March 14, 2008

Dear Friends and Encouragers,

Kenya has been in a state of crisis since early January of this year. Following the narrow-margined re-election of  Kibaki to the presidency, there was a bitterness and sense of fraud that caused the opposition party of Raila to boil over. This division was not just along political party lines but also along tribal lines. Several non-Kikuyu tribes from western Kenya went on the attack to kill, loot, and burn the Kikuyu people who had moved into their neighborhoods over the past 100 years. Then, in areas of Kikuyu dominance, there was violence against the other tribes. In addition, gangs were hired to add to the mayhem. Within a month, more than 1,000 were killed and more than 350,000 were displaced from their homes. Many churches, stores, and thousands of homes were destroyed. The property loss and the impact on society, schools, commerce, and the tourist industry and cannot be tallied.

Three of 20 disabled children who received surgery in Maua, Kenya, this February. "Of such is the Kingdom...."

Where is the church in all of this? How does God’s people act and react in such a situation? What would you and I do in such a crisis? Unfortunately, the churches were not fully innocent in this tribal divisiveness, and many have had to re-examine their stance. At the same time, church bodies have been active and sacrificial in providing food, shelter, and comfort to tens of thousands in internal refugee camps. The nation has been on its knees praying for mercy, peace, and a future.

Individuals have often responded in a godly and heroic manner. Many thousands have taken folk into their homes, to the point where the sleeping bodies on the floor disallow a trip to the latrine. The sharing of food, clothing, and other resources has impoverished many. I have personally heard many stories. One woman, leaving for work, gave the key of her home to a non-Kikuyu neighbor to have a place to flee if the need arose. The same individual sent a message of encouragement to a non-Kikuyu friend and received a quick reply—no malice to be brooked here! A Christian girl attending a multi-tribal school in Nairobi told of how she and other students gathered to pray and declare their empowered stand against the hate. In the Kibera slum area, 25 young people who had been surrounded by the violence of limbs slashed and kin killed were asked to gather in a large room. They then were separated in groups of three to spend time just telling what they had witnessed in the past few days. Brought back together, the Christian leader then said, “Now, what are we going to do about it?” These multi-tribal young people then began to see beyond the way of hate, violence, and horror to the way of the cross. Wounds like these will not heal readily, but need a long, long time. Forgiveness is not cheap.

I have never sensed more prayer nor a greater call to holy living in Kenya than in this season of tension. After 42 days of mediation by former executive secretary of the U.N., Kofi Annan, the two opposing leaders finally broke their stalemate and agreed to a power-sharing government by establishing the office of prime minister. Many details and legal tangles have to be worked out, but the situation seems to be defused for the time being.

Thank you for your prayers for Kenya, for my personal safety, and for the mission Christ calls us to in times like this.

Mia joins in our offering of thanksgiving and love to each of you.

The 2008 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 15