Disciples Women Kenya Water Project
In September 2025, Disciples Women traveled to Kenya as part of the Woman-to-Woman Journey. Read testimonials by Rev. Dr. Debra M. Reid and Rev. Christiane Swartz below and make a gift to help provide clean water at the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Turkana, Kenya.
“With God all things are Possible” (Philippians 4:13)
The Woman-to-Woman Journey in Kenya took us to Turkana where we went to meet some of the South Sudanese women at the Kakuma Refugee Camp. This turned out to be more than enlightening for us; it was life changing. Rev. Christiane Swartz was assigned that day to capture what we experienced that day in Kakuma at the refugee camp. Her reflection is shared below. For me though, the feeling that invaded our souls as we left the camp was one of shock, shame, and silence.
While there, we heard someone speak about the impact of having a water source for the refugees. With water they could raise some vegetables to eat or barter, water to quench their thirst in the middle of the desert, and water for sanitary purposes to wash, clean, and bathe.
Our hearts were devastated when we left Kakuma. Our minds were overwhelmed with grief. Our souls were convicted and made us ask ourselves what we could possibly do to help in the midst of this crisis. We knew we had to do something, and so we selected as our project what we thought was the greatest need we had encountered. We felt convicted because the US had withdrawn from the World Food Program and we saw and felt the devastation of the South Sudanese Women. Their cries touched our hearts, and the thought came -but by the grace of God go I.
Women, just like us, caught in an unjust situation trying to make do with little to nothing. With that understanding, we could not just walk away. We knew that we had to get them living water! Water that fills the soul and stomachs. Water that can make them whole again. We are praying for them, because they believe and we believe in God who is able to do more than we could ever ask, imagine or think. And we are working to help give them water that will sustain their lives. As scripture says, “with God all things are possible” (Phil 4:13).
We believe in God who is gracious, abounds in mercy and is the creator of water. And we are asking you to support us in our efforts to provide this water to the Refugees as soon as possible. Please use the form below to support this important project. Thank you for your contribution and God bless.
Rev. Dr. Debra M. Reid
Executive Director, Disciples Women
Kakuma Refugee Camp: A Reflection
Wednesday, September 10, 2025
We arrived at the refugee camp, which I have particularly called since learning about it a year ago. I initially perceived as a place of hope but have come to understand that though it gave the south Sudanese shelter from gunfire and acts of war against their families, that it has also become a place of despair with limited resources and no way out for those who make it there.
The refugee women greeted us with song and walked us into the church with joyful singing, where we were the guest of honor. For the next few hours several women shared their stories, punctuated by tears, songs, and prayers. Their collective story is one of tragedy, loss, devastation, and despair. There, women are almost all widows. Most raising children, grandchildren and relatives. They state things have always been hard there, but at least with food and water they could keep their babies alive. But then about six months ago the food and water just stopped coming.
Some women called out our administration directly. Some referenced losing USAID; some just said they didn’t know why. But the result has devastated all hope as mothers watch helplessly as their children starve. Most of the women talked about suicide as seeming like the only way out. Many talked about women they knew who had hung themselves in the last few months, leaving babies behind.
The collective despair in that room was more stifling than the heat in the metal roofed structure we were gathered in. I oddly sat against the wire fence window were next to the young children smiling and flirting with us, giggling with each other and wanting to be included. Every single woman who spoke thanked God for calling us to them because they knew we would help. Every. Single. One.
Afterwards they generously shared lunch with all of us – bread, maize, goat and greens. I think many of us ate uncomfortably knowing we were taking food from the mouths of those babies. Honestly, I think going into today we all felt really good about the 50 (50 lb.) bags of maize we were able to gift to them. But the bus ride back to Turkana was super quiet, and I wonder how many of us struggled with the feeling of even that being woefully inadequate.
by Rev. Christiane Swartz