Christmas in the Desert, H2O & Logistics

Road To Turkana

Terry and I enjoyed Christmas this year on the road by traveling to the desert of Turkana to transfer medical supplies and to close down the house we rented in Lodwar when we first arrived in country. With our primary ministry focus being Western Kenya we felt it prudent to maintain only one household until such a time as the Lord allows us to return to Turkana in more of full time situation. We don’t feel like the Lord is done with us there yet because we have some friends that have offered us a studio apartment free of charge anytime we are there. So after the weekly Bible study on Tuesday we loaded up the truck with medicines for the Turkana people and traveled on Wednesday. Before we left, the men of the weekly Bible study gave us two laying hens as a Christmas gift. Each time we receive a hen it is a humbling experience as we know the amount of food and the quality of food this represents to the average family here. God gave us traveling grace again with no break downs and safety on what is probably the worst road in the world. We thank him for his grace especially when we found out upon arrival that two people who work with the catholic diocese where shot on the same road on the same day we traveled. One was shot in the neck and the other was shot in the thigh while traveling the opposite direction as we were. Security on that road is increasingly becoming a regular problem. This being the first Christmas away from our family it was good for us to stay busy working on moving and closing up the house. Poor Terry had to do all the packing while I did all the lifting and moving.

Delivering Water                                                                                                   

We spent Christmas day having dinner at our missionary friends Kishule and Ali’s house in Lodwar which is the couple where we are storing our household items in their studio apartment. Some of the larger items we shipped via truck back to Eldoret. While Terry and I did not exchange gifts this year we were able to give a few. The most humbling gift we gave this year was the gift of water. One of the guards from the house we employed called and said that he and his family had been without water for three days. He asked if we could bring some from the house.
 So Christmas day we delivered 250 liters of water and some small toys for his Children. With temperatures that range from 100’ to 120’ water is the most valuable resource in the desert. After three days of packing and cleaning we were able to be free of the liabilities that come with maintaining a home which we have not been able to utilize as much as we had hoped. Before we returned to Eldoret we were blessed with some Turkana Christmas carolers

dressed in traditional Turkana attire. After a few songs we gave them bread and a small amount of money for a Christmas gift. It was a great experience. The holiday season here in Kenya takes on quit a different meaning as there is not the materialism that has seemed to overtaken our country because of the abundance of blessings. People here are unable to buy gifts as they are more concerned with daily survival. This being the case the focus seems to be more on the birth and life of the Lord Jesus Christ which is what Christmas is really all about. As I write this entry we have now safely returned to Eldoret and await a truck loaded with household items we can use here. We have had a unique Christmas experience with camels, sand, H2O and moving. Thanks for allowing us to share our life with you all. May God Bless you this Holiday Season and Have a Happy New Year.

Chuck & Terry Fernandez
Kenya, East Africa               

Children of Turkana