JR Woodward :: Blog :: How You Can Help People in Kenya

Having many personal friends who are Kenyans, my heart continues to go out to those who have had family members killed (death toll is over 600 now) to the over 180,000 people who have been displaced, to the many who are experiencing hunger.

Here is part of an email I received on Sunday from my friend Bishop Kaaleng, who chairs a board that helps to serve over a hundred churches all around Kenya.  Here is what he wrote (keep in mind that Swahili and Turkana are his first two languages):

"What happened after election in Kenya,... in moi's bridge houses were burnt, in Eldoret the church was burnt and
people dead, in kisumu supermarket were burnt 40 people were dead, in
Soi pastor  house was destroyed, 28 children and his family run to
Eldoret army camp these were oprphans children.

In Lodwar were doing
fine with my family and the church. We need your prayers because many
people now need relief food, cloths and medicine. The red cross was
asking the Government if they can assist with the relief but the
opposition rejected. No food transported to our place. most people of kenya are affected now.There was no communication from December up to now, so pray for us. waiting to hear from you."

Bishop kaaleng and family

There is some good news coming from Kenya.  BBC reports that the opposition has canceled the protests that were to take place today in hopes that international mediation might help to solve the crises.  In the meantime, though, Kenya is facing both a health crises, as well as a hunger crises.

One way you can help is to pray for the people in Kenya at this time.  And if you want to help these groups of churches that I am connected with in Kenya, you can send a check to help out. (I give you more detailed information below)  I will personally be wiring some money to the board of these churches in Kenya at some point in the near future.  Last month we wired some money from the Solis Foundation to give micro grants to start ten new businesses, and Kairos also sent some money to help with the orphanages in the Turkana region of Kenya.  It is a ministry called, The Unembraced - picture is on the left, you can click it to enlargen it. 

The gift that you send would go to the board who will then distribute it to the different regions to meet the needs from the damage done due to the chaos that has been happening in Kenya.  If you desire to support the Kenyans in this way, please make the check out to "Kairos Los Angeles", and in the memo please put "Kenya Crises".  One hundred percent of the proceeds will be going to help this current crises.  You can mail you check to:

Kairos Los Angeles
Attn:  JR Woodward
5217 Hollywood Blvd  Studio 520
Los Angeles, CA 90027 

Please continue to pray for these people, and if you have a desire, send a check to help them out as well.  While some parts of Kenya are still facing difficulties, there does seem to be some relief in other areas.  So I leave you with an email that I received from some medical missionaries just twelve hours ago, that shares at least some good news.

"Great news for the peace of Kenya…the rallies scheduled for tomorrow have been cancelled.  I’m not sure if that’s a reflection of talks between the parties, but it’s really good news for getting things back to normal.

We
are starting to see more staff coming back to the hospital.  More
patients are coming day by day.  Surgical clinic could be
interesting tomorrow…we haven’t had one with all of this in about three weeks.  Dr. White had to treat two patients Friday
night (gunshot to the chest and abdomen/arrow shot to the chest) who
had been shot on Monday.  It took them all that time to make it to
the hospital.  Amazing they survived as both had significant lung injuries.  The young man I had to help with last night is doing well.  He had an arrow lodged in the largest vein in his abdomen and coming out of his pancreas.  Tight spot to have an arrow…but we seem to have gotten him through it.  Thank God.

The
person helping me operate this morning is also a pastor.  His name
is Daniel.  He had between 500 and 600 people at his church
yesterday praying for the peace
and safety of Kenya and our area.  Apparently it was an experience
to be there.  Unfortunately one of those families came home to
nothing but the rubble of a house burned to the ground.  It is
unclear how it happened (violence or mishap).  However, today we are seeing a more peaceful scene.

Several
people were able to leave the hospital grounds today and make business
runs into Bomet.  Daniel was one of those as he desperately needed
chicken feed for the 400 that he raises for eggs or meat.  The
concern was that tomorrow’s
scheduled rallies would close the roads down again and halt business
yet again.  Not having food or available transport is certainly
impacting what we see in the hospital these days.  So it is great news that we will have another peaceful day tomorrow."