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Thursday, 20 November 2008
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Update from Kenya 1-14-08 |
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Hello,
We thank God for all your prayers and your genuine care for us. In the midst of all the skirmishes taking place here in Kenya, we're comforted by the very fact God is our protector, and the encouraging fact that disciples there have passionately been praying for us.
This week is very crucial for this country for the former UN boss Koffi
Annan will be arriving here with a team of other respected world
leaders to help facilitate peaceful negotiations between our two main
leaders. At the same time, the opposition group has organized three
days of mass action for three consecutive days (Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday this week). We need more specific prayers for the negotiations
to be successful and these destructive mass actions to end.
However, for the last one week or so, the country has been relatively
peaceful Not much violence has been reported across the country though
there are still some pockets of disgruntled groups of people that keep
burning people's properties upcountry. Unfortunately, there are thugs
who've taken advantage of the situation and are actively using the
mayhem in some parts of the country to carry out their evil schemes. We
continue praying that the government's efforts to arrest the security
situation will yield great success.
The effects of this turmoil have been overwhelming. The country has
reported about 500,000 people displaced while hundreds have died. In
church, Eldoret church is the most affected mainly because most people
who've been displaced and killed were from that region. The majority
tribe in Eldoret, the Kalenjine, attacked and destroyed the properties
and lives of people from the Kikuyu tribe. It's the same area when a
group of women and children who had gone to take refuge in a church
were burnt to ashes.
Subsequently, the Eldoret church has not been able to meet due to
insecurity and their worship venue has been taken by many displaced
people. There are 6 disciple's families displaced from there homes and
are currently living in the evangelist's house while 4 others are
living with one of the sector leaders in the church there; 1 disciple
has had not only his house burned down but also his business and his
two cars; 12 disciples need to get out of town because they are being
targeted by a rival ethnic group - we're trying to work out ways to get
them out safely.
In Nairobi, we have 2 brothers whose businesses were completely
destroyed; 18 disciples have lost their job's due to the chaos; 12 are
living with a church staff member due to displacement; 20 people
(disciples and their children) in the East ministries including 1 widow
have fled their homes; 2 sisters are currently missing while numerous
are in need of food and transport.
Despite all this, we had a wonderful time worshipping God yesterday.
The services were upbeat and quite glorious for church is the only
place for many where they feel at home with other disciples and very
safe. All the regions in Nairobi met though we still have many people
still trapped in troublesome regions upcountry. In the East service
alone, we had an attendance of 736 people who came to worship and
commit our country to God in prayer. One of the main issues in the
church now that needs continuous attention is tribalism. The country is
already divided alone ethnic lines and this is posing as a threat to
the growth and stability of our intertribal churches within Kenya. I
did a message entitled, "An Enemy Called Tribalism" and the disciples
responded very well. At the moment the disciples are solidly together
though we believe this may be one of the weapons Satan will attempt to
use to derail and frustrate the growth of the churches here. We're
doing all we can to equip the disciples spiritually to withstand this
kind of attack from Satan.
This mid-week service will be done in prayer groups within bibletalks due to grave insecurity in some parts of Nairobi at night.
Otherwise, thanks again for your love and support.
Regards to all,
George Irungu
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