Karamoja Trip to Kotido

Leading up to this mission in Kotido, all I heard about was the hardships that this community has endured. The main issue is that Kotido has been one of the leading places that trains the warriors and cattle wrestlers. There was such heavy emphasis on how violent and potentially hostile these villagers would be. Kotido is a place, near Kaabong, where Divine Care Ministries has briefly gone to, so the majority of this was unfamiliar.  

I have gone to a few different districts in Karamoja in the past 3 years, all of which have left me shocked. Each time I have gone, they have been districts where Divine Care Ministries has had people on the ground during previous year’s missions and with the outreach they do all throughout the year. They have all been places where DCM has stepped foot in and church planted, while still each time finding people that have yet to hear about Jesus. But all the while the main town centers around have been reached by DCM, and Jesus has been introduced to them. These missions have completely changed everything about the district's land.

I remember being in the car on the journey back home from this past mission in Kotido, driving through areas where we have been before, and being in awe that for the past 20 something years Mama Phoebe, Pastor Sozi, and their team have been visiting these villages. They began with little information, only warnings and resistance. They began going when the terrain was all dry dirt. There was no agriculture. Food was not able to be grown. There was no rain. Violence was everywhere. The cattle wrestling was at an all time high. The gospel had not been brought there. School was only but a bother, and all around conditions were at an extreme low. The Lord brought me through past memories on that long car ride and reminded me of His transformation in these lands. And what a privilege for DCM to get to continue to pour into these familiar villages and see all of the tangible change and transformation. They have been steadfast for so long and have held onto the words the Lord has spoken to them about this land. They are now getting to sit on the other side of so much change and have seen His faithfulness to fulfill and continue to fulfill every word He has spoken. There are still so many souls to be reached by the love of God, but the current state is so encouraging. Because of their commitment to this land and region, everything about Karamoja has changed. When a village is accepting to invite the Lord into their lives, the Lord begins a work that He promises to finish. In this very year, we are getting a front row view of all the Lord is bringing this land and His people through. He makes His people unrecognizable from their past ways of life. He has used DCM to help steward this by coming in and providing practical ways for better living and as encouragement and accountability to push the people of Karamoja to Christ like living. I can not imagine getting to see this transformation from the past 20 years, but even just seeing it from the past 3 years encourages my spirit immensely. I have gotten to see the contrast from an area called Kochito and their acceptance of Jesus and schooling and the transformation that is taking place there in contrast to a place like Kotido. We were on our way back from the mission in Kotido and had to pass through Kochito and to see the tangible difference in the light on peoples faces, to see the difference in the terrain, and the advancement of the town showed the impact of Jesus. I was humbled to see that difference but also expectant that Kotido would soon look like Kochito. 

Kotido is a densely populated area. There is a surplus of people in their mañatas and so many huts in each. Instead of all of the missionaries going to different districts, this year we all went to Kotido and split up into smaller groups to walk different roads and try and reach all we could! Going into the mañatas, the people were hungry to hear about Jesus. What I love most is that we get to go into their land and meet them exactly where they are and introduce them to Jesus who most have never heard about. When we would tell them about Him, I would find myself being curious and asking the translator to ask if they had ever heard about Him before, and all of the responses I got were no. What an honor that DCM has created a lifestyle to go and be image bearers of Christ to those who have never heard of the good and gracious news. Each day the people of Kotido would welcome us into their mañatas while the women were busy tending to the children or sorting sorghum on their tarps. There were times when we would enter their tiny gate made of sticks and branches, having to get on our hands and knees and crawl to enter, and all we would find were the kids there alone. Most of the time you won’t see the men, because they would be busy in the market place or you will find the men sitting in circles together under a tree. They leave the women and the kids to do all the housework and to tend to the cattle, water, and food. Occasionally we would enter a mañata and encounter the men. We were blessed when we entered and some were there. Their hearts are typically hardened towards accepting Jesus into their lives, but we witnessed how the Lord touches them and softens them to then desire to walk with Him.

This trip we came across a lot of women who were suffering and grieving from loss. We heard countless stories of tragic loss. One woman we found led us into an area where we sat and talked. She told us of her 21 year old husband who had entered into a game park and taken a rare part of an animal and was shot alongside his 18 year old friend. She was broken. Another mom in that mañata shared how her baby had just died, and she was experiencing such pain from losing her beloved baby. She couldn't eat. Her body ached, and her heart was shattered. Getting to pray with these women was special. Knowing that the Lord draws near to the broken hearted, I continued to be aware of His nearness. He was comforting and embracing these mothers with their ache and pain. Each time we would enter somewhere, there seemed to be an experience of loss in their lives. There was an ache and need. Prayer was so welcomed, and they got to experience the power of it. With every concern they had, they would bring it to our attention, and we would get to lift it up in prayer. This particular week I was so thankful we serve a God who always has His ears opened towards our cries, needs, and aches. We experienced the reality of His hand always reaching toward us, picking us up, and bringing us into His arms. 

Amidst all of the lack, hurt, and pain, I truly believe the Lord’s joy infiltrated that land. The amount of times we just got to laugh with the kids and moms made strangers begin to feel more familiar and created a sense of safety across the language and cultural barrier. It was truly a language that created closeness and trust. The Lord’s joy carried us all through the moments of comforting a mom who has lost everything and moments of rejoicing in so many lost souls meeting Jesus, their first and best love, for the first time. I am so excited to see how DCM continues to pour into Kotido, especially with the measures they have put in place. Each time we would enter a mañata, we would have our translator (from Kotido) get their names and information so they could have weekly prayer meetings with each family to continue to encourage and disciple them! 

Our prayer and declaration over the land of Kotido came from Isaiah 61. It says, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion– to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. …Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy.”

In a land that has been so gripped and oppressed by the enemy, the Lord has declared Kotido His. His children have now heard His voice and been invited into the family of Christ, which declares His children forever free and untouchable from ever being sons of darkness but adopted into being sons of light. Their protection is the Lord Himself, protecting them from the witchcraft that is practiced all throughout the land. We got to pray and talk with a mom who had been cut open by witch doctors that had cut across her knee to “relieve” her from pains in her joints that disabled her from walking. She and so many others got to see Jesus as their healer and be released from the lies of witchcraft that have entangled their land because of confusion. 

Please continue to keep Karamoja in your prayers, interceding for the nations that one day every Karamajong will proclaim the name of the Lord over their lives! Karamoja is for Jesus!   

This new well is located in Kalochere, a village where Divine Care Ministries operates one of its Early Childhood Development Centers (ECDC). An ECDC is like a pre-school or kindergarten. Since education in Karamoja is not valued, this is where we have to start. So children of all ages come and learn simple things like the alphabet and counting numbers. We currently have about 130 children divided into 3 classes. Two of them meet under a temporary structure that is shaded. The other class meets under a tree. We praise God that we now have students who are finishing the “kindergarten” program and moving onto primary schools in the area. Our long-term dream is to open our own primary school in Kalochere one day so that we can keep these children rooted in Christ as they get an education.

Until now, even these children had no reliable access to clean drinking water. That changed with the installation of this well. We are so thankful to the sponsor who helped to fund this well!

It means children can spend more time in the classroom instead of walking long distances for water. It means fewer illnesses from dirty water. It means mothers can care for their families with peace of mind, knowing their children are drinking water that won’t harm them.

For a village like Kalochere, this well brings health, dignity, and hope.

Our goal is to provide clean, safe water at all six of our Early Childhood Development Centers and we’re excited to share that we’re currently preparing to drill our third well!

-Taylor Dickinson (Partner of DCM)

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