Missions and Outreach Ministries

These updates on the situation in Kenya come from our missionary contacts there.

From Bill & Jerri Savuto
26 July 2008

Dear Friends and Family,

Thus far this summer Bill and I have received great refreshment to our spirit, mind, and body. Teams always refresh us with their enthusiasm, energy, and willingness to share themselves. We are so proud of the hospital and its programs and as we watch and listen people who are experiencing them for the first time or re-experiencing them, we are filled with joy and new enthusiasm, and overflow with thanksgiving.

Our family’s coming has provided us with so much refreshment. Yes, some was even edible, like the pepperoni that will top our home made pizza and Hershey almond chocolate bars that will satisfy Bill’s sweet tooth. But far beyond that they helped us laugh and relax and enjoy the incredible beauty and wonder of Kenya and Maua. I can’t remember when we have laughed so much and we just don’t laugh enough. Too often our work and responsibility seem a bit overwhelming and we tend to forget how important it is to laugh. What a gift from God laughter is.. The laugh lines around our eyes and lips have grown much deeper and so has our hope and faith.

Our safari was exceptional. I thought I would share a few of the unusual or new animals or sights we saw rather than mention the long list of animals. But we saw them all! We saw a Black Mamba (the fastest moving and most poisonous snake in Kenya) eating a rock python. Now in case you were planning to come to Kenya and are afraid of snakes the good news is this in an incredible sighting as you almost never see a snake in our area or on safari in Kenya.

We saw the migration of thousands of wildebeests and zebra and even saw them crossing the river filled with crocodiles. We were amazed to see a river crossing where the zebra led, a rarity. We saw 5 crocodile eat an adult wildebeest. We saw a Serval cat, one of the smaller cats in Kenya, and one we have never seen. We saw a female lion approaching two males which led to a wild chase, and finally one male taking the female as his mate. However, before accepting her he leaned down on his front legs and smelled the ground where she had been lying and then raised up with a most dreadful face as though he was expressing how terrible the smell was! We also watched two lions on their honeymoon! While my family was here they helped build one of the five AIDS Orphans homes the hospital and teams are building this summer.

When they arrived at the home, my sister was absolutely amazed as they were helping to build the home of a family they had visited when they came to see us in 2002. So here is THE REST OF THE STORY. This family, headed by a beautiful, smiling, toothless grandmother, lives close to the hospital. When we visited her in 2002, she and 3 orphans lived in a small wooden shack. Two of the children were at school and the grandmother was caring for a toddler. The house they lived in was locked, so the grandmother brought the key and opened it for us to see inside. The inside walls were partially covered with black plastic to keep out the cold and rain but there were big gaps between the wood that was not covered. It had a very uneven dirt floor which was partly covered with rags to sleep on. In one corner was a small fire that still had a few red coals and in the other corner was some green bananas. We were all stunned at the condition of the home in which the grandmother and children lived. After we left Kenya, this grandmother was chosen as the recipient of a new home that was paid for by a Walkathon done by the AIDS Orphan’s to help one of the neediest families. It was the first home built. There are now more children as the grandmother is taking care of another daughter who is HIV+ and her children, whose husband died of AIDS. There are both girls and boys and thus they need a two room house.

Today Bill and I walked to the home to see the family. To our sorrow the grandmother wasn’t there but the daughter and many children were. Bill asked who was going to live in the new AIDS Orphan’s home – it is finished but the cement floor is not dry yet so they have not moved in. There are 5 or 6 children and the grandmother who will live in the house. Four of the children were out playing or working. The mom/aunt called and two little girls, Mary and Nelly, who were sleeping in the original house in which we had seen the grandmother, hurried out to see us..

They were in what they had slept in so their mom/aunt told them to change. We didn’t want that but they quickly ran and got some water from an older child who was washing some clothes and washed their faces and then dashed back into the old house. Quickly they returned wearing their school uniforms, the best clothes they have. Nelly was so precious in her torn and tattered cardigan and huge smile. Her eyes sparkled with life and joy.

After my family had left in 2002, I had gone to talk to my best friend, Alice Limberia, to tell her about the AIDS Orphan’s homes we had seen. I was having difficulty sleeping I was so devastated with the condition in which the children and their grandmother’s were living. Alice listened to my description and then shared this story. When she was a small child her favorite times were visiting her grandmother. She stated that her grandmother’s home sounded much like the home I had described except I had left out how much love existed in that tiny home. She explained that in the early evening her grandmother would build a fire and cook their evening tea and porridge which they would all share and then when darkness came they would sleep as close to each other as possible. Alice explained that she always slept right next to her grandmother and the heat from the burning coals and her grandmother kept her warm but more than just warm, loved and cherished. Alice in her patient and loving manner had smiled and asked if the grandmother had seemed unhappy. “No”, I answered. In fact, I couldn’t remember a more beautiful smile and she had even danced with us – a dance of joy!

Thus as the children posed today in front of their new house and smiled their beautiful, joy-filled smiles my heart didn’t ache but danced with the knowledge that these children in their poverty have more joy and thanksgiving than most of us will ever know. We may have big, warm, nice houses with comfy beds, running water, electricity, and stuff, ah the stuff, but what does it take for us to feel joy and thanksgiving? Perhaps what can bring us the greatest joy, thanksgiving and refreshment is experiencing their joy and helping in some small way to make their lives healthier, helping meet their basic needs (clean water, food, shelter, a latrine, two school uniforms and a pair of shoes!)***

Refreshment of spirit, mind and body comes in many ways for each of us. Being with family and friends and watching them experience the joyful and thankful Kenyan people, the stunning wildlife, and the incredibly beautiful landscape has certainly given us much-needed refreshment. Shaking the hands of 5 children at a new AIDS Orphan’s home and watching their radiant smiles provides refreshment and renews hope that “nothing in all creation can ever separate us from the love of God” and that love is everywhere in creation if we just open our eyes to see.

***If you would like to support the AIDS Orphan’s this is how you can:The AIDS Orphans Program: $15 per month feeds and educates a young AIDS Orphan.Advance Special #140161 - AIDS Orphans' Project, Maua Hospital, Kenya. Write your support check to your UMC and put it in the collection plate with the Advance Special # and name in the note at the bottom of your check or to make a gift by credit card call: (888) 252-6174 or to make a gift on the internet go to: gbgm-umc.org/advance/donate.

In His grip,
Jerri & Bill Savuto
savuto@maf.or.ke
Maua Methodist Hospital
Box 63, Maua 60600
Igembe, Kenya

"A nonpossessive life is a free life. We belong to God, and the God to whom we belong has sent us into the world to proclaim in His Name that all of creation is created in and by love and calls us to gratitude and joy." Henri Nouwen

Feasting and Waiting in Maua
17 May 2008
From Jerri and Bill Savuto

Dear Friends and Family,

“For the beauty of each hour, Of the day and of the night, Hill and vale, and tree and flower, Sun and moon, and stars of light. Lord of all, to Thee we raise, This our hymn of grateful praise.” Hymn “For the Beauty of the World” by Fol­li­ot Pier­point

This morning and for the past few weeks, I have been at a banquet table prepared by God and my senses have enjoyed a feast. Our continued rainy season has brought such beauty to our world that sometimes I am completely overwhelmed by God’s creation. There are so many colors of green on this compound and in the area I have begun creating new names: dazzling green, vibrant green, shouting green, quiet green, amazing green and the list goes on. The tea hills are lush green, the grass is emerald green, the jacaranda trees are luminous green, the sukuma wiki (collard greens) are light green, the oleander trees /plants are glittering green, and our grass is dazzling green. The flowers that are blooming in the trees and on bushes add bright orange, sunshine yellow, pale purple, deep red, pure white, and pink to our banquet table. We have some of the most beautiful, delicate roses blooming right now. As I pass them on my way to work, or just stand and gaze at them, or bend to smell their fragrant scent, I am amazed at God’s love for each of us and His extravagance in decorating our world. Along with the trees, flowers, grass, and fields there are so many birds that awaken us in the morning and sing their song to us during the day. We usually eat lunch outside on our front porch. We have been watching a pair of kites build their nest, a large group of silver cheeked horn bills teach their young to fly, and a wag tail who eats the bugs in our yard. The time spent drinking and feasting on God’s creation seems to renew our strength, remind us of the goodness of God, and give us the gift of gratefulness that we might face the other side of Maua Methodist Hospital. Though it too is filled with God’s beautiful creation, His people, there is much pain and suffering. Like the 1 month old baby who weighs 2 ½ pounds, is covered with sores, has pneumonia and meningitis, whose mother is on medical ward & is HIV+ and whose father is caring for him on pediatric ward but has TB and is being treated for that (he refuses to be tested for HIV) and who sleeps most the day refusing to hold his son. Or the 7 year old that was punctured with a large stick and his family took him to a local clinic for 5 days. He did not improve so was finally referred to the hospital. He has Tetanus and is in critical condition. Then there is a man who was in an accident many months ago and was paralyzed below the waist, paraplegic. His was discharged but his family refused to take him home. He died here last week of what seemed to be a broken heart. Then there are the mother’s whose baby dies either at birth or in our pediatric ward. The husband refuses to pay the bill or even come to see the wife, and so she remains on either our maternity or pediatric ward, waiting for her husband, watching all the other mothers and babies, all alone with her grief.

Recently one staff member and a BSN Intern were robbed. The staff, a Unit Attendant, one of our lowest paid staff, went home after work and found her house completely empty. The thief had even swept it clean. She went to report the robbery to the police. She was told that she would need to bring some money for their dinner if she wanted them to investigate the robbery. She had literally lost everything she had but the clothes on her back, but she was to pay for a meal for others though she had no money. She came to the hospital that night completely defeated. The night RN In-charge listened to her and then called around the compound to find people to help her.

The BSN intern recently graduated from MOI University. When he came to Maua he was hopeful he could live on the compound because he had some very nice electronic equipment (TV, DVD player, and a stereo system). We have no room on the compound. He had asked Bill and me to store his expensive items while he went to look for a place. After much looking he had been staying with a Kenyan physician who lives on the hospital compound. Less than one week ago he moved out into a small house in a locked compound. A few days later when he went home for lunch, he found he had been robbed and everything was taken, even his bed. I am in-charge of the BSN Interns and when he came to tell me and ask for some time off, I hardly recognized him he looked so defeated and deflated. He asked me if there was someplace he could live on the compound. I had to tell him “No”.

One of our great needs is staff housing. In 2007 we finally finished the staff housing that was started in 2002. It filled immediately. Two of our houses near the entrance of the hospital are presently being converted to the ENT Clinic, Physio Therapy Unit and Debts Unit as the laboratory desperately needed more space and moved into the three previous units/clinics space. We are desperately trying to find more consultation rooms for our out-patients, who have doubled in numbers over the last 5 years, and have built some new consultation rooms for Palliative Care. In February 2008 the foundation of our second staff flats was poured and work began, thanks to a trust fund and Memorial Drive UMC in Houston. We had planned for the new staff flats to be the big team project this year. However, only 4 of the 10 teams scheduled to come this summer are able to come, so generally speaking the staff flats will have to wait. We have actually turned down volunteers due to our shortage of housing.

Waiting – something most Americans are not too good at but fortunately Kenyan’s are. They have been waiting since the end of January for the government to care and help the 1000’s of displaced persons to either return to their home or what was their home or find a new place to live. They could only do this if there are funds available for rebuilding and security provided by the government. Many of those displaced persons have been living in tents since early January. They have lived through a rainy season while our leaders have fought over protocol. As a nurse, I always thought of protocol as treatment guidelines for certain diagnosis. However, the protocol the leaders have been fighting over is about human power and ego. Who introduces who? Who walks beside or behind whom? Who talks first or second or third? Worries of protocol when people are cold, hungry, homeless, hopeless, and waiting. Finally in yesterday paper there was a headline that stated ‘The Cabinets First Job was Placing the Displaced’.

The Kenyan’s waited patiently for the rains, this rainy season. The rains came one month late but to our joy and thanksgiving are continuing in our area which is critical. But in many areas of the country the rains came late and stopped too early and the maize and beans have stopped growing and are drying up in the fields.

The bereaved mom’s and deserted patients who are still in our hospital are waiting patiently to be paid for and picked up by family members. The hospital staff will wait patiently for more compound housing with hope that 2009 will bring back the teams and the desperately needed supplies and funds that allow us to take care of 1000’s of our community who cannot wait.

In Maua we are feasting and waiting. Feasting with thanksgiving to our loving God who does provide and has provided us with so much beauty. Waiting with hope that others will remember our needs and those we serve and come in person or send funds so that we might continue our vital ministry of healing the sick. Our recently written Vision Statement ends with this: “We will give affordable, quality care to the glory of God.” The staff are clear what that means: few raises, hard work, and doing our jobs with a sense of mission, love, and giving to the least. We hope you will join us in fulfilling our vision statement ‘to the glory of God.’

If you want to help the hospital you can send funds to the – Maua Hospital Service Fund, Kenya. The Service Fund pays for the medical bills for our poorest patients and orphans in our service to our Lord. We serve a very poor area and we are the only hospital available to care for them – 700,000 people.

Write your support check to your UMC and put it in the collection plate with this note at the bottom:

Advance Special #09613A – Maua Hospital Service Fund, Kenya”

or To make a gift by credit card call: (888) 252-6174

or To make a gift on the internet go to: gbgm-umc.org/advance/donate

In His grip,
Jerri & Bill Savuto
Maua Methodist Hospital

"Gain all you can without either hurting yourself or your neighbor, in soul or body, by applying hereto with unintermitted diligence, and with all the understanding which God has given you. Save all you can, by cutting off every expense which serves only to indulge foolish desire, to gratify either the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, or the pride of life. Waste nothing, living or dying, on sin or fully, whether for yourself or your children. And then, give all you can, or in other words give all you have to God." John Wesley

Update on Kenyan Mission Trip

After consultation and discussion with several missionaries and local Kenyans, our mission team has decided to move forward with plans to go to Kenya this summer. At this time the Kenyan Mission Team has 10 people on it. Please pray for continued peace in Kenya.

Update on Kenyan Relief Efforts from Rev. John Calhoun

February 29, 2008

Dear friends in Christ,

At long last, the two embattled political parties yesterday finally reached agreement on a deal that should bring lasting peace to the people of Kenya. Under this new settlement, the two parties have agreed to share political power and implement other reforms that should create a more stable future for the country.

We give thanks to God for the agreement that has been reached, and we pray that the political leaders will have the courage to carry out the terms of the agreement.

Although the political crisis is now receding, the humanitarian crisis in Kenya will persist for some time. Nearly 600,000 persons remain displaced across the country, and the process of resettling families and rebuilding communities will take months and years to come.

I have attached to this email my report on a recent visit I made to Western Kenya to assist in the distribution of much-needed food supplies to persons displaced by the crisis. These words and pictures offer just a glimpse of the needs that persist across the country, even as the political leaders make peace,

I thank you for your prayerful support of the ministry of the Methodist Church in Kenya, and the people of this land. May the gift of peace be theirs, and yours.

In peace,
Rev. John Calhoun
Coordinator of Humanitarian Relief and Church Development
Methodist Church in Kenya

Visit to Methodist Churches in Kericho and Kisumu, Western Kenya
February 25-26, 2008

On Monday, February 25, 2008, a small delegation from the Methodist Church in Kenya (MCK) set off on a five-hour drive to Kericho, a town in western Kenya that lies in the heart of the area most affected by the recent post-election violence in the country.  Our delegation comprised Rev. Isaya Deye, MCK Conference Secretary; Ms. Ruth Ketyenya, MCK Health Coordinator; Ms. Lucy Kaindio, MCK Women’s Coordinator, and Rev. John Calhoun, MCK Coordinator for Humanitarian Relief.

Along the way to Kericho, we witnessed signs of the recent violence that engulfed the Rift Valley region:  the charred remains of hundreds of homes, businesses, shops, kiosks, petrol stations, cars, and trucks.  We found the worst devastation in Molo, where vast areas of this once-bustling small town were burned to the ground.  Upon arrival in Kericho, we were met by Rev. John Koskei, the superintendent minister for four MCK churches in Kericho and one in Eldoret.  Rev. Koskei explained to us the situation in his community.  Of the nearly 750 members of his five congregations in Kericho and Eldoret, approximately 500 of them fled the region for the safety of camps or their ancestral homelands.  These persons were members of the Kikuyu, Meru, and Embu tribes, and thus were ethnic minorities in this part of western Kenya, where the Luo and Kalenjin peoples dominate.  At the same time, Luos and Kalenjins in other parts of the country fled to Kericho, and were now seeking shelter and assistance from the Methodist Church and other church groups in Kericho.

Rev. Koskei told us that his congregational members were directly caring for 208 displaced persons from other parts of Kenya, and that these families were in desperate need of assistance.  Under Rev. Koskei’s guidance, we went to a nearby wholesaler and purchased food products and other goods worth 44,000 Kenya shillings, or about US$ 620:

• 744 kilograms (1,637 pounds) of corn flour
• 240 liters of cooking oil
• 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of baby meal
• 96 packages of feminine sanitary pads

We then transported these goods to a nearby school where Rev. Koskei had gathered the displaced families.  Church leaders offered prayers and words of encouragement to the displaced, then distributed the purchased food and personal care items, along with 40 mosquito nets, to those in need.  On behalf of the recipients of this assistance, Rev. Koskei expressed gratitude to the many friends of the MCK around the world who donated funds in support of the displaced and others in need in Kenya.

The next morning, we continued our journey westward to Kisumu, Kenya’s third-largest city situated on the shores of Lake Victoria.  Kisumu was where the post-election violence first erupted, and signs of the destruction still scar the streets of the city:  businesses burned, homes vandalized, buses and trucks overturned along the roadside.

In Kisumu we met up with Bishop Kennedy Okidi, the MCK Bishop of Western Synod who oversees the ministry of the Methodist Church in western Kenya.  With many of their own members either displaced or made unemployed by the post-election violence, local Methodist congregations in Kisumu have struggled to assist those most in need.  Bishop Okidi described that more than 2,000 displaced persons are currently living in two large camps in the center of Kisumu, one at the local police station, and the other on the grounds of St. Stephen’s Anglican Cathedral.  With local government and community groups not able to meet all the needs of the displaced, the Methodist Church in Kenya agreed to purchase food and personal care items for the displaced.

Again, through a local wholesaler, the MCK purchased items worth over 177,000 Kenya shillings, or more than US$ 2,520:

• 2,400 kilograms (5,280 pounds) of corn flour
• 850 kilograms (1,870 pounds) of rice
• 600 liters of cooking oil
• 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of salt
• 2,880 bars of soap for washing clothes

These products were then handed over to Bishop Okidi and representatives of the Anglican Church of Kenya for distribution at the two camps in Kisumu.  Again, words of thanksgiving and prayers of encouragement were offered by those receiving these gifts of food and personal care.

Our mission to western Kenya thus complete, we began the long eight-hour journey back to Nairobi.

In conclusion, let me echo the words of Rev. Koskei, Bishop Okidi, the members of the Methodist congregations in Kericho and Kisumu, and those displaced persons who received this much needed food assistance.  We are all so grateful to God for the generous gifts that so many have granted to our church, that we might reach out to those in need in this country.  All of us at the Methodist Church in Kenya have been deeply moved by the prayerful and financial support of our friends around the world.

In the coming weeks, as the crisis in Kenya goes on, we will continue our outreach to the victims of violence and displacement.  We will use the funds entrusted to us to meet the basic living needs of the displaced, the suffering, and others facing acute shortages.

We invite you to be a part of our ministry to those in need.  To make a US federal tax-deductible donation, please direct your donation via the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR).  Fully 100% of your donation will be immediately transferred to Methodist communities in the region that are providing direct humanitarian assistance to those in need.  You may give in the following ways:

1)  Write a check payable to "UMCOR" with the message "UMCOR Advance #982450 - Kenya” on the memo line of your check.  Mail the check to:  UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087.

2)  Make a donation online by visiting UMCOR's dedicated web page for online donations:  http://secure.gbgm-umc.org/donations/advance/donate.cfm?code=982450&id=3019041&div=1.

You may also make a donation (not US federal tax-deductible) in support of relief efforts in Kenya by sending an international wire transfer directly to the bank account of the Methodist Church in Kenya.  Please contact me at calhoun@methodistguesthouse.org for more details.

Again, I ask you to continue praying for the people of Kenya, that they might live in peace and prosperity, and be freed from their present suffering.

Yours in Christ,
John Calhou

Monday, February 11, 2008

Greetings to you from Nairobi. In recent days, the mood across much of Kenya has brightened, as signs of hope have appeared on the horizon. For several weeks, Kenyans of all political and tribal groups have been praying for the ongoing mediation efforts being led by the former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. At long last, on Friday Mr. Annan announced that the two opposing political parties had reached agreement on the need to achieve political reconciliation. This week, talks will resume on exactly what measures will be put into place to secure that reconciliation. Speculation is high that in the coming days, a coalition government will be announced, in which the two parties will share power for a period of time before new elections can be held.

Needless to say, many divisive issues remain to be resolved, and the talks could again falter. But today in Kenya there is real hope that the politicians have finally understood what the Kenyan people have been saying for weeks: it is time to end the bloodshed, and find a solution to this crisis.

So the people of Kenya ask you to join them in prayer, that this week a final agreement can be reached between the political parties that will bring an end to the unrest and violence that has plagued the country since the disputed presidential elections of December 27.

Unfortunately, even if the political impasse is resolved and the violence ceases, the humanitarian crisis that grips the country will remain for a long time. As of today, more than 1,000 people have been killed; untold thousands of houses, farms, and businesses have been burned to the ground; and more than 300,000 people remain displaced, living temporarily in camps and shelters all across the country.

Last Wednesday, February 6, I joined colleagues from the Methodist Church in Kenya and mission partners from the Anglican Church of Kenya in a visit to a temporary camp for displaced persons at Tigoni, a small village just 45 minutes by car from downtown Nairobi. The residents of the Tigoni camp are mostly Luo and Kalenjin tribespeople who were driven from their homes and jobs on the Kikuyu-owned tea plantations of this beautiful and fertile region. In just the last two weeks, more than 5,000 persons have sought shelter in this hastily built camp on the grounds of the Tigoni police station; more than 1,000 of these displaced persons are children.

As in many camps across Kenya, here in Tigoni relief supplies such as shelter, food, and water are being provided by church groups, the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and several United Nations agencies. The Methodist Church in Kenya has partnered with the Anglican Church of Kenya and the Presbyterian Church of East Africa to establish an organization called Tumaini Na Undugu (Hope and Brotherhood). In addition to providing much-needed food supplies, on this day Tumaini Na Undugu sponsored a day-long cultural event at Tigoni camp. Local DJ's spun a selection of the hippest music, gospel singers and groups led the audience in song, a comedy team drew uproarios laughter with their sketches, and the children enjoyed a variety of games and face painting. The events of the day brought several hours of joy, laughter, relief, and hope to thousands of persons living in anxiety at Tigoni camp.

Another great source of hope for the people of Tigoni and all the camps for displaced persons across Kenya is the prayerful and financial support of friends of Kenya from around the world. God willing, the political crisis in the country will soon come to an end. But the humanitarian crisis will be long lasting. It will be months before the security situation will allow for many displaced persons to return to their homes. Even worse, too many others have no home to return to, and must prepare to travel back to their ancestral lands. Hundreds of thousands will remain dependent on the generosity of others for months to come. It will take years for Kenya to recover from this present crisis.

Once again, I give thanks to so many who have given generously in support of the needy of Kenya. Your donations are literally feeding, clothing, and sheltering those who are seeking refuge from violence and unrest.

I ask you to continue praying for peace and reconciliation in Kenya. May God bless you for your prayerful support of those who are suffering.

Yours in Christ,
Rev. John Calhoun
Coordinator of Humanitarian Relief and Church Development
Methodist Church in Kenya

Gospel singers entertaining the camp residents	Sacks of rice in storage
Singing a message of hope!	Some of the children of Tigoni camp
The children of Tigoni camp enthralled by the comedy team	The winners of the children's dance contest!
Tigoni camp - temporary home to 5,000 persons	Tigoni housing provided by aid agencies
Water tanks being stationed in Tigoni

If you would like to make a donation to help those displaced in Kenya, please designate your check or online gift to "Kenya - Displaced Persons"

A Letter from the Savutos - Missionaries to Kenya

Saturday 26 January 2008

Dear Friends and Family,

“The real differences around the world today are not between Jews and Arabs; Protestants and Catholics; Muslims, Croats, and Serbs. The real differences are between those who embrace peace and those who would destroy it; between those who look to the future and those who cling to the past; between those who open their arms and those who are determined to clench their fists.” ~William J. Clinton, 1997

This past Tuesday afternoon Bill, Claudia Freund, a mission partner from Germany, and I traveled to Nairobi. Presiding Bishop, Rev. Dr. Stephen Kanyaru M’Impwii, had invited us to come visit some of the displaced persons camps. This coming week the three of us will return to Nairobi and travel with a team from the MCK Conference to visit the camps in Nakuru and Molo. Before I tell you about our experience in Nairobi, I would like to share some facts with you so that you can better understand the situation here.

In late December 2002, President Mwai Kibaki was elected President following 24 years of President Daniel Arap Moi. Kenya had become exceedingly corrupt during the Moi years. Corruption was part of daily life for everyone. From 1997 – 2002 the economy grew by an annual average of 1.5%. President Moi refused to acknowledge that HIV/AIDS was a problem and the percentage of Kenyan’s that were infected was 10 – 13%. Under Kibaki’s Government, the economy began to recover after 2002, registering 2.8% growth in 2003, 4.3% in 2004, 5.8% in 2005, and 6.1% in 2006 and a projected 7.2% in 2007. HIV/AIDS percentage dropped to 6% of the population in the last 5 years. The Government’s tax revenues went from Sh183 billion in 2002 to Sh376 billion in 2006 and the Treasury expected to get Sh429 billion in the 2007/8 fiscal year which is about 21 per cent of the gross domestic product. In five years the Per Capita income has gone from $445 per year per person to $1,200. Under Kibaki’s Government, Kenya experienced remarkable economic growth.

In 2003 the Kibaki Government provided free education for the 8 years of primary school. Attendance has climbed to 92% of Kenyan children attending primary school.

Tourism rose 70% from 2002 to 2005 and has continued to grow. “The Tourism sector contributed a whopping Sh100 billion to the economy last year (2006), making it the country's top foreign exchange earner.” (The East African Standard (Nairobi), 9 May 2007)

In the year 2007 Kenya won the United Nations Public Service Reform Award for Africa which is given for Improving transparency, accountability, and responsiveness in the Public Service. “The United Nations Public Service Awards is the most prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service. It rewards the creative achievements and contributions of public service institutions to a more effective and responsive public administration in countries worldwide. Through an annual competition, the UN Public Service Awards promotes the role, professionalism and visibility of public service.” (Global Forum on Reinventing Government Web-site) This indicates that although there is still corruption in Kenya, under Kibaki there have been great strides to reduce corruption.

From international observers it has been documented that the election held on 27 December 2007 there were discrepancies from both the PNU (Kibaki’s party) and ODM (Odinga’s party).

The population of Kenya is approximately 36.9 million. The population is made up of peoples from 40+ ethnic groups. The major ethnic groups are: Kikuyu 22%, Luyha 14%, Luo 14%, Kalenjin 11%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 5%.

President Kibaki is Kikuyu, Vice President Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka is Kamba, Raila Odinga is Luo and William Samoei Ruto is Kalenjin and Past President Daniel Moi was Kalenjin. (Ruto is Raila Odinga’s right arm in ODM)

After the 1992 and 1997 elections there were ethnic disputes with the Kalenjin’s attacking the Kikuyu settled in “their” area. In 2002 there were no ethnic disputes though the Kalenjin and Luo live throughout Kenya.

Today in the Nation, the major Kenyan newspaper, there was an article about a report given by the Human Right’s Watch, an international body, stating “We have evidence that ODM politicians and local leaders actively fomented some post-election violence, and the authorities should investigate and make sure it stops now.” Raila Odinga’s supporters have consistently said, “No Raila, No peace.”

January 1, 2008 a church was burned with women and children inside. “In Kiambaa, a village in the Rift Valley about five hours' drive from Nairobi, this boils down to Kalenjins and Luos, the tribe of Odinga, against Kikuyus, Kibaki's tribe. It was Kikuyus who were burned to death Tuesday in the Kenya Assemblies of God Church. The church was simple, made of mud and sticks, and about the size of a tennis court. Over the weekend, several hundred Kikuyus sought refuge here. They were guarded by farmers who used their tools for protection. But when a mob of 800 people showed up Tuesday and killed several of the men, they fled. They said they had to watch as the mob blocked people's escape. Then they had to listen to the screams. "They killed the women, the children, the cows, everything," said John Njorge, who tried to defend the church. "We couldn't save anybody." Herald Tribune 3 Jan. 08

Today there are between 700 – 1000 dead and 250,000 – 500,000 displaced persons (every source has different numbers). The vast majority of those displaced and killed are the Kikuyu, Kisii, Luyha, Kamba, and Meru ethnic groups living in Western, Nyanza, and Rift Valley. The homes of these people were looted and burned. Their businesses and crops burned and their cattle, sheep, and goats stolen. They have no place to go and literally nothing but the clothes on their back.

Maua Methodist Hospital in cooperation with the Nyambene Synod of the Methodist Church in Kenya is raising money and collecting food and clothing for the displaced persons.

I will end my fact giving section by quoting an article about our area of Kenya that appeared in the Nation on Thursday 17 Jan. 2008. The headline was “Rallies Flop in Central and Eastern”. The article stated “Residents in Central and Eastern provinces ignored protest rallies called by ODM. In Meru and Chuka, the rallies failed to take place yesterday. Residents ignored calls to attend a rally at Maua Stadium. Instead, they took part in a walk to raise donations for internally displaced persons. They later gathered at St. Joseph’s Methodist Church where they prayed for peace.” I am so proud of the Methodist Church and people of Maua.

AND NOW FOR OUR EXPERIENCE IN NAIROBI IN THE DISPLACED CAMP:

We spent time talking with Presiding Bishop. He shared that he was in contact with pastors around Kenya and that the needs were tremendous. The MCK has 10 pastors in Western Kenya where people are being killed and property burned by the Luo. They have reported that many of their Methodist Church members have lost everything. There is literally no money to pay any pastors as the women and children have left and the businesses and farms have been destroyed. Also churches and schools have been burned. The local people pay the pastors and most of the local people have nothing. The Presiding Bishop explained there were “Immediate Needs” to feed and clothe and care for the thousands of people that have been displaced. Then there will be “Long Term Needs” to rebuild churches, schools, homes, and businesses and resettle the thousands of displaced persons. The Methodist Church in Kenya is working with the Anglican and Presbyterian Churches, who have formed a group called ‘Tumaini Na UNdugu” (Hope for Brotherhood).

Presiding Bishop had just visited the Nakuru Displaced Persons Camp on Tues. 22 Jan. and was overwhelmed. He stated there were at least 3000 people there and while he was there three lorries came bringing more people. Also three children died while he was in visiting the Camp. The Methodist Church had taken food and medical supplies to Nakuru to help with the most urgent of needs. He spoke of the problems with sanitation, food, clothing, and providing tents.

We then left to visit two Displaced Person Camps with Lucy Kaindio, Women Fellowship Co-ordinator and Ruth Ketyenya, Health & Wholeness Co-ordinator from the Conference Office. First. we planned to visit the camp that was located in the Nairobi Sports Ground. Bill was driving our vehicle and due to heavy traffic it took a long time to get to N’gong Road, where the camp was located. After we had driven a short distance on N’gong Road we realized there was something major going on in front of us. Hundreds of people were walking along the road and the traffic was backed up significantly. After a short time, Ruth recommended we turn around and go to the other camp as it was obvious this was a demonstration. It turned out to be an ODM called Prayer service for the 28 people that Odinga alleged were killed by policemen (28 of the 700+). While prayers were happening, a group of young men with the group blocked N’gong Road and started to abuse the drivers and burn and/or destroy vehicles. The police shot tear gas canisters to break up the young men blocking the road and broke up the Prayer service. Shortly after Raila Odinga and the other top officials were safely whisked away in their cars, the crowd went wild and tried to burn the Kenyan Telecom Building. They managed to burn one room, loot the offices, destroy numerous vehicles, and beat innocent people. We felt very fortunate that we had the opportunity to turn around and leave the area before the violence began.

There has been much violence in the slums of Nairobi – Kibera and parts of Mathare slum but as we drove Lucy and Ruth shared that Mlango Kubwa, a part of Mathare slum, and Makuru Njenga, though multi-ethnic, had refused to fight and had chosen peace.

We drove across Nairobi to a camp that was located at the Karura Community Church. It is a small camp caring for 170 - 290 displaced persons, mostly Kikuyu from Timbaroa and Burnt Forest in the Rift Valley. The camp is located in a very wealthy area so is fortunate to have many of its needs met. There are so many young Kenyan volunteers working at the camp (run totally by volunteers). The only mzungu (European) was a doctor that has volunteered her time to run a clinic that has been set up and has cared for 210 people. That day the Government had sent out nurses to do a mass immunization. There were many tents set up with five persons per tent. Wood had been donated to use for cooking and the displaced women did the cooking. Two rooms were filled with clothing and food for the displaced persons. There was a make-shift school with classes for all grades from 1 – 12th being taught by volunteers from Kenyatta University who have not been able to start back to university. Local mission hospitals had donated medical supplies and even admitted three persons from the camp with no charge.

(A few of the tents used to house the displaced persons)

(A baby being washed inside the school area near stored bags of rice & maize)

(Children getting set up for their afternoon school lessons.)

We were so amazed to hear how the Kenyan people had helped the camp. Recently a Kenyan woman had taken 25 of Karuru Camp’s primary students and 25 students from another camp in Limuru and will educate and care for them for one year. Individual Kenyan’s had taken 3 – 5 families and would provide food, a place to stay, help them settle, and find work in the area. In Limuru 200 people had been absorbed into the community. The Ministry of Education is doing School mapping, which means they are contacting Government Secondary Schools asking them how many students they could take and then placing the secondary students in those schools.

After a tour of the camp and spending time talking to several of the volunteers, we had the opportunity to talk with Raphael, the man who helped bring all the people to this camp. Raphael is a Kikuyu who has lived in Timbaroa since 1972 when he was in primary school. He bought land in Timbaroa and settled with his family, a wife and four children of his own and two orphans. Timbaroa is a village with four large farms surrounding it.. Raphael is a Veterinarian’s Assistant and owned his own business in the center of Timbaroa. He dealt mostly with heights and weights in his business so worked with Kalenjin’s who were butchers. He shared that he had gone to school with William Ruto, ODM Leader.

In Timbaroa the violence began the day that it was announced that President Kibaki had won the election. The violence began at the largest farm, with the looting, fighting and burning of many of the farm houses. Raphael heard commotion and went to help his friends at the farm fight off the Kalenjin raiders. He stated everything was done so quickly and efficiently, it was clear it had been planned in advance. The next day the violence began again and again Raphael went out to help defend his colleagues and friends. He explained that he made several observations that day. The number one observation was the Kikuyu were so outnumbered by the Kalenjin raiders it was foolishness to resist. Number two there were three different and distinct groups of Kalenjin raiders. The first group of raiders looted the Kikuyu houses and frightened the home owners. Second, the Kalenjin fighters to chase away the people or kill them if necessary. The Kalenjin fighters were armed with bows and poison tipped arrows while the Kikuyu had rocks and sticks to defend themselves. Finally, there was a group of raiders who came to burn the Kikuyu homes. Raphael explained the raiders were using petrol bombs that they threw into the houses. The petrol bombs would explode and quickly burn the house to the ground. The third observation Raphael made was how well organized and planned everything was. It was clear this had not been planned in a day or two. Raphael went on to say that each group of raiders was led by a Kalenjin from Timbaroa, a neighbor or business friend. The large number of young raiders that accompanied the Kalenjin leaders were young Kalenjin men that no one knew or had seen before.

Raphael explained that he watched as a group of young raiders disassembled the only corn grinder in the community and carried the parts away while the police watched in silence. After the young men had set fire to the grinder and were running away, the police, all Kalenjins, fired into the air.

The night of Dec. 31st there were 5 killed, 2 women and 3 men with 3 missing, who were later found dead in Raphael’s area. There were 30 people seriously injured. Raphael helped carry the injured to the District Health Center only to find all the staff, Kalenjin, were gone. He and three other Kikuyu veterinarian assistants took care of these wounded people, suturing deep cuts, cleaning and bandaging wounds. One Kalenjin patient assistant who worked at the Health Center returned to help in the care of the wounded. Raphael called the Head of the Police for the entire region to ask if he would send help to transport the wounded to hospitals. The Head of the Police, a Kalenjin, said yes, help was on the way but the help did not come for 3 days.

All the Kikuyu homes in the four farms were burnt. Raphael, whose plot of land was in the town center, had 60 people staying with him while others went to the local church to find refuge. He stated that the people had hoped something good would happen soon. On Jan. 1st when the people learned that a church had been burned to the ground killing many Kikuyu woman and children, every one began to cry and plead with God for help. He said everyone was filled with fear. He realized he needed to do something, NOW. Raphael did not own a vehicle, but one of the men staying with him owned a truck. He asked if he could drive the truck, with as many people as possible, to Nakuru and hopefully safety. The owner of the truck explained that he had no gasoline in the truck and there was no gasoline in the town. Raphael called a friend in Nairobi and asked the friend if he could bring him 20 liters of gasoline. Unknown to Raphael, his friend was a pastor at Karura Community Church. Pastor Joseph bought 20 liters of gasoline and began his drive to Timbaroa but was stopped at a road block in Nakuru. (The road block was manned by Kalenjin people requiring everyone to show their ID card. If you were not Kalenjin or Luo you could not pass the road block.) The Pastor called Raphael to explain that he was stopped in Nakuru. Pastor Joseph had heard that a group of trucks was coming from Uganda and would pass through Timbaroa and perhaps Raphael and others could come to Nakuru on one of the trucks. The trucks did come through but were filled with displaced persons, so Raphael begged to buy 20 liters of gasoline from one of the truck drivers. One truck driver sold him 20 liters. He then loaded 53 people in his friend’s truck, mostly women and children, and drove to Nakuru. There he met Pastor Joseph. With the pastor’s help, Raphael hired three more trucks and went back to pick up more of the Kikuyu people in Timbaroa. When the trucks reached Nakuru some of the Kikuyu people who had family or friends living in Nakuru stayed there. Raphael filled those spots with other people who were fleeing the Kalenjins and Luos, from Burnt Forest and Kisumu. There were 272 displaced people who arrived in Nairobi at Pastor Joseph’s home. There was no room for anyone to bring anything with them. Thus most people literally had only the clothes on their backs. Quickly they moved to the Community Church grounds and the camp began. .

As we were finishing our conversation, Raphael’s phone rang. He talked for a few minutes and then shared that the call was from a close friend still in Timbaroa. The man had said that two more men were killed the night before when they went to one of the fields to find some food for the men left behind. Two other men are missing and presumed dead. The men were caught in the fields and slashed to death.

We asked Raphael what he would do in the future. He suddenly looked far away. He struggled with his words. He didn’t know. His home was Timbaroa – it was the only home he knew but he wasn’t sure he could ever go home. There had been violence before in 1992 and he had barely escaped death. “How many lives did he have?”, he asked.

He added, “I am not as bad off as some. My friend, a Kikuyu truck driver married a Kalenjin woman. They had children and had lived in Rift Valley for years. His wife and children were taken from him by Kalenjin raiders and he was chased away and told to never return. Without his family, he is devastated.” “At least I have my family”, stated Raphael.

Sadly ethnic cleansing is taking a tremendous toll in Kenya. The Kikuyu, Kamba, Kisii, Luyha and Meru, in particular, are being chased from Nyanza, Western Kenya and the Rift Valley by the Luo and Kalenjin.

250,000 – 500,000 displaced people have lost loved ones, their home and all that was in it, their live stock, and perhaps most devastating of all, their friends and neighbors who they trusted. Where can they go? How can we heal this nation? How can we rebuild Kenya?

Raphael gave us the answer. “If the politicians can make peace, so can we!” Oh God, let it be!

In His grip,

Jerri & Bill Savuto
savuto@maf.or.ke
Maua Methodist Hospital
Box 63, Maua 60600
Meru North, Kenya

"Maybe we should develop a Crayola bomb as our next secret weapon. A happiness weapon. A beauty bomb. And every time a crisis developed, we would launch one. It would explode high in the air - explode softly - and send thousands, millions, of little parachutes into the air. Floating down to earth - boxes of Crayolas. And we wouldn't go cheap, either - not little boxes of eight. Boxes of sixty-four, with the sharpener built right in. With silver and gold and copper, magenta and peach and lime, amber and umber and all the rest. And people would smile and get a little funny look on their faces and cover the world with imagination." ~Robert Fulghum

If you would like to make a donation to help those displaced in Kenya, please designate your check or online gift to "Kenya - Displaced Persons"