DEVOTION: The North and East of Kenya

The north and East of Kenya is particularly remote and challenging. God’s people in these areas often have it tough, with Christians regularly paying double rent or having other rights curtailed in what is a predominantly muslim area.

Muslims who convert in some towns are at risk of retaliation and often have to choose to leave their community or conduct clandestine meetings. Always at risk, there are Christians out in Kenya ready to transport them to safety should their prayer or study group be exposed.

 

Somali immigration has created tensions between people groups, Somali heritage Kenyans and Somali immigration is hard for authorities to control and when every job is sought after and precious, there are inevitable conflicts.

Healthcare in the north especially is almost non-existent with safe water almost impossible to reach. Boreholes to natural springs have dried up in the north one by one by one. Classrooms are over packed and in the north and east especially, there is a huge gender gap in attendance. Given that over fifty percent of the Kenyan population are under the age of 15 this is a real crisis.

Under 5s are especially at risk of malnutrition, with 37% suffering mild growth stunting and 18% severe growth stunting. Malnutrition can cause brain damage and leave them more susceptible to disease.

Although relatively stable for the last few years, Kenya has been hit by flooding, drought, malaria and cholera. In addition since 1984 1.5 million Kenyans have died from AIDs.

The situation seems bleak, yet there is much hope. Kenya is moving in the right direction, moving from 147 to 128 in the HDI development index of countries and slowly organising a better government system. The government actively welcomes aid agencies and flying with organisations such as Mission Aviation Fellowship helps negate the problems caused by huge distances and  removes the danger of attack from bandits.

Pray that this continues. Pray that God builds Kenya a bright new tomorrow.

If your heart has been touched by this, you can choose to donate to helping Kenya build a new future here – East Africa Donations. But whether you choose to or not, your prayers are making a vital difference.

 

Bible Passage

1 Thessalonians 1

The Faith of the Thessalonian Believers

 ² We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. ³ As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 ⁴ We know, dear brothers and sisters,^[b] that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people. ⁵ For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance^[c] that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you. ⁶ So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord. ⁷ As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece—throughout both Macedonia and Achaia.^[d]

 ⁸ And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don’t need to tell them about it, ⁹ for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God. ¹⁰ And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from heaven—Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.

 

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