Photo by Reuters
Kenya (MNN) ― International travel warnings have been issued for Kenya in the wake of deadly rioting and tribal conflict following the presidential election.
Kenya's attorney general is now calling for a recount and an investigation into the country's election process. When the results were announced, violent protests erupted, resulting in the death of more than 300.
Reprisal killings took on the shape of tribal warfare between the Kikuyu and Luo. That led to an accusation of genocide from incumbent President Mwai Kibaki's party against Raila Odinga's party.
Many residents are hunkering down to wait out the situation. However, with flights being canceled into the country, that is further spreading the impact.
Words of Hope's Lee DeYoung says they may have to postpone a study term involving ministry trainees later this month. "This came at a time when we were in between study terms, and some people were home for their holiday celebration with family members. Now, returning to work at our center near the Kenya/Sudan border is problematic because of the widespread violence."
The Words of Hope facility is in Lokichoggio, a border town near southern Sudan. Aside from the disruption of their Kenya work, DeYoung says, "Kenya has been an island of stability and has been the staging area for much ministry into Somalia as well as into Sudan. So this current development is really causing a great deal of concern."
Students come for training to be better prepared to minister back in their respective areas. The harvest in recent years has been bountiful.
For example, one trainee in 2007 came from Lecongole, in Sudan's Jonglei state of the Upper Nile region. He was connected to pastor James Aleji Zelu. Prior to 2000, no believers in Christ lived anywhere in that area. James said, "The people here were believing in other gods--worshiping the sun, rivers, and trees. Now when people hear the Word of God, we pray for them and they receive Christ as God has called them."
The first church was planted in the Lecongole area in 2000. Since then, four additional congregations have been planted there with the help of previous graduates from the Lokichoggio training program. Today, 4,000 believers worship in five newly-planted congregations every Sunday.
That's why prayer is so essential to this effort. According to James, that's just the beginning. "This training needs to continue because we have more called workers who need to be prepared for ministry."
Pray for the restoration of peace in Kenya. Pray that the Lord protects those who are training to serve Him.
