Last Week

This is our last week of teaching. The students this week have been very bright and there is a guy in my class who perpetually has a smile on his face. I think that yesterday Nafula and I had our best day of teaching. We had a great flow together and the questions that the students brought up were intelligent and appropriate to what we were teaching. We had a discussion at the end about discrimination that is associated with HIV/AIDS. Nafula brought up a story about a lady in her village that was a maid. This lady had HIV and due to this she was forced to use her own utensils and chair. She wasn’t even allowed to hold the babies that she was supposed to care for. ….not only does this poor woman have a horrible infection, but she is ostracized. This confirms in my mind the need for people to be educated. I am realizing more and more that the work that we have the privilege of doing is making a difference as each week we get to share with the students that they now have the information to make a difference in their lives and the lives of those in their community. The more people are educated, the less HIV is spread, the more issues are discussed and not decided by violence, the decrease in incredibly hurtful discrimination and the more students feel that they will have a unique role to play in the development of Kenya.
The other day as we were stuck in the jam on the way home I was chatting with Alex and Alanna, when a young boy of about 10 years or so taped on my window and asked for some money. My immediate response was “No, sorry” as 1. we are not to carry money when going to the schools and 2. it is not safe to hand out money while sitting in a jam. So I resumed my conversation as this boy walked away. For whatever reason a few seconds later, I turned back around to watch him lead his grandmother (I assume) from car to car asking for money and being turned down with each request. At this moment it hit me: This boy is probably not going to make any money tonight. And then what? What is his fate? How long will this process continue? As he and his grandmother disappeared into the increasing darkness, I was deeply saddened. How is it that we can be so close to someone in need and have the means to help them, yet the distance between my hand and theirs is infinitely unreachable? hmm….“Blessed are the poor for they will inherit the Kingdom of God.” Jesus’ words.
On another note, to keep everyone updated as to the events in Kenya and to put people at ease let me share with you what has been happening in the last number of weeks. There is a group called the Mungiki gang that has been targeting drivers and conductors of matatus (most common form of public transit—minibuses). They have tortured and beheaded by these men. So far about 12 people have been killed by this gang; 4 of which were killed 2 weeks ago and a number were killed on Saturday and 4 on Monday. In addition, on the National Kenyan holiday (Madaraka Day) celebrated on Friday, the president gave an address to the nation stating that as a government they will crack down on criminals harshly. Hours after this speech a gentlemen in his government (I don’t know the specific details on this) was shot; this murder has been linked to the Mungiki. Also on the weekend 2 police officers were killed by the gang in the Mathare slum. In retaliation to this on Monday night 100 police officers entered the slum and shot and killed (at point blank range in some cases) 22 people SUSPECTED of Mungiki activity. As is obvious this neighbourhood is incredibly shaken by these events and most live in fear. This is especially true for those who are young men that are not associated with the gang, but by virtue of being young men they are immediate targets. This is an incredibly horrific situation and one that Kenya has never seen before. If you are of this mind, please pray for this nation that the government will be able to bring about justice. Please pray for the people of Mathare slum and the surrounding slums. Many of our students live in this slum and my immediate fear is for their wellbeing. So above all please pray for them.
In terms of our team, please be assured that we are NOT in danger. These killings are not about money; they are targeted at specific individuals. Also, this violence occurs at night in slums and we are always inside in our compound at night. So please don’t be alarmed for us; instead, be alarmed for the situation that is occurring in Kenya and the fact that violence continues to plague our world.