We covered over 300 kilometers —starting in the main city, Lodwar, heading to Lake Turkana, looping back through Lodwar, and finishing the day at Kakuma Refugee Camp, the world’s fourth-largest UN refugee settlement, located just 35 kilometers from the border of South Sudan.
The day began with a warm welcome over breakfast from a familiar face—Pastor Boneface. Our first stop was a sobering one: a makeshift water source off the side of the road, set in a dry riverbed. Locals had dug a 6-foot hole, and at the bottom was barely 4 inches of water. We watched a young boy scoop water into a bucket, passing it to his sister who poured it into a yellow jerry can, while their mother, aunt, grandmother, and baby siblings stood nearby. This was my first direct encounter with a water source in Turkana County—and a stark reminder of the urgent need for clean water solutions here.
Next, we traveled to Lake Turkana—one of Kenya’s largest lakes, known for supplying most of the country’s fish and even serving neighboring countries in East Africa. The locals proudly call it home to some of the “sweetest fish” around.
After returning to Lodwar, we traveled North to visit Pastor Boneface’s church. His story is remarkable. Once a government employee with a well-paying job, Boneface met Pastor Christiano and his disciples when they came to evangelize in Turkana County. He served as their translator. But after just two days of hearing and translating the Gospel, his heart was transformed—he gave his life to Christ, resigned from his government job, and chose to follow Jesus full-time.
After graduating from Christiano School of Ministry He returned to Lodwar and began preaching to the rural Turkana communities. His first church was just him and one other person gathered under a tree. Now, only seven months later, he leads a thriving church with a building and over 50 members. His journey is a powerful testimony of obedience and God’s faithfulness to those who step out in faith.
As we sat in his church, surrounded by joyful worship and traditional Turkana dancing, tears welled up in my eyes. What an amazing, gracious, and faithful God we serve. To witness firsthand the fruit of one man’s surrender to Jesus was deeply moving—and a moment I’ll never forget.
“The one who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:24
From there, we traveled to Kakuma Refugee Camp. This massive settlement is home to refugees from both the first Sudanese civil war and the ongoing crisis in South Sudan. The camp has existed since 1992 and remains a place of both hardship and resilience.
By the time we returned to Lodwar—2.5 hours later—I had never been so grateful for a cold bottle of water and a cold refreshing shower.
As we return home to the United States, we are grateful, changed, and filled with stories of God’s faithfulness from across Kenya.
“Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples.” – Psalm 96:3