Faith in a Refugee Camp

Kakuma Refugee Camp, Turkana County, Kenya

"Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what

has happened to me actually served to advance the Gospel."

These words of the apostle Paul, from Philippians 1:12, were written from captivity, to his friends in the church of Philippi. Despite the suffering and persecution he endured, Paul wanted his fellow Christians to be encouraged. "Because of my chains," he wrote, "most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear." Throughout the trials he endured, Paul held on to his faith that God was at work and that his sacrifice would contribute to the furtherance of the Gospel.

Over the past few days, Erica and I have been in the far North of Kenya along the border of South Sudan. It was our great pleasure to share time with our brothers and sisters in Christ of the Faith Evangelical Baptist Churches (FEBAC) of South Sudan, who have thousands of their members living as refugees in the Kakuma Refugee Camp. Every person we met had a story of faith of how God had brought them through horrendous struggles to new life and hope.

Kakuma Refugee Camp is administer by the Kenyan Department of Refugee Affairs in partnership with UNHCR. Similar to the size of the Dadaab Refugee Camp back in 2006 (when we first joined Canadian Baptist Ministries' work in Kenya), Kakuma is approaching 200,000 people. The camp is home to displaced people from East Africa and the Middle East, but the fastest growing population is from South Sudan which has exceeded 80,000 since conflict erupted in December 2013.

Standing in Solidarity Together

A few days before the failed military coup began to spiral South Sudan into civil war, Canadian Baptist Ministries signed a formal partnership agreement with FEBAC. It has been our joy to to walk together in fellowship and mutuality with our South Sudanese brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Our partnership grew out of years of assisting FEBAC in theological education and community outreach. Over the past two years, we have had the privilege of assisting the relief efforts of FEBAC in Upper Nile State and in Narus, as well as strengthening the church through education, leadership development and food security projects, thanks to the generous support of Canadian Baptist churches and individuals. 

Faith Evangelical Church, Kakuma Camp I

Seeing the sincere faith and hope of the three FEBAC congregations embedded within the Kakuma camps has been a transformative experience. Their stories and courageous trust in God has encouraged us deeply.

Erica speaking to FEBAC members

During a worship service, choirs from each of the FEBAC churches presented songs of faith, but one of the most moving presentations was group of orphans that had walked miles across three camps to attend the service. 

Praising God as their forever Father

This group of orphans represent thousands of children who have lost parents and family from the fighting that has engulfed their country. By God's grace, the local church has become their new family. We were moved to tears as they sang of their love for God who has become their father. 

Their story is a part of a much larger story,...

Pastor Simon Nyok 

of FEBAC Kakuma III Church

In 2013, Pastor Simon was caught in a crossfire during fighting in Malakal, he was shot and nearly died. While the war had torn his body and world apart, it had not destroyed his faith. Although he lost his left leg, by God's grace Simon survived and was able to recover for two months in a Juba hospital where he received a prosthetic limb. "We lost everything," shares Simon. "All our belongings had been stolen, many died and our home was no longer safe. It was very bad. So bad! With my family we camp to Kakuma and registered as refugees. We did not come alone. Thousands of us came. Where there are people there are churches, and soon we began to meet together for prayer and worship." 

Today there are more than 800 members worshipping in Simon's church, and another 2000 more in the other two FEBAC Churches in the camps. "We have built the churches from clay and sand that we made into bricks, and have made our own instruments," shared Simon. "But it is difficult to find materials for the roofs and such. Iron sheets are expensive, but we praise God that we no longer worship together under the hot sun, but have the shade of a roof over us."

Pastor Nyok at his newly built church

"Our church keeps growing as new people arrive every day from South Sudan and my congregation is now reaching 870 people, most are widows and orphans. This week we are meeting for two days of prayer and mourning to comfort the orphans, widows and widowers of the deceased families. It is not easy for the widows to stay alone, but they encourage each other. God is at work! The people are supportive of one another and we have not lost our faith. Please pray for the orphans and widows of our church. We are doing our best for each other, but the needs are so great."

Dabora Ajok

Although tens of thousands of South Sudanese refugees have come to Kakuma over the past two years, there is also a large group that have been living here since the conflicts of the 1990's. In 1992, Dabora Ajok fled the war in Sudan and came to Kenya with her husband and their six children. Since that tumultuous journey, Dabora and her husband have been blessed with two more children born in Kakuma. "It has been a challenge to raise our children here and serve God, but God sustains us. It is very hot, the climate is harsh and we have felt the hostility, even here, but we are in God's hands." 

Dabora gives thanks for her church family in the midst of life in the refugee camp: "Coming to Kakuma has changed our experience of the church. Here we have a community with many different tribes. We have become one in our Lord. This shows that God is working, it never happened in South Sudan, but here we hold onto our faith no matter where we came from."

"Please pray for us. Pray for the widows in the camp, that God will help them go through widowhood. And pray for the orphans who are in the refugee camps. There are so many. And pray for peace, because peace is paramount!"

Reverend Saphano Riak Chol with

the pastoral leadership of FEBAC, and the Presbyterian pastor 

The weight of the needs of the people and the church of South Sudan are crushingly huge, and yet the leadership of this church demonstrate profound trust that God will transform their country and their lives for the good. "There is a Dinka proverb that says you can not eat an elephant," shared Rev. Saphano, "but you can, you can eat the elephant, if you eat it piece by piece. By God's grace, even though our challenges are many, piece by piece God is able." 

Aaron with pastors and elders of the Dinka community of Kakuma

Kakuma is surrounded by hundreds of miles of arid lands of sand and thorny scrub. Rain is a rarity, and everywhere we went we found children and women congregating around water points pumping water into jerry cans and used vegetable oil canisters. Churches like FEBAC are working to bring people together across tribal lines, to live in peace and harmony together.

Church leaders taking Erica and I through the camps

 At water points and churches, we find people from every tribe coming together.

Please pray for South Sudan. 

Pray for peace and reconciliation. 

Pray for healing.

Where ever we went, people asked us to pray for the children. Not only for their experience of losing their families in the war, but for their future. "They are the next generation of leaders," share Rev. Saphano. "They are the pastors, the politicians, the men and women that will inherit South Sudan. What are we giving them?"

If you would like to learn more about the work of Canadian Baptist Ministries in South Sudan, or if you feel led to contribute to this ministry, please contact CBM or visit our website at www.cbmin.org

or click here

 Kakuma Refugee Camp