Abiita Rhoda is a Nurse, working at Amudat Hospital among the Pokot, this is the only hospital serving over 300 families in her community. Rhoda was first invited to the Lutheran family during the ETS workshop organized by LMMU between 24th through 27th October 2008. As one of the less than four (4) educated women in her community, Rhoda was invited to be able to translate the ETS Modules and teaching to the Lutheran Women coming from 4 churches attending ETS then.
Rhoda was present at the recent ETS workshop which took place from 16th through 20th July 2009 at Amudat. The ETS was coloured by Singing, storytelling, and decorative arts, especially bodily adornment, which are highly valued. Singing and dancing welcomed the arrival of the LHM Uganda staff and Missionary Jacob Gillard from LCMS. The following three days of ETS and worship saw many Pokot women Bodily adorned with beadwork, hairstyling, scarification, and colourful dresses similar to that worn by the Maasai of Kenya.
The Pokot, who, a pastoral community in northeastern Uganda and western Kenya that straddle the two country’s borders, also perform mutilations. Rhoda shared with the Director LHM Uganda office that “The Pokots straddle the Uganda-Kenya border and live in Nakapiripirit District in small villages of about 30-40 people farming corn, sheep and cattle, neighboring the Karimajongs.”
Rhoda explained that she has been touched by the ETS teachings during the 2008 training and decided to Join Amudat Lutheran Church the week that followed. Her concern this time around was the state of women at Amudat. She shared that “the women of our community normally have no formal education and only attend to sheep and Goats and do farming. The traditional practice of cutting a girl’s genitalia still marks the transition to womanhood, despite growing fears that the ritual is fuelling the spread of HIV/AIDS. It is a very crude operation – there’s no sterilization of equipment and one knife will be used to cut more than 20 girls at a time.”
Rhoda, a nurse by profession request Rev. Charles Bameka that “as a Christian leaders, you can work through the church to address and condemned as a violation of a woman’s rights Female circumcision – commonly referred to as female genital mutilation (FGM) which causes long-term physiological effects including septicaemia, genital malformation and even death while predisposing the victims to HIV infection. Adding that the Lutheran Media Ministry and the Lutheran church should also address other abusive cultural practices of wife beating, early child forced marriages (Often girls 15 years old or younger are forced to marry 50 or 60 year old men. They are essentially sold for a dowry), alcohol abuse (Home neglect and alcohol abuse is a major community problem, contributed to child neglect), and idolatry. Its only the church that can change our communities with the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.” The Director LHM Uganda confirmed to Rhoda that “Jesus Loves the Pokot women too and through His Word – the Bible, he can change their situation.”
The Pokot are mostly cattle herders/farmers, but about a quarter are cultivators, mostly growing corn. However, whether a cultivator or pastoralist, believe that the universe has two realms, the above and the below. The above, remote and unknowable, is the abode of the most powerful deities—Tororot, Asis (sun), and llat (rain); the below is the abode of humans, animals, and plants. Men and women are considered responsible for the peace and prosperity of the realm that they inhabit, but they must rely upon divine vitality and knowledge to achieve and maintain these conditions. The Pokot communicate with their deities through prayer and sacrifice: Tororot is said to listen to his creatures below, Asis to witness their activities, and llat to serve as a messenger between the two realms. Deities, in turn, communicate with humans, warning and rebuking them about their misconduct.
Through strengthening the ETS workshop to empower the believer to reach their tribes men, Christianity will continue to reshaped Pokot cosmology, by primarily reducing the number of deities, while augmenting their attributes.
A total of 60 participant from 10 Lutheran Churches attended the ETS workshop, 276 attended the film show after the workshop of which 12 people were enrolled for BCC and over 35 attended worship at Amudat Lutheran Church both men and women.
Amudat region is by far the most desolate and remote place I’ve ever been, but GOD is there and loves His people the Pokot.
Filed under: Uncategorized
yes not only the women but also the men who are pouring blood daily because of raids. the bible is the only tool and of course prayer.so that our people may know the reedeming power of christ.