Kenyan Famine

Several of you have asked how close the famine in Kenya is to us. The city of Lodwar, less than 200 miles away, is located in an arid climate. An arid region typically receives less than ten inches of rain a year and vegetation is scarce. Their daily temperatures range between 90 and 100 degrees. People there aren’t even able to grow crops and be subsistence farmers but are instead are nomadic herders depending on their animals for survival.

The Turkana people who live in this area are losing their means of livelihood because their animals are dying due to the lack of food and water. These are the Kenyans closest to us that have been affected by this drought. Some of them live only about 50 miles away from us. It has not rained in this area for five years. It is estimated that 70 percent of their livestock have already died.

In May, Bishop Dominic Kimengich of the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar, made an appeal to our bishop, Bishop Maurice Crowley of the Catholic Diocese of Kitale, for food relief.

We personally along with the other Maryknoll Lay Missioners in Kitale felt called to help. We were able to donate approximately seven tons of foodstuffs, including

corn, beans, flour, cooking oil, salt and sugar. A truck delivered these desperately needed items to the people of the Diocese of Lodwar in Northern Kenya on Saturday, July 24th.

Several students at both St. Anthony’s and St. Monica’s Secondary Schools where we teach have families affected by this famine. Families are being forced to migrate to Kitale because they can no longer feed their families in their home area. Once here since they have no money, they are only able to find housing in the slums.

Last week in his homily, Bishop Crowley thanked the members of the parish for the contributions. He was extremely proud that we were among the first to respond to the needs of our neighbors. He is hoping to be able to send another lorry (truck) filled with more supplies in October. If you would like to help with this effort, make your donation to MKLM. On the memo line of your check designate John Korb MA – famine.