2018 Kakuma Trip FaithStory
My wife, Kris, and I traveled to Kakuma Refugee Camp from April 10 – 23 on behalf of Northwood Church. Here’s a summary and answers to questions about our trip.
1.Where is Kakuma Refugee Camp?
Kakuma is in extreme northwest Kenya, not far from the borders with South Sudan and Uganda.
Who lives in Kakuma?
Approximately 200,000 refugees from 15 African countries call Kakuma home. Two – thirds (2/3) of Kakuma are from Somalia and Sudan. Walk around the camp saying “Minneapolis” and people will approach you because of the large number of Somali’s resettled here who have friends and family there.
Why did we go to Kakuma?
For the past four years Northwood Church has given $2500 from our Outreach Fund to provide a Youth Camp for Kakuma teens and young adults. The Youth Camp provides four days of Biblical teaching, worship and fellowship for Kakuma Youth. Teaching is done by Kakuma pastors, though we both had one session each. It was amazing to see youth from different tribes and languages worshipping and learning together. One of the best things about the camp is it provides two meals a day for youth –they normally only eat one meal a day.
Thank you, Northwood, for providing spiritual and physical food for refugees in Kakuma. They are grateful beyond words!
We also went to Kakuma to see the other ways Northwood has invested in Kakuma from past Christmas offerings. One of those is shelters. Here is a shelter you’ve provided. Shelters like this provide security and protection against harsh climate – they meet needs of children and families. Also, we visited the site of the future KISOM Building … and learned the project is moving forward with help from NCCK. They plan to break ground in the coming year. And, there is always a need for Bibles in Kakuma so we saw youth with Bibles that you’ve helped provide.
Most of all, though, we went to Kakuma to spend time with refugees and be inspired by their lives and stories. Friends, refugees are just like us … people with children like ours … people who have hopes and dreams … but are stuck in this place between where they came from and where they want to be.
Tom Albinson commented that he “sensed more despair in Kakuma than ever before.” Why? Because the world is increasingly unfriendly and hostile to refugees. Countries are shutting their doors to refugees or dramatically reducing the number of refugees they are willing to resettle, like our own –from 110,000 in past to around 25,000 this year.
Sadly, the world creates refugees, doesn’t like refugees and has no place for refugees.
Is there hope in Kakuma?
Yes, there is! Amidst the hardships and despair in Kakuma, there are places and moments of great hope. The Youth Camp is one of those places and moments. And, the good work of URHC in the camp and their partnership with IAFR is providing shelters, Bibles and education for refugees. And here’s something wonderful that has a Northwood Church connection. In April 2017 Matthew Bichler went to Kakuma and he was seized by the need for a source of clean water – a well – for the IDP camp outside the Kakuma Camp. Matthew began his own fund raising campaign and raised just under $60,000 for the well (total costs are just over $100,000). This spring, a church in Washington, D.C., learned about the need and they have committed $40,000 for the well. Work on the well will begin by the end of this year!! God heard the cries and needs of his people and through the efforts and vision of our own Matthew Bichler, people in need of safe, potable water will have it soon.
Stories like that remind us that God sees and God hears us when we cry out to him for help – even when we live in the farthest corners of the world, even when the world closes its ears. God sees. God hears. God helps. Where God is, there is always hope. Kakuma reminds us that God sees, God hears and God helps … no matter who we are or where we live.