LOOKING
BACK…
Brian and Norma Herd worked in the
Diocese of Karamoja, Uganda, from 1961 to 1977. Here they report on a recent
return visit to the region.
The beggars, cripples and children in the Kampala street were a stark
reminder of the poverty and need in Uganda but there were a lot of busy
well-dressed people and many small shops and markets were thriving. The
number of new expensive cars driven by aid agencies and churches were
noticeable.
On Wednesday after extremely heavy rain we flew from Kajansi airfield to
Moroto with our daughter, Dr Joy Lawn and her family. We were met by Joseph
Lomongin and David Pedo and welcomed by Deborah (Bishop Peter Lomongin's
second daughter). She welcomed us to the community centre, which was a
miracle build done in our time when Amin was in power. Deborah had done
wonders - beds with mosquito nets, European types toilets with people
climbing on the roof to fill the tanks so that they could be flushed, hot
water in cans at night and breakfasts.
We had a service in Moroto church. Outside was a large grave for Bishop
Peter and we were led out to it to pay reverence. We also visited Anna,
Peter's widow. In the evening we had a fellowship in the community centre
and staff and other Christians joined us.
On Thursday, we went to Lotome. On the way at Kangole, we met the
Archdeacon's wife and were thrilled to find Rufus, one of the first
Akarimojong pastors still alive and actually sweeping the church compound.
It was a lovely reunion. On our way back we met Zakeri Locheng, the Bible
translator and we received a copy of the revised New Testament.
Rev
Richard Ongom and his team in Lotome gave us a great welcome. The church was
packed though it was school holiday. As Richard is from Lobwar they had
Acholi harps, drums and a good choir. It was a memorable service. All four
of the visitors spoke and when the drummers felt moved there was a roll of
drums and singing. We had been married in Lotome church 43 years ago. Two of
the schoolgirls, Esther and Elizabeth, who had formed a guard of honour,
were there - both keen, mature Christians.
SERVICE
After a long service we moved to the Diocesan Training Centre and met Simon
Aisu. They provided a meal and the fellowship was warm especially with a
group of singing students. The headmistress of Lotome Girls School, Rebecca
Lochero is fairly new there. She is an old girl of the school, converted
there as a schoolgirl. She is really struggling with inadequate buildings
and resources.
SURPRISE
On Friday we flew to Kotido which will be the centre of the new North
Karamoja diocese. To our surprise MAF landed on an airstrip well outside
Kotido (it had moved a few years ago!). We were left beside a large
helicopter gunship. The bombs and army in numbers were because the Jie
warriors had killed 27 soldiers, including an army commander. That was part
of the army trying to disarm the Akarimojong. After some time in the sun we
joined a soldier under the one thorn tree and sat on boxes of bullets. We
wanted to photograph the helicopter gunship but felt it was unwise! After a
while we decided to try and walk but we had only gone a short way when a
soldier got the officer to come and use his mobile phone and we were
collected immediately. It was good we hadn't walked as it was quite a few
kilometres and for most of those we passed through lines of Ugandan soldiers
and tanks returning from an early morning disarmament exercise.
The
impressive compound has a clinic (eye treatment, maternity, AIDS etc). Good
primary health care to villages is centred on the development office here
but is all over Karamoja. We were impressed by the capable witnessing
Christians in this kind of work. We stayed in one of the four-ensuite rooms
of the new-looking community centre. Each has a verandah with cane furniture
and town piped water and solar lighting. The rooms are booked most nights.
Nelson Owilli runs a very impressive Development Office and gave us the 2005
report with a full accounts! There is an empty office ready for the new
diocese. The 500-seat church was even more impressive than the photographs
we have seen. On Sunday it was the day for the Mothers' Union to take a
lively service. One of Joseph Okero's daughters led the singing beautifully
- dressed in a becoming bright outfit and gold backless shoes. They did a
long typical drama about a drunken husband who after about six scenes was
converted through the MU. The preacher was a lady who had done her master's degree in Dublin. Afterwards we had some food and more coke (we
must record our consumption of cokes was extraordinary!).
MINISTER
On Saturday we travelled to Lobwar. Almost all the 15 Lobwar pastors were
there to greet us. Lobwar is greener and more fertile. For us it was
thrilling to be there and meet so many who knew us before. Rev Florence
Omwony had spent a year in Trinity, Bristol and got an MA. On her return to
Uganda she married a Lobwar man who is now a minister in President
Museveni's government. She works as a volunteer pastor when in Lobwar. The
MU was out in force in matching dresses and full of music and dance.
Karamoja Diocese is to be made into two dioceses this year. We were in
Karamoja when the names of the two new bishops were announced - a very
poignant moment. They are: Bishop Elect Joseph Abura, Karamoja Diocese 27
May in Moroto and Bishop Elect James Nasak, North Karamoja Diocese 1 July in
Kotido.
Looking back on our visit it was limited by being so short. We would have
loved to have stayed longer to see more people and places and do more
preaching but for us personally it was worthwhile. We continue to pray for
Karamoja in this year of change and opportunity and pray too that our visit
was an encouragement in the Lord to those we met.
A
LASTING INFLUENCE
Peter Steynor reflects on a return visit to Kenya
When I left Kenya in 1979, I little knew that it would be 27 years before I
would return. I had spent 4 years supported by Tear Fund as a Crosslinks
associate, building and starting a trade craft polytechnic at the main town
of Kapenguria in a district called West Pokot.. It is still largely rural
and there are few job opportunities outside subsistence farming. The first
BCMS missionaries to this area arrived in 1931 and the church had grown
slowly since then. So I wondered how different things would be now.
My wife Gill, my son David (13) and I arrived in August 2006 to spend 10
days visiting Kapenguria and other places where small polytechnics had
begun. Our reception was overwhelming and African hospitality as so often,
generous in the extreme. The population had doubled since 1979, but it was
thrilling to see churches that had grown four or five times in size, as well
as new churches springing up everywhere.
I had left the polytechnic with a salaried manager, two instructors and 20
students. I now found an unpaid manager, seven instructors and 120 students,
most of whom were getting really good results in trade tests and finding
subsequent employment. Many were keen Christians with an active witness in
the polytechnic. The workshop was well kept and buzzing with activity. Where
was the motive in all this, I wondered?
As we travelled around with Shadrack the manager, I realised that I had
known him slightly, as a schoolboy. I had spoken at the school Christian
Union once or twice. He had also come to some of the Sunday night Bible
studies which a few BCMS and other expatriates including his head teacher,
had run in their homes. The complete lack of rank or status amongst us as we
served one another with food and God’s word together had somehow touched
him deeply. “Those times taught me how Christians should love one
another.” he told me.
The polytechnic is facing many problems such as staff salaries only half
paid and three months in arrears, students often struggling to pay any fees
at all yet desperate to learn, lack of good dormitory accommodation, cooking
premises well below even local hygiene standards, and tools worn out from 25
years use (I am hoping to find some way to bring help from the UK). But in
spite of the challenges, the heart remains to work, learn and serve
together. And I have learned an important lesson about what really counted
out of my time spent there.
Peter Steynor worked at a village polytechnic work group scheme in
Kapenguria from 1976 to 1979.
If you
would like to pray more about the work of Crosslinks with other Crosslinks
supporters then Brian and Norma Herd attend the Weymouth
Crosslinks prayer meetings (for details click
here). If you would like to start your own prayer group please contact
Karen Jefferys on 020 8691 6111.
If you would like to give towards the Karamoja, please mark your gift KAR.
(click here to download Acrobat pdf version - approx 500 KB)
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