Mission Society missionaries in Kenya report on recent atrocities

Several Mission Society representatives in Kenya have been deeply – and at times personally – touched by the tragedies in the nation following national elections that took place near the end of December 2007.

“This is not what anyone expected,” noted Mission Society international partner and Kenya native Michael Agwanda, whose own aunt’s home was burned down. “However, when Satan and his agents are allowed to work in the hearts of people, what can we expect, unless God intervenes? We are reminded in the Word that ‘Satan comes to steal, kill, and to destroy.’ These words are real in the lives of Kenyans today. They will testify to it.”

As of mid-February, more than 1,000 people in Kenya had been killed and 300,000 made homeless, “both by police and warring gangs, from both the government and opposition party
supporters,” claimed Agwanda. “Shops and businesses have not only been robbed and looted of their commodities, but also burned to the ground.”

Most horrific was an incident that saw more than 50 adults and children burned to death within a church building where they had sought refuge. Reports in Christian media such as Christianity Today have indicated that some local churches, caught up in the divisiveness, have at times fueled the fires of unrest while other apolitical servants of Christ have sought to be peacemakers and relieve suffering.

“We have given sanctuary to a widow and seven of her eight children,” noted missionary Don Dickerson, who serves in Kenya along with his wife, Laura, and their children. “They are of the Borana tribe and were recently compelled by the violence to spend nights in the forest. This was done because the Kikuyu [tribe members] in this family’s area had issued letters stating that tribes other than Kikuyu would be physically harmed unless they cleared from the area.

“Our home houses members of Kikuyu, Luhya (night watchman), Borana, Akamba, and sometimes Luo tribes. In our absence [the family was back home in Georgia until February 18], there are about 12 people living there,” Dickerson added.

The ethnic complexities of Kenya surfaced as a result of close election results and accusations of irregularities in the vote tally. “In cities across the nation,” explained Mission Society President Philip Granger, “there have been demonstrations and violence – sometimes police and protestors clashing, but also vigilante groups, looters, and vandals are attacking people of opposing ethnic groups.” Some Kenyan pastors put it this way to Mission Society missionary Rick Slingluff, “It’s like two bulls with horns locked fighting, the bulls are our leaders; we are the grass beneath their hooves.”

At press time, Kenya’s ruling party and opposition had agreed to form a power-sharing government in an effort to end the weeks of bloodshed. Kenyan pastor, the Rev. David Thagana, international partner with The Mission Society, wrote from Kenya on February 28: “President Mwai Kibaki in his national address speech has said, ‘Kenya has enough space for everybody.’ Raila Odinga in his address speech has said, ‘Today Kenya has marked a significant day from confrontational politics to cooperation.’ Join us to thank God for answering our prayers for peace. Meanwhile keep praying that our parliament will enact laws to protect these agreements. Thanks for your prayers and standing with us.”

A massive job of relief and rebuilding is needed in Kenya to help the affected people put their lives back together again, said Granger. Those wishing to lend support can visit www.themissionsociety.org. The Mission Society will distribute the donations through indigenous Christian churches and relief channels who are assisting in this massive job of providing food, clothing, and shelter to those have been severely impacted by this crisis.

“Friends and the entire church, I call on you now than ever to pray for this country,” said Agwanda. “It is only prayer and fasting that can salvage this country from the hands of people who do not know God and have no respect or regard to life.”

Michael Agwanda, Julie Campbell, Rick and Deb Slingluff, and Amanda Smith make up The Mission Society team presently serving in Kenya.