Some pictures of our outreach

Here are some pictures taken in Nyangaita, West Pokot. There are about 20,000 Pokot people who call Nyangaita home. There is one small school of about 50 students, one small borehole and one church with only four members in the entire area. Drinking and alcoholism, water shortages, lack of education, tribal warfare, cattle wrestling and food shortages are among the many challenges this area faces. They live along the bank of what used to be a small river that is now only a dried up riverbed. Some people live in small huts like in the picture, but that is only for the wealthiest people, most just sleep in the sand of the riverbed. We camped under the stars, squatted in the bush and showered in the bush with the other women. Since there is so little water, people drink camel milk in their tea! In their culture men and women don't associate with the opposite sex until married, so their is a women's side of the river, a women's shade and a women's bush for showering and washing. We got used to the cultural differences and were able to minister and make friendships. Our ministry was mostly doing "door to door evangelism" in the riverbed and talking with people about God. We came across lots of people who had no concept of God at all, who had never even heard the word. We were able to encourage the local pastor, pray with people, lead people to christ, work in the school, pump water, participate in a coming of age ceremony and hold a complete church service. The local pastor is excited about what is to come, next year another YWAM team from the october DTS is coming to work with the church again.

The mamas whose son's have already gone through the coming of age ceremony bless the ceremony with a traditional dance

The single men dance to impress a future wife at the coming of age ceremony. The ostrich feathers on their hats indicate they are looking for a wife. 

The single girls who have been circumcised and therefore in Pokot culture are now ready to be married dance to impress a future husband. Polygamy is widely practiced and most men have at least 5 wives, we met one man who had 9 wives and 30 children. 

One of the older village elders

A YWAMer from the Romanian base baths the children at the well. 

This well donated by missionaries in 2005 is the only water source for 20,000 Pokot people

Sunday is market day, each of these manyattas are turned into hotels that sell chapatis, mandazis and gideri.  

The village elders discuss a young girls dowry over a cooked goat.

Here we are starting to load our lorry!

Part of the 8 hour bumpy ride on top of the lorry through the bush bush!

A traditional Pokot Manyatta