Karamoja Okkens

I have often said that my life in Africa probably looks a lot like yours in America…apart from some very different kind of scenery. In some ways life can be pretty routine. On the other hand, there is always the need to be prepared for the unexpected. A night’s sleep might be interrupted by the 2am whining and barking of our dogs after they have chased an animal (most recently it was a genet) up into a tree.  Just this week the morning homeschool plans were thrown out the window as our whole compound spent almost two hours figuring out how to get to and kill a very large black mamba snake which was hiding up in the under parts of our vehicle. Routine in our home schooling, but not necessarily scheduled. Routine in our weekly activities but with a visitor or teammate usually coming or going. My mornings are filled with school or some other educational experience. Doing my best, well usually my best, at juggling three grade levels of subjects. Thankfully the kids are on autopilot for s…

Rains have come in plenty. It is very wet these days. Muddy roads will make for challenging travels again. Yet we are thankful for the plowing and planting taking place in many fields. We appreciate your prayers both for our travels but also for the farms of our friends here. We are thankful for our new teammates, the Robbins. You are welcome to check out their blog (mygandarobbins.wordpress.com) as there are interesting adventures going on in their lives about which we ask you to pray. It has been fun getting to know their family and for me to get into a ministry rhythm with my new colleague, the other Pastor David. Actually, our Karimojong friends have given him the name “Pastor Lokut”. His family’s arrival on the field was during the dry season which is very windy. Lokut means wind. (The same name was given to our son, Caleb, who also first came to Karamoja during windy times). This will help distinguish the two pastors, leaving me the lone Pastor David. (Despite attempts early on, …