Kenya (MNN) ― Kidnappings five days ago from the world's largest refugee camp in Kenya threatens relief efforts there.
A cell from al-Shabaab, Somalia's Islamist jihadists, was immediately suspected of the attack. As a result, there are growing concerns that foreign staffers treating Somali famine victims are now prime targets.
Kenya's top security chiefs will pursue militants into Somalia. The camp in question, Dadaab, is filled with nearly a half million Somali refugees fleeing war, drought and hunger. However, due to the kidnappings, the border with Somalia will be closed.
Meanwhile, the United Nations suspended some of their operations until things settle down. The issue is a concern for Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) responding to the food crisis elsewhere in the Horn of Africa.
Craig Dyer with Bright Hope International says, "There have been aid workers that have been killed, just as there have been Christian aid workers that have been killed and Christians that have been killed."
When asked if their work would face a slowdown due to the security breach, Dyer said that was unlikely. "On the one hand, yes, there are these threats; on the other, the places that Bright Hope is specifically engaged are peaceful, but desperately needy."
Bright Hope has developed a partnership with a small church in Lodwar, Kenya. This church of about 30 people is helping feed over 1,200 people from the hardest-hit areas of Kenya, including Lokitang, Kerio, and Kalokor. Dyer explains, "These churches themselves sometime struggle with food needs, and there are members in the congregation that may also be struggling."
This is where Bright Hope International plays its greatest strength.They don't need to develop networks, either, because those are in place. "We work with the local church and say, 'Who would volunteer from your church to deliver the necessary needs of the people that are coming to you?''"
Bright Hope provides the means for the outreach, and the local church body provides the hands. "They have every spiritual gift within that church that God has given them. So, just like our churches have people that are gifted with all different kinds of abilities, there are people there that have the abilities, but maybe they just don't have the resources."
In terms of cost-effectiveness, Dyer explains, "For $20, we can feed a family of four for a week." A recent distribution saw the ingredients for 38,000 meals arranged. There were 400 bundles of cornmeal, 110 boxes of vegetable fat, 9,600 bags of cornmeal and 2,640 tubs of oil distributed to about 6000 people.
The distribution was successful in terms of serving more needy communities and people. Dyer says it starts with "giving the cooking oil, salts, flour, rice, beans and maize; but then oftentimes, they come and say, 'Why are you helping me?'" From there, says Dyer, "We'll take that as far as we can. If it's sharing the Gospel and seeing someone come to Christ, that will be done. If it's just 'Why' and they walk away, hopefully, that's enough to spur them on to be considering 'Who is this God?' and then come back and ask some more questions."
Even though Bright Hope teams are fairly well removed from the greatest security risks, they need prayer support. Dyer says, "Pray, first, that God will keep providing the funds so that we can provide another 38,000 meals next month. Second, pray that the clarity of the Gospel message would be delivered."
