Healing in Kenya

More than 100 communities across Kenya are receiving different forms of relief in the wake of the election-related violence that swept the country earlier this year, according to Stephan Lutz, a Christian Reformed World Relief Committee worker who is based in Nairobi.

“In spite of political challenges ahead, the main two political parties signed an agreement … to have a grand coalition government and work towards reconciliation and  peace in the country after too many people  have lost their lives and thousands are still displaced,” says Lutz.

Andy Ryskamp, CRWRC director, says that things “remain tense in Kenya, but we (CRWRC) are making progress on relief and starting to work toward reconciliation.”

Meanwhile, Christians from two Kenyan churches have been asked to also play a role in helping to heal the nation following the violence that occurred earlier this year in the wake of a disputed presidential election, says Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC).

“People of faith in Kenya today are called upon to do everything possible to be part of the healing,” said Nyomi, who was in Kenya from April 16- 20 to meet with the Presbyterian Church of East Africa and the Reformed Church of East Africa.

He made his remarks during a Bible study for 400 leaders attending the General Administration Committee meeting of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa at Chogoria.

Reflecting on recent events in Kenya in which more than 1,200 people lost their lives in violence that had ethnic dimensions, Nyomi said that it was a challenge for every Christian to value their Christian identity over their ethnic identity.

“Any time that we let our ethnic identity or any other characteristics take the place of our identity as the people of God, we are yielding to the temptation the biblical people of Israel were warned about – making ethnic entity into a god to be worshipped.”

He challenged the leaders of the two churches to bring their resources together for the healing and reconciliation of the country. They accepted the challenge. The two churches work in communities which have found themselves on opposite sides of the violent conflicts.

Nyomi’s visit coincided with the swearing in of the new cabinet of the government of Kenya, which came about as a result of the power sharing agreement brokered by the former United Nations general secretary, Kofi Anan.

“The churches in Kenya have a major challenge in this era,” Nyomi said. “The power sharing and the addressing of injustices has begun. The churches have a responsibility to accompany the process in a manner that holds political leaders accountable.

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) has five full-time staff in Kenya. The country is also the base for the CRWRC’s HIV/AIDS coordinator for the East/South African region. Partners Worldwide, a CRC business-development ministry, also has a staff person in Kenya.

To donate to the Kenya relief response, mark donations "Kenya Conflict" and mail to CRWRC, 3475 Mainway, PO Box 5070, STN LCD 1, Burlington, ON, L7R 3Y8 or to CRWRC, 2850 Kalamazoo Avenue, Grand Rapids, MI, 49560. Donate online at www.crwrc.org. In Canada, call 1-800-730-3490. In the U.S., call 616-241-1691 or 1-800-55-CRWRC. Email: [email protected].

CRC Communications, World Alliance of Reformed Churches, Communications