February 2017

Dear Friends,
You may be shocked to hear that people have begun dying silently of starvation in most rural areas in North and Eastern Uganda. I think that the government is deliberately gagging the press to avoid embarrassment.

People who live in cities are well off, and give a false picture of Uganda as a growing economy. These are just less that 10% of the population, who are in privileged position and good businesses.

I was very surprised when I visited Anyara Sub County in Kaberamaido district last year November. I had just returned from Burundi, another impoverished community. However, the scale of food shortage in Anyara was far greater than I had experienced in my entire life. It was disturbing to see people living worse off lives than beasts.

People were and are still surviving on wild growing fruits, termites and really anything not worthy human consumption. Now in February, it has worsened and it is likely to continue to grow worse till probably June; that is if rains return in March as expected.

People are suffering, not because they are lazy, but the conditions were far beyond what they could have prevented. Two crop seasons failed consecutively due to abnormally heavy El Nino rains, then drought followed immediately.

I was moved to see this scale of suffering, most especially among the vulnerable members of the community. This comprises of senior citizen above 70, people with chronic illnesses, widows, and child-managed households. To put me even in greater sorrow, the Sub county chairperson challenged me to stop preaching to hungry people, instead first give them what to eat. He cited biblical examples where Paul and apostles were concerned about the needy especially during times of famine.

This was a bomb shell!The provocation and compassion was enough to send me before the Lord for days. God was moved and made a provision which I administered myself. Last week we gave food, constituting of 25 Kgs of ground maize flour, and 8 Kgs of beans worthy an equivalent of USD 5,400 to 250 vulnerable households in Anyara Sub County.

The press was quick to comment and give credit.(Newspaper story about the distribution). But I believe what we did was negligible compared to the need. Anyara Sub county has over 4,000 households and is still having four straight months of famine. What we have given is support to help the most critical cases for only 4 to 6 weeks.

We are available to continue to help if resources are available. Revival Time Ministry takes humanitarian intervention in the same way as preaching the word from the Bible. Our administrative costs are kept to less than 2% usually. The three of us (Rev. Isaac Peter Oyako, Peter Eirait, and Loy Akello) were involved in the food stores from morning to evening weighing and sealing the food packages without any allowances. We did everything ourselves except maintaining order which involved the police.

We are appealing for any help for the famine stricken people of Anyara still. We shall deliver it as it is, and give you the pictures. If you know of any organization which may require formal application, please let us know.

We have a long history of effective response to disaster: Revival Time Ministry was the first to take food to camps after LRA Kony had torched and killed people in Obalanga. We rode in Military vehicles which the camp was still smoldering. We have the capacity, compassion and skill to respond.

Pray with us for more donations for the people of Anyara. The need is two fold: Food Aid and seeds when rains return. People have eaten all their seeds. Treated seeds will be an urgent need just next month.

It might interest you to see the following attachments:
(i) What the Newspaper story about the distribution
(ii) Some of the distribution Pictures

Pastor Peter Oyako personally overseeing the registration for food.

A policeman helping with the distribution

A woman is taking away the food supply she has just received.

(iii) How the Local government appreciated us.
[You may open or download the text version of this Appeal.

Thank you very much
Rev. Isaac Peter Oyako
Exec. Supervisor/Founder of Revival Time Ministry
Itinerant Bible Teacher and Biblical Counselor
Tel. +256 772 475 720
Email Me