A Letter from Kenya
As I have African missionaries for in-laws, I have been following the violence in Kenya following their Presidential elections closely. My inlaws are in the US for another month, and for that I am thankful, but they do need to return to that confusion soon. My father-in-law emailed one of thir employees in Nairobi, Charles, (a native Kenyan) to ask how things were. The email affected me, so I thought I should post it here. I decided to leave the names in, since they are common names, and anyone who doesn't know them personally, wouldn't be able to find them. With no more ado:
Thank you so much for praying with us, there is trouble all over the country apart from Central part of Kenya. Hell broke loose after the presidential announcement on Sunday 30th December 2007. My family and i spent that night in the cold. There was immense looting and burning especially where we stay. I thank God for shielding us. We have heard the international community raising their voices on the same. On the ground, it's so bad compared to what is heard announced over the media. Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa is in the country to talk to the winner and loser. Our prayers are that they feel for Kenyans and understand one another. At the moment it is turning tribal where the presidents tribe ( Kikuyu) is targeted all over the country. It is the largest tribe and are widely spread. Transport is limited, most gas stations have run out petrol with little stock of diesel. Today it was God's favor that i filled the car and 40 liters in jerrycan. The 9 seater is in workshop. We do not know how tomorrow is going to be because the opposition party have called for an open air meeting in Nairobi but the government is opposed to it. About 300 people have lost their lives. Yesterday, rowdy youths in the Rift Valley surrounded a P C A church where people had run for shelter, torched it killing about 35 people mostly women and children. The opposition feels the election was rigged. We pray but leave the rest to God. Isaac and Josephine are still upcountry for lack of transport. Evans has not turned up and his phone is not reached. The rest are okay and well. I will update as we go along. At the moment their is tension in the city. God bless you and keep on praying with us.
Though the letter may just seem a recapping of the news headlines that we've seen this past week, the underlying tension nearly took my breath away. I am fortunate that in America we have not yet felt the panic and confusion of a political/economic/demographical melee in my lifetime. I am glad that Charles was able to find some fuel for his car, and I pray that they will find Evans safe, wherever he is. Please keep the Kenyans (both Luo's and Kikuyu's) in your thoughts and prayers and hopefully, this will come to an end soon.
Thank you so much for praying with us, there is trouble all over the country apart from Central part of Kenya. Hell broke loose after the presidential announcement on Sunday 30th December 2007. My family and i spent that night in the cold. There was immense looting and burning especially where we stay. I thank God for shielding us. We have heard the international community raising their voices on the same. On the ground, it's so bad compared to what is heard announced over the media. Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa is in the country to talk to the winner and loser. Our prayers are that they feel for Kenyans and understand one another. At the moment it is turning tribal where the presidents tribe ( Kikuyu) is targeted all over the country. It is the largest tribe and are widely spread. Transport is limited, most gas stations have run out petrol with little stock of diesel. Today it was God's favor that i filled the car and 40 liters in jerrycan. The 9 seater is in workshop. We do not know how tomorrow is going to be because the opposition party have called for an open air meeting in Nairobi but the government is opposed to it. About 300 people have lost their lives. Yesterday, rowdy youths in the Rift Valley surrounded a P C A church where people had run for shelter, torched it killing about 35 people mostly women and children. The opposition feels the election was rigged. We pray but leave the rest to God. Isaac and Josephine are still upcountry for lack of transport. Evans has not turned up and his phone is not reached. The rest are okay and well. I will update as we go along. At the moment their is tension in the city. God bless you and keep on praying with us.
Though the letter may just seem a recapping of the news headlines that we've seen this past week, the underlying tension nearly took my breath away. I am fortunate that in America we have not yet felt the panic and confusion of a political/economic/demographical melee in my lifetime. I am glad that Charles was able to find some fuel for his car, and I pray that they will find Evans safe, wherever he is. Please keep the Kenyans (both Luo's and Kikuyu's) in your thoughts and prayers and hopefully, this will come to an end soon.
posted by Laura Francabandera at
8:54 AM
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