Responding to the human instinct to fight or flee, Christopher Okaka Olwal, escaped clash rent Nakuru by unconventional means.
Realizing that his life was endangered after a number of his friends had been killed, Okaka, a mason, tried everything to find means to travel to Kisumu. He found that transport by bus was only available to women and children. Instead of giving up and resigning himself to his fate, he courageously mounted his bicycle and set off for Kisumu.
Traveling throughout the night, the trip took him a day and a half. Without a shilling in his pocket, he went without food until he reached Kericho. There a generous man gave him fifty shillings to get some food to strengthen him for the journey.
When he finally reached Kisumu, he found himself at the St. Stephen’s Cathedral IDP camp. This camp provided for and assisted over 9000 IDPs in the past one and a half months.
The camp is set on the future site of a 3000 seat cathedral, still in the building process. Set on land which was originally a prison, the compound was opened up for IDPs at the beginning of February. In the unfinished future cathedral, tents were set up to provide the IDPs with food, medical supplies, counseling, and spiritual guidance. There was even a station dealing with peace and reconciliation.
When Okaka reached the camp he was welcomed and given much needed assistance. The camp coordinator, J. A. Osewe, assisted helped relocate his wife and eight children from Nakuru to Kisumu. The family now has moved on to their own place but the connection with the church has stayed strong.
Knowing that Okaka needed work, when the church decided to build permanent toilets, they hired him. His project is just beginning but already the quality of his work is obvious. With dusty hands, he carefully places each brick in its place and once satisfied that it is in the correct place, he slaps mortar in place and carefully scraps it smooth with a trowel. The serenity of his face shows how happy he is to be back at work again, providing for his family and doing something he enjoys.
