Kisumu, Kenya

A family running from the violence in Kenya. Click on the picture to read the article. http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Violence has broken out in one of Africa’s most stable countries after presidential election results last week. Incumbent President Mwai Kibaki has been declared the winner, but the opposition party alleges that the election results were rigged. As a result, ethnic tensions have flared into open violence with reports and accusations of ethnic cleansing coming from various tribes.

Much of the violence has centered in Kisumu. Kisumu is in western Kenya, and is the site of several of the mission efforts supported by the Northwest Church. We support both an orphanage and a school there, and many of the orphans are supported by members of the church. There has been ongoing work to establish an AIDS-related work as well, a VTC (Volunteer Training Center) that will serve the entire community. At this point, I don’t know what the status of our friends is there, but suffice to say they need our prayers. Fear is rampant throughout that city, stores are shut down so no one can get food, the banks are closed and neither the Red Cross or World Vision or other aid groups can get in. A scary, scary time.

Please pray for the safety of our friends Thomas and Jared, and pray that peace will come back to that country quickly.

Peace on earth…