SABAOT

"The Sabaot people live on or near the slopes of Mt. Elgon. From an altitude of 5 000 feet the hills gradually rise to 14 000 feet, crisscrossed by numerous mountain streams and spectacular waterfalls. This extinct volcano is about 50 miles in diameter. The Kenya-Uganda border goes straight through the mountain top cutting the Sabaot homeland into two halves.

The Sabaot people have been forced by the scarcity of land to drastically change their lifestyle from cattle herding to planting haze (corn) and vegetables. Economically, this change was good for the people - the frequent hunger spells have all but stopped. Socially, it has been a hard and traumatic change. The fabric of Sabaot society was torn asunder, the former leaders in the society lost their power, old values were eroded and drinking homemade beer grew to a destructive level. The Sabaot people are proud of their cultural heritage. The elders sing with sadness in their voices, using their 6-stringed lyre, about the lost glory of their free life as warriors and cattle people. They remember their best cows by name.

The Sabaot do not adapt to change quickly, but most of the children now go to school. Thirty years ago almost no children went to school. That is why the majority of adults have never learned to read. The young, educated people have become the new elite.

Traditionally, the Sabaot have always believed in a Creator God. He was good and provided sunshine, rain and life, but he was far away. It was the belief in the ancestral spirits that controlled the daily life of the people and brought them fortune or - more often - misfortune. If sickness struck, sacrifices had to be made to appease the angry ancestor who sent the sickness to avenge some wrongdoing against him. When the first missionaries settled among the Sabaot as late as 1981, the were asked ""Why have the missionaries forgotten us?"""

• Country: Kenya
• Percent Christian: 82.1%
• Percent Evangelical: 34%
• Population (Year): 30.8 million (1995)
• Major Religion: Christianity
• Openness to Missionaries: Open"

1. HAVE THEY HEARD THE GOSPEL?

Ratio of pastors/evangelists to population: 1 trained pastor or evangelist for every 25 000 persons (total pastors or evangelists 2 000 people )

Ratio of missionaries to population: 1 missionary for every 80 000 persons

Who is Jesus Christ to them ?

5% Believe Jesus is the Son of God and are nominally Christians
1% Believe in the Son of God and have accepted Him as their Savior
10% Believe Jesus is a Prophet, Teacher, a Good Man, but not God's Son
10% Have never heard His name
85% Have heard of Jesus, but have no Christian commitment

2. HAVE THEY RESPONDED TO THE GOSPEL?

Small churches have been started. As the scriptures are put into the language there is more and more response.

3. DO THEY HAVE A CHURCH?

Ratio of churches to populations: 1 church for every 2,000 persons (total churches -200 )

Total number of communities (cities, towns, villages): 1 church for every I0 communities

4. DO THEY HAVE THE WORD OF GOD TRANSLATED INTO THEIR MOTHER TONGUE?

Luke, Mark and several epistles, Jonah, Ruth, Genesis and Exodus are translated and others are in progress in Sabaot (in Kenya) The whole NT in Sebei (Uganda) is getting the final check before printing.

5. ANY HINDRANCES TO SCRIPTURE DlSTRIBUTION?

Literacy Rate: perhaps 40%
There is a wide area around the mountain with poor roads and no transportation. Distributors go a long distance on foot so they can't carry large quantities of books and tapes. Most older adults are not literate because widespread schooling began only in the 1960s with independence.

6. WHAT OTHER FORMS OF GOSPEL PRESENTATIONS ARE AVAILABLE?

The translated scriptures are being put to traditional music and these recordings are very well received.

7. ARE THEY RECEPTlVE TO CHANGE AND TO CHRISTIANITY

Open to conversations and listening about Christianity They are looking for something to give hope.

8. IS OUTSIDE (CROSS-CULTURAL) ASSISTANCE REQUIRED FROM MlSSIONARIES?

Yes, for their spiritual needs as well as their physical needs. Education is there through the government but having their own language in written form is helping the people to understand a lot better, both for their spiritual and physical needs."