Gene and Melba arrived in January 1995 to work with the Christian Missionary Fellowship (CMF Kenya Field Team), serving among the Turkana people -- a nomadic people of the desert.  Until recent years, however, the Turkana were not receptive to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The CMF-Kenya team began living among this people group in 1977 first in medical ministry then to evangelize and plant churches. 

Gene and Melba’s work is in leadership development for house and village churches.  Gene conducts daily Bible studies with the Turkana Christian men, as well as teaching courses in the new Turkana Bible Training Institute in Lodwar.  These teaching opportunities are helping the Turkana Christian leaders to develop God's Great Commission heart.  

For this term in Kenya, Gene and Melba have partnered with Water for Life and Livelihood (WFLL) to install clean water and irrigation systems to provide sanitary water and help the people gain food security.  The clean water and daily food from the irrigated farms provide opportunities for Christians to reachout to their neighbors.  Another goal is to train and encourage the Turkana Church to take God’s Word to the surrounding tribes in Kenya.  

As fresh water and daily food have become available, the mortality rate has dropped and both enrollment and proficiency has increased in the schools CMF sponsors.  A growing challenge is helping these youth afford school.  The average cost per year for school is about 40 goats or $425.00.  Since most of these families have 15 or fewer goats, the parents can offer little or no assistance to their children.  If you want to help a Turkana youth go to school, please visit our blog.