Thanksgivings in Isinon

It was a beautiful day as we began our weekly two hour journey to Isinon.  The sun was shining and there were no signs of rain. We turned off the tarmac road and the dirt road full of potholes, bumps, and rocks led us the rest of the way into the heart of Maasailand.  As we came up over the last hill and saw a manyatta (a Maasai home made of mud), we knew we were almost there.

Today was different than our normal meetings because we were celebrating the end of the Isinon CHE Committee training!  For the previous 10 weeks, we had taught the Committee the concepts of CHE, what their job and responsibilities are, and Bible studies about how to become a Christian.  Despite the community being hit with a drought in the middle of the training, we were still fairly pleased with the turnout every Thursday.  The excitement in these leaders as they learned new things was contagious as well.  The relationships that continue to develop despite a huge language barrier for some are also heartwarming, and a testament to God’s ability to work through challenges. 

As we finally pulled up to the big, shady tree that serves as our classroom on Thursdays and the church on Sundays, we were glad to see the majority of the CHE Committee already there.  That morning, a goat had been slaughtered and roasted for this celebration, and we gave small gifts to those who had attended more than six of our nine training sessions.  Joy and excitement were written on the peoples’ faces, and gratitude was expressed for how far our good Lord had brought us all.  We have a lot to thank Him for.  Despite challenges with the difficult roads and a time of drought, God watched over our lives and gave the twelve Committee members understanding of the new things they had been taught.

As the evaluations for the Committee training were gathered, we were encouraged by some of their answers….
• What did you like most about the training? We’ve seen a reduction of diseases, like diarrhea. This education is opening our minds to think, & bringing change to the community, as well as unity. We have gained knowledge of the Word of God & truth.
• What lessons were the most valuable to you? Education about clean water, health, and nutrition. The Word of God. Learning that most disease can be prevented at home. The sharing of ideas has shown me that nothing is difficult. Learning how to decrease our dependency on others, and to rely on ourselves and our community.

Despite the Committee training only grazing the surface on these few health lessons, we have already seen a decrease in a few problematic diseases which have cost the community quite a lot of money to treat in the past. Each member mentioned the lessons on boiling water, hand washing, and general hygiene as lessons that had not only changed their lives, but also the lives of their families and the entire community. 

As we move forward into 2013, we are ready to start training the twelve Community Health Educators that the Committee selected from the community.  The goal of this training is to get them into every home in the community with the ability to help those families toward physical and spiritual wholeness as God intends for each of us.  Please remember our trainers, the Committee, Educators, and the community of Isinon in your prayers!