Crisis In Kenya

Well as most of you probably know Kenya is in a rough spot right now. After the presidential elections riots began to break out between the two tribes and now Kenya is in total chaos. Unfortunately the orphanage that kylee and I stayed at last summer is right in the middle of things. They are safe so far but it is still scary. Here is a blog update that they posted on the situation over there:

SUNDAY 27TH JAN. 2008

TODAY TURNED OUT TO BE A BUSY DAY (AS THEY SAY NO REST FOR THE WICKED). STARTING EARLY WITH LOTS OF LITTLE BODIES SHARING OUR BED.WE WERE SHORT STAFFED ONCE AGAIN AS MANY OF OUR STAFF HAVE TROUBLE GETTING TO WORK. SOME OF THEM GET CHASED OFF THE MATATUS (THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT) DEPENDING WHAT TRIBE THEY ARE, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO GET HERE. BUT THANK GOD WE MANAGE.

LATE THIS MORNING THE MOTHER OF ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS CAME ASKING IF WE COULD TAKE SOME FOOD AND BLANKETS TO SOME OF THE FAMILIES IN THEIR COMMUNITY.SO WE STARTED PUTTING TOGETHER BAGS OF FOOD, CLOTHES, SOAP, TOILET PAPER & SANITARY PRODUCTS AND TOOK A CAR LOAD TO DISTRIBUTE AT TWO HOMES, THE FIRST ONE HAVING APPROX 25 PEOPLE LIVING THERE AND THE OTHER APPROX 50.

THEY WERE SO GRATEFUL FOR THE LITTLE THEY GOT AND COULDN'T STOP THANKING US.AT THE SECOND HOME THERE WERE MANY WOMEN AND CHILDREN, WE TIPPED OUT A SACK FULL OF CLOTHES AND ONE OF THE LADIES WAS TRYING TO KEEP ORDER SO THAT EACH PERSON COULD TAKE ONE OR TWO ITEMS BUT THAT DIDN'T WORK FOR LONG, ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY ALL RAN TOWARD THE PILE AND STARTED SCRAMBLING FOR WHAT EVER THEY COULD GET THERE HANDS ON. IT WAS REALLY KIND OF SAD TO WATCH AND TO REALISE THE DESPERATION OF THESE PEOPLE. I MYSELF WOULDN'T HAVE A CLUE HOW IT MUST FEEL FOR THEM AS I HAVE NEVER HAD TO EXPERIENCE NOT HAVING ANYTHING, AND I PRAY THAT I NEVER HAVE TO.

AFTER THAT WE MADE OUR WAY INTO TOWN HOPING THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET IN SO THAT WE COULD PICK UP SOME SUPPLIES. ONCE AGAIN THE MAIN STREET WAS DESERTED MOST BUSINESSES WERE CLOSED MAKING NAKURU LOOK LIKE A GHOST TOWN. THE SUPERMARKET THAT WE USUALLY SHOP IN AND THAT IS USUALLY CROWED WAS PRACTICALLY EMPTY.

IN SHORT, THINGS ARE NOT GOOD AROUND NAKURU, A TOWN THAT WAS ONCE CONSIDERED SAFE, SEEING THE MIGRATION OF THOUSANDS OF HOMELESS LOOKING FOR REFUGE HAS NOW BECOME A TOWN OF DANGER. VIOLENCE KEEPS ERUPTING, RUMORS ARE CIRCULATING THAT EVEN THE PEOPLE AT THE REFUGE CAMPS ARE NOT SAFE, THREATS OF MASS SLAUGHTER ARE BEING SPREAD CONSTANTLY.

THIS PAST WEEK HAS SEEN HUNDREDS NOW FLEEING NAKURU TO SAFER ZONES, ONE SUCH PLACE BEING NIAVASHA THE TOWN BETWEEN NAIROBI AND NAKURU. THE TOWN THAT WAS CONSIDERED SAFE ONLY A FEW DAYS AGO HAS TODAY ALSO ERUPTED IN VIOLENCE. ROAD BLOCKS IN THE FORM OF HUGE ROCKS AND BURNING CARS HAVE BEEN SET UP BY YOUTH FORCING CARS AND BUSES TO TURN AROUND AND RETURN BACK TO NAIROBI.(THANK GOD WE ARRIVED YESTERDAY AND NOT TODAY) HUGE STONES PLACED IN THE STREETS TO PREVENT VEHICLES FROM GETTING THROUGH. MANY INJURED AND KILLED. A GROUP OF 10 BEING BURNT ALIVE IN A HOUSE FIRE. EVEN AMID PEACE TALKS BETWEEN THE TWO POLITICAL PARTIES, TRIBLE CLASHES ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT AND VIOLENT. TALK IS THAT CIVIL WAR IS LOOMING. NO THIS ISN'T A HORROR MOVIE OR A NIGHTMARE THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING. FRIENDS PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SAFETY AND THAT THINGS WILL FINALY SETTLE DOWN BEFORE TOO MANY MORE INNOCENT LIVES ARE LOST. AT THE MOMENT WE ARE SAFE AND BOTH TRIBES ON EITHER SIDE OF US PROMISE TO PROTECT US FROM THE OTHER, BUT IN REALITY YOU NEVER REALLY KNOW WHAT CAN HAPPEN. WELL! AFTER A BUSY FIRST DAY BACK, IT IS TIME TO GET SOME REST AND SEE WHAT TOMORROW BRINGS. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRAYERS WE REALLY APPRECIATE THEM AND MAY GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE.

So as of right now I am not sure how are plans sit with going over in the summer of 2008 to distribute soccer balls. If we are not able to go in June-July we are going to plan on going in Winter over Christmas break. But hopefully things will all be peaceful by then and we can go no problem!