Bwanabob

4/17/2000

Dear Friends,

This last week was full of many challenges and blessings, and I want to thank all of you for praying. I traveled to the village of Juluk to begin building the church there, but met opposition from the sub-chief of the area. He told us that the Catholics wanted to build an irrigation canal near our building site and we were to be moved or wait. The sub-chief insisted that we stop building and we told him we would be going to Lodwar, the district headquarters, to seek assistance. Upon arriving in Lodwar we promptly met with two counselors from the District Commissioners office and within a short time had obtained a letter to continue building! The Lord truly worked out that arrangement because I had no idea who to see or what office to go to, but the Lord directed us where we needed to be.

Upon returning to Juluk we were met by a group of men called Ngorroko (spotted), basically they are a group of men who raid, kill and steal wherever they can. This group knew that I was in the area and had come to get money from me. The pastors I was with began explaining to this group that I didn’t have much money and that they couldn’t expect much. As the pastors were trying to work with some of the leaders I began calling all of them together and having them sit down. They thought I was having them sit to pass out money amongst them, but I saw it as a great opportunity to preach. Once they were all seated, about 50, I started preaching about sin, death, hell, repentance and salvation through our Lord Jesus. I did my best to preach in Swahili, but the man who interpreted to Turkana knew English, so all together I think they heard a very clear plan of salvation. One of the group was wearing a US Marine Corp Staff Sergeant insignia, so I related my time in the Marines and used the command of about face to describe repentance and turning to Jesus. I don’t know if any of the men truly accepted Christ, none left their guns behind, but they did say that they had received the Word of God from me and they wouldn’t be needing any money. As they were leaving I treated a couple of small wounds and gave one man antibiotics who I’m sure had meningitis. Later on, I learned that many friends of those men had been killed raiding in Baringo and Marakwet districts, those I preached to were the survivors. Only God knows what will become of those Ngorroko and the seed we planted, but we know His Word will not return void! On Sunday one of those men returned to the church service in Juluk.

After the Ngorroko left we continued building without any interference from the sub-chief and completed the first phase of building on Tuesday morning. We had made forms and poured 10 concrete columns for a building 20 by 32 feet. Most of the work was done by the pastor and the church members, the church had even given enough to pay for about half of the material. After the Christians there saw the fruit of their giving, they brought even more things for me to sell in Eldoret to buy supplies for building. They had brought wrist knives, small stools, wooden food bowls, wood and goatskin containers for butter, and wooden containers for meat. It was a blessing to see them give and made me even more eager to see their building completed.

I’ve now returned to Lodwar and am preparing for a youth meeting in Kalemenyang. We are planning to take about 200 pounds of corn and beans that way to help feed everyone. Pray that I’ll do a good job teaching the youth and that we will have safety in that area.

Since I mentioned food, I’m not sure if you have heard in the news of the growing famine conditions here in the horn of Africa. Yes, there has been drought, but I must say that the main cause of hunger is poor governance and corruption. In all the villages I work in many children show signs of malnutrition. The amount of food that is needed is tremendous, but I feel that I would be able to help in a small way if I had enough vitamins to give out to the small children. The small ones are usually the last to eat and need the most help. In Juluk I saw a very malnourished child with only roasted donkey ear to eat. If you are willing to help with the vitamins please write me.

Please pray that the Lord will continue to bless the Church in Juluk, that the Ngorroko would one day come to understand repentance and the salvation of Jesus Christ, and also pray for the youth that they would follow the Lord and serve Him.

Your friend and missionary to “the country” of Turkana, Bob Clark

John 8:32 -”the truth shall make you free”

4/6/2000

Dear Friends,

This last week we began building a permanent meeting place for the church in Juluk. We began on Monday knowing that the chief of the area was in opposition, but we knew he had no grounds to oppose us. By Wednesday he had called the pastor to his office and chewed him out for beginning to build without his approval. After I heard of this I went to see the chief myself. The chief insisted that an irrigation scheme had been surveyed by the Catholics about 15 years earlier and was to pass some 50 meters from the present church site; therefore, we were to move to a different location. I tried to be as polite as possible and request that we proceed, but he insisted that we stop. We then finished the work we had started and traveled to Lodwar the next day.

When we arrived in Lodwar the first thing I did was make copies of our plot allocation letter. Then we stopped at a hotel for tea and doughnuts before going to the district offices. While taking tea one of our former pastors who is now a Counselor to the District Commissioner dropped in. He asked us how things were and we told him of the matter in Juluk, he immediately stated that we are going to see the DC together! The first office we went to was the District Clerk. Our friend, John Apoo, walked straight into the office full of men and cleared everyone out except for the Clerk. We stated our problem and he told us there was no reason to stop building and the Chief in Juluk had no right to stop us. After leaving that office we met another former pastor, also a Counselor, and all of us went to the Office of the District Commissioner. The DC was not in, but the District Officer #1 was and we went right into his office. He heard our problem, told us to continue and then gave me a letter to take to the Chief in Juluk to straighten him out! I must say that God works in marvelous ways, I had no idea where to take our problem at the DC offices, but God did! The Lord is directing our steps!

While I was building in Juluk, we had arranged to have a ladies meeting in the nearby village of Lopur. A veteran pastor, Thomas Alute from up-country, had come with his wife to teach the lessons. There were about 80 ladies in attendance from 3 different churches. They had a wonderful time together and pastor Alute was able to spend some valuable time in fellowship with the Turkana pastors. I believe that he was able to encourage them more than I ever could in two days. I’m not sure what all the lessons were on, but I was able to hear the last one on giving and trusting God. After the service the ladies came forward to give an offering and one of the ladies brought a chicken which in turn they gave to me. I should eat well tonight.

Please pray for us as we return to Juluk tomorrow. We have the matter settled with building, just pray that my helpers from the church will continue to work with effort. Please pray for our safety in the area of Juluk many thieves and raiders have been seen in the area.

I wish there were some way all of you could know how different this area is from America, it is even very different from the rest of Kenya. It is very much considered a frontier, many of the herders carry machine guns ( which is illegal), and when there is a skirmish the police usually show up two days later so as not to be shot. Sometimes I’m a little concerned about safety, but I know God has me here for a reason.

Thank you all for your prayers and praise God for His direction!

In Christ, Bob Clark