Faith in Action in Western Kenya

Many of you have been communicating that you are praying for us and for the situation in Kenya. We want to share a wonderful story that demonstrates the impact of your prayers and those of others in and out of Kenya.

Western Kenya has been a focus for some of the violence after the December elections in Kenya. A Nazarene District Superintendent in western Kenya, near Kisumu, felt led during his own prayers to approach a group of Luo men he knew were gathering to talk about the political situation.

When he went to them they said, "We have heard some Kikuyu are gathering to kill us and we are arming ourselves to meet them." The DS asked this group to stay put and went to the Kikuyu who said, "We have heard that some Luo are gathering to kill us and we are arming ourselves to meet them."

With some difficulty the DS explained to each group what he had heard from the other and was able to persuade the two groups to meet together to sort out the misunderstanding. When they had gathered, he appealed to them as Kenyans and Christians to reconcile with each other. After prayer and further conversation, they calmed down and began to realize the potential impact of the path they had been on.

From their new understanding, the Luo and Kikiyu men shared with the DS and with members of the other tribe, that they was aware of others from their own tribe who were considering violence. It became clear to them that they needed to interrupt the meeting long enough to bring other members of their tribe who were considering violence. When they reconvened, they had a lengthy prayer meeting that ended in hugging and expressions of commitment to peace and to community beyond their previous misunderstanding and beyond their tribal loyalties. The violence that enveloped other villages was prevented.

Why did this happen? The Lord has the ultimate answer. I Corinthians 3:9 may be part of the explanation. It reminds us that we are "co-laborers" with God. Your prayers and the prayers and actions of this District Superintendent are a reminder that each of us, in our own way, are called to be part of the work God is doing in the world. You were impressed to pray and you did. This faithful DS was impressed to meet with unhappy and potentially violent men and he did. This isn't a theoretical exercise or a mere duty we're involved in, is it? The need for prayer continues. Many Kenyans have been displaced by the violence in remote areas. Trust across tribal lines will need to be rebuilt. The work of Africa Nazarene University in training a new generation of leaders becomes even more important. Thanks for your continued prayers and involvement in what God is doing in Africa.