THIS POST WAS WRITTEN BY ELKATAROT’S SPONSOR, JIM SHELBURNE, A MINISTER AT WASHINGTON AVENUE CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN AMARILLO, TX. I’m filled with a strange sadness and joy as I try to wrap my brain around the news that one of the children my wife and I sponsor in Turkana, Kenya has died. He drowned in a freak accident—a flash flood in a desert where it rarely ever rains. Elkatarot was out gathering firewood (a daily ritual in Turkanan life) when he and several other children were caught up in a flash flood. Field workers were able to save the other kids, but Elkatarot could not be reached. This news made me sad in many ways. Holly and I sponsor several… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Hunger
Will You Tell the Bad News?
We need some people to be like Agabus. Do you remember him? Agabus appears twice in the book of Acts, and both times he is told to tell bad news. Later in the book of Acts, he is the one chosen to tell of the Apostle Paul’s upcoming arrest. But it is the first time he is mentioned that is important to us today. In Acts 11:27-30, Agabus announces a severe famine that would spread over the entire Roman world. He lets people know. And now it’s our responsibility to let people know about a famine. The worst famine in over half a century is currently hitting the Horn of Africa, affecting more than 10 million people. After losing crops… Read more »
Famine Update
In last month’s newsletter, we told you the sad news that the persistent drought and famine that has troubled the Horn of Africa for many years is back and may be worse than ever before. This month we want to tell you what we’ve been able to do with your support so far and what we plan to do with your continued support! God is doing great things through you! We have been able to immediately ramp up our water drilling projects in Kenya to provide even more clean water to people in need! We have expanded our goat distribution programs to rebuild flocks in areas where we have provided a plentiful water source. We are also on the ground… Read more »
God’s Economics
Recently, I was preaching in Kenya where they are having an immense drought and food crisis. The ongoing drought in the Horn of Africa is part of what may be the greatest famine of our lifetime. After our church gathering, we decided that we would feed everyone. Since we announced it, there was obviously a huge crowd. The service lasted a little over four hours—so everyone was more than ready for the food. Since I was the preacher (and I had paid for the food), everyone insisted that I was first in line. I tried to position myself at the end, but they would have it no other way. There was so much food. People were ecstatic because so many… Read more »
What I Needed Was Always Here
Luke was his name. He was an elder of a tribe in Barwessa. He had asked me to sit down with him and have some tea. I thought it might be safe — especially since we had just drilled for some clean water. Luke had some things on his mind. He wanted to have a little talk. I first knew of the dilemma of Barwessa the day I heard that kids there were eating rats. They had no other food because they had no water. It was a big famine. Only the rats were surviving. CRF drilled six water wells in Barwessa. Then we planted a church. And we started a school. Things were indeed looking up. Luke wanted to… Read more »
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