaving. The church at Kalemenyang is one of the oldest Baptist churches in all of Turkana. I noticed the registration paper dated 1972. I don’t claim that it is the oldest, but all of the pastors I had met couldn’t think of any churches that had been established longer, other than Catholic or AIC (Africa Inland Mission/Church). It’s amazing the changes that church has gone through over the years. At one time the church attendance was around 300, but because of poor leadership the church began to decline. The former pastor sold the tin from the church roof, sold the church garden and then took a second wife. TV evangelists are nothing compared to this guy. Anyway, the pastor from the nearby village of Lorogum is helping to strengthen the church and a great deacon is leading when pastor Areng isn’t there.

On Tuesday we traveled to the village of Lokapatet, our pastor Areng is the first man to bring the Gospel to that village! Lokapatet is another 6 miles into the interior from Kalemenyang, it’s located on the Turkwell River. Most of the men of that village have traveled to an area in the foothills of the Uganda Escarpment where they are panning for gold. When we arrived in the village there were about 15 women and children singing in a large manyatta, we hooked up our generator and PA and began to sing and preach. People showed up from out of the bush and I think we ended with about 50-60. I truly wish all of you could have seen the wide eyes and attentive expressions as we sang and preached. One of the most blessed parts was when I told them that many Christians in America loved them and wanted them to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They began shouting, clapping, waving their hands and laughing! It was truly a blessing to see their gratitude for our mission effort. Their message to all of you is a loud “Thank you, and receive our greetings in Jesus’ name!”

After the crusade at Kalemenyang we went to Lodwar and stayed in my house. Unfortunately, I have yet to receive an adequate water supply and have no electricity. Welcome to Kenya, second most corrupt country in the world. We did get water that night at about 1 AM, I lay awake for about two hours listening to the wonderful sound of water filling the reservoir tank. The next morning we headed back to Eldoret and passing through south Turkana we saw it was crawling with Military and Police units. Thank God the government is finally cracking down on the raiding between the Pokot and Turkana tribes.

I was able to get back and have Thanksgiving with some missionary friends here in Eldoret, even the climate change between Turkana and the Highlands makes it seem like autumn. Many thanks come to you from the villages of Kalemenyang and Lokapatet. Your prayers and support make it possible for me to get to the villages and assist the churches. You are greatly appreciated!

In Christ,

Bob Clark

11/4/1999

Dear Friends,

It’s good to get e-mail from so many of you across the country. I’m sorry if I don’t send personal mail back every time, but I’ll try to write you all at some point.

This last week I was in Turkana district visiting churches and moving a few things into my house there. First, I went to the village of Lorpur to visit one of our churches. The folks were very hospitable and I think that I actually put on weight from all of the goat meat they fed me. We had roasted goat, boiled goat, spicy fried goat liver, goat soup, fried goat “parts”, plus all of the trimmings. Actually, all of the meals were quite good and I could tell the Mama’s of the church had done all they could to make me an honored guest. The church at Lorpur has about 80-100 adults and children attending, they have room in their church for many more and I am encouraging them to visit and grow. The church building was built by a missionary in 1979, much of the wood in the windows and doors has been eaten by termites. They have asked me to replace the windows and doors with metal ones, but I have told them it is their church and I will only assist them in the replacement. This last Sunday I baptized 10 people at Katilu! Please pray for their spiritual growth and increased efforts in evangelism, the pastors name is Moses Larot.

From Lorpur I traveled on a thorn infested trail, (praise God for better tires!) to the Turkwell River, waded across and visited our church at Juluk. Upon arriving I was told that the Pokot tribe had raided there the day before, had killed three men and stolen about 1000 head of cattle. These raids have been taken place for many years past, the fact they continue is a testimony to the high level of incompetence and corruption in the Kenyan government. As an added fact, Kenya is now ranked as the second most corrupt government in the world, I AGREE! I found all members of the Juluk church safe and sound, although they were very uneasy about the presence of Pokot in the area. We gathered together at their small brush building and I gave a word of encouragement and let them know that I hadn’t forgotten them. This church has now obtained a plot of ground, ( this process is a matter of paying “fees” to have legal claim to uninhabited desert) and are working to have a permanent building. The church members have already moved about 3 cubic yards of sand from the river, about a mile away, to the church site by hand. This has involved much effort on their part, please pray for me as I work to bring cement and building material to such a remote place. This last Sunday in Juluk there were 8 baptized! Please pray for their safety, evangelism and building efforts. The pastor there is William Aragae.

After visiting Lorpur and Juluk I traveled on to Lodwar to work at moving a few things into my house. The pastor from Lorogum had found a good man to be night watchman and the landlord had helped to connect water and electricity in my name. Please pray for my landlord, Adrian, he is clearly an alcoholic and desperately needs the Lord.

From Lodwar I traveled on to the village of Turkwell, bought two loads of makuti, (palm leaf roofing) and took it to the new building in Lorogum. The church at Lorogum is doing very well and the pastor is quickly becoming a very good friend. Just last month I assisted the church in obtaining their plot and already this month the pastor has a new structure built and waiting for makuti! Nathan, a former Turkana raider, and Thomas, formerly lost and destitute, have now become a great help to pastor Areng! Praise the Lord for changing lives!

After all that traveling I arrived back safely in Eldoret, and thank God not one flat tire this whole trip! On Saturday I am to speak for the Bible Institute here in Eldoret, please pray for me and also for the graduates. They will become pastors in a country that is greatly in need of the gospel and still has many areas that are considered unreached. Please pray for us.

Sincerely In Christ,

Bob Clark