A bit of good news is available on the Kenyan political scene. Opposition leaders have called off mass demonstrations which were scheduled for Thursday. In Kenyan parlance, mass demonstration usually means an excuse for violence. Many were holding their breaths today, until this news surfaced. Now many are very relieved.
Kofi Annan continues talking with the president and the opposition leader, and the president of Tanzania, who is also the chair of the African Union, is now in Kenya trying to help facilitate negotiations as well. Condoleeza Rice even weighed in on the matter yesterday, reiterating her notice that actions would be taken against anyone attempting to scuttle the talks. The leaders of this country must feel as if all eyes are upon them. If they would only listen to the people they would realize that peace is the only real issue the vast majority of Kenyans care about.
Thursday I am planning on going to a town hall meeting at the U.S. embassy. The ambassador is speaking. I will fill you all in on his perceptions of the political situation as soon as I can.
Blessings,Horace
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Tuesday Evening in Nairobi
Hello from Kenya. Everyone here is very frustrated with the political leaders who have stalled in their mediation efforts. According to mediator Kofi Annan, the talks are “temporarily suspended,” while he begins direct negotiations with the president and the opposition leader in order to speed the process up.
The sticking point of the mediation process seems to be the powers of a newly created prime minister post within the Kenyan government. Apparently, the presidency has far more powers than one would have in a western democracy. Naturally, the government wishes to hold on to as much of this as possible, and the opposition wishes to garner some of these powers from them. Unfortunately, neither side will budge in their push for power. The government wishes to make the P.M. post a presidential appointment with very little authority, and the opposition wishes for the P.M. post to be head of the government. There is obviously a wide chasm between the two, and neither is giving ground.
Please pray that both sides will see what this is doing to their country. The average man on the street simply wants everything to be back to normal. In many ways things are very normal: we sold two of our puppies today; Mary Shea got her cast off; Horace got a 100 on an algebra test. Work is now progressing nicely, as we are about to start a fourth group of farmers, growing the bird of paradise flower. Nonetheless, people are starting to air their frustrations with the leadership of the country.
Please pray that the Lord will reveal Himself to the political leaders, guiding and directing them to make good decisions for the nation. We will update you in a few days. Hopefully there will be some positive news.
Blessings,Horace
The sticking point of the mediation process seems to be the powers of a newly created prime minister post within the Kenyan government. Apparently, the presidency has far more powers than one would have in a western democracy. Naturally, the government wishes to hold on to as much of this as possible, and the opposition wishes to garner some of these powers from them. Unfortunately, neither side will budge in their push for power. The government wishes to make the P.M. post a presidential appointment with very little authority, and the opposition wishes for the P.M. post to be head of the government. There is obviously a wide chasm between the two, and neither is giving ground.
Please pray that both sides will see what this is doing to their country. The average man on the street simply wants everything to be back to normal. In many ways things are very normal: we sold two of our puppies today; Mary Shea got her cast off; Horace got a 100 on an algebra test. Work is now progressing nicely, as we are about to start a fourth group of farmers, growing the bird of paradise flower. Nonetheless, people are starting to air their frustrations with the leadership of the country.
Please pray that the Lord will reveal Himself to the political leaders, guiding and directing them to make good decisions for the nation. We will update you in a few days. Hopefully there will be some positive news.
Blessings,Horace
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Sunday Evening in Nairobi
Hello Everyone!
It has been a quiet Sunday at home today. The children have enjoyed their time off from school, but tomorrow it is back to reality! Tomorrow is also the day that Mary Shea can resume normal activity with her arm.
We are headed into another week of uncertainty with the peace talks. The official word from Kofi Annan remains optimistic, but both sides are full of comments in the press which makes them sound far apart on the issues. Tomorrow, negotiations are to continue. Everyday, there is another story of frustration on the part of those people here that are trying to bring back the economic successes they once enjoyed. Tourism is naturally suffering, and that will have quite an impact across the country in many other businesses.
In church today, the Bishop of Thika discussed a meeting he chaired of ACK Bishops that were Luo and Kikuyu – the main opposing ethnic groups here in Kenya. He talked of frank exchanges and a beginning or reconciliation and healing among the group. There has also been much in the paper lately about the need for mediation and reconciliation to extend beyond the Serena Hotel – where Kofi Annan’s talks are being held. In order to achieve lasting peace, reconciliation must extend across society to all people.
We had a sad conclusion to our week with bad news here and in the US. I wrote about a good friend of ours who was serving here in Nairobi until last July when he went back to the US because of a brain tumor. We received word Friday that he had died. His wife had written Thursday to let us all know that he was in the final hours, but it was still difficult news. Jim is no longer suffering, but we are all sad at the loss for the family and for ourselves. Up until the end he had two concerns, and they were the same that he had during life: his family and the people who didn’t know Jesus. He will be sorely missed, and I am sure his impact in many parts of the world will long be felt.
Shortly after that news, we received news that one of the CCS (Christian Community Services) employees in the diocese had died. John Muchamo was a very young man who had only been married two weeks. He was admitted to the hospital last week with severe headaches and suffered a stroke while there. He worked in the Mang’u area with those affected by HIV/AIDS. The people there often referred to him as St. John because of his compassion in dealing with everyone.
Family life is going smoothly. Horace attended his youth group today. That is truly a blessing for us and for him. Some young adults who are counselors at the summer camp here that our children attend stay here year round and minister to our children. They build relationships by coming to school for lunchtime visits as well as athletic events. On Sundays, they host youth groups for both middle and high school students. It is a wonderful gift to the community as they aren’t just ministering to missionary kids; they also work with children from diplomatic, Kenyan and Asian communities.
There is not much news to write about at the moment, but we will work on another entry at the beginning of the week. Continue to pray for peace in Kenya. We greatly appreciate the prayers that sustain us here.
Have a Blessed Week!
Anne
It has been a quiet Sunday at home today. The children have enjoyed their time off from school, but tomorrow it is back to reality! Tomorrow is also the day that Mary Shea can resume normal activity with her arm.
We are headed into another week of uncertainty with the peace talks. The official word from Kofi Annan remains optimistic, but both sides are full of comments in the press which makes them sound far apart on the issues. Tomorrow, negotiations are to continue. Everyday, there is another story of frustration on the part of those people here that are trying to bring back the economic successes they once enjoyed. Tourism is naturally suffering, and that will have quite an impact across the country in many other businesses.
In church today, the Bishop of Thika discussed a meeting he chaired of ACK Bishops that were Luo and Kikuyu – the main opposing ethnic groups here in Kenya. He talked of frank exchanges and a beginning or reconciliation and healing among the group. There has also been much in the paper lately about the need for mediation and reconciliation to extend beyond the Serena Hotel – where Kofi Annan’s talks are being held. In order to achieve lasting peace, reconciliation must extend across society to all people.
We had a sad conclusion to our week with bad news here and in the US. I wrote about a good friend of ours who was serving here in Nairobi until last July when he went back to the US because of a brain tumor. We received word Friday that he had died. His wife had written Thursday to let us all know that he was in the final hours, but it was still difficult news. Jim is no longer suffering, but we are all sad at the loss for the family and for ourselves. Up until the end he had two concerns, and they were the same that he had during life: his family and the people who didn’t know Jesus. He will be sorely missed, and I am sure his impact in many parts of the world will long be felt.
Shortly after that news, we received news that one of the CCS (Christian Community Services) employees in the diocese had died. John Muchamo was a very young man who had only been married two weeks. He was admitted to the hospital last week with severe headaches and suffered a stroke while there. He worked in the Mang’u area with those affected by HIV/AIDS. The people there often referred to him as St. John because of his compassion in dealing with everyone.
Family life is going smoothly. Horace attended his youth group today. That is truly a blessing for us and for him. Some young adults who are counselors at the summer camp here that our children attend stay here year round and minister to our children. They build relationships by coming to school for lunchtime visits as well as athletic events. On Sundays, they host youth groups for both middle and high school students. It is a wonderful gift to the community as they aren’t just ministering to missionary kids; they also work with children from diplomatic, Kenyan and Asian communities.
There is not much news to write about at the moment, but we will work on another entry at the beginning of the week. Continue to pray for peace in Kenya. We greatly appreciate the prayers that sustain us here.
Have a Blessed Week!
Anne
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Thursday's Update
Hello once again. We have had a short week due to a planned school holiday. A big improvement over emergency school closure! The kids are enjoying the idea of a break. The teachers are working today for their self-study for accreditation purposes. They will have their break tomorrow.
News from the mediation efforts is still a bit rocky. One day things are looking more positive, and the next their will be statements from one or both sides about their dissatisfaction with the process. Kofi Annan was quoted in the paper today saying that the talks are still progressing as needed even though “discouraging comments” may be coming out from both sides. Apparently both sides have agreed to a Prime Minister idea, but they still disagree on details.
Condeleeza Rice was in town Monday and met with Raila Odinga, President Kibaki and Kofi Annan. She also met with business leaders. She emphasized that the US did not intend to force or dictate the terms of an agreement, but that the US fully supports those Kenyans who have grown weary with this process and are ready for healing. While President Bush is on the continent traveling to development projects in Africa, he is noticeably absent from Kenya. He has toured Tanzania, Rwanda and is now in Ghana. He is headed to Liberia next. He is touring the successful efforts of US development.
Work is progressing. We have now scheduled all groups for upcoming seminars. We are looking forward to getting back on track. We are being reminded that nothing happens quickly here; just the scheduling process can be tedious at times. Horace continues to visit farmer groups in the field offering technical assistance where needed. Things seem to be progressing fairly well.
One exciting development this week was the installation of a pump in the well at ACK Thika Diocese Namrata Shah Children’s Home. This is a home for orphans that has been waiting for electricity since before we came to Kenya. The poles for it have been visible for quite some time, but they were waiting on the power company to make the final connections. They received a gift for a well a while ago, and it is intended to water their shamba (garden or small farm). Through a generous gift from Hand In Hand, a UK Christian Charity, they were able to purchase a pump to use to fill a tank for irrigation. The pump was purchased in November and has been patiently waiting in our pantry until electricity reached the children’s home. Finally, Horace had a call that electricity had been installed. Today, he traveled to Thika and installed the pump. He said the sight of the pumping water was wonderful, and it quietly and efficiently fills the tank. Now, they will be able to water a garden to be used for their own food and perhaps have extra to sell to help offset their costs.
News on the home front is mostly good. Mary Shea had her cast removed Tuesday and is looking forward to getting back to her normal busy schedule. We just have to wait for Monday, and then she is allowed normal activity. Horace will be busy working on a friend’s Eagle Project for scouts tomorrow. Our 7 week old puppies are healthy except for one which seems to have been born with a weak immune system. She has been quite miserable with several problems for about 10 days. Other than that, I am happy to report we are quietly doing well.
We are so thankful for our opportunity to be in Kenya, as our family has truly been blessed in many ways. It is not easy for us to be away from our extended family and friends in the US – especially during special times. This Saturday is one of those special times as our nephew John will be getting married in the US. Please join us in praying for the wedding festivities and the union of John and Anna. We pray that they will enjoy many happy years to come.
We pray peace will continue here in Kenya, and we praise God that we have so many supporting us and this country in prayer.
Have a blessed weekend!
Anne
News from the mediation efforts is still a bit rocky. One day things are looking more positive, and the next their will be statements from one or both sides about their dissatisfaction with the process. Kofi Annan was quoted in the paper today saying that the talks are still progressing as needed even though “discouraging comments” may be coming out from both sides. Apparently both sides have agreed to a Prime Minister idea, but they still disagree on details.
Condeleeza Rice was in town Monday and met with Raila Odinga, President Kibaki and Kofi Annan. She also met with business leaders. She emphasized that the US did not intend to force or dictate the terms of an agreement, but that the US fully supports those Kenyans who have grown weary with this process and are ready for healing. While President Bush is on the continent traveling to development projects in Africa, he is noticeably absent from Kenya. He has toured Tanzania, Rwanda and is now in Ghana. He is headed to Liberia next. He is touring the successful efforts of US development.
Work is progressing. We have now scheduled all groups for upcoming seminars. We are looking forward to getting back on track. We are being reminded that nothing happens quickly here; just the scheduling process can be tedious at times. Horace continues to visit farmer groups in the field offering technical assistance where needed. Things seem to be progressing fairly well.
One exciting development this week was the installation of a pump in the well at ACK Thika Diocese Namrata Shah Children’s Home. This is a home for orphans that has been waiting for electricity since before we came to Kenya. The poles for it have been visible for quite some time, but they were waiting on the power company to make the final connections. They received a gift for a well a while ago, and it is intended to water their shamba (garden or small farm). Through a generous gift from Hand In Hand, a UK Christian Charity, they were able to purchase a pump to use to fill a tank for irrigation. The pump was purchased in November and has been patiently waiting in our pantry until electricity reached the children’s home. Finally, Horace had a call that electricity had been installed. Today, he traveled to Thika and installed the pump. He said the sight of the pumping water was wonderful, and it quietly and efficiently fills the tank. Now, they will be able to water a garden to be used for their own food and perhaps have extra to sell to help offset their costs.
News on the home front is mostly good. Mary Shea had her cast removed Tuesday and is looking forward to getting back to her normal busy schedule. We just have to wait for Monday, and then she is allowed normal activity. Horace will be busy working on a friend’s Eagle Project for scouts tomorrow. Our 7 week old puppies are healthy except for one which seems to have been born with a weak immune system. She has been quite miserable with several problems for about 10 days. Other than that, I am happy to report we are quietly doing well.
We are so thankful for our opportunity to be in Kenya, as our family has truly been blessed in many ways. It is not easy for us to be away from our extended family and friends in the US – especially during special times. This Saturday is one of those special times as our nephew John will be getting married in the US. Please join us in praying for the wedding festivities and the union of John and Anna. We pray that they will enjoy many happy years to come.
We pray peace will continue here in Kenya, and we praise God that we have so many supporting us and this country in prayer.
Have a blessed weekend!
Anne
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Saturday in Nairobi
Hello from Nairobi. We are having a beautiful weekend. When I think of all of the people in the IDP (Internally Displaced People) camps, I am thankful the weather is pleasant. To think just 6 weeks ago many of these people were living peacefully in houses that they had worked to build, and now they are sleeping in emergency shelters and tents – a truly sobering thought. They deserve better than they have received.
It is quiet where we are. I would say that we are nearly back to pre-election normal here in Nairobi. Kofi Annan had a press conference yesterday in which he expressed optimism that a deal is “close”. He also stated that he had not intended to be here this long, but he does expect to remain in Kenya until a satisfactory deal has been made between the two sides. The media buzz is saying that the goal is some sort of coalition government, but there has been no formal agreement. Obviously, much work needs to be done, but all agree that things seem to have moved much more quickly than expected. We hope and pray that all of this progress continues toward meaningful agreements and peace. Kofi Annan has also called a meeting with Kibaki and Odinga for Monday. The committees representing the sides will continue negotiations Tuesday.
International pressure is mounting on the parties believed to be responsible for violence with denial of visa rights for them and their families to many countries, including the US. There is also discussion of freezing assets in foreign countries. While President George Bush is currently on a tour of Africa, he will not be visiting Kenya. The goal of his trip is to highlight the successful development initiatives that the US is involved with in Africa. Although the international press often ignores these things, there is actually quite a bit of humanitarian investment in Africa by the US. He is, however, sending Condoleeza Rice to Kenya. She is expected to be here less than 24 hours, but she will be meeting with Kibaki, Odinga and Annan while she is here.
Interesting media tidbits this week that I am sure don’t make the international news concern the role of the church here. The National Council of Churches in Kenya (NCCK) had quite a strong self-condemning statement this week in that they confessed that many in the pulpit have been preaching partisanship rather than healing of the gospel. While it is a relief to see this confession and move toward healing within the churches, it is also distressing to think that our religious institutions could have been part of fostering the hate and tribalism that exists. With this confession, one hopes, will come some sort of move to foster a healing and reconciliation process within the churches.
Our work is continuing to build back up to a normal pace. We are thankful for that. Thursday, we traveled to Mang’u with Dave Chaves, a fellow Anglican missionary who helps us out with our projects. We also took along James Njeru, who is a CCS (Christian Community Services of the ACK) employee helping with our projects. Horace visited shambas to view the passion fruit’s progress, Dave taught discipleship classes, and James and I taught the business classes. When I teach the classes, a translator is necessary in most all areas where we work. It was a good day in which we covered some beginning planning steps to improve our businesses. Things go very well, and the farmers are receptive to the lessons. Our hardest lesson of the day was to think creatively to solve problems. Quite naturally, naming the problems is easy, but thinking of creative solutions is a bit tough. We find that so many farmers and small business owners here tend to do the same things that everyone else does. This only floods a market and increases competition to an impossible degree. We talked quite a bit about how to find out what the market wants and needs are and how to find ways to address business that are different from everyone else.
There are a few minor problems on the passion fruit, but otherwise the crop looked quite good. Horace feels they will be under control shortly, and he didn’t see anything that was a major cause for concern. One of the hardest lessons that he faces teaching is that the flowers and fruit at this point must be pruned to allow proper growth of the vine. It is understandably difficult for these farmers to “waste” these fruits, but it is necessary for the future of the plant. Poles and wires will go up soon for the trellising of the vines.
Thank you for your continued prayers and encouraging messages. We will be posting again early next week.
Have a blessed weekend!
Anne
It is quiet where we are. I would say that we are nearly back to pre-election normal here in Nairobi. Kofi Annan had a press conference yesterday in which he expressed optimism that a deal is “close”. He also stated that he had not intended to be here this long, but he does expect to remain in Kenya until a satisfactory deal has been made between the two sides. The media buzz is saying that the goal is some sort of coalition government, but there has been no formal agreement. Obviously, much work needs to be done, but all agree that things seem to have moved much more quickly than expected. We hope and pray that all of this progress continues toward meaningful agreements and peace. Kofi Annan has also called a meeting with Kibaki and Odinga for Monday. The committees representing the sides will continue negotiations Tuesday.
International pressure is mounting on the parties believed to be responsible for violence with denial of visa rights for them and their families to many countries, including the US. There is also discussion of freezing assets in foreign countries. While President George Bush is currently on a tour of Africa, he will not be visiting Kenya. The goal of his trip is to highlight the successful development initiatives that the US is involved with in Africa. Although the international press often ignores these things, there is actually quite a bit of humanitarian investment in Africa by the US. He is, however, sending Condoleeza Rice to Kenya. She is expected to be here less than 24 hours, but she will be meeting with Kibaki, Odinga and Annan while she is here.
Interesting media tidbits this week that I am sure don’t make the international news concern the role of the church here. The National Council of Churches in Kenya (NCCK) had quite a strong self-condemning statement this week in that they confessed that many in the pulpit have been preaching partisanship rather than healing of the gospel. While it is a relief to see this confession and move toward healing within the churches, it is also distressing to think that our religious institutions could have been part of fostering the hate and tribalism that exists. With this confession, one hopes, will come some sort of move to foster a healing and reconciliation process within the churches.
Our work is continuing to build back up to a normal pace. We are thankful for that. Thursday, we traveled to Mang’u with Dave Chaves, a fellow Anglican missionary who helps us out with our projects. We also took along James Njeru, who is a CCS (Christian Community Services of the ACK) employee helping with our projects. Horace visited shambas to view the passion fruit’s progress, Dave taught discipleship classes, and James and I taught the business classes. When I teach the classes, a translator is necessary in most all areas where we work. It was a good day in which we covered some beginning planning steps to improve our businesses. Things go very well, and the farmers are receptive to the lessons. Our hardest lesson of the day was to think creatively to solve problems. Quite naturally, naming the problems is easy, but thinking of creative solutions is a bit tough. We find that so many farmers and small business owners here tend to do the same things that everyone else does. This only floods a market and increases competition to an impossible degree. We talked quite a bit about how to find out what the market wants and needs are and how to find ways to address business that are different from everyone else.
There are a few minor problems on the passion fruit, but otherwise the crop looked quite good. Horace feels they will be under control shortly, and he didn’t see anything that was a major cause for concern. One of the hardest lessons that he faces teaching is that the flowers and fruit at this point must be pruned to allow proper growth of the vine. It is understandably difficult for these farmers to “waste” these fruits, but it is necessary for the future of the plant. Poles and wires will go up soon for the trellising of the vines.
Thank you for your continued prayers and encouraging messages. We will be posting again early next week.
Have a blessed weekend!
Anne
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Prayers and Praise
Still not much news from Nairobi… We understand that Kofi Annan has put a gag order on all sides of the mediation efforts. We don’t expect to hear much coming from them for several days. I think it may be another instance of “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all”. Sometimes, the political posturing gets a bit tiring – ok, not just sometimes, it is probably more like most of the time. I cannot imagine the frustration of being a mediator between them.
Today’s basketball game was against Rift Valley Academy – which, being another American school for missionary kids, proves to be quite the rival school! We won 17 – 4. Horace played an excellent game. (His uncle Joe will be happy to know he had his share of fouls – some called fairly and some a bit questionable.) We have a few weeks with an empty sports schedule as we wait for the basketball tournament in early March. The schedule has been strange this year with all the troubles in January.
We do appreciate your prayers for us, our family and this country, but tonight I feel a special need to ask for prayers for friends of ours in the US. Jim and Elaine served here as missionaries. They were truly bright spots in our lives. Their three children, Josh, Luke & Anna were students at the same school as our children, and Anna was one of my students. We worshiped with them on Sundays, ate dinner at our favorite cheap restaurants, enjoyed intramural sports at school and went camping with them. Elaine held my hand and kept my sanity in check when Horace, Jr. received an especially hard hit in rugby once – even going out onto the field to give him a quick medical check as she is a trained nurse. It reassured me, but more importantly, it saved my son the embarrassment of having a mother who went down to the field. Last July, they found out Jim had a brain tumor. They rushed him from Nairobi to the US, but the situation was already pretty grim.
Elaine’s updates are always full of love and grace – she was a trained hospice nurse and has said repeatedly that she know she will use these experiences to be a better care giver in the future. I recently received an update from Elaine talking about Psalm 118:24 “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it”. As you can well imagine, Elaine has been reminding – or forcing - herself to rejoice daily in anything she can consider good. Jim is not always alert anymore and has suffered terrible pain. However, one day recently, Jim had a great day where he was alert and really with his whole family. She said that she didn’t have to remind herself to rejoice that day, she just did. She talks about how God gets us through everyday, but sometimes He sends those messages to us to let us know how deeply He really cares for us.
Of all the whining and complaining I have done about the many inconveniences we have experienced, I am ashamed to say that very few times I have stopped to realize that we have never truly known suffering as many have in this country and around the world with various forms of suffering. I am also ashamed to say that I don’t think I have rejoiced in the good news half as much as I have complained and whined about the bad.
We do praise God for our family’s safety in the turmoil as well as the glimmer of hope of reconciliation and peace for Kenya. We praise God for all the scattered stories we hear of good news that don’t make the international media. We also praise God for the inspiration of our friends Jim, Elaine, Josh, Luke and Anna – even in the midst of their suffering, their lives continue to be a light to others.
We have had computer issues with our old trusty laptop – which someone not too long ago described as a dinosaur computer (OK, I might be whining again). One morning this week, it simply greeted us with a plain black screen. Once I got it back up, I immediately backed up all our pictures on a disc (and I did praise God that I had that second chance to save them). So, bear with us if we are a bit inconsistent in getting a blog written while the computer issues are being sorted out.
Blessings,
Anne
Today’s basketball game was against Rift Valley Academy – which, being another American school for missionary kids, proves to be quite the rival school! We won 17 – 4. Horace played an excellent game. (His uncle Joe will be happy to know he had his share of fouls – some called fairly and some a bit questionable.) We have a few weeks with an empty sports schedule as we wait for the basketball tournament in early March. The schedule has been strange this year with all the troubles in January.
We do appreciate your prayers for us, our family and this country, but tonight I feel a special need to ask for prayers for friends of ours in the US. Jim and Elaine served here as missionaries. They were truly bright spots in our lives. Their three children, Josh, Luke & Anna were students at the same school as our children, and Anna was one of my students. We worshiped with them on Sundays, ate dinner at our favorite cheap restaurants, enjoyed intramural sports at school and went camping with them. Elaine held my hand and kept my sanity in check when Horace, Jr. received an especially hard hit in rugby once – even going out onto the field to give him a quick medical check as she is a trained nurse. It reassured me, but more importantly, it saved my son the embarrassment of having a mother who went down to the field. Last July, they found out Jim had a brain tumor. They rushed him from Nairobi to the US, but the situation was already pretty grim.
Elaine’s updates are always full of love and grace – she was a trained hospice nurse and has said repeatedly that she know she will use these experiences to be a better care giver in the future. I recently received an update from Elaine talking about Psalm 118:24 “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it”. As you can well imagine, Elaine has been reminding – or forcing - herself to rejoice daily in anything she can consider good. Jim is not always alert anymore and has suffered terrible pain. However, one day recently, Jim had a great day where he was alert and really with his whole family. She said that she didn’t have to remind herself to rejoice that day, she just did. She talks about how God gets us through everyday, but sometimes He sends those messages to us to let us know how deeply He really cares for us.
Of all the whining and complaining I have done about the many inconveniences we have experienced, I am ashamed to say that very few times I have stopped to realize that we have never truly known suffering as many have in this country and around the world with various forms of suffering. I am also ashamed to say that I don’t think I have rejoiced in the good news half as much as I have complained and whined about the bad.
We do praise God for our family’s safety in the turmoil as well as the glimmer of hope of reconciliation and peace for Kenya. We praise God for all the scattered stories we hear of good news that don’t make the international media. We also praise God for the inspiration of our friends Jim, Elaine, Josh, Luke and Anna – even in the midst of their suffering, their lives continue to be a light to others.
We have had computer issues with our old trusty laptop – which someone not too long ago described as a dinosaur computer (OK, I might be whining again). One morning this week, it simply greeted us with a plain black screen. Once I got it back up, I immediately backed up all our pictures on a disc (and I did praise God that I had that second chance to save them). So, bear with us if we are a bit inconsistent in getting a blog written while the computer issues are being sorted out.
Blessings,
Anne
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
No News is Good News for Kenya
We are very sorry we haven’t updated sooner, but we are thankful that there is not much to report right now. We were waiting for some news out of the negotiations, but it appears that all will be relatively quiet until some agreements are reached. Kofi Annan was quoted in the paper warning the media not to speculate on the contents of the talks, and, of course, the paper proceeded to speculate about the contents of the talks.
We have now lasted over a week without any school activities cancelled. Horace’s basketball team had a game cancelled Saturday morning, but perhaps they were just afraid of the competition??
It does appear that there is a possibility of negotiations producing fruit. We’ve been a bit reluctant to write this, because we know that as soon as we do, something could blow up in the negotiations, but so far so good. The two sides have apparently outlined what they propose, and it seems there may be hope after all, as there are points they do agree upon.
The problems that remain with Kenya will take some time for recovery. Not only is there the basic mistrust between ethnic groups, but there are so many people who have been displaced from their homes, work and school. There are some that feel that these people should simply be sent back to their “original tribal home land,” but for some of these people that is a foreign land. We pray that they will be able to settle in a peaceful place that is their choice and not have something forced upon them.
The economy will suffer here. Tourism and agriculture will be the most heavily damaged areas. While some problems simply stem from fear and insecurity in certain areas, others come from damaged infrastructure, such as factories and equipment. Kericho, for instance, is a major tea producing area, and processing equipment was damaged there. With the damage done to the economy, no doubt jobs will be lost and poverty will increase.
After church two Sundays ago, we were off to lunch at a tourist spot called the Safari Park Hotel, which generally has a pretty large spread on Sundays. Normally, it is packed. In fact, vacancies in the hotel are rare even in the off-season, which we are in now. However, our car was one of only a few in the parking lot, and there were only two other tables being used in the restaurant. This really made it all hit home. In fact, the latest reported figures say tourist arrivals were down 90% in the month of January. Tourism, which leads the nation with a billion dollar industry, is really and truly bottoming out.
We want to thank all of you for your e-mails and messages. Your encouraging words really lift us up, as do your prayers. Please know that everyone is safe and sound, as life gets back to normal in East Africa.
Blessings to you all,
Horace and Anne
We have now lasted over a week without any school activities cancelled. Horace’s basketball team had a game cancelled Saturday morning, but perhaps they were just afraid of the competition??
It does appear that there is a possibility of negotiations producing fruit. We’ve been a bit reluctant to write this, because we know that as soon as we do, something could blow up in the negotiations, but so far so good. The two sides have apparently outlined what they propose, and it seems there may be hope after all, as there are points they do agree upon.
The problems that remain with Kenya will take some time for recovery. Not only is there the basic mistrust between ethnic groups, but there are so many people who have been displaced from their homes, work and school. There are some that feel that these people should simply be sent back to their “original tribal home land,” but for some of these people that is a foreign land. We pray that they will be able to settle in a peaceful place that is their choice and not have something forced upon them.
The economy will suffer here. Tourism and agriculture will be the most heavily damaged areas. While some problems simply stem from fear and insecurity in certain areas, others come from damaged infrastructure, such as factories and equipment. Kericho, for instance, is a major tea producing area, and processing equipment was damaged there. With the damage done to the economy, no doubt jobs will be lost and poverty will increase.
After church two Sundays ago, we were off to lunch at a tourist spot called the Safari Park Hotel, which generally has a pretty large spread on Sundays. Normally, it is packed. In fact, vacancies in the hotel are rare even in the off-season, which we are in now. However, our car was one of only a few in the parking lot, and there were only two other tables being used in the restaurant. This really made it all hit home. In fact, the latest reported figures say tourist arrivals were down 90% in the month of January. Tourism, which leads the nation with a billion dollar industry, is really and truly bottoming out.
We want to thank all of you for your e-mails and messages. Your encouraging words really lift us up, as do your prayers. Please know that everyone is safe and sound, as life gets back to normal in East Africa.
Blessings to you all,
Horace and Anne
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Finally! A new posting!
Hello All –
Happy Super Tuesday to all those in the US! I hope you voted. I started trying to write this Saturday, but things have evolved into quite a busy weekend and beginning of the week, so here I am Tuesday night trying to get it finished. I just don’t seem to be able to get a blog written and posted before things change a bit – or we don’t have working internet – or we don’t have electricity.
We had a town hall meeting today with the American Ambassador and members of the Embassy staff. It was a helpful update. They are very encouraged by the reports they are getting from Kofi Annan’s mediation efforts. The two agreements that have already been signed came more quickly than expected. Granted, they are now in the more seriously contested issues, but he felt that both sides will be open to negotiation and compromise eventually.
They spent quite a bit of time answering questions from the audience, and overall, they were frank, but optimistic. They gave us helpful information about Warden contacts. Being with so many Americans in Nairobi, our ward is actually quite a small area and the warden lives just behind us a few streets. The warden is the person who delivers emergency information via cell phone, although we all receive emails directly from the Embassy.
Their advice was to proceed with our work here and be aware of our surroundings, avoiding known areas of trouble – which we are already doing. They do not forsee our current situation of relative security in Nairobi to change any time soon. They did qualify that with the advice to stay away from the known trouble spots, including Kabera and other slum areas. For some in ministry, this is quite difficult because that is where all of their work is. However, for us, it does not pertain.
I know that it is hard to look at Kenya’s situation as having hope for some of those not as familiar with this country or the continent of Africa, but the reasons the Ambassador gave for optimism were encouraging to me, reminding me of the basic stability of the people. First, Kenya has a well established community of business people and civilians who have invested quite a bit in the basic democratic structure of this country. While it is obviously far from perfect, they are more established here than most countries. Second, Kenya has a very high literacy rate which makes citizen more likely to assess the situation at hand for themselves without blindly following leaders. Third, Kenya has the best media outlets in Africa that are dedicated to the free press and are free from intimidation from outside sources. Fourth, both sides have a tremendous amount to lose and gain in this process. Kibaki does not want to be viewed by the world as a leader who stole power, and Odinga does not want to have the legacy of tearing this country apart. Lastly, he said that from his personal conversations with all parties, he has come to the conclusion that they will work toward agreement.
The Ambassador also told us that the US is privately putting some pressure on individuals who they believe are involved in supporting violence. They have received spoken and written warnings that their visa status is to be reviewed if peace does not come soon. Many of these individuals have children who are living and working or going to school in the US, and many of them were educated in the US, so that is having a tremendous impact on them. It seems they have evidence pointing to certain individuals and their part in funding the violence. The positive about that disgusting bit of information is that intelligence is yielding valuable information for finding those responsible. Once the funding dries up, for many of these “bands of youth”, the violence will be discontinued. These wealthy individuals seem to be exploiting the large population of unemployed youth for their causes, so it appears that the “chaos” may just well be a paid show without true commitment to the causes.
We, of course, continue to watch what happens in our community and the country as a whole. We are thankful for the organization and communication we get from the Embassy. They have an policy that states we as private citizens receive the same information that Embassy employees and their families receive.
The last few days have been a bit busy, but it was topped off yesterday in the first three minutes of Mary Shea’s basketball game. She fell backwards onto her elbow and was in quite a lot of pain. We took her straight to the Children’s hospital where our pediatrician’s office is. Thankfully, he was just finishing up his day and was available to take a look. He sent us for a quick x-ray and then called the orthopedist to see us. The orthopedist waited for us even though he was also finished with his normal office hours. He said that she had a slight crack in her elbow and put her in a cast right then and there. He checked it this afternoon, and he expects her to be in a cast only two weeks. The timing was an absolute blessing as another Mom took Horace, Jr. home after his basketball game and we were only about 30 minutes later picking him up from their house on our way home (2 and ½ hours from injury to home). The bad news is that she will have to sit out of swim team for about three weeks. She is disappointed, but we are all thankful that it was not any more serious. Horace’s team won their game 22-10 with the second string mostly, so we did not even miss seeing him play very much. Mary Shea broke her arm last year, but it was simply a fall outside her classroom. She says that saying she hurt it in basketball is a much better story to tell. She is in MUCH better spirits tonight, and the pain is almost gone.
I feel like if I actually get this on the blog, it will be a miracle, so say a prayer of thanksgiving if you have been able to read it. Please continue to pray for peace and stability. Please also pray for Mary Shea’s arm.
Blessings,
Anne
Happy Super Tuesday to all those in the US! I hope you voted. I started trying to write this Saturday, but things have evolved into quite a busy weekend and beginning of the week, so here I am Tuesday night trying to get it finished. I just don’t seem to be able to get a blog written and posted before things change a bit – or we don’t have working internet – or we don’t have electricity.
We had a town hall meeting today with the American Ambassador and members of the Embassy staff. It was a helpful update. They are very encouraged by the reports they are getting from Kofi Annan’s mediation efforts. The two agreements that have already been signed came more quickly than expected. Granted, they are now in the more seriously contested issues, but he felt that both sides will be open to negotiation and compromise eventually.
They spent quite a bit of time answering questions from the audience, and overall, they were frank, but optimistic. They gave us helpful information about Warden contacts. Being with so many Americans in Nairobi, our ward is actually quite a small area and the warden lives just behind us a few streets. The warden is the person who delivers emergency information via cell phone, although we all receive emails directly from the Embassy.
Their advice was to proceed with our work here and be aware of our surroundings, avoiding known areas of trouble – which we are already doing. They do not forsee our current situation of relative security in Nairobi to change any time soon. They did qualify that with the advice to stay away from the known trouble spots, including Kabera and other slum areas. For some in ministry, this is quite difficult because that is where all of their work is. However, for us, it does not pertain.
I know that it is hard to look at Kenya’s situation as having hope for some of those not as familiar with this country or the continent of Africa, but the reasons the Ambassador gave for optimism were encouraging to me, reminding me of the basic stability of the people. First, Kenya has a well established community of business people and civilians who have invested quite a bit in the basic democratic structure of this country. While it is obviously far from perfect, they are more established here than most countries. Second, Kenya has a very high literacy rate which makes citizen more likely to assess the situation at hand for themselves without blindly following leaders. Third, Kenya has the best media outlets in Africa that are dedicated to the free press and are free from intimidation from outside sources. Fourth, both sides have a tremendous amount to lose and gain in this process. Kibaki does not want to be viewed by the world as a leader who stole power, and Odinga does not want to have the legacy of tearing this country apart. Lastly, he said that from his personal conversations with all parties, he has come to the conclusion that they will work toward agreement.
The Ambassador also told us that the US is privately putting some pressure on individuals who they believe are involved in supporting violence. They have received spoken and written warnings that their visa status is to be reviewed if peace does not come soon. Many of these individuals have children who are living and working or going to school in the US, and many of them were educated in the US, so that is having a tremendous impact on them. It seems they have evidence pointing to certain individuals and their part in funding the violence. The positive about that disgusting bit of information is that intelligence is yielding valuable information for finding those responsible. Once the funding dries up, for many of these “bands of youth”, the violence will be discontinued. These wealthy individuals seem to be exploiting the large population of unemployed youth for their causes, so it appears that the “chaos” may just well be a paid show without true commitment to the causes.
We, of course, continue to watch what happens in our community and the country as a whole. We are thankful for the organization and communication we get from the Embassy. They have an policy that states we as private citizens receive the same information that Embassy employees and their families receive.
The last few days have been a bit busy, but it was topped off yesterday in the first three minutes of Mary Shea’s basketball game. She fell backwards onto her elbow and was in quite a lot of pain. We took her straight to the Children’s hospital where our pediatrician’s office is. Thankfully, he was just finishing up his day and was available to take a look. He sent us for a quick x-ray and then called the orthopedist to see us. The orthopedist waited for us even though he was also finished with his normal office hours. He said that she had a slight crack in her elbow and put her in a cast right then and there. He checked it this afternoon, and he expects her to be in a cast only two weeks. The timing was an absolute blessing as another Mom took Horace, Jr. home after his basketball game and we were only about 30 minutes later picking him up from their house on our way home (2 and ½ hours from injury to home). The bad news is that she will have to sit out of swim team for about three weeks. She is disappointed, but we are all thankful that it was not any more serious. Horace’s team won their game 22-10 with the second string mostly, so we did not even miss seeing him play very much. Mary Shea broke her arm last year, but it was simply a fall outside her classroom. She says that saying she hurt it in basketball is a much better story to tell. She is in MUCH better spirits tonight, and the pain is almost gone.
I feel like if I actually get this on the blog, it will be a miracle, so say a prayer of thanksgiving if you have been able to read it. Please continue to pray for peace and stability. Please also pray for Mary Shea’s arm.
Blessings,
Anne
Friday, February 1, 2008
Good News Breaking in Nairobi
Today was a quiet news day for us – not by choice. We were without electricity from midnight last night until the middle of this afternoon. Power outages here are more the norm for our lives. We always have plenty of candles and flashlights handy, but we are without the TV. There were scheduled sports events at school which I will write more about later.
Ban Ki Moon, the Secretary General of the UN was in town today to give assistance to the peace process. He must be quite effective because it appears there might just be some good news tonight – which is a very welcome event in our household and across this country. On both the CNN and BBC websites, they are reporting “BREAKING NEWS” that the two sides have reached an agenda for a peace deal. This is not the peace deal, but it is an agreement on how to move forward. Apparently, this spells out exactly what issues will be covered in the next 2 to 4 weeks as they broker peace.
The really good news is that there has been an immediate agreement to end inflammatory language, break up gangs who are using violence, and the right to peaceful assembly for all citizens. These gangs are actually being referred to as “militias”; however, one of these groups in particular, the Mungiki, has been in Kenya for some time. They operate more like the gangs that we read and hear about in the US, committing crimes and operating on the fringes of society.
I heard a story today that yesterday the Mungiki attempted to enter a community to rid it of Luo people. But, both the Luo and the Kikuyu people in that community refused to be intimidated and chased them out. If that kind of cooperation could spread throughout Kenya, the political negotiations would not be necessary. I believe the good and decent people of Kenya are weary of the intimidation and fear. I believe they are acting in faith to fight against corruption.
Prayers are being answered, and it certainly seems to be positive. Please pray that the negotiations will continue to be productive. Also, please pray for the people of this country. They need stamina and courage to continue.
On a family note, Sports Day was a great success. Mary Shea was first in the high jump and second in both of her races. She did quite well in the long jump, but we are not sure if she placed. Horace did quite well in his races also – coming in second and third place. I helped Parent Teacher Fellowship make and sell sandwiches for a fundraiser – we didn’t do so well as we were competing with Korean lunches. It was a wonderful day for me – just to return to a bit of the normal routine of family and school.
We appreciate your prayers and encouragement every day. Please keep them going. If you could also add our families in the U.S., that would also be greatly appreciated. They are stressed from what they see on the news, and our ability to convince them of our safety seems to be lacking somewhat.
We will continue to update you as we know more.
Praying for a peaceful weekend for you and for us,
Anne
Ban Ki Moon, the Secretary General of the UN was in town today to give assistance to the peace process. He must be quite effective because it appears there might just be some good news tonight – which is a very welcome event in our household and across this country. On both the CNN and BBC websites, they are reporting “BREAKING NEWS” that the two sides have reached an agenda for a peace deal. This is not the peace deal, but it is an agreement on how to move forward. Apparently, this spells out exactly what issues will be covered in the next 2 to 4 weeks as they broker peace.
The really good news is that there has been an immediate agreement to end inflammatory language, break up gangs who are using violence, and the right to peaceful assembly for all citizens. These gangs are actually being referred to as “militias”; however, one of these groups in particular, the Mungiki, has been in Kenya for some time. They operate more like the gangs that we read and hear about in the US, committing crimes and operating on the fringes of society.
I heard a story today that yesterday the Mungiki attempted to enter a community to rid it of Luo people. But, both the Luo and the Kikuyu people in that community refused to be intimidated and chased them out. If that kind of cooperation could spread throughout Kenya, the political negotiations would not be necessary. I believe the good and decent people of Kenya are weary of the intimidation and fear. I believe they are acting in faith to fight against corruption.
Prayers are being answered, and it certainly seems to be positive. Please pray that the negotiations will continue to be productive. Also, please pray for the people of this country. They need stamina and courage to continue.
On a family note, Sports Day was a great success. Mary Shea was first in the high jump and second in both of her races. She did quite well in the long jump, but we are not sure if she placed. Horace did quite well in his races also – coming in second and third place. I helped Parent Teacher Fellowship make and sell sandwiches for a fundraiser – we didn’t do so well as we were competing with Korean lunches. It was a wonderful day for me – just to return to a bit of the normal routine of family and school.
We appreciate your prayers and encouragement every day. Please keep them going. If you could also add our families in the U.S., that would also be greatly appreciated. They are stressed from what they see on the news, and our ability to convince them of our safety seems to be lacking somewhat.
We will continue to update you as we know more.
Praying for a peaceful weekend for you and for us,
Anne
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