Kenya Update – Jan 30

Hello again from Kenya,

Most of the violence around Kenya settled down today. Nakuru was the calmest it has been since last Thursday especially on our side of town. The military has set up posts in a number of strategic areas on the other side of town to help maintain the peace. Since they have done this the trouble there has been greatly reduced. A curfew remains in place and will probably remain for some time.

Sometimes it is difficult to separate fact from rumor in this ongoing crises. One rumor we have been hearing today from some friends “in the know” is that there is a large gang of people traveling from the presidents home area to Nakuru tonight to help “their people”. I am not sure I believe it but I think it has gotten the attention of someone because as I write this update at 9:30 pm local time we can hear military/police vehicles driving up and down the streets making an announcement that if you are caught outside whether you are young, old, man or woman, you will be shot dead on sight. Listening to the announcement leaves little doubt that they mean what they are saying.

We were able to locate a few more of our people today at a police post a few kilometers away. We are still trying to locate about 25 members from the Grace Bible Baptist Church. We do not yet have the exact numbers but it seems that about 50 percent of our members have been displaced.

We are thankful to those who have contacted us about your intentions to help in this crisis. Your help will go a long way in saving many lives.

We are feeding about 250 people a day from 8 different churches. Each of the churches were effected in different proportions. Some have been drastically effected and others only in a limted way. The most effected has been the Habari Njema Baptist Church. If thing do not settle down soon this has the potential of effecting 90 percent of their membership. They have also had at least 3 of their members killed in the violence. The second most effected has been the Grace Bible Baptist Church.

People began to go back to work in some parts of town today and if they are able to continue for a couple more days it will allow some of the people we are helping with food to provide for themselves. Those that are in the IDP camps will need help for an unknown amount of time. These are the ones who have been burned out of their homes, losing most everything they have and cannot go anywhere because of the danger to them. We have approximately 125 people in the various IDP camps.

The hatred being exhibited by some people at this time is staggering. A few minutes before we were beginning our midweek prayer service one of our men came to tell us that his landlord just told him to immediately remove his belongings from his house for he would no longer rent to anyone from his tribe (Luhya tribe). Some of our men helped him move his belongings to the church building and now he and his family will be sleeping at the building until another rental room can be found.

Continue to pray for our people. God loves them and they are precious in His sight.

His for Kenya,

Robert Mickey Jr. and family

Sent from:
Cleveland Baptist Church
Pastor Kevin Folger