The news reports and the text messages and emails from the Partners for Care/GOA staff are staggering. I will send you some exerpts - read them if you want, share with friends and cry and pray. These are people we know and love so much. All the children in the 6 children's homes are safe and protected but GOA leaders, pastors and Partners for Care are risking their safey as they continue to do as God calls them to do respond compassionately and without oncern for themselves. The enemy will be defeated - I pray and I believe.
Updates -
1. The Peace bus goes to the camps tomorrow. They wanted to go to Marthare slum but it isn't safe. They will provide blankets, medical care, sing the Pray for Peace in Kenya song People on the Peace team -
Pastor Muturi - team leader
(He escaped from the GOA church in Eldoret but goes back to serve)
Jane Chege - worship and prayer
Sammy and David - sing the Pray for Peace in kenya
Njokie (Mary Mugo's sister) - food and blanket distribution
Penny (she attends Christ Harvester's Church) - help with medical
Priscilla, Ann, Nick and Charles - help with medical camp or do Aids testing
Kennedy - logistics coordinator and ministering to the people
Paul - medical
Daniel - medical
Funds we are raising goes to support GOA in their efforts to keep this Peace bus on the road and sharing the message of hope and peace in the camps
2. Christ Harvester's is inviting all those who love kenya to a prayer gathering at their church. The date will possible be February 17 Sunday afternoon - I will let you know the date and time
3. Christ Harvester's will be doing a benefit concert when we return from Kenya in March. Pastor Karanja and several of his leaders are planning on going with me February 24-March7. He wants to travel on the Peace bus to the camps.
4. We are working with Med-Share. They are sending medical supplies with each pastor returning to kenya and Coke Africa is funding 2 containers - which will contain over $300,000 of medical supplies. They have asked us to help with the selection of what is needed. Partners for Care will be getting some of the supplies.
5. Kathy Armor has done a great job of having churches show the Post-violence DVD and taking a love offering for the Peace bus.
6. Pastor Karanja has told his staff to make the DVDs for us and the CD of the Pray for Peace song - we will be mailing copies to everyone in the next couple days encouraging people to show to churches, friends and community groups.
7. Pastor karanja is making 10,000 DVDs with a messgae of hope to be shown in the camps.
We are in the process of buying a generator for the Peace bus and sending a keyboard, projector, a camera, and a Blackberry so Pastor Muturi can send us reports from the ground.
I am reminded how Pastor Simon told us a story of the animals watching a forest fire. The little bird flew away and filled his beak with water to put on the fire - the other animals laughed at him. The little bird said I am just doing what I can if everyone else would do their part we can put this fire out. I know GOA must feel like the bird - so many homeless, so many hurting - but GOA is doing their part. I pray everyone who loves them will not just watch but do something.
Exerpts:
From pastor Simon
Dear Friends,
I want to register my heartfelt gratitudes to all of you for your continued prayers and financial support to us during these hard times in the history of our nation. Your emails of encouragement have meant so much to us at this time when all that surrounds us are news of people murdered, houses burnt and properties destroyed.
We are thanking God for the mediation process spearheaded by Kofi Annan. We are so saddened by the fresh flare-up of violence in Nakuru, Naivasha and Kisumu. We are in continuous cry to our Lord to stop these senseless killings. The devil is at work here but we know Jesus will prevail. Today an opposition MP has been killed. We are worried this will bring revenge and more lives dying.
Last Sunday, I had woken up as usual. Before going to church I went to Good Shepherd Children Home to see how the kids were. While there my wife called. She was in the church. She instructed me to avoid down town Nyahururu for there was fighting between police and demonstrators who were protesting the killings of their kinsmen in other parts.
GOA Nyahururu church had just started the service and members had to flee for safety. No one was hurt. Calm has returned. The children at Good Shepherd are safe. If worse comes to worst I will have to move them to a safer place. We are optimistic that soon calm will return all over Kenya.
On Friday I risked my life to go to Eldoret to rescue a friend and a brother in Christ in Eldoret. Despite the renewed violence God granted us safe passage to and from Eldoret.
At one point we feared for our lives. We found one of the towns (totally) burning and a group of youths armed with bows and arrows overseeing the burning. By God’s grace there were police officers and we passed without any problem. Towns all the way from Nakuru to Eldoret have been burnt down. Goods trucks were also burnt. We found 5 of them that day.
Since coming back we have received so many distress calls for people asking us to help rescue them. We have a huge shortage of diesel in Nyahururu town. My landcruiser and the “Agape” truck are grounded. We pray that fuel will be available so that we can take food and rescue people from the clashes affected areas. Please pray for us.
God bless you.
Simon
From Sammy
Hi mum we are fine in limuru many yesterday were misplaced and they are camping at police station no food they really need us
From Nick
Hi mum, how are u doing?with as we r doing a little bit better.the kids are also doing better,now they are 14 kids and i have rented aroom 4 them.
(This is Nick and with Charles they have taken in 14 children - the chilldren are displaced from their parents. Nick and Charles are young Christian men who live in Mathare Slum)
From Laban
I am getting reports from friends, relatives and others, including my own sister who was marooned in between the raiders at a place called Solai. This is the area over which we found a warning leaflet written by the Kalenjin for Kikuyus to vacate. The houses have now been burnt and several people killed there, as promised. My sister is living at Bahati Police Station now, before she is able to come out. She did not escape with anything as the raiders were bold enough to come and start the arson and killings during the day.
May the Lord continue to use you mightily as you so strongly campaign for the support we need to bring back sanity to Kenya. For my part, I continue to pray, especially pray, as these affairs of my country cuts deep. There is a big obligation to work, especially trying to prevent the revenge actions of the Mungiki cult that is re-emerging to kill Luos and Kalenjins.
These reports are hard to read from those we love in Kenya, Praying for Peace and healing in kenya, Connie
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