What has happened since our last blog is nothing less than a humanitarian crisis in Kenya.
Following the news and BBC world web site has left us shocked and stirred up within to cry out to God for 'peace and reconciliation' between those bent on their own agenda for power.
Friends of ours in Kisumu are living in fear for their lives. Our key worker, is still unable to return home from Kampala where he spent the Christmas break. Another works as a doctor in the very hospital Orla Guerren (BBC correspondent) visited yesterday. Such graphic and disturbing scenes of inhumanity to man.
First hand reports have informed us that of the 200+ children and families we support and sponsor, some have completely vanished. They are of the Kikuyu tribe.
Why is there suffering? What brings mankind to this level of violence and hatred, a base human instinct; our lowest common denominator!?
Perhaps we need to accept we will never fully understand! But we need to know that God cares about those suffering and wants to use us to do something about it.
For some reason it appears that 99% of the time God appears to alleviate suffering by working through humans...you and me. Surely it would be a lot more effective to bypass us as we seem to make such a mess of everything.
God is capable of miraculously feeding all the world's hungry and yet for some reason he prefers to do it through humans. Even when he miraculously fed the 5,000 men, he gave the food to the disciples to distribute.
Now why did he do that?
In the midst of all these atrocities in Kenya, let us not lose sight of the ever present person of the suffering Christ, who daily walks the same lonely and abused road; often in the form of another human being.
Such unconditional love. Grace at work.
Now that's what is needed in this beautiful land! Reconciliation and peace.
Oh by the way, in case you were wondering, yes, we are still planning on go to live, serve and work amongst the poor in Kisumu at the end of the month. This seems as good a time as any to be going.
However, we will respect the UK government's recommendations, and those who have our welfare at heart. Wisdom will prevail.
Peter & Paula xx
