Poverty makes food nearly inaccessible, and adds to the growing problem. While many Christian agencies are scrambling response, there are others on the ground who cannot go it alone.
With a lack of funds, that means the famine is hampering a ministry's effectiveness. But, En Gedi Resource Center's Bruce Okkema says they've partnered with 'Special Ministries' there.
'Special Ministries' works primarily with orphans, but with the food shortages, they need financial help, sponsors for the children, and prayer.
The En-Gedi Resource Center helped install a new water system that would bring water from the river to the Hope Center in Ololtoto. The river has since dried up, and no water has been in the pumps for months.
Even when relief food is offered and shipped by caring nations, it can fail to reach the most needy for several reasons. 'Special Ministries' will start by trying to feed approximately 14,000 people in and around their Hope Centers where they already have the infrastructure to be most effective.
The goal is to maintain this assistance for four months beginning now, and until the awaited rains begin in March and there is time for new crops to mature.
In addition, En Gedi's other support is multi-faceted, explains Okkema, starting with commitment. "Through our ministry, En Gedi Resource Center, which provides Christian educational materials, we hope to resource their teachers, possibly leading seminars in Kenya for their staff and for community people."
Okkema explains their work is a tangible evangelism. "The ministry component is somewhat passive in the sense of what we would normally think of as active evangelism, but the ministry is coming through help and love, sharing the love of Christ with the community."
