News: Stories for Life (SFL) is in its third year! Two workshops have so far been organised in Lokichoggio, Kenya. One has been organised in Kapoeta in South Sudan (SPC).
Stories for Life is designed for the Nyangatom (South Sudan and Ethiopia), Toposa (South Sudan) and Turkana (Kenya) communities. They are all largely very vulnerable pastoralists, herders, who are closely related to each other in terms of culture, customs, living conditions and language. Large areas where they live lack almost everything we take for granted: schools, healthcare, roads, clean water, electricity and shops.
The courses are based on the book Stories for Life which deals with the challenges people face, like children dying at an early age, malnutrition, disease caused by unclean water, drugs and alcohol, the tradition that school is not important, least of all for girls, the situation of the disabled and much more. The Stories for Life material can be seen as a tool for churches to reach out to the people around them. After all, the Gospel is also about caring about people's challenges in life.
The workshop aims to train appropriate key personnel on how to use the material effectively. The training in Kenya has been carried out together with the pastor couple Michael and Sarah Edapal. During the course, many of the stories are recorded in the languages represented by the course participants so that they can then use the recordings when conducting their gatherings among the people in the kraals.
The SFL work also includes the distribution of mosquito nets to protect against the malaria mosquito. Quite a few nets have been distributed especially to mothers with small children.
If you have a used mobile phone lying around or are thinking of getting a new one, you are welcome to donate the one you don't need to Stories for Life. They are used for the recording of the stories. You can also shop at the SFL table in Lorensbergskyrkan in Kalmar, all money raised there goes to the work. Or you may also take the opportunity to use a “giftogram” from there if you want to give a gift at a funeral or birthday.