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FEEDING UPDATE – Monday, June 1, 2009
Thank you all for praying for us during the feeding project. We are at the halfway mark. To date, things have gone fairly well. There have been a few days that have challenged us, but for the most part we are on track.
The Maasai are so grateful for the food. We do not give food to our Baptist members only, but to hungry people. It makes no difference is they are Christians, Muslims, or Animists. If they are hungry we are bringing them food. The Maasai recognize this. A group of elders stopped us today just to express their gratitude. Over half of them were not Christians.
Dr. Clyde Meador, the executive VP of the IMB, was out with me today to see the feeding project. As the IMB representative from the US, I explained to the feeding centers we went to that he was responsible for sending money for us to purchase the food. The Maasai immediately began giving him gifts of beads and a beaded war club in gratitude. Everyone wanted to shake his hand and tell him thanks for the food. The pastors had written a letter expressing their sincere gratitude. We had prayer together and left.
There are a few areas that are receiving sporadic showers, but have yet to have a good soaking rain. We are past a desperate need. Cattle, donkeys, and even
wild animals are dying. There is tragically no grass for them to eat. The meteorologists have predicted that the usual rains would stop yesterday. Let's pray together that God will send the "unusual" rains!
Please pray for our pastors. Even though we are feeding 180,000 people, at every church others are begging for food. Vast numbers of people from 100 to 5000 more are showing up at every church to see if they can obtain just one packet. Please pray for grace and wisdom for our pastors
in talking with these hungry people who most likely will go home with nothing.
The next four weeks are our most challenging logistically. Please pray that the maize meal company will hold up their end to take the maize meal to the first stage "super center." They are a little anxious because one of their large trucks was car jacked last year and two of their employees were killed. I will meet with them this week, again, to reassure we'll protect them.
If you'd like to see an article and a few pictures that were taken just today, you can check out:
http://cesa.imb.org/stories/drought09/Maasairelief.html (Bob is the one in the big white hat.)
We know that the provision for these people is due to your generous gifts to the Baptist Global Relief fund of the IMB. We know that being able to deliver the food successfully is due to your prayer support. We are so grateful for you, and so are many, many Maasai people.
Celebratin' Jesus,
Bob and Nancy--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
FEEDING PROJECT UPDATE AND SPECIAL REQUEST - Sunday, May 3, 2009
*** Feeding Project Logistics
The feeding project began last Saturday with deliveries of food stuffs from the capitol, Nairobi, to our Baptist church at Ilmamen, which is the area's distribution center; more deliveries went there on Sunday.
Although we've been praying for rain for a year and half, we were hoping it would hold off just a few more weeks, but the Lord had other plans when a heavy downpour came on Sunday night. On Monday, trucks finally made it through the mud to five churches, where the food was passed out to Maasai on Tuesday. Bob had to pull 2 of the trucks free from the mud with his 4WD (4 wheel drive truck), as well as deal with government officials to gain permission at road checks for the food to pass.
Yesterday the Saturday deliveries were made to our Baptist church in Kiserian, a town which will require extra guards (besides the pastors) to watch the supplies till the food is given out on Tuesday. The maize meal arrived there today, then trucks will come tomorrow (Monday) to take the food to churches where women and children will receive their portion: a bale of maize meal (24 kg) and a 2 kg tin of cooking fat (like shortening). The church in Kiserian will also be distributing food to families of various tribes in a nearby slum area.
Bob personally overseas the deliveries to the distribution centers each week (Saturdays and Sundays) as well as getting the correct amount on each truck (Mondays) as it heads to a church with the pastor in the truck to lead the way. In the
evenings, Bob tallies the calls from drivers to know that all deliveries were made. Then on Tuesdays, he gets the reports from the pastors who gave out the food to families to hear about the actual distribution.
Meanwhile, he is talking with the pastors in the next week's area as well as the cooking fat and maize folks to make arrangements for the next set of deliveries, which must be confirmed weekly. This is a logistical challenge, to say the least. A miscount on a list or on loading means a family doesn't get their food. Each of these two weeks has brought its share of unexpected "challenges", such as the drivers bringing the wrong size trucks, mud, missing lists, etc. etc. Thank you for your prayers that this process will go smoothly or at least effectively so that hungry folks can get the food that Baptists have so generously provided.
*** Feeding Project Results
As with each of the former feeding projects, the pastors explain to the gathered crowd the process that was done months ago in gathering the names of food recipients. Then they briefly share that this food is given is donated by Baptists in the name of the Lord Jesus, who loves them. Please pray for folks to come to trust in the Lord as a result of this project. Please pray for our pastors who are sharing God's love with grateful people in their areas, but who also face the frustration and sometimes anger of those whose names are not on "the list".
Even as the rains have begun, hunger continues to be a real problem here. Prices raised during the drought are very slow to go back down and for Maasai; there is still a huge need for more rain in the valley in order for the grass to grow.
Bob was driving in areas today that are still very dry, not having gotten much rain. Please continue to pray for rain, though for it hold off in delivery areas when the food is en route!
Just today, one petite older Maasai lady, who probably only weighed 100 lbs soaking wet, struggled to raise up the 24kg maize meal bale onto her back. As Bob helped her get it on her back, he asked if she was able to carry it home. A large smile broke out on her face, she gave a little chuckle, and said, "Oh yes. We have nothing to eat but tonight we'll eat well thanks to the Baptists." All the people who had gathered were so very grateful for the food …
Thank you again for your prayer support, as well as your gifts to the Cooperative program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.
In these days, we are particularly grateful for your gifts to the Human Needs programs of the International Mission Board, helping us to provide food for needy folks in the Rift Valley! We are grateful for you!
Celebratin' Jesus,
Bob and Nancy Calvert--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
APRIL PRAYER N’ PRAISE - April 22, 2009
***Feeding Project Update
We have asked you to pray with us about the Maasai feeding project. Late last week the funds for this massive project were approved! We praise the Lord for His grace and for the generosity of Southern Baptists and the International Mission Board to provide these funds! Bob will be working to distribute maize meal and cooking fat (shortening) to about 180,00 people (mostly women and children)! There are many, many logistics of this undertaking! To give an idea of the scope of the project, we are feeding Maasai from Maasai Mara to Mt. Kilimanjaro--check it out on Gogglemap. He was hoping to be finishing in about 2 weeks total time, but due to recent government "go-slow" regulations, there is a limit on the number of bales that can be purchased and transported.
Therefore, this will take about 2 months to complete. Bob hopes to start the feeding by the middle of next week.
We praise the Lord that the rains, though late, have indeed started. Meteorologists here believe this rainy season will be shorter than usual, giving only a fraction of the amount needed.
Please pray for these issues:
- For grace for those who will receive the food. While some are Christians, most are not. Please pray that God's love will be demonstrated through this act of compassion and that many will come to trust the Lord Jesus as their one and only Savior.
- Some recipients will get food next week while others must wait until mid June. When you are hungry, this delay can lead to frustration and anger. Please pray that all will be patient.
- At each distribution point, many Maasai will gather hoping to receive food. Food will only be given to those whose names are on the lists compiled by the local pastors of those in the most dire need. Not giving food to hungry people is hard on those distributing, but we don't have the resources to feed the entire Maasai nation. Please pray for grace for those involved in the actual distribution.
- With the blessing of rain, you also get the consequence of mud. Please pray that the trucks delivering the maize and fat will be able to get to the distribution centers without any trouble.
- Please pray for God's grace to send much longer, gentle rains that will nurture the ground so grass will grow once again in the Rift Valley.
How can we adequately thank you for your prayer support? We are so very grateful for each of you! Thank you also for your financial support through the Cooperative Program for our ministry and the IMB's human needs funds for this project.
Celebratin' Jesus,
Bob and Nancy
ministering to those facing hunger; a special look at the logistics/ problems/ realities/ frustrations/ joys of missions; a report on how your investments are reaping incredible benefits; a thank you note; news that includes happy/good bits; a kaleidoscope of emotions and colours from another culture captured in pictures; or simply a “great read” to include in your summer reading program – The following newsletters (begins with April update) from Bob and Nancy Calvert, IMB missionaries with the Maasai People, will provide all of these as you read of how they minister to Kenyans who are hungry due to the ongoing famine in Kenya.
project was organized. He told them all the details, including that our pastors briefly share the Gospel at each distribution point, how the names were collected, how the food was given and received, etc. The men said this lined up with what they had heard: food was given out in an orderly manner, without the usual disputes, fighting and riots. They asked our pastor if they could use our network next time the government distributes food! What a blessing this is, especially that the officials didn't feel the need to work through the missionary, Bob, but with the pastors! We are so thrilled that our churches have earned a good and peaceful reputation in the community!
Just today Bob went to church about 3 hours from home. He came home with a Maasai shirt, a beautiful gold one that has been beaded - especially made for Bob to say, "Thank you" for facilitating the hunger relief projects. What a humbling and joyful experience! What a joy it is to work with these maturing believers!
