Hello again from Kenya,
Today began with some hope in Kenya as peace talks were to start between the government and the opposition led by former U.N. General Kofi Annan. Many are praying that through this mediation a breakthrough in this crisis would come. The talks barely got started this morning when they were suspended due to another tragic event in this ongoing trouble.
We received word during the late morning hours that another opposition member of parliament was shot dead, this time by a police officer. This is the second murder of an opposition parliament member in the last three days. The governments spin on the murder is that it was a crime of “passion”, a love triangle gone bad. They want the public to believe that it was an unfortunate coincidence. There are not many of us believing in coincidences at this time. When the announcement of the murder was made riots broke out again in many parts of the country with much destruction and killings. Fortunately things remained calm in most parts of Nakuru with no signs of trouble on our side of town.
We were able to find a house for our member that was evicted last night just because of his tribal origin. Shortly after finding him a house another member came by the church building with the same sad story of just being evicted by their landlord because of their tribe.
Our people who are displace are holding up well in the different IDP camps. Most in the camps have not been getting much of anything to eat and they are beginning to show the signs of not eating well. Thanks to the generosity of God’s people those of our churches in the camps have been getting a sufficient amount of food to eat and are in much better condition than most.
The red cross has begun helping in the main camp that houses about 10,000 people. They have erected tents all over and those who have children below the age of 5 are able to sleep in a tent. The rest of the people still sleep outside. They are also trying to provide a very small portion of food to people but so far have run short. The problem is that there are now over 350,000 people displaced all over Kenya and the Red Cross is over maxed in its capacity to handle the situation. We had to begin giving food to our people outside the gate of the camp for fear that we would cause some kind of riot from people desperate for food. Each day I walk around the camp asking God to show me some who are in the most need and then I try to give them at least a little bread to eat. While walking through the camp I continuously pray for strength for it is only God who gives me the strength to see these horrid results of the sinfulness of man.
Our people are overwhelmed at the help they are receiving from God’s people all over the world. A constant question that I hear as I walk through the camps is, “Where is God”? “If there is a God He would not allowed this to happen”? Those of our churches that are in the camps do not have those questions coming from their mouths. Instead they are saying things such as, “God has remembered us even in our trouble, or God still loves us, He still is taking care of us.” The attitudes are strikingly different.
We again thank those who have contacted us about your desire to help our dear brothers and sisters here in Kenya. We do not yet know the length of this crisis but do know that for the near future the need will be great.
Humbly God’s Servants In Kenya,
Robert Mickey Jr. and family
You Think Too Much! 