The Bridge City - Africa Connection

Steven Turikunkiko to Brittany 3.27.08

2008-04-05T10:06:00.000-07:00

Dear My Friend Brittany,
Thanks for Your good words of encouragement,The Situation and Challenges that i always face in my family and Ministry i really need your Prayers always,

You have lifted my faith as you mentioned that you remember us all the time that information builds my hope and faith that i also have Friends who cares.

And as you mentioned also that a Map of Rwanda hangs in your office that courages me that you will not forgotten us and as you said that soon you will return to Rwanda in my heart i give praise to God who gave me friends to extend that in your Program Rwanda is there.
Yes we are now back in the house where you found us,which is cheaper per month according to the costs of houses in Kigali,it cost me $180 per month and the one where we stayed for 2 month i paid $965. in the hospital where my People go for treatment the Debt's are always increasing and that why i need your prayers always bez am facing a lot of Challenges.

Dear Brittany i ask you and i hope that you can do that for us to be a pillar for my Society in America for you to see if we can also have Progress, Connecting us to more Americans who can be a part of us in the work,the good thing is that most of the times in my family we take only supper Lunch and breakfast is only polledge because is very expensive to have any orphanage family like the one i have to Survive.
in my Ministry some children who finish Primary school i just send them for Skills because of lacking the ability for sending them to Secondary School and within the Community their is much Starvation this days.once again we really need your prayers.
Send my greetings also to Daniel tell him that am missing him.
Thanks
Steven

Sent from Brittany Ouchida-Walsh, Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 1:37 PM
Dearest Steven,
We continue to pray for you and remember you all the time. A beautiful wooden plaque which is a map of Rwanda hangs in my office and it draws my mind and prayers to you every day.
Of course we hope to return to Rwanda soon, but unfortunately it is so expensive, we have to continue to wait, save, and pray.
How is your family? Is your house repaired, and are you guys living there again? Please keep us updated.
We miss you, we miss Rwanda. We were encouraged this Easter as we remembered the hope and restoration that our God is bringing to his people all around the world. Be encouraged Steven, God is healing Rwanda through you!
Hope to hear from you soon,
In the hope and love of our Lord,

Brittany

P.S. Daniel sends his hello!

On Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 9:14 AM, Rwanda Christian <rwanda_christian@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
Dear My Friend Brittany,
once again we appreciate for your prayers and we ask for your more prayers towards us.
when do you hope to Visit us again?
do you get my emails that i always sent to you?
Thanks
Steven

Jonah Kipkorir to Brittany on 3.26.08

2008-03-26T11:30:00.000-07:00

hello,
i hope your Easter was great.....
i attended a seminar which was plan by the Billy graham rapids response initiative; here in kericho. they were actually invited by my almater college.
it was very educative especially for us who had no training in seminary on
The rapid response that is needed when there is a problem with the magnitude witnessed in the country.
we learn some very important tenets for helping those displaced and trying to counsel them to accept the situations they are in at the moment..without promising a completely better future......we were taught to be calm when saying that ....and then teach them to start life from there again...
it was a great one day seminar....
have fun
jonah

Edward Simiyu to Prayer Community - 3.24.08

2008-03-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

Dear praying friends,

The last two months were a major test for Kenya and all Kenyans. I tried to update you on the events asking you to pray as it was difficult sometimes for me to pray intelligibly.

It was frightening because for 8 years, I prayed daily and fasted regularly against similar circumstances in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan and the list goes. On several ocassions the call of duty/ministry brought me face to face with the impact of such crises on the continent while serving at the Association of Evangelicals in Africa. There was no doubt the Kenyan crisis was going to be likened to or even supersede those that had come and gone. All the signs of what drove Somalia into the present failed state were imminent. A determination and resolve for self destruction that still shocks me was cut in stone as no one seem to care; not even our leaders were willing to listen when some of our neighbouring countries were urging us not end up like them! The destruction of lives,properties and essential public infrustructure that I witnessed personally leaves me wondering if this was not the work of the foulest, wild and wicked evil spirit that took over our hearts and minds? It was totally unnecessary to unleash violence on ourselves not to mention that we are already paying for it now through a high cost of living as prices of virtually everything have gone up...!

Thankfully, with your prayers, God used Koffi Annan to pacify the parties who have now reached a political settlement. You also prayed for me, Aaron and Kaarli when we embarked on the Caravan of Hope, a risky adventure which has now been embraced by the Kenya church ( see www.Nationmedia.com ; Sunday Nation of 23^rd March 2008 article " How clergy took battle to Grim Reaper"). Msafara is swahili word for Caravan! They renamed it "Msafara wheels of Hope".

Sense is coming back to Kenya as many (and hopefully everyone will) remorsefully look back at what happened and seriously ponder why it happened! Before I left Kenya for Burundi on the 3^rd, I had to urgently cut shot my trip in West Pokot-Webuye to avoid being caught up in a planned mass action called by the oppostion. I made it in time for a peace follow up meeting in the most troubled part Kibera and here is how Aaron Sundsmo described the meeting:

We met with around 40 youth leaders (age 18-25) and a few other older community leaders who are also interested in participating in the process. We had a good 6-7 hours with them to talk through the practical steps that we could take to start rebuilding their communities.

I was happy to see that we met with the "real" youth. One of the members had been in a militia/gang and recently left. One currently occupies someone else's house and wants to give it back to the rightful owner. Each one had a remarkable story to tell. Unfortunately, almost all were unemployed and not in school. All of them were full of innovative ideas that the rest of us had not thought of before. We decided that they after the meeting on Saturday they would talk to people in their community during the week and we would meet again next Saturday to decide whose home we should rebuild first.

Lives need emotional and physical healing, reconciliation and restoration. Physical aid is needed to start again. The figures have been put at around 300,000 families displaced. We are glad that the coalition government has committed herself to help rebuild. No details of how and when and to what extent this is going to be done. In the meantime families continue to shelter in IDPs' camps. In the meantime the rain and planting season is back... Again City Harvest has no capacity to handle all these needs but we shall do all we can with God's help to catalyse and move the church into action. Please note that Kenya needs you now more than ever! It is possible that with the outbreak of violence many who had planned to come and be part inevitably cancelled their travel plans. May I appeal to you to reconsider and please come? You will help us first hand in restoring broken and hurting lives…the need is not only great but urgent!

Every blesssing,

Edward M. Simiyu
Team Leader/Senior Pastor
City Harvest Ministries
P.o. Box 7276 Nairobi 00300
Kenya
www.thecityharvest.org
Tel. +254 20 609 888 (office)
+254 722 741 381 ( cell)

Jonah Kipkorir to Brittany 3.17.08 - A Father

2008-03-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

note: Jonah says that the father is the one with "hanging ears"

hello,
i hope u had a great day ....
Today we had a visit to a home, headed by their old father named Sigilai..he is about 80 plus years,
in the early 40's he was working for the British settlers here and was given a big land as a reward for fighting in their army as well as being a good servant to them.
prior to the post election last year...., he was in his farm in nyahururu....of about 60 acres. he had over 200 cows and over 300 sheep and goats. He had also combined harvesters,tractors, house and many children from his 2 wives.
he narrated to us , that he was rich and had never thought of getting help from anyone....., before , as he considered himself that the Lord had given him favor, as he had no problem with food, and he had children as this is seen part of the blessing here.He told us he had gone to the Red cross ..but his name could not be called several times for him to get what they need there...and so he left for his son's house here in Kericho.
His story was touching, sometimes we would laugh,but at last he said that All things belong to God ..who gave us His blessings to use His hands for His work.
Though he felt sad, we feel that ...He stil needs some counseling and prayers....and felt encourage too that He is coming closer to admitting that He needs God.
His story is among many that we visit their homes every now and then to encourage them to depend on God and leave vengeance to Him
I Hope u are encouraged by this ...
have a great week
Jonah

Jonah Kipkorir to Brittany 3.11.08 - Animals

2008-03-19T10:50:00.000-07:00

Hello,
i hope u re doing great
i have been involved with alot of work with the post election violence and the displaced people ...over this past few weeks, our focus is now to encourage people to go back to their homes
and start life again...
as i travel, i take keen interests not only on the displaced people but animals as well.
cows, goats and the rest have been taken great care of ..;since they provide a lot for the family, but dogs and cats are not that important at this time...

i met a dog..by the name of Simba (means lion in swahili), which had a big and deep cut on the face.....(the picture is attach in this email, it was the saddest experience i have ever seen..
i felt really bad...when i got to see this experience..., simba i suppose was trying to protect the family..but it ended up almost loosing its own life, this to me is an experience that most people have not witnessed in the most faithful animals on earth..dogs and cats, will sent u a story soon about a story of one of the cats called ....(Caring) here ... and how it safe it young ones from the burning house...

as of now Simba is getting better, with the help of herbs that are being administered by its caretaker...., this is another bad sight of this post-elections chaos we had in kenya...but peace is slowly coming back....continue praying
have a great day
Jonah

Jonah Kipkorir to Brittany on 3.6.08 – William

2008-03-07T14:13:00.000-08:00

hello,
hope u are doing great
william had all his house burn with all his possessions,
it was very hard for him to understand what happened..
keep praying for him i was trying to convince him to accept what happened and take it easy..he does not know the Lord now, trying to reach him with love thru' this disaster...
i thank u all for all the contributions u made towards this achievement.....atleast he could drink some tea/coffee for the day...
u re always in our hearts
Jonah

2008-03-05T09:32:00.001-08:00

Dear friends and supporters of Burundi YFC,

First of all we would like to start by expressing a massive thank you to all our supporters. The kindness of your hearts is enabling us to continue do God’s work in this needy country - great things are happening.

Burundi YFC’s growth continues as the following ongoing programmes expand; School Programmes, Youth Fellowship Groups, Kids Programmes in homes, Mother’s Team (Operation Hannah) and the Father’s Group. Unfortunately we had to stop the Radio Programme in January 2008 due to a triple increase in prices imposed upon us.

However “as one door closes, another opens.” Burundi YFC is going to have a second orphanage site in the province of Cibitoke. This exciting new development has arisen through a partnership with Villages of life - Australia (www.villagesoflife.org). Praise God we have the land and a vehicle to commence work.

The Orphanage at Gitega

There are now four homes completed and twenty three resident children. Our beautiful site is becoming a little piece of heaven on earth, nestled in a valley of green hills, their spongey lushness wraps comfort and security around our children’s home.

The children had a wonderful Christmas celebration. We brought them down from Gitega to the city for fours days, where they enjoyed numerous activities such as: worship & Sunday school at a city church, camping at Marie-Josee & Freddy’s and the YFC Office, Christmas Worship Service with the YFC Youth leaders – the highlight for most the Picnic at the beach!! To watch their faces full of beaming smiles and hear their squeals of delight made every effort all of us contribute so, so worth it. Praise be to God!

February saw an outbreak of Malaria in pockets of Burundi, with two of our house mothers being taken sick. Felicite was hospitalised for five days, but has fully recovered.

The footings are well under way for both the onsite medical clinic and the additional classroom. A qualified teacher from Kenya has volunteered her services at the orphanage for one year.

Batwa Community

Burundi YFC works with UNIPROBA, a organisation representing the Batwa Tribe (who make up 3% of Burundian population). We are hoping to receive some orphans from their community shortly as we are keen to have all tribes of Burundi represented and raised together. The future hope being they will work together as adults, successfully leading this nation to greater things. As a Christmas Gift to the Batwa community in Bubanza, YFC took several sacks of rice, beans and soap for washing.

Family

My family is generally doing ok, Marie- Josee is till at home most of the time because of breastfeeding Bryan who is now four months old. Please pray with us for James we don’t know what we can do for his cough which keeps coming all the times. Doctors told us that it was to go away as he grows, he turned 4 years of age past February but the bad cough is still there!!

Prayer Items

We praise God for the new project starting at Cibitoke- western province of Burundi.
Thank God for the partnership with Edmonton YFC a chapter in Canada willing to help us.

Please Join Us To Pray

Water situation at the orphanage: the pump we were donated couldn’t push water for being small. We need another one which would cost us US$5000 so that we may have water running at the orphanage.
We were donated vehicles from Canada we pray for their shipment and favor with the government to remove taxes from us.
We pray we would see the medical clinic completed someday soon, the foundation is near done.

With Love and God’s Blessings from the team in Burundi

Freddy Tuyizere,
Bujumbura, Burundi

Jonah Kipkorir to Brittany on 3.1.08 – Thank You

2008-03-04T10:27:00.000-08:00

hey britanny, and your team,
Thanks so much for the effort that you and your team made to look for support to sent over to the people here in kericho.
Please tell everyone who help in this regard thank u for us.
we wil be sending more pictures that i took, and hope that this encourages your hearts that the money was put to good use.
The local people here were touched too by your contribution, we got about $300 from here and it added to the the sum that u sent. This was just but a spontantenious giving by the people here.
Just know that you encouraged us, and we are now one in faith....,
am just glad that i met u all and i believe this was not an accident but a great plan from the Lord.
we do believe that as you continue to pray for us, peace will return to Kenya and we will all be able again to stay in our homes happy and with all the peace that we lack now.
as am writing this, am just amazed at how much u ave shown great love to us, i had not thought this will happen, but i know the spirit moved and touched so many of u, some we have not even met before, but i feel that we feel each other now in the spirit.....
the people of kericho said hello, i wish u can all be here to see their smiles.
have a great day ....and pass our regardhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifs to all. i dont have words to express ma greatest joy and thanks to u.
Because He lives
Jonah
p.s

We purchased this items with the help of local leaders, i want to thank Thomas Rop, Jackson Chepkwony, and Kipyegon for their tremendous support in this regard. without them this journey could not have been possible. i needed those muscles. Remain Blessed in the Lord.
continue to pray for the building of a kind of a house with ironsheets, the rain has not been merciful to the displaced ....with weak shelters...
we have a list that the chief stamped, and signed, i will scanned it and sent to you later.
with much regards.

See Photos Here

Jonah Kipkorir to Brittany on 2.27.08

2008-02-27T11:01:00.001-08:00

hey brit,
thanks so much for the encouraging email,
i feel priviledged to have known u and please know we continue to pray for u
i feel that we are in the same spirit and hope that things will sort themselves out as Koffi Annan and the other teams continue to meet to look for peace in Kenya.

as of now we are dealing with so many families ....who have been affected,
but right now we are trying to target about 300 people who are living with us in the same neighborhood. ( I will take pictures and sent to u some)
in the 300 people they represent 51 homes(families) that were burn down. each with a family....
what we need now are more blankets, mattresses and other essentials.
each family will probably need the following
Blanket, - $ 7
sheets, $5
kettle, $4
thermos $ 5
Sufuria for cooking, $ 10
plates, $7
spoons, $3
clothes, $12
food per day $2
total $55. per family ,
this the approximate that a family needs ..and now we have 51 families, some will probably need more blankets but we feel that they can share what they have first.
we do welcome any help that the Lord touches on your heart...and your entire church congregation. i do wish that u can come and visit and help..somehow.....
otherwise God Bless
Jonah
p.s
say hello to my church
here is ma address
Jonah Kipkorir
Box 123
kericho20200
kericho
Kenya.
Cell:+254723376837
- Hide quoted text -

Brittany Ouchida-Walsh wrote:

Jonah, hello!
I think I found some money to send to you from my church, they were moved when they heard about the situation in kericho!
please, can you give me more info on what the needs are and who specific peoples or families are that would be helped by the money. Knowing the stories will help people know the situation and be more understanding to give if they have something.
also, how much do things (food, blankets, etc) cost now? How much money do you need? how much to feed the people you care for for a day or a week or something?
thanks, sorry to have so many questions.

i would love to come see one of the houses someday! we miss you so much, yesterday daniel and I were talking about how much we hope to return... it is so expensive though. we are going to start saving for it!

in love and hope
brittany

Jonah Kipkorir to Brittany on 2.19.08

2008-02-27T11:00:00.001-08:00

hey Brit, great to hear from you,
please continue to pray for us,
the house u see is the house where our people stay in.....
it is build without nails etc, they use the bark of trees to tie them etc..
and grass (special) is used to thatch the house....
it is cooler and last long .......i was brought up in a house like that....that is where all the food was cooked and where we slept as welletc....when u come over oneday u will see that...
have a great day ...say hello to all ,
Jonah

Brittany Ouchida-Walsh wrote:

Hey Jonah,
I'm sad to hear of all the suffering in Kericho. We are praying. No
money yet... I'm so sorry. We'll send some if it comes, I promise.
Thank you for sending the photos. I've been looking at them and my
heart is there with you all. I'm glad you guys could hand out
blankets, but I am so sad by all the need that remains.
What is the building in the second picture?
How is your family? The ones staying with you for school?
We think about you all the time Jonah.
In love and prayers,
brit

Jonah Kipkorir to Brittany on 2.16.08

2008-02-27T10:57:00.000-08:00

hey brit,
long time not heard frm u
we went out to give out some of the blankets needed by those who were displaced.,...
there is much need, pliz continue praying, the farms were tilled but no planting has started as pple are displaced ...it is so hard.....
hoping to hear from u
Jonah
p.s
hope u raised something for this one's from your church, if not now, dont mind
have a great day...

Mike Brislan to Prayer Community 2.7.08

2008-02-27T10:55:00.000-08:00

Good morning on this second day of Lent...

Some of you have been following the situation in Kenya. Others heard something about the situation when Elliot shared at Saturday gathering a couple of weeks ago. This is a very stragetic time for the country of Kenya. This email is from the Brislen's who are in Kenya; good friends of the Gowans who have been kind hosts to me on both my trips to Nairobi.

I invite you to join in prayer for Kenya today

Kelly

Greetings,

This is a very short update. The talks between the government and the opposition have reached a critical stage. They have finished discussions concerning the humanitarian situation and promoting peace in the country. They are now entering deliberations on the elections and the steps forward to resolve the political situation. If this part of the negotiations goes well, the crisis in Kenya could come to a rather quick end. If these negotiations go poorly and harsh words are said, the crisis has the potential to escalate to new levels and perhaps drive the country over the edge. We ask to pray now especially for a spirit of compromise and humility among the leaders.

In an editorial in today's Daily Nation, Jaindi Kisero wrote, "Our leaders are still reluctant to look squarely in the mirror, admit things have gone terribly wrong, and agree that the nation is in dire need of help. To many of our leaders, it is still politics as usual, with the Annan process merely providing the stage to outmanoeuvre and score tactical points against one another." These words, about both sides to the dispute, seem to accurately reflect the current situation. Real courage is needed from the leaders. With courage they can face the truth about Kenya and work together for a resolution to the crisis. Please pray that they might find this courage.

On Friday the heads of state of the nations belonging to the East African Community are coming to Kenya for a summit meeting. They are also planning to meet with Kofi Annan about the crisis. The opposition, understandably, is unhappy with the meeting. They claim that the government is using this meeting as a way to gain legitimacy. They are talking of starting 'peaceful' protests again, if the meeting goes forward. This is another concern. It doesn't seem that it would take much for the violence to begin again. Pray that all sides might use wisdom.

Business leaders met yesterday with Kofi Annan, and sent a strong message to the government and the opposition. They said that Kenya's economy cannot withstand many more days of chaos. Businesses, such as tourism and transport, have already begun to be directed to neighboring countries. They've said that if a solution is not found soon, whoever wins the dispute will inherit a nation in financial and economic ruin. These business leaders are pushing the politicians to take the situation more seriously and find a solution. Pray that these politicians may do so.

Ruth, who works for us, took a bus to western Kenya this morning. Cindy received a telephone call from her around noon. On the road, about 3 hours outside of Nairobi, they encountered another bus that had been set on fire. They stopped and waited more than an hour, then proceeded very slowly, looking out for possible roadblocks or ambushes. Nearly 300 buses and matatus (small buses or vans used for public transportation) have been destroyed since the elections.

One of my students, Theresa, and her husband manage a Word of Life camp near Nairobi. Last week, they received written warnings that the camp would be burnt down if they didn't send away all workers from ethnic groups associated with ODM. They took the threats seriously and sent staff and students home. Next they received a warning that they would be killed for having hired so many workers from these particular groups, and they had to flee also. At one point the camp was surrounded by a few hundred young men. The next day a group of these men broke into the camp and searched the premises for anyone not of their own ethnic group. They were satisfied that none were present and spared the camp. My student and her husband are now living with friends. Pray for them.

People in the displaced persons camps are often sleeping outside in the cold. Though Kenya is a tropical country, many areas are mountainous over 6,000 feet above sea level. Though there are attempts to provide for displaced people, many are going hungry for at least parts of the day, or even whole days. Sanitation is also a problem in some camps. These camps have formed almost over night, with thousands of people fleeing often to police compounds for safety. An estimated 350,000 people have been displaced. Most are hoping to return to their 'home' areas. Pray for these people.

Some African embassies have told their citizens in Kenya to be prepared to leave the country. Nerves are high, and many people are frightened. However, Nairobi has been calm for more than a week. Children have returned to school in many of the affected areas. Most of Kenya seems to be experiencing an uneasy calm. Roads seem to be opening up, though there are occasional incidents. Though a few rural areas are experiencing violence.

Again, this is a crucial time. Please keep praying for peace to prevail here.

Mike

Mike Brislan to Prayer Community 2.5.08

2008-02-27T10:53:00.000-08:00

Greetings from Nairobi,

The city of Nairobi has been calm and peaceful for several days. People seem to be getting back into their normal routines. The poor neighborhoods, such as Kibera and Mathare, no longer seem to be ‘no go’ zones. Normal crime appears to have increased as police are occupied elsewhere. People are feeling the stress and seriously worrying about the future of their country. Everyone is waiting for the difficult issues to be discussed in the negotiations with Kofi Annan. Please pray that the calm remains, so that difficult discussions over serious issues can be made without the additional pressure.

So far, the negotiations have progressed at an incredibly good pace, and according to reports, with much amicability. They have been discussing issues dealing with the violence, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and taking care of all the displaced people. The restriction on live broadcasting has been lifted. Schools have reopened in the Kisumu area. They must soon enter into discussions concerning the elections and who really won, and what to do next in relationship to power and government. These issues will be much more difficult to resolve.

Some leaders have again been making unhelpful comments. Mr Kibaki, at a meeting of presidents of the East African region, said the opposition has been ignoring the law and their complaints about the election should be handled constitutionally through the court system. Mr Odinga replied in an interview that they couldn’t trust the court system. Both sides are negotiating through the media. This is a frequent occurrence around the world, but it doesn’t make for smooth negotiations. There is a lot of distrust on both sides.

Kofi Annan and his team had suggested that Cyril Ramaphosa join the team. Mr Annan is not certain to be consistently available for the length of the negotiations, therefore he suggested that another co-leader of the negotiations be found. Mr Ramaphosa from South Africa had negotiated a peace deal in North Ireland and at the end of the apartheid government in South Africa. He looked like an excellent choice. However, the PNU (Mr Kibaki’s party) rejected him. The reasons given vary considerably. Some have said that he was a business partner with Mr Odinga and had even donated to his campaign. Mr Ramaphosa has denied that. Anyway, he has left Kenya, and they are searching for another co-leader. Pray that they might find a strong and capable negotiator that both sides can accept.

It appears to me that each side has a different strategy, neither of which promotes peace. The government seems to want to draw out the process. The longer they are in power, the more likely it will simply become a fact of life. The opposition benefits from the chaos. The more unsettled the country is, the worse the economy gets, the more pressure will fall upon the government to either compromise or step down. The ODM (the opposition party) rented buses and gathered a few hundred non-Kikuyu displaced people who had been living in Kikuyu-dominated areas. They then took these people to a Nairobi park, where a displacement camp had been recently closed by the government. The ODM had the press there to witness the government refusing to accept these non-Kikuyu refugees. They had used these poor unfortunate people to score political points against the government.

I’d mentioned in a previous update that a second MP was killed. The person who shot him was a policeman from a neighboring group, the Kiisi. For the past few days tens of thousands of young men and boys have been fighting, armed with bows and arrows, spears and machetes. They seem to be fighting along the border between two districts. Reports are that 40-50 people have been killed and many more injured.

Some more churches, usually those understood to be ‘Kikuyu’ churches, have been burnt down in the Rift Valley. Houses continue to be burnt down, and ‘outsiders’, people from other tribes, continue to flee this area. The number of people being killed appears to have gone down tremendously. However, the camps of displaced people are overcrowded, understaffed, and insufficiently provisioned for the number people there. Camps in the city of Nairobi are closing because the food is being stolen by thugs before it can be distributed to those in need. Stories are told of men dropping their wives and children off at the camps and returning to the areas they’ve fled in order to fight. More and more areas are becoming more and more ethnically homogeneous.

I’ve heard stories that oathing ceremonies are happening among several tribes around Kenya. These ceremonies are generally derived from the traditional religious systems, and the intention is to bind the young men to a commitment, or a covenant. In this case, the commitment is one of defending the tribe and killing enemies. Many believe that if they break the oath, ancestors or other spirits will bring harm upon them. It is an act that is spiritual, military, social and political that can have longer term repercussions.

Churches and Christians continue to advocate peace and forgiveness. Christians that I know continue to relate across ‘enemy’ tribal lines. A part-time lecturer at NIST, who also has begun to pastor a church in Thika, expressed deep concern that non-Kikuyu people were being forced out of the area. He had been to Thika and witnessed this. He was obviously deeply troubled by it. He is Kikuyu, so he was disturbed by what his people were doing. (Thika is about 20 miles north of Nairobi.) However, most Christians continue to have difficulty believing that their side shares any fault in the situation.

As a family, we are well. I’ve begun teaching. I have new classes that I’ve never taught before, which means that they require a lot of preparation time on my part. Jordan is getting ready for the SATs. Cindy is very busy with EMM work. The present crisis has increased her workload.

Mike

Jonah Kipkorir to Brittany on 1.25.08

2008-02-27T10:51:00.000-08:00

hey brit,
ope u r doing good..i know u are deep a sleep right now.
the names of the kids are Godwin and Chesyina,
one of them is in grade 2 and the other is in grade 4.
their transition has been good so far, we had to buy 2 blankets for each as it is cold here thru' most of the year....as we livr in about 6800 feet above sea level.
the temperature comes to 9 or 10 celcius the lowest..
peace has return in ma part of town now, but there host of displaced people that we are helping take care of other displaced people here.
food is not a big issue to get as we are farmers here..it is only that the prices has gone up ...we do hope that things will change somehow in the near future...
as i write to u now ..the town (nakuru) that i was hold up in is in problems..right now..people are fighting there now and is a no go zone...pray that peace returns..
otherwise know am praying for u as u pray for us ...
- Hide quoted text -

Because He lives
Jonah

Brittany Ouchida-Walsh wrote:

jonah!
tell me about the 2 new kids... what are their names? i'd love to see a picture! we are praying for their transition. How has school been for them so far? have them been able to make friends too?
cold? how cold is it there? it's FREEZING here! it was -4º C this morning. :) brrrr....
why were you teargassed? that's no good... I'm so sorry that happened!
So what's it like in Kericho? is it peaceful? how are the kids in your church doing?

I'm asking so many questions! i'm just curious to know all about how it's going.

Thanks for the western union information. I hope to be able to send you a small bit of funds soon... I am working on finding some.... :( Do you guys have enough to eat right now? How is the situation? Have prices for food and stuff gone back down?

in love, and hope,
brit

Mike Brislan to Prayer Community 1.29.08

2008-02-27T10:49:00.000-08:00

Greetings again,

For now it is not getting better in Kenya. Around midnight an ODM member of parliament (MP), Mugabe Were, was shot and killed in his car just outside of his house. Concerning the implications, he was not a major political player, so the reaction has not been as bad as it might have been. Having said that, violence has broken out in several parts of the city – concentrated near poor areas as usual. I could hear gunshots, or possibly teargas canisters, from my office at NIST, where I teach. Some ODM leaders have already tried to link the shootings to the government, saying that the government must prove that they weren’t involved. Unfortunately, statements like these have been made by politicians on both sides since even before the elections, and have contributed significantly to the current violence and distrust. Personally, I think that this murder was politically motivated, probably by someone from a Kibaki-supporting ethnic group, quite possibly a ‘rogue’ policeman. Yet, I don’t see what the government would gain from assassinating this man, and I seriously doubt that it would be involved. It seems, however, that most people don’t really think about it before reacting, and under the previous governments of Kenyatta and Moi political killings happened somewhat frequently. Rumors and speculation are also major contributors to the tension and violence. Please pray for calm and careful reactions by the various leaders.

Jordan’s school, Rosslyn Academy, has closed early so that students could be taken home. There are no problems near the school, but school buses take students throughout the city. We are all safe, but perhaps a little shaken or worried. We didn’t send Alia to school today after receiving a text message about the murder. Pray that we can remain calm, not panic, and think clearly about the situation.

There is still heavy fighting in Naivasha, which is about 50 miles northwest of Nairobi. The fighting in Naivasha is mostly revenge attacks by some Kikuyu young men (Mr Kibaki’s ethnic group) against ethnic groups associated with ODM, the opposition. People are armed with machetes, clubs, axes and bows and arrows. Reports say that thousands of mostly young men have gathered to fight. The army is involved in restoring security, even using helicopters. While Naivasha is not far from Nairobi, it seems very unlikely that violence from there can advance towards Nairobi. Naivasha is the center of Kenya’s flower industry and an important tourist area. We spent a few days there this summer on holiday.

The violence, which I mentioned in yesterday’s update, in the west of Kenya was also in reaction to the killing of Luo people (Mr Odinga’s ethnic group) in Naivasha by Kikuyu people. Two people were shot by police in Kisumu, 200 miles west of Nairobi. Most of the violence was directed to shutting down government-related institutions, such as schools. A few kilometers of railroad to Uganda were also destroyed. Several trucks to Uganda have been destroyed and roads to Uganda have been blocked. A few Ugandans have also been attacked. Uganda has become a target, because of rumors that the Uganda government is complicit with Mr Kibaki.

With all of this violence the government has been rather silent. They pronounce a few words of condemnation linking violence to the opposition, but the president hasn’t spoken about it. Many Kenyans, and wazungu (foreigners), are wondering about this. The government continues to go about its ‘normal’ business. It seems that they wish to pretend that there are no major problems in the country. The president may even attend an African Union meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia this week. It hasn’t inspired confidence. I sometimes get the feeling that both sides, the government and ODM, believe that the violence can contribute to their agendas of either keeping power, or getting power. Neither side has done much of anything to discourage their own supporters from continuing with the violence.

In addition to the political, inter-ethnic violence, criminal activity is on the rise around the country since the police are busy dealing with the other. Also, schools are closed or running at very reduced capacity in most places. Kenya’s biggest economic sectors are all suffering greatly. Tourists, of course, are not coming. Naivasha, the flower capital, is enmeshed in violence. Many of the tea-producing areas are isolated due to violence. The port in Mombasa is backed-up and goods are not being transported to Uganda and southern Sudan, which are also suffering economic repercussions. So, while violence has been happening in only certain, rather extensive, areas, the whole of Kenya and most Kenyans are feeling the effects of the crisis.

In all of this we should remember that the majority of people from each tribe, or ethnic group, are not committing these acts of violence. Most people are worried, frightened, and praying and hoping for peace. Many people continue to relate with people of supposedly ‘enemy tribes’, often as friends. Churches are helping those who have lost homes, most often those of their own ethnic group, but many also are helping those of the other ‘tribes’. Christians are praying for peace. While major parts of Kenya are experiencing violence, most areas are not experiencing any at all, or very little. Kofi Annan and his team begin negotiations today as I write with members of each party. Reasons for hope remain. Please continue to pray for the negotiations and the political leaders.

We and all EMM missionaries in Kenya are doing well. We are experiencing more stress than usual, but we are not in any danger. Life goes on, more or less as normal, though we watch the news more frequently and stay home a bit more. We’ve been watching Mary Poppins with Alia. Friends from Tanzania have come to Nairobi for medical reasons and we’ve visited with them. Please don’t worry about us.

Blessings

Mike

Mike Brislan to Prayer Community 1.28.08

2008-02-27T10:38:00.000-08:00

Greetings from peaceful Westlands,

As I write about the violence that is increasing in Kenya, I’m once again sitting near the window overlooking a beautiful garden full flowers and birdsong. It is a strange feeling. I go to work everyday driving through the usual heavy, and frustrating, traffic. The children go to school and receive homework assignments. Yet we wonder if we will be here in a month’s time. I think we will, but it is difficult to know.

Our boss, Clair Good, and his wife, Beth, were here for two weeks helping the mission workers and churches in dealing with the present crisis. As a mission we looked over contingency plans for evacuating from Kenya should the need arise. While this is normal procedure in our present situation, it certainly casts a sobering shadow over things. We, the mission workers, are feeling stress, but local Christians are hurting much more. Please pray for our mental and spiritual well-being. Pray also for the church.

This past week has seen incredible violence in the Rift Valley. More than a hundred people have been killed and thousands have fled their homes. Some villages have been completely destroyed, every house burnt to the ground. Human Rights Watch, a generally respected group, has said that one ODM-supporting ethnic group has begun collecting money to buy automatic weapons. An acquaintance from a PNU-supporting ethnic group received a text message asking him to donate money to buy automatic weapons. When guns enter the situation then it will be extremely difficult to bring under control. The death toll since the elections is now over 800 people.

In a previous update, I’d said that ethnic-cleansing is not happening in Kenya, now I am not so certain. Immediately after the election results were announced the violence was mostly done by ODM groups against Kibaki-supporting groups. The internally displaced people (fancy term for refugees from within the same country) have mostly been from Kibaki-supporting groups. In Nairobi, where there are many people from Kibaki’s ethnic group, the violence and displacement has happened both ways. Over the past two weeks, after the police crackdown on demonstrations, where most deaths were among ODM ethnic groups, violence broke out again. Once again it was primarily members of Kibaki’s ethnic group and another Bantu group, which is very prevalent in the Rift Valley, who were victims of the violence. It was their villages that were destroyed. Once the violence spread to Nakuru, it had reached an area with a very large Kikuyu population, Kibaki’s ethnic group. The last few days have seen a lot of fighting back and forth, so that people from ODM ethnic groups and Kibaki groups have both suffered from violence and committed violent acts. Sixteen people (from ODM groups) were killed when a house they were hiding in was barricaded and set on fire. Threats and attacks on camps of refugees (of Kibaki supporters) have become frequent. Local language radio stations are said to be promoting racist (tribal) views. It seems that there is an intention of chasing all people from certain ethnic groups out of the Rift Valley. And members of these groups have begun to fight back, and to seek revenge. It is a scary situation. It seems to me that the violence must be contained and stopped if Kenya is to find a way out of its current crisis. Please pray for the security forces and their officers, that they may have wisdom and desire to deal with this violence without contributing to it.

Human Rights Watch reported that they had evidence that these attacks were planned and organized by “ODM politicians and local leaders.” This seems very possible to me. Of course, the government jumped on the report and has been using it to attack the opposition. Each side is taking the other to the Hague for crimes against humanity. I’m disappointed that ODM leaders won’t acknowledge that it has been their people who have committed most of the violence. They continually blame the government and cite police violence. ODM leaders are also now saying that the government is supporting militia groups to attack ODM ethnic groups. And in the midst of this, it seems that most church leaders continue to echo their party and tribe. The message of the Prince of Peace is not getting much notice. Peace seems to be understood primarily as victory for my side. Please pray that more church leaders will speak out with truth and courage. The church has a very prominent position in society and their voice could be very influential. Some churches are addressing the issues in non-partisan ways. Pray that their witness may be heard.

Today in Kisumu, on the shores of Lake Victoria (also Mr Odinga’s home), ODM supporters attacked government buildings and fought with police. West of Kisumu other ODM supporters blocked the main road to Uganda. There are rumours that Ugandan soldiers have been sent to Kenya to help Mr Kibaki suppress ODM protests, thus the anger at Uganda. Rumours continue to play a part in the violence.

Kofi Annan and his team are still in Kenya. They’ve gone to some of the areas hurt by violence. They’ve been gathering information from business leaders and civil servants and politicians on both sides. People still remain hopeful that Kofi Annan and his team can help negotiate a compromise that satisfies everyone. They have already prepared a document outlining the manner in which negotiations need to be handled. Each side of the conflict has received these guidelines. They have met again with Mr Odinga and Mr Kibaki, and seems that negotiations will continue. On Thursday both men met and shook hands. Please pray for this team (Annan, Mkapa, Machel) as they try to help Mr Odinga and Mr Kibaki negotiate a compromise.

Mike

Cindy Brislan to Kelly Bean 1.21.08 – Correction

2008-02-27T10:37:00.001-08:00

Hi Kelly,

I need to make a correction. It turns out it wasn't Rose's husband, it was a teacher named Ruth's husband. I don't recall meeting her; perhaps you did. Sorry about passing on incorrect information! ;(

We're doing ok, but not great. It's almost guilt-provoking, being able to sit here in Westlands when less than 10 miles away people are killing each other. We live in a constant state of tension; it's been many nights since Mike has had a good night's sleep.

As of now, my Mom is still planning on coming. I'll let you know closer to the time.

Cindy

Jonah Kipkorir to Brittany on 1.18.08

2008-01-22T14:02:00.001-08:00

hey britanny
thanks so much for your concern..
i just took two kids that we have transfered to a new school here in kericho.
the school is not far from where am ...this two kids moved to kericho from Baringo, they just did their interview classes and passed very well..
am so proud of them ..if u can pray for them as they join a new environment here etc....here it is so cold for them but i gues they will be well...
Continue to pray for peace here..we know the Lord will Help us get peace...i was teargassed yesterday..when i was walking in the streets of kericho..but i think things are getting better now..
otherwise know am praying for u ..
God Bless

Cindy Brislan to Kelly Bean 1.21.08 – very troubling report

2008-01-22T13:52:00.000-08:00

Hi Kelly,

I just got news from Enoch about one of his teachers. Do you remember Teacher Ruth? Her husband was traveling to work this morning on a matatu, got pulled off, beaten, and left for dead. The cook was going out and found him on the side of the road. He is currently in the hospital in surgery and getting a CT scan, looking for the cause of some bleeding on his brain. Please pray for this family, Menno Kids academy, the church, community. Where they are located is a hot spot with a lot of violence, including a beheading in a nearby school of a teacher in front of his students. But still, the church members are organizing to reach out to all who are affected, even the 'enemies.' There were 15 kids at school today.

Cindy

Mike Brislan 1.16.08

2008-01-17T11:51:00.001-08:00

Greetings again from Nairobi,

After a hopeful day on the 15th, yesterday’s events have given me a certain amount of pessimism.

The opposition party, ODM, began holding rallies yesterday to protest the election of Mr Kibaki. It seems that the attendance at these demonstrations was very much lower than expected, often numbering only in the hundreds rather than the thousands expected. (The cities of Kisumu and Eldoret were two exceptions to this.) We had more than an inch of rain overnight and into late morning, which may have contributed to the low turnout. According to news reports the protestors were demonstrating peacefully, with a very few exceptions. However, the police were under orders to not allow any protests at all. When people refused to leave, the police began firing tear gas into the crowds (generally small crowds). Eventually, police shot into the air to scare protesters away, and they also fired anti-riot rounds at people. These looked like bean bags being shot at high speeds. Local TV news and CNN showed these being fired. In Nairobi, thousands of people were forced to walk home from work as police made everyone leave the downtown area, including matatus (Kenyan buses). Unfortunately, some police also fired directly at people and 4 protestors were killed around the country. One local TV station showed footage of man taunting a policeman, who was then shot and kicked by this lone policeman, and later died. It is a sad situation which could explode with more violence as rallies continue today. Please pray that all sides may be willing to meet each other in peace, government, ODM, protesters and security forces.

Kofi Annan and his team of mediators were scheduled to arrive in Kenya this week. However, two ‘hardline’ government ministers said that the government had not invited anyone to Kenya for mediation; that ODM was inviting these people. There was no need for mediation as Mr Kibaki was president and that was final. However, later another minister basically said that these other men should keep quiet; that the government invites respected persons like Kofi Annan to facilitate dialogue. Kofi Annan then came down with the flu, and his arrival was delayed. Hopefully, he will come later and get the two sides to sit and talk together. Please pray for this team of mediators.

I went to the school where I teach, NIST, and talked with several people. Rumours are spreading. In poorer oral societies rumours often take on an importance greater than they do in wealthier literate societies. This is often because people don’t have as much access to media like newspapers, TV and radio. An average worker making a few dollars per day isn’t going to spend 30 cents on a newspaper, or buy a TV. So person-to-person communication becomes a main source of news. Unfortunately, in a situation like we are facing in Kenya, people can become very misinformed. Among ODM-supporting groups, rumours give supposed details, including statistics, about how Mr Kibaki stole the election. These ‘details’ go way beyond all of the more official reports that I have seen. Among Kibaki-supporting groups, rumours tell how ODM rigged the voting in western Kenya. Rumours among Kibaki-supporting groups also say that ODM paid young men to burn down houses and kill Kikuyu people in western Kenya and the Rift Valley. Rumours among ODM-supporting groups accuse the government of reviving Mungiki, an outlawed, Kikuyu-based militia to attack other tribes. Given the present tension people are now talking mostly to others within their own ethnic communities, and the result is that people become very hardened in their views. And, sadly, church leaders are beginning, more and more, to echo their respective party lines.

More bad news. In western Kenya, where many people from Kibaki-supporting groups (mostly Kikuyu and Kisii) have taken refuge in police compounds, some members of ODM-supporting groups have threatened to storm the compounds and kill everyone inside. Many of these people are fleeing to Uganda, or trying to ‘return’ to their ‘ancestral’ lands. In Nairobi, after the election of the speaker of parliament late Tuesday night, some ODM-supporters celebrated by burning down an AIC church in the Mathare slums. The pastor of this church is a student at NIST, where I teach. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Several churches have been destroyed since the beginning of the conflict. In Nairobi again, where Kibaki-supporting groups are more numerous, people from ODM-supporting groups are at times being forced to leave their houses; they are being told to go back ‘home’. It depends upon the neighborhood in which they live, and the poor are the ones affected.

There is a camp for displaced people at Jamhuri Park on the outskirts of Nairobi. They’ve come from the nearby Kibera slums. One of my teaching colleagues at NIST is leading a team of students to do counseling there. She spoke in chapel yesterday. She and her students do most of the communicating between the people and those organizing the camp. She said the greatest need in the camp is money so that people can travel back ‘home’. Many no longer wish to stay in Nairobi. EMM, our mission, and MCC, a sister Mennonite mission, are aiding churches that are reaching out beyond ethnic boundaries to help their perceived enemies who are also hurting during the current crisis.

Again, our family is doing fine. School for Jordan and Alia has been cancelled for the next few days. We’ve got Christmas packages awaiting us at the post office, but we can’t go get them, as the post office is downtown. We are perhaps feeling a bit cooped-up and some stress as the tension and crisis continue.

I’d ask you to pray that church leaders may have the courage to speak the truth to members of their own communities. That they won’t listen to rumours, but search for real answers to real issues. That they might meet with church leaders of different ethnic communities and listen to the grievances and confessions of all sides. Some are doing this, pray that they will continue to do so.

Blessings,

Mike

Steven Turikunkiko to Molly 1.16.08

2008-01-16T13:07:00.000-08:00

Molly is one of them women who journeyed to Africa with Dan & Brittany in November.

Dear Molly,

Most of the times i get worried for the future of my family of how we will Survive,but your emails encourages us always.

We have seen the house where we can fit,but it is very expensive it Cost 478000 frws for 2 month and according to the exchange rate of to day is equivalent $ 930 for 2 month and that is why i have been looking for another place which is not easy.
Dear Molly,

As i told you the situation we are in now, we have so many things that needs money,especially treatment and care for those admitted in the hospital 9 of my people got injury and i think they will charge us a lot of money for treatment,we have to move all that needs money.

Thanks Steven

Steven Turikunkiko to Brittany 1.15.08

2008-01-15T16:25:00.000-08:00

Dear Brittany,
Pray for us, as you can,We are in terrible Situation as a family it is ranining here and the house where we live it has been leaking and a wall of one side Collapsed,We praise God that no one died,but many of my people got injury and now we are looking for another house to rent and which is expensive a house where we can fit,such they may work innovation the landlord told me that it will take 2 month to build where it collapsed then after 2 month we will be back,because he charges me small money according to how houses cost's here especially where we can fit as a family.
We ask your Prayers that God may provide for us our own residence.
Steven

From Mike 1.15.08

2008-01-15T16:22:00.000-08:00

Greetings again,

The parliament began its proceedings this afternoon at 2:30 PM and at 11:30 PM they still continue. The speaker and deputy-speaker of parliament were elected. Both positions were won by the ODM candidate (the opposition). The other side (the president’s) was very gracious in defeat. This was very good to see. We hope that ODM having won these elections will pursue their other goals in a peaceful manner. It gives us hope.

Once these elections were finished, and the speakers sworn in, it was the turn for the newly elected MPs to be sworn in. This ignited an hour-long debate over the wording of the oath, which includes a line swearing “loyalty to the president and the Republic of Kenya.” ODM MPs (not yet sworn in) argued that they should not give allegiance to the president, since he was not properly elected. I thought that this might be the end of what had been up to then a very peaceful affair. However, the debate proceeded in a very controlled and calm manner. Finally, the newly elected speaker, from the ODM party, ruled that the current form of the oath was the legally legislated oath and that all MPs should read it as written. In other words, the ODM speaker of parliament ruled against his party. He followed the law and precedent rather than politics. I believe that this is another sign of hope.

As the MPs began taking the oaths of office, one young, newly-elected ODM MP began by swearing allegiance to President Raila Odinga (the opposition leader who is claiming the elections were rigged). The speaker made him re-do the oath. Then the young man left out the word president. He was told to repeat once again the oath and to do it correctly, which he finally did. I thought the speaker handled it well. Another sign of hope.

The area around the Parliament Building was closed to traffic and security in the area was very heavy all day. There don’t seem to have been any incidents. We thank you for praying, and we thank God that today has passed by peacefully. We hope that the example of the MPs in parliament can have an effect on their supporters.

We have some more prayer concerns. Tomorrow and Thursday and Friday, the opposition party, ODM, has called for rallies. Jordan and Alia’s schools have been called off for these days. Please pray for wisdom and peace.

One of Kenya’s leading industries is tourism. The recent problems have reduced the number of tourists to virtually zero. Tens of thousands of people are being laid off. Farms have been burnt down. Farmers have been chased from their land. The country is set to suffer some longer term problems due to the increase in unemployment and the shortage of food staples. Please pray that peace will be restored soon. And pray for these newly unemployed people.

Mike

Update & Photos from Edward 1.14.08

2008-01-14T13:38:00.002-08:00

See the update with many pictures just sent from Edward here.

Mike Brislan to Kelly 1.14.08

2008-01-14T13:38:00.001-08:00

Greetings,

The newly-elected Kenya Parliament opens tomorrow, January 15. The ODM party, which is the party of Mr Raila Odinga who 'lost' the presidential election, hold more seats in parliament than any other single party, though they don't have a majority. There are several smaller parties. Some sort of confrontation is widely expected, and people are worried and waiting. We simply don't know what may happen. The ODM has also announced public rallies/demonstrations for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday around the country. The police have declared the demonstrations to be illegal. So this week appears to be crucial for the future peace of Kenya. We ask you to pray for wisdom among the political leaders, restraint among police and demonstrators, and for the church's message of peace to be heard.

Yesterday at church, the pastor spoke on the need for repentance and peace as did thousands of other pastors in Kenya. Representatives of 5 ethnic groups confessed the sins of their people and prayed for peace and reconciliation in Kenya. I was asked to confess and pray on behalf of the Wazungu (White people). I confessed the White/Western sin of arrogance, thinking that we have all the answers to Africa's problems. I also confessed the sin of Western governments who have sent 'mediators' to Kenya without invitation, and then dictated what Kenyans should do and issued warnings, without truly listening to either side. In any case, it was hopeful to see and hear people from the different tribes involved in the conflict stand in front of the church, make these confessions and pray for reconciliation.

We are encouraged by the actions and attitudes of Christians and church leaders. However, problems do remain. Kofi Annan, Graca Machal (wife of former president of Mozambique) and Benjamin Mpaka (former president of Tanzania) are to arrive on Tuesday to attempt to bring both sides together for talks. It is not certain that either side will even agree to sit down together. Both political leaders and their allies are playing political games. For example, the opposition will agree to 'negotiations', while the government will only agree to 'dialogue'. Unfortunately, these are games that may cost people their lives and homes. Please pray that Kenya's political leaders will overlook personal pride and ambition to sit down together and find a solution. Also pray for Kofi Annan and his team of mediators.

Nearly 500,000 people are still displaced, living in either tents or in the open, in church or government compounds. Stress, lack of food, and lack of proper shelter weigh heavily on these people. Many are in camps back in their 'ancestral lands', as they are often misleadingly called in Kenya. Often they are not wanted, as these families had left the area perhaps a generation ago, and land is scarce as high population density is what caused people to leave in the first place. Please pray for these internal refugees and the organizations that are helping them. The YES team that is in Nairobi are looking into helping displaced people in Nairobi. An article in a Kenyan newspaper on Sunday was encouraging. Many of those chased from their homes have said they are ready to forgive those who did it. They simply wish to return to their homes and jobs when peace returns. Pray that peace will soon return and that the people of Kenya can begin the difficult process of learning to live together again.

We have friends who have been chased from their home in Nairobi. Other friends had traveled to Western Kenya over Christmas, and are still unable to return to Nairobi. Please pray for these families.

Kenya has remained relatively calm now for at least a week. The situation in Kenya has certainly been serious and horrendous, however claims of genocide and ethnic-cleansing, made by both political parties and Western media, seem to be exaggerated. It came to our attention only recently that CNN and other Western news media were beginning to compare Kenya to Rwanda, Congo, Liberia, etc., and to use the vocabulary of genocide. It's made us understand more why friends and family have been so concerned about our safety. Kenya has not descended into chaos and genocide is not happening! Without compromise from the two political leaders and their parties, the potential for chaos and civil war are there, but Kenyans (and us too) remain hopeful that a peaceful solution will be found.

The Western media also likes to use the word, 'tribalism.' It seems to evoke the idea of primitive 'natives' running around and slashing each other with machetes. Tribal elements are present and important in Kenya's conflict, but they are not primitive, nor 'atavistic', as I read in an American newspaper. Tribalism is very much the same as racism in America or Europe. People express racial, or tribal, stereotypes of the other tribe, or race; they vote for, or refuse to vote for, someone, based on race, or tribe; people's friends and family are found primarily among one race, or tribe, and therefore they trust them and know them best; politicians unscrupulously exploit these racist, or tribalist, sentiments to gain support. The relative weakness of public institutions (as compared to those in America or Europe) and widespread poverty contribute to the violence that seems to happen more in Africa than in America or Europe.

The 'tribal' problems and violence have caused many Kenyans to start thinking about and evaluating the way they have treated issues of tribe and identity. Our pastor in his sermon on Sunday said that Kenyans have been outwardly friendly to each other, despite tribal differences, for decades, while perpetuating tribal stereotypes in private among people of their own tribe. Some families have discouraged their sons and daughters from marrying suitors from certain other tribes. Inter-ethnic marriages are under special stress at this time. Though it is primarily well-educated Kenyans who are discussing these issues, it is an encouraging sign. Please pray that these sort of discussions will continue beyond this present crisis, so that long-term solutions may be found.

We don't know whether to be optimistic or pessimistic about the situation here. A lot depends on this week. We remain safe, secure and comfortable, which is a strange feeling when so many are hurting. Please pray for Kenya.

Mike (on behalf of the Brislen family)