David Alton reports from the Turkana Desert
During his recent visit to Southern Sudan as part of a Jubilee Action humanitarian mission, the independent Crossbench peer, David Alton, visited the frontline missionaries of St Paul. Imagine a diocese the size of Ireland and a parish where you can travel for most of two days without seeing another vehicle. This is the remote region of Turkana in Northern Kenya, close to the turbulent borders of Sudan, Kenya and Ethiopia.
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Turkana district comprises some 77,000 square kilometres and semi-desert where there is only very sparse vegetation. It has been described as "a sun-dried moonscape" and it is easy to see why. Famine and drought are a part of every day life for the Turkanas and death, suffering and endurance are words that need no explanation here. The young missionary priest who had invited Jubilee Action to see the work of his community had, one day earlier, buried seven of his parishioners shot dead by a raiding party who had come over the border to steal women and livestock. Death is no stranger in Turkana. During my recent visit I met the energetic and resourceful bishop, Patrick Harrington, an Irish priest of the Society of African Missions (SMA).
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As bishop of Lodwar (and only the second, having succeeded Bishop John Mahon) he is the only authority actively engaged in the provision of health, education and development initiatives. The government and aid agencies are nowhere to be seen. In his diocese 70 out of every 100 adults cannot read or write in an language; only about 15 of every 100 women are literate; more than 50% of children of school age do not attend school; and the infant mortality rate is 159 deaths for every 1000 live births. Last year the District Medical Officer said that the HIV/AIDS virus infects some 34% of the population. Before ending their relief operations in the area last month, World Vision reported that in the most recent famine (2000-2001) some two thirds of the people received food aid supplies. As the agencies move on to the next disaster zone it is difficult to see how they can conclude that the crisis is over in Turkana or to see what capacity they have left in place to equip the Turkanas to combat the next famine more effectively.
