Kenya (MNN) — In recent years, a Global Disciples team has started planting churches among the nomadic groups in the Horn of Africa. They’ve developed what they call the NOMAD training. It’s an acronym for Nomads Oral Mission And Discipleship.
The training uses pictures that show the biblical story unfolding. As a result, Galen Burkholder says hundreds of new churches have sprung up. “There are some unique challenges, obviously, in working with nomads. Establishing a fellowship doesn’t always allow for a building in a traditional sense. Instead, they work with various shelters as they move from place to place. Also, many nomads are not literate.”
Peacemaking
Warfare has a long history among the tribes, but the Christians have begun to act as peacemakers. Now, once hostile tribes gather together for worship.
Burkholder shares a story from Northeast Kenya. “One of the disciple-makers lost a son due to an attack from a neighboring tribe. It took about a year until he was willing to go with his leader to sit with that tribe and to talk with them about what Jesus has done to transform his life.”
Immediately, three men confessed to shooting his son. They put their lives in his hands, but he forgave them.
Praise God for his faithfulness among the nomadic tribes.
Drought
But many of these groups are losing their way of life amid the Horn of Africa’s worst drought in decades. The lack of rainfall is killing animals, and forcing nomadic groups to settle in villages.
Continue to pray for the tribes, often unreached by the Gospel and ignored by the rest of the world. Burkholder says, “Pray that the Lord will continue to bring nomadic people to faith in Christ so that they will be equipped to make disciples among neighboring tribes.”
Header photo courtesy of Steve Pastor, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
