I recently received this update on the situation in Kenya, from Berkeley Hackett, as well as a letter from Charlotte Hackett (opens in a new window or tab).
Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2008
Subject: Kenya Report
Hundreds have lost their lives since the New Year and hundreds of thousands more have had to flee their homes due to political and tribal violence in Kenya. The majority of these displaced people have had to flee burning homes and armed attackers with little more than the clothes on their backs. They are gathered in church compounds, chiefs’ camps and other public places hungry, cold and bewildered. This the first time in Kenya’s history as a nation that anything of this magnitude has occurred. Many in Kenya and internationally are aghast and surprised by the events.
The members of the Nairobi Church of Christ in the Eastleigh community of the city are not standing around wringing their hands. They have appointed a committee of elders, deacons, evangelists and leaders from the women’s ministry to organize and distribute food and other needed supplies to the suffering thousands. Daily deliveries are now underway starting with the church members and their neighbors in Nairobi’s vast Eastlands area including the hard hit Mathari Valley slums where some of the worse violence in Nairobi occurred. From there we’ll go further afield as funds permit.
Funds are being collected at the Saturn Road Church of Christ, 3030 Saturn Road, Garland, Texas 75041 tel: (972) 271-2444 and the Central Church of Christ, 304 Hargrove Road, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401 tel: (205) 758-1177.
Berkeley Hackett
The Kenya Christian Industrial Training Institute, the Christian college in Nairobi gave the church the use of its truck to carry relief supplies. This load consisted of flour, cooking oil and sanitary supplies.
700 displaced women and children lined up in the early morning mist at this emergency feeding station to receive the first food donation of the week and this was Wednesday!
