ACF 2010 Missions........Background of Kumi District!!!

Hello family. I know that all 2010 mission team arrived safely in their homes. I just wanted to share with you the Historical background of Kumi District, Ongino sub county, Totolim village where ACF 2010 Summer Missions took place.

Every transition in life has its set of challenges, difficulties, and benefits. Returning home from a mission trip is no exception. Coming home with such a life-changing experience requires more than the usual “Welcome Back” greeting.

KUMI District is located in the eastern part of Uganda. It boarders Bukedea District from the south, Moroto in the east, Soroti and Katakwi in the north while Serere district lies in the western. Ongino Sub County where the mission trip took place is itself located in the eastern part of kumi district. It is mostly occupied by the Iteso tribe who happen to be the descendants of the Karimojong the fearless tribe. The Karimojong are the original people who are the nomadic Nile Hammites in east Africa. They kept on moving from place to place in search of water and green pasture for their livestock. Their movement from the North east lead them to the present day Moroto and got scattered in the places of Soroti, Kumi and else where.

Doctor Hyacinth and Pastor Emmanuel handing over the money to Auruku Minai Primary School administration to help in buying uniforms for 20 students who had no Uniforms. I know this will impact the students after receiving their new uniforms.

Children are very receiptive to prayer. Many of them took Jesus to be their lord and Savior.

One of the people who received medical attention from ACF Medical missions in Ongino village in Kumi.

Dr. Dozie and Sister Grace worked very hard in the pharmarcy department

Oly (ACF USA Young Adult) served Kumi children with exciting bible stories. She was an inspiration to the team. My favourite part was the worship time we had with the children there. Just singing in our language and them singing in theirs was an amazing experience..Oly

The Karimojong got their name because in the process of their movement towards the east from north east (Abisinia) the present day Ethiopia via Lake Rudolf, got tired and the old could no longer walk. Hence (Ekar-imojong). The youth, and those who were still strong continued their journey but just because the old people who did not want them to proceed said, “ go and become graves” now giving them the name Iteso from the word Atesin, meaning graves.

With so many Christian groups going on mission trips around the world, it can be so inspiring to read about how each of us is changing the world in God's name. Here are pictures of how God used people like you to spread his gospel and make a difference in people's lives through ACF.

From the time immemorial the Karimojong have been disturbing Iteso over the cows alleging that all cows belong to them. If they stole the cows, they would say, they are just taking back their cows, which the young Iteso took when the old fail to walk.

The government regimes have come and gone, and found those conflicts and left them unsolved. When the Uganda army of president Dr. Apolo Milton Obote was oust in 1971, by Mr. Amin Dada, many Karimojong went with fire arms. This being a dictatorial regime. This regime had a fearless army. Every body was scared for his or her life. In 1979, the liberation army toppled the Amin’s dictatorial government. Here the Karimojong acquired small guns and cattle stealing became tense. Fire arms escalated cattle rustling. Many Iteso lost their lives, children were left as orphans. Women were rapped, homes destroyed, culture lost, and people lived in fear. There was no hope to live the next day. Malera places and Ongino-Totolim became road pass ways for the rustlers. Homes were all burned down. The productive labour force was all looted that is the bulls.

When Obote came back the second time on the throne, the situation was again restored. But when Tito Okello Lutwa over threw him, the Karimojong again re-armed themselves and as president Museveni rebel commander took over from Tito OKello, the situation again became worse than that of the past. Life became useless and hopeless for the rural poor.
Malera people and Ongino villages were all subjected to flee the land. Those who did not leave the place suffered a lot in the hands of rebels, army and the Karimojong. This kind of situation was coupled with natural disasters, like unreliable rainfall, long droughts, poor harvests, disease, poverty, lack of education for children and people’s lives were in bad critical condition.This then caused the Iteso to form a rebel movement to fight the government with the hope to recover the lost glory.

Security was not there for people’s property and lives. This latter war took place from 1986 to 1992. I would say that the places that ACF U.S Inc. has implemented its mission activities are deliberately chosen to help the most vulnerable poor restore their hope of life through gospel outreach, medical outreach, child sponsorship and household economic empowerment.