The Mess In Kenya

20Jan08

OK – so why would a guy half way around the world have an opinion about what has been happening in Kenya since the December presidential elections?  The answer may give you a little more insight into what quickens my heart and causes it to beat a little faster.

Let me give you a little background first.  I have traveled to Kenya 6 times since 1996 on short term mission trips – first through our former church in Rochester, Minnesota and now through the church where I am on staff.  Kenya holds a special place in my heart and I always look forward to the time when I can return to this beautiful country.  My most recent trip over there was this past September when a small group of people from Crosspointe went to work with a good friend of mine who is a missionary based in Nairobi.  Shane, his wife Kara and their kids are serving with Special Ministries developing Hope Centers throughout the country of Kenya.  We at Crosspointe have decided to focus on one small area in Kenya, a Hope Center called Cheppema Children’s Home.  Cheppema is an orphanage which takes kids who are orphaned, abandoned or just neglected and gives them a loving, stable environment where they can sleep in a warm home, eat 3 meals a day, attend school, receive medical care and get to know what it means to follow Jesus.  These kids come from many different backgrounds and many different tribes in the western Rift Valley area of Kenya.  There are kids in the home right now who come from the Luo, Kikuyu and Kalenjin tribes - living in peace and learning together what it means to follow Jesus.

If they can do it there, why doesn’t it translate to Nairobi, Eldoret, Kisumu or Mombasa?

Pride.

Not willing to back down.

Not willing to compromise.

Sin.

The current (disputed) president of Kenya is from the Kikuyu tribe.  His main opponent is Luo.  Preliminary results during the election had the Luo candidate well in front when the majority of the votes were counted.  There were more to count but it appeared that he was cruising to a victory.  The rest of the votes were counted and surprisingly the incumbent won and was quickly sworn into office for a second term. 

Then the trouble began.  The challenger received most of his support from a slum in Nairobi called Kibera.  Anytime you see slums on tv from East Africa you will always see shots of Kibera.  About 1 million people live in a few square mile area and the challenger used their plight to gain significant votes and support in the election.  When their candidate was not elected (or deemed the winner), they took matters into their own hands and began a (now 3 week) campaign to kill members of the Kikuyu tribe.  And now the Kikuyu’s are killing the Luo’s.  And the police and paramilitary are killing people from both sides.  And it still comes down to tribal pride. 

Someone is going to have to sacrifice his interests for the interests of all the people in Kenya.  Lay down his pride.

It truly is breaking my heart. 

The good news is that when I talked with Shane last week, the kids and the orphanage were fine and the plan is to begin school about a month late once the teachers can make their way back safely from their homes. 

You can see some pictures of my most recent trip to Kenya here and meet some Kikuyu, Luo and Kalenjin kids who are living together, learning together, worshipping together and doing life together.  They get it.  Let’s hope the grown-ups get it too.

Filed under: church, kenya, me   |  2 Comments