Hublog: The Pokot People - AIC Lodengo Health Centre

Five kids and 10 years of marriage has transformed me into a much less adventurous person than I once was. While my passport might beg to differ, I don't love international travel and I really don't enjoy flying. I was willing to go visit Christina in Kenya on one condition: that condition was that she would not take me to Lodengo. As I was packing to leave for Africa, I started instant messaging with Christina because I needed to get an idea of the itinerary. She started going through our days and activities and then sprang a, "Now, for this part, I need you to keep an open mind." The next few hours were spent arguing with myself, contemplating canceling plane tickets, and trying to find a way to avoid the trip to Lodengo.

Why was I so terrified of traveling to this remote, unreached people group? Not for the reasons you might assume. I was terrified of the road. I had heard Christina explain the road to the Pokot people in horrid detail for my aunt and uncle. I had heard of heart pounding mountain roads, sweating palms while you navigate rivers, back and neck tightening in knots and praying for dear life while you try avoid boulders blocking the road without dropping over the side into a huge ravine. I couldn't imagine any trip being worth risking the life of my 8 y/o daughter or leaving my other 4 children motherless. I wasn't going with medical expertise to potentially save lives. I wasn't even going as a pastor to save souls. I was just a spectator with a camera.

Many people tried to convince me that the road wasn't that bad. "It's not that scary." "It isn't really putting your life at risk." One missionary said something like, "Oh, the part where you could fall off the mountain is only about 40 min." Phew, what a relief. 40 MINUTES?!

The road really wasn't that bad (evidently they have started paving the road). I worked myself up over nothing and was relieved when we arrived and I was able to say, "That was it?" And it was really neat to see this remote tribe. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to be a part of celebrating the opening of their new (and only) health clinic.

Pray for the staff and patients of the health centre, and the people of the Pokot tribe. They are an unreached group and the missionaries have many cultural hurdles to overcome. Pray for the staff of the clinic who have relocated and live on-site to be available to the patients. Pray for the missionaries who live among them and the missionaries who make regular travels to serve them. I am grateful that their road is a little smoother now.

Christina had to snap this picture. My anxiety that only a few inches of red dirt separated me from the giant chasm below was much too great for me to play photographer.

Captured a picture of the termite hills while we were driving

Owning camels is a symbol of great wealth to the "Pokoot" people

A family bathing next to the road

Women singing at the opening of the brand new clinic

I think they estimated that 500-600 people attended the opening. People came from pretty far to rejoice and share in the celebration.

Monica with her son and new baby girl (after 5 boys). She will work at the Lodengo Health Centre as a patient attendant.

I think he was afraid of the "mzungu" (white person) in his face with the camera

An elder of the tribe. Yes, that man is on his cell phone. It's amazing that the rural people groups with no power (other than a small, 1 per town generator) or water have cell phones.