|
Kenyans
are still struggling to recover from the ethnic violence
that erupted a year and a half ago in the wake of a
disputed presidential election.
"The big problem is 10 million people are facing food
shortages," says Assemblies of God missionary Bryan
Burr, who represents Convoy of Hope in Kenya. "Farmers
haven't been growing food because they've been
preoccupied with shelter and safety."
Tribal warfare caused the deaths of more than 1,000
people, including 52 worshippers burned to death inside
Kiambaa AG near Eldoret by an armed mob. Clashes around
the country left nearly 400 AG churches destroyed.
AG World Missions and Convoy of Hope have shipped 14
containers of food, tents, roof tarps, blankets and
clothing weighing 500,000 pounds. Much of the relief aid
has been distributed to AG church members from church
sites and the AG Bible school in Nairobi.
"We are grateful to be a part of the vision that Kenya
General Superintendent Peter Njiri had for establishing
an East Africa distribution center," says Dave
Donaldson, Convoy of Hope co-founder. "Placing Convoy of
Hope there prior to the spread of violence was timely
and strategic in meeting both spiritual and physical
needs."
Greg Beggs, East Africa area director for AG World
Missions, credits Njiri with wisely taking a nonpartisan
stand that allowed the Kenya AG to help in peace and
reconciliation efforts among ethnic tribes. Most people
have been resettled from refugee camps, but there still
are many people displaced around Eldoret.
In all, 300,000 people lost their homes, including more
than 70,000 AG members. The displaced included 700 AG
pastors, and Burr says resettling them has been a
priority. "Some had to move to other areas of the
country where it was safer," Burr says.
"They have started churches in other areas."
The AG church in Kenya, which includes more than 1
million attendees in more than 3,100 congregations,
suffered the most among Christian groups. "Wherever
there was violence, our people were affected," Burr
says. "It's not because the AG was targeted. It's
because our churches are everywhere."
Courtesy: www.ag.org
|
