"7b Reach a Hidden People''

Courtney
Christian
Mission
FORWARDING AGENTS: Rich &Mary Ann Jenks/ P.O. Box 2053 / Saiem, OR 97308 / (503) 585-0394
FIELD ADDRESS: Mike &LindaCourtney / P.O. Box900 / Kitale, Kenya
Vo 1. 7, No. 1
May 1985
1984 was a poor year a?tricultural 1 y for Kara
Pokot, In the preyious vear, 1983, the rains
were long and heavy, creating a bumper crop of
maize in our mountainous area of Kasei. Fol
lowing harvest in the fall of 1983, many of our
people sold part of their abundance to people
in the "lowlands" of Kara Pokot. a less prod
uctive area. On the mountains, the people built
large gram stores of cedar. Unfortunately,
many of these large stores were burned during
the Army operation in Kara Pokot in the Spring
of 1984. This problem was compounded by the
lack of adequate ram last spring and summer,
creating a crisis situation by the fall of the
vear when the 1983 crop finally was depleted.
While not as severe as the famine we experi
enced in 1980, it was obvious that many people
were faced with extreme hunger and possible
starvation. International Disaster Emergency
Services, Food for the Hungry, and many chur
ches and individuals responded with help.
What an emotional sight it was on the day when
the first truckload of food arrived. As the
bags of maize were being unloaded from the
truck, hungry children crawled beneath the
tailgate to catch any kernels that happened to
fall to the ground. One old woman kept dashing
in and out of the storeroom, getting in the way
of the men trying to stack the bags. She would
quickly sweep up fallen kernels from the floor
with her hands, rush back outside while the men
shouted at her, then meticulously sift the dirt
and rat droppings from the maize.
We were able to start a Food-For-Work pro
gram in our area. Over the next several
weeks we sometimes had as manv as 800
people per day coming for work. Many ben
eficial projects were completed during
this time. The road was repaired, a new
road from the church to one of the bore
holes was completed. An area for a school
garden was cleared and prepared for plan
ting. Four new school classrooms were con
structed by the people from poles, mud,
and thatch. As payment for the work, each
person would receive enough maize, beans,
or powdered milk for their family.
COURTNEY CHRISTIAN MISSION
P. 0. Box 2053
Salem, OR 97308
A mother receives food t
fWork projects:
-clearing garden spot
-working on the road
-building new school rooms
In the midst of the feeding program
came Christmas, when we had a big
celebration and were able to share
with literally hundreds of people
the story of the birth of One who
came to offer eternal freedom from
spiritual hunger.
In March the rains returned once
again--in abundance. Grass is grow
ing, the cows are again giving milk,
wild fruits and vegetables have ap
peared, and the termites have swar
med. All of these sources will pro
vide food for the Pokot for several
months.
In April we were able to obtain 3H
tons of maize seed, so the fields
have been planted and we ask the
Lord for continued rain and an abun
dant harvest.
Thank you for showing God's love to
these people during their time of
need, and thereby giving us more
opportunities to share the Bread of
Li^e.
^Linda tells the story of the birth
of Christ.
NON PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Permit #505
Salem, Oregon
l^esearch/Horizons
0. Box 2^27
Knoxville, Tenn 37901
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
FORWARDING AGENTS; Rich&MaryAnnJenks/ P.O. Box2053 /Salem, OR97308
FIELD ADDRESS: Mike &Linda Courtney / P.O. Box900 / Kitale, Kenya
Vol. 7, No. 2
"To Reach a Hidden People''
Courtney
Christian
Mission
July 1985
IN vJUNE
My story begins on Saturday evening, June 8, 1985. We had Just
arrived at Kasei after an uneventful four hour drive from Kitale. Our
first hour after arriving at Kasei is always busy with unpacking the
car, unloading the trailer, making beds, starting the gas refriger
ator, and cleaning up. We are usually only gone from Kasei for about
a week at a time to get supplies, pick up mail, and participate in the
monthly Field Team meeting. It is unbelievable what havoc is wrought
in the house during our absence by the wind, lizards, and a plethora
of insects of all descriptions.
I was involved in the grand "shoveling out" on the 8th when some
people came to the door, asking if I would come down to the church to
see a patient.
Camped next to the church building was a very sick old man, his
"senior wife," a brother with his wife, and a half brother. Before I
even saw the man, I knew how sick he was -- I could hear his painful,
labored breathing all the way up at the house. When in nurses' train
ing, I once was assigned a patient who was in the final, agonizing
stages of emphysema. This man's symptoms were the same, but he dirdn'tr
have the benefit of a hospital, respirator, proper medicines, a good
lab to determine blood gases, or doctors and inhalation therapists.
He had come from an area called Karpor. To reach Kasei, his fam
ily carried him by homemade stretcher up the southeast slope of
Karakogh Mountain, across the broad top of the mountain, and down the
other side to Kasei.
I did what I could for the old man. His family believed he was
dying. He had been sick for five years. They had already tried many
forms of traditional medicine and consulted several witchdoctors--I
was a last ditch effort. I started him on medication Saturday night.
By Sunday night, he was much worse. I couldn't sleep, and everytime I
got up I could hear him gasping and moaning with the pain of his
breathing. Finally, at ] a.m., I took a flashlight and went down to my
medicine room in the back of the church to prepare an injection that
I hoped would make his breathing easier. I don't know if it really
helped physiologically, but psychologically it worked wonders. Injec
tions are always considered "powerful medicine" here.
I sat by the smal1 campfire with the man
his wife until his breathing became and
easier and he dropped off to sleep.
It was a beautiful, warm night. Our
tropical night sky was filled with millions
of stars. I thought about many things as I
sat by the fire, watching the stars and
counting my patient's pulse and respirations.
I thought about a skinny ten year old girl
aisle of Liberty Church of
almost 25 years ago to an-
wanted to be a part of Him.
where He has brought her!
holds a human life in her
who walked the
Christ in Salem
nounce that she
And Just look
Occasionally she
hands. But it's not always gratifying or
rewarding. Lord, usually it's terribly, ter
ribly frightening.
'Vi
P^iorf\
5h
I thought about wy family in Oregon. What I wouldn't give some
times for Just 12 hours of a sunny June day with them, baling hay;
feasting on cold watermelon, root beer, and hamburgers; watching all
the little cousins playing in the sprinkler at Mom and Dad's place; or
going fishing. And you know what, Mom and Dad? It's all been worth it.
All the money you spent on me, all the clothes, books, piano lessons,
and church camp fees; all the trips to the doctor; all the spankings.
The Pokot think it has been worth the time and trouble to prepare me
for this.
I thought about deathwhat it means to me and what it will mean
to the old woman sitting next to me, poking at the dying embers and
trying not to cry. Death in Kara Pokot is a horrible, 'lightening
thing; shrouded in fear, superstition, and spirit worship. There is
no life after death--at least not in the way that we think of it. A
dead body is absolutely taboo. No one may touch it--or anything it has
touched such as a blanket, bench, or vehicle--except one or two of the
closest relatives, usually brothers or sons. Anyone touching a body
must go through a long, complicated cleansing ritual and sacrifice an
animal to appease the spirit of the deceased.
The spirit of a dead person is always "bad." There are no "good"
spirits, even if the person was good in life. Any person having con
tact with a dead person runs a serious risk. He may die, his children
may die or become seriously ill. His animals may all die, his crops
may fail. No one can touch a dead person and escape this curse, except
by payment of a sacrifice.
Only respected old men are buried. All others are carried out
into the bush and left for the animals to dispose of. If anything re
mains of the body in 24 hours, this is considered a very bad omen.
And You count these people worthy of the gift of Your Son, God.
How I praise you for that. I thank You for loving them. I thank you
for choosing them to be a part of Your Kingdom. I am grateful. Lord,
that you see them as worthy, through the death of Jesus, to inherit
eternal life.
Thank you for bringing us . to .--this place, Go<l._- -Than.k_yj5.U-. for ._
giving us the ability and the opportunity to minister to Your chil
dren. I hurt when that old man died. When Mike went with the brothers
and Christian men to bury the body, I wondered how this death would
affect the still-young, still-superstitious Pokot Christians. But you
had the victory. Lord. You made it an opportunity for teaching,
growth, renewed commitment, and increased faith.
And one week later... Oh Lord, when that little baby died in my
arms--when I sat on the floor of the medicine room and sobbed, with
the taste of the baby's vomitus still in my mouth after attempting re
suscitation--my Lord, You didn't abandon me. And when the young teen
age mother ran from the room. Lord I know You loved her when You
caused a Christian Pokot man to intervene at the very moment when she
threw the rope over that big branch in^the tree to hang herself. Thank
you for letting me show Your love to tffat young mother. Thank you for
giving Mike the opportunity to again share with people in despair the
reality of Your eternal love.
And now, I pray for that young mother and father. Comfort them,
God, in the depths of their sorrow over the loss of their only child.
Offer them the sunshine of Your eternal hope. Turn their deep, black,
anguish into a victory. And make us strong for service, not for the
praise and recognition of men, but for Your glory, for the simple Joy
of serving You.
COURTNEY CHRISTIAN MISSION NON PROFIT ORG.
P. 0. Box 2C53 U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Salem, OR 97308 - Permit #505
Research/Horizons Salem, Oregon
P. 0. Box 2^27
Knoxville, Term 3790'.
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
/6
"To Reach a Hidden People"
Courtney
Christian
Mission
FORWARDING AGENTS: Rich &Mary Ann Jenks / P.O. Box 2053 / Salem, OR 97308 / (503) 394-3958
FIELD ADDRESS: Mike &Linda Courtney / P.O. Box 900 / Kitale, Kenya
October 195
P'rust.ira-t.ions o -f W a i -t i n .s
By nature, I am not a person who enjoys sitting around doing nothing.
Of course, I can sit and watch the ocean for hours and do little or
nothing else. But that's during vacation. The time that is frustra
ting for me is when I have absolutely nothing to do because everything
that I can think of doing is done and the things that need to be done
are out of my control.
For over a week and a half now I
have been in a holding pattern.
All my plans have gone awry. It
began when I was preparing to
return to Kasei. I noticed one
springs in Kitale but the spring
me some in two days. No problem. '
The springs came in two days but
were the wrong ones, of course.
Sending my old springs as a sample to the factory was
Three days later another set of wrong springs arrive,
distance phone calls and eleven days later the next se
which were sent three days ago, have still not arrived,
vehicle that's completely immobilized.
the nex
Twel
t of s
And I
t step,
ve long
pr ings,
have a
V , .5^
Mike teaching the men.
s is only a v
has happened
the great
ght up with
ides were se
ei were pure
iler. My note
hip Seminar,
mpleted. A1
letters were
Now thi
of what
ning of
all cau
The veh
for Kas
the tra
Leaders
were co
and the
ery sho
Bef 0
spring
the re
rv i ced.
hased
5 and 5
to be h
1 the b
answer
rt explan
re the b
episode
St of my
The sup
and loade
tudies fo
eld next
ills were
ed.
ation
egin-
I was
work.
plies
d in
r our
week,
paid
So what did I do? I got depressed. Some
people said, "Enjoy your time off." The
frustrations kept me from doing anything
though. I could only read for about ten
minutes before wandering around looking
for something else to do. Other friends
in town were busy with their own projects
and didn't seem to need any help. So I
did a lot of thinking.
I thought about the new Christians at Kasei. They are so young in the
faith. Even the older Christians have so much to learn and I have so
little time left here. I've been desparate to teach them all I can.
The church at Kasei will have to stand on its own when we leave. Are
they ready? Are they strong enough? Will the Biblical knowledge of
these illiterate people be enough? Is my Job complete? Have I done
all that I could? These thoughts and many others go through my mind.
Slowly it dawns on me that the Lord
is trying to teach me something. I re
alize that the seed of truth has been
planted. The Holy Spirit lives in the
lives of over a hundred people in the
Kasei area. There is power and stren
gth there that I will probably never
see. I realize that I am Just a small
part of a potentially tremendous
growth of the church. I realize that I
must trust the Lord for the further
guidance of His people.
I'm sorry, Lord. When I had the oppor
tunity to spend over a week communing
with You without any interruptions, I
had to be upset and angry. Help me to
not forget this lesson. 1 will prob
ably be surprised to learn how well
Joshua baptized the man he won
to the Lord.
Baptizing the men.
the people at Kasei got
along without me. Am I
still frustrated? Well,
yes, a little. Am I still
angry with the delay? No,
I feel more peace because
of it. Am I sorry to be
working in Kenya? No, it
will be difficult to leave
and I know part of me will
always remain here. As is
usual in my case, the Lord
has to use something fair
ly drastic to get my at
tention. But listen I
will. In Him, life is
worth the living, includ
ing the frustrations.
Thank God that periods of frus
tration are balanced by periods ^
of great Joy. Almost three g
years ago we decided to concen- ' mIBj'
trate on winning a limited num- r- .Wgy,
ber of old, respected men to
Jesus. We knew that if the ^
leaders of the community be-
longed to the Lord, the rest of Ik
the people would follow more
easily. One old man, Joshua,
became a believer last year. It i ' ^ ..y
was a special day when Locheli I y' \'V,
also accepted the Lord. We in-
vited the other Christians to i
witness his baptism. When we M
arrived at the borehole, there
was quite a crowd. When I asked Mike, Joshua, and Locheli.
what was happening, I found
that six men and seven school boys had accepted the Lord. Each man
had brought his friend with him. When I asked why, one of the men
said, "Isn't that what Christians are supposed to do?" Please pray
with us that each of these men will continue to grow strong in the
-ord. The foundation of the church will rest upon them.
COURTNEY CHRISTIAN MISSION
P. 0. Box 2053
Salera, OR 97308
Kesearcii/Horizons
0. Box 2L27
Knoxville, Term 37901
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
NON PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Permit #505
Salem, Oregon