Partners in Compassion
After several hours of travelling by air and by road, I finally arrived at our remote destination in northern Kenya. Many refugees have been moved to camps in this area to escape bombings, kidnappings and threats, which are common occurrences in other camps.
I joined a team of ten from Argentina, partnering with DOVE Africa, to provide emergency medical services and distribute food to the refugees. My task was to work alongside the team, help them navigate the unique Kenyan logistics and serve as a translator. However, we were denied permission to enter the refugee camp
The trip was not to be wasted, however. Instead we were able to visit a camp for internally displaced persons where a great crowd waited for medical attention and food. The local people helped with food distribution while the medic team worked in the clinics during a two-day whirlwind of activity. More than a hundred people received medical care and two-hundred families received food donations. Some members of the team visited and prayed for the sick at the Catholic Mission Hospital. Some patients rarely have visitors, not even family members. We could see the joy on their faces in response to our visit. We donated fresh milk to all the patients.
The Kakuma landscape is filled with rocks, rocks, more rocks and a few thorny bushes. I question why God chose thorn trees and rocks, in various shades of yellow and brown, for this region, but God’s Word says that everything that God created is good. The landscape of this sun-baked region just below the Sahara has its own beauty and I appreciate God for His wonderful creation. With temperatures of 120 degrees and dust blowing everywhere, the people who live here deserve the world’s respect!
The open welcome we were given from the local people was evidence of God’s divine favor. Argentina is classified in the same category with Kenya, economically. Although Argentina is not very wealthy, its generosity to the Kenyans and the zeal for missions left a mark on my heart. God helped me realize that we all have something to offer, even if we are poor. Our challenge is to serve, give and trust God will do the rest.
Angela Kung’u
