UN Reports news service on Kenya

Some of you have asked for more details on why we left Kenya. I hope this might give a snapshot of what life is like on the ground there.

Kenya: No Let-Up in Kenya Violence As Political Crisis Continues, UN Reports

UN News Service (New York) 21 January 2008 Posted to the web 22 January 2008

Deadly violence continues across parts of Kenya and the police presence remains heavy, the United Nations reports today, as the country reels from the crisis sparked by last month's disputed election. The bloodshed continued unabated over the weekend with 10 people hacked to death in ethnic violence, mainly in Kericho, Nakuru, Nairobi and Mombasa, and tens of houses torched, according to UN security officials on the ground.

They said the worst incident appeared to be in Kericho, where six people were killed and 50 houses burned last Saturday night. In Nairobi, at least three people were killed in the Huruma slums and 13 admitted to hospital with machete cuts on Sunday. Violence first erupted in the East African nation a few weeks ago, after Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner over opposition leader Raila Odinga in the December polls. Nearly 600 people have been killed and some 255,000 displaced in the ensuing crisis. According to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), approximately 1,000 displaced persons arrive in Nakuru each day from violence-affected areas in the Northern Rift Valley.Also in Nakuru, UNICEF says 18 of 134 schools remain closed, and some 240 teachers have failed to report to work. In Molo, the agency reports that 60 per cent of the region's 151,000 children are absent from school due to insecurity and displacement - nearly 400 schools in the area were burned, looted or vandalized. UNICEF is providing tents and recreation kits for distribution by the Kenya Red Cross to enable temporary schools to accommodate displaced children around the country. Kenyan authorities now estimate that 116,000 people are displaced in the Northern Rift Valley region, and they are working with the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to devise a distribution plan to provide up to one month's food rations to the displaced. WFP reports that people in Nairobi's Kibera slum continue to need food assistance and UN aid workers have planned another round of food distribution for some 2,000 households later this week.The agency estimates that its food has already reached more than a quarter of a million people. The food has been borrowed from WFP's existing stocks for its operations in Kenya, including an emergency operation targeting some 682,000 people still suffering from the effects of the 2005 drought and more than one million children who normally receive school meals from WFP.

Dear friends,

God is directing us in new ways. God has been amazingly faithful to us in every detail of our lives and ministry here in Kenya. He has led us to orphan ministries and relationships that we fully embrace and desire to continue to help strengthen with resources and volunteers. With the change of political climate, we began asking God if we should remain in Kenya—trusting Him to direct us in this time of political uncertainty and unrest. The present struggle for presidential power and the simmering of tribal differences results in ongoing conflict that limits our mobility in Kenya. Our desire was to stay. BUT GOD, has given clear directives to return home for many reasons. While our time is shorter than planned, we have established contacts with Kenyan ministry leaders and remain committed to facilitate resources and volunteer efforts from the States to meet needs of widows and orphans in Kenya. Kenyan schools are delayed presently. We moved to Little Rock January 16, allowing Anna, Claire and John to return and finish at LRCA without further interruptions or delays. Please stay tuned to our blog for future direction of Go Near Ministry.

Trusting in Him,
Lewis and Melody
Lowell, Anna, Claire, and John

More pictures and stories from Maasai Mara

This one is of Anna with Maasai children who were waiting outside the church for our arrival.

The other is the traditional blessing that all children receive at church. After church the adults form a circle and the children progress in the circle and receive a gentle touch on their head from the adults and words of blessing.


This photo if of the Maasai children crowding around our car to see Laura Mixon.This village is remote in the Maasai Mara. They don't see many white children so they were very interested in her. The small children arrived tied on their sisters backs. Some who carried their siblings were not much older than four years old. They all seem content in this arrangement.






This photo is of the turtle that the boys picked up from the road. It was HUGE. This photo is of Claire showing the Maasai children the turtle. THey were enthralled with it. It's name is Mr. Rectangle. Don't know why the boys named it this. It made it all the way home to Nairobi.

Maasai Mara Trip

Maasai children appear

As the country waited for the election results we left Naiobi to visit Maasai Mara and a congregation of Maasai Christians. This small church was built and started under the leadership of our friends George and Martha Mixon. Most who attend are children. When we arrived we were greeted by beautiful Maasai children in brightly colored clothing with big waves and tremendous smiles. Even the young ones carry infants tied to their backs. The Maasai children were enthralled with Laura, the Mixon’s four year old daughter. The children crowded to see this little Mzungu (white person). They were also fascinated with the Mixon’s turtle(Mr. Rectangle), photos of themselves, Anna’s hair and our skin differences. The church worship was lively and our friend George preached.

Maasai Home visit

We were invited after church for tea in a Maasai home. Maasai homes are built of sticks, mud and manure. The smaller animals share the home with the family. When you enter it is so dark you can’t see. It is small but ingeniously built by the Maasai wife. It was a tight squeeze for our family plus the Mixon’s. Lewis and Lowell (both 6’4’’) were glad to see sunlight.

We began to travel home and our car died in front of a neighboring Maasai village. Young Maasai men watched as George and Lewis hooked up our car for towing.

Note that the cold decoration on their head indicates they have just been circumcised are now entering manhood.

As we started our journey home it soon became dark. There are no marked roads even in the daylight it is a challenge to find your way out of the park. It was a miracle that George could successfully tow us through the rugged terrain and find his way to a nearby mission in total darkness. We should have been stranded. It was at the mission that we heard reports of the election results and outbreaks. Had our car not broken down, we would have traveled home at a dangerous time. It was God’s providence that we were detained due to our car breaking down.. We could have been stranded anywhere, but God provided another miracle. The men who ran the mission where we were staying were trained mechanics. They were there, identified the problem and gave us a new car battery so we could return home. We traveled the next day to another mission only 4 hours from Nairobi with the plan to travel beginning at dawn in order to arrive early morning in the city to prevent encountering any violence. We got on the road and the Mixon’s car died. A police mechanic with his friends tried to determine the problem, but after hours of waiting roadside, George flagged down a van for his family to return to our home while he remained behind and was eventually towed home to Nairobi.

We all arrived safely home and were so blessed to have had this experience with such special people before the election was announced. Kenya has changed dramatically since that time. There is so much uncertainty and loss of many lives and homes. Please pray for peace and justice in this land. Pray for the countless people who have suffered such great loss.

Thank you for joining us in prayer.
Melody

A recent visit to the Nest with the Watsons

Despite the unrest in Kenya, David and Hannah Watson arrived in Nairobi for a two week stay on New Years Day. David is a long time friend and chairmen of Go Near Board. Hannah is one of Anna’s best friends from home. When roads were clear, we took them to see the Nest Children’s home. Here are photos of Hannah and our family with many at the Nest. Please pray for these orphans and those who take care of them during this uncertain time.

More Street Boys

Before the uprisings I took photos of more of the boys I encounter in my area. We live near the United Nations and US Embassy where things are much more calm than other areas. As I shared in earlier blogs there are numerous children and adults on our streets.

Street Boys

I am fascinated by the variety of boys that I call street boys. Some I call “my street boys” because we are getting acquainted gradually as I stop to give them food. They all love to have their picture taken.They have different personalities and I find them in different settings. .

Ice Cream treats
Giving these street boys ice cream on a stick was a real treat for me as well as for them. I had to tell them how to go about eating it and it was so fun to see them brighten as the licks began. These boys were in photos of an earlier blog in case you recognize them.

These photos were taken before the uprisings. The situation has changed dramatically as people are now sleeping outside their homes in the slums as a safeguard from being in their homes at night if they were to be set on fire. Please pray for all who are no longer in the safety of their homes. Pray for peace and justice in our land.

Link for news on Kenya

Here is a link for more detailed news on Kenya. www.allafrica.com

Update from Lewis on the current situation

Just read for the first time a few news stories on the web reporting violence in Nairobi. Were any of you living in Los Angelos during the Rodney King riots? We lived in Little Rock 10 years ago when HBO reported gang violence in our city. I was hardly aware of the violence as it had little affect on our daily life. While we are very much aware of the violence in Kenya and in our city of Nairobi, let me assure you our family is safe and sound in Nairobi. Today we have plenty of essential supplies (food, water, power, cash and video of HOGS and WARRIORS football games). Lowell is with us till Jan 10. Close friends David and Hannah Watson are visiting from the states till Jan 16. While our travel is limited to a 5 mile radius we are grateful to live in a safe part of town. We are surrounded by a strong community of fellow missionaries who keep each other informed and cared for. And we gain understanding and insight into the lives of those we've come to serve.

Today most violence occurs on the opposite side of town in the slums of Kibera. An opposition rally has been rescheduled twice, now planned for Tuesday Jan. 8th. Delays cause us to hope for a peacefull settlement between presidential hopefuls Odinga and Kibake. Because they each represent the largest tribes in Kenya there is much unrest in this country.

Pray that they lead well. Pray for peace in Kenya.