Food Relief

In the dry and dust-choked plains of Moroto, Karamoja, the effects of prolonged drought and famine were devastating. Harvests had failed, livestock had died, and entire communities—especially children and the elderly—faced the grip of hunger. Local churches, though rich in faith, were overwhelmed in their efforts to care for the suffering.

But in the midst of pain, God made a way.

Through the Famine Relief Program in partnership with Lugogo Baptist Church and CLIDE Consultancy, over 300 families across different villages among the Tepeth and Matheniko received food aid. More than that, the local Church became a channel of compassion and witness.

Before that, one of the most heart-wrenching moments came when we received news about Dowan and his wife, a young couple from the Tepeth community in Mountain Moroto. They had just lost their baby daughter. She had a fever, and they believed it was sorcery. Our gospel workers in the area rushed them to the regional hospital, where doctors confirmed the heartbreaking truth: the baby was severely malnourished because the mother herself hadn’t eaten properly for weeks.

That season of famine demanded action.

Reaching Frontiers, working with local partners, launched a famine and food relief program that empowered local communities. We asked Dowan and his wife—now deeply aware of the tragedy of hunger—to help coordinate the food distribution among his Tepeth community. Over 60 children met weekly for Bible reading and porridge. Through their pain, they became a vessel of hope. Today, Dowan and his wife are blessed with a healthy baby girl. Their healing journey became a story of restoration for an entire village. The kindness shown through the “Sharing Is Caring” initiative opened doors into previously hard-to-reach areas, building trust and gospel witness.

In another village, we met Mary, an elderly woman from Nataparakwangan who lived alone with her 10-year-old nephew. She was battling tuberculosis and had no consistent source of food. On one occasion, our Gospel partners were called urgently—Mary’s condition had worsened. Though she had received medication, she had gone nearly three days without food. Sadly, Mary passed, not because of disease, but because of hunger. Her death stirred the hearts of her neighbors and and Bible study group to mobilize all the elderly for the food relief.

That same program reached others like Nacha, Mary’s friend and a widow with no one to care for her. Through the food relief, not only were children fed, but families were strengthened. The community in Nataparakwangan also received farming support from partners, fields were plowed and seeds were provided for planting, giving them long-term sustainability and dignity.

This was not just a relief effort—it was the Church in action.

Churches reported increased trust within their communities. Bible studies grew. Children once too weak to attend school began learning again. Through love in action, the Gospel found new soil to take root in.

As one local elder put it, “We had no strength left. The Church became our refuge. When the food came, we saw that God had remembered us.”

In the ashes of famine, God raised up a testimony of mercy. Through partnerships, sacrifice, and the unstoppable power of love, the people of Moroto encountered not just food but the Church being light hope was lost. Thanks for all partners.