Part 1 Food Distribution

 

Where ever we traveled in Turkana we had soldiers or policemen ride with us. There have been many rumors of vehicles being stopped and robbed. WE WERE NEVER STOPPED. We do know people who were robbed. The soldiers were always very helpful and friendly. The soldiers wore heavy long sleeved shirts and heavy jackets while we sweated in short sleeves.

 

The Reformed Church of East Africa (RCEA) has many churches in Turkana. We worked very closely with the RCEA, we used their churches for warehouses and distribution points. The grain would arrive the day before distribution. Before the distribution would begin the whole group of people receiving rations would gather under a large tree. There would be prayer, singing, always led by women, and announcements.

 

We were amazed to find how industrious the people in the camps were. They built stick "kiosks" to sell food and other goods, repaired shoes, sewed, butchered goats and sold the meat, made hand made brooms from nearby reeds. They tried to make life as normal as possible.

 

There are numerous stories of tradegies. This women fled with six children after her husband was killed. Two are old enough to attend school where they are fed from grain donated by the USA or Canada.