Too many places of worship? There are hardly any in Pokot

By Alex Kiprotich

Nearly every neighbourhood in many towns is anchored by a house of worship - a church, synagogue, mosque or temple. It does not matter how it looks like - some are architectural work of marvel, historic and beautiful, others portray simplicity while yet others like Helicopter ministries look like they would crumble any minute.

It is not unusual to here residents in some places complain of mushrooming churches that have become a quick route to riches.

But have you ever imagined life without church? What would the neighbourhood look like on Sundays? That would seem total defiance to religion and startling. But this is the reality of residents of Silale in East Pokot district.

There is no single church in a location of over 15,000 people and the residents do not know the difference between a day of worship and any other. There is no form of modern worship that takes place in the vast, dry region where life seems to be in its natural state.

Koriren Modony, 80, says he has never seen an inside of a church. He does not know which day of the week is for worship.

Little knowledge on religion

"Church what is it? I know of schools and buildings where things are sold," he says when the writer asks him if he knows what a church is.

Modony says all days are same throughout the year except for few children who go to school and are allowed to rest because he thinks education is tiresome.

"There are days when pupils stay at home to help parents and I think what they are taught must be very difficult and must be given time to rest and decide if they would go back to school," he says.

Here, famine, disease and cattle rustling are common. It is the survival for the fittest. The weak ones die and family members quickly dispose of the remains in very shallow graves – hardly a metre deep – and heap stones on top.

There are only traditional ceremonies performed by the graveside. The belongings of the dead are also placed near the spot.

And to ward off dogs from devouring the dead, they perform some rituals and light fire using herbs that ensure mongrels keep off. Those living around are forced to put up with the smell of the decaying body for days.

Modony says elders organise traditional prayers and sacrifices during festivals and when the area is faced with natural calamities like drought and raids.

They also have diviners. They are superstitious and believe in sorcery and sometimes call on various forms of lucky charms to ward off the ill will of any sorcerers.

Chebokobil Chumaluk says she has seen a church building at Chemolingot but does not know what goes on inside.

Chumaluk says she would wish to convert to Christianity but there is no church at Achurur where she lives.

"I cannot walk for 30 kilometres to go and worship. It is too far but I would really like to know what is said in the church," she says.

Silale ward councillor Peter Lokoromoi says the absence of a place of worship and the fact that people still believe in their traditional ways is the reason for many ills in the region.

He says children are brought up ‘without morals and end up as rustlers because they have not been taught about sanctity of life’.

"What do you tell someone who does not know about God and the teachings of the Bible?" he asks.

He says the region needs places of worship and missionaries so that they ‘can change peoples’ lives and way of thinking’. Lokoromoi says he has approached Anglican Church of Kenya based in Nginyang to help them put up a church and spread the Gospel in the area.

Passionate plea

"I am willing to give land to build a church. It would go a long way in alleviating the many evils in our society. People die here because of famine, disease and cattle raids which can easily been eradicated through teaching people how to co-exist," he says.

He says most people still believe in traditional prophets in the area for help. "They have prophets whose advice is sought through animal sacrifices. Their ability is considered a divine gift," he says.

He adds: "Clan histories recount the changes of location, through poetry and song, emphasising the vulnerability of humans and the importance of supernatural powers to help them overcome hunger, thirst, and even death."

But for Chebokirial Atepul, the first time she attended a church service at Chemolingot was out of curiosity and she found the it hilarious and confusing.

Atepul says she could not comprehend anything the priest was talking about while reading a ‘huge book’ and people ‘mumbled’ things everytime he paused.

"I did not understand anything as people kept standing up and sitting down. It is taxing and confusing," she says.

Since then, she has never gone back. However, she is among the lucky few who have seen the inside of a church.