Open Arms and Extended Hands

Grim Outlooks of Life Expectancy

2008-10-28T13:06:00.002+03:00

“Grim outlook for Kenya as death rates for children and mothers climb steadily” is the heading found on pages four and five of today’s Daily Nation (10/27/08). “Newborn babies face the greatest risk in the first week of life, says Unicef report” was the first article (p.4) of this report. The facts that follow are heart breaking: “Mortality rate for newborns, infants and children under the age of five has increased in the past 10 years according to the United Nation’s Children Fund … one in every 30 children born in Kenya dies in the first 28 days of life … one in every 12 children born in Kenya dies before their first birthday and one in every nine children dies before reaching their fifth birthday … the main causes of deaths as infections, pre-term birth, low birth weight … malaria.” Poor medical care is also a factor. These numbers do not include the many children who survive past the age of five, but due to illnesses and malnutrition, they have “poor physical growth and development … The children also have poor brain development, leading to poor performance in school.” The other articles are as grim: “175,000 infants die every year” (p.4), “Alarm as 473 children die every day” (p.5), and “Pregnancy-related illnesses kill 16 daily” (p.5).

More facts were shared in “UN cites ‘vast’ disparity in Nairobi child death rates” (Daily Nation, 10/17/08), a report from the World Health Organization. “Child death rates in rich and poor parts of Nairobi as an illustration of ‘vast’ health inequities within developing countries … the under-five mortality rate is 17 times higher in a slum area of Kenya's capital than in an affluent section of the city. The death rate for children under five in Embakasi is 254 per thousand, the UN says, compared to less than 15 per thousand in what it terms ‘the high-income area of Nairobi’ … ‘within developing countries, the best local governance can help produce 75 years or more of life expectancy; with poor urban governance, life expectancy can be as low as 35 years,’ … Kenya's overall health-adjusted life expectancy stands at 44.4 years …also the median figure for countries that spend less than $100 per capita for health care … The gap in life span between rich and poor is widening globally ... someone born in a high-income country can now expect to live as much as 40 years longer than a person born in a very poor country.”

These reports do not include another startling fact – those with lower life expectancy are also likely to claim another type of low “life” expectancy – they are less likely to know our Saviour’s words in John 3:16. I don’t have the facts that UNICEF or WHO have to prove this statement, but I am certain that those unreached by adequate medical care, are also more likely to be unreached by the Gospel – they are less likely to have heard of God’s love and salvation which leads to eternal life. These facts are overwhelming, but we can do something – PRAY! Pray that decisions will be made by governments and other groups that will reduce the inequities in our world which lead to inadequate health care, clean water, food, housing, and educational opportunities for so many people. Pray also for boldness, wisdom and good heath for those sharing our Saviour’s offer of eternal life with the people groups of our world that claim lower life expectancies. Bert Yates
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“Alarm as 473 children die every day” – Daily Nation, 10/27/08, p.1 – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/484270/-/tlhoce/-/index.html
“Leaders urged to act on infant mortality rates” – Daily Nation, 10/27/08, p.5) – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/484278/-/tlhocm/-/index.html
“175,000 infants die every year” – Daily Nation, 10/27, 2008, p. 4) – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/484284/-/tlhode/-/index.html
“Pregnancy-related illnesses kill 16 daily” – Daily Nation, 10-/27/08, p.5 – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/484288/-/tlhodi/-/index.html
“UN cites ‘vast’ disparity in Nairobi child death rates” – Daily Nation, 10/17/08 – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/481258/-/tlflcc/-/index.html

Silent Prayers and "Scenting" for rain

2008-10-27T13:12:00.002+03:00

“A visitor to Dertu in Garissa is often appalled by the sight of villagers staring into the clear blue skies and sniffing the tinder dry air for possible signs of rain. Theirs are silent prayers, just for a few drops. This is the season in North Eastern Province (NEP) when all eyes are focused on the clear blue sky, scanning the horizon for signs of rain. Dry air is inhaled for ‘sent’ of moisture … hungry and thirsty children flagging down motorists to beg for water … tread dangerously between survival and death … ‘If is doesn’t rain in the coming month, our livestock will perish.’ When drought sets in, the first casualty is education … The few children who attend school are lured with free food provided by the World Food Programme … Although the Government, donors and NGOs provide food … too little for the … hungry people … In Mandera District, food distribution has been hampered by … clan wars … over pasture and water … Local hospitals have to grapple with a high number of malnourished children as cattle and camels that provide milk are driven away … in search of pasture and water.” These facts were found in “Despair forces village to ‘scent’ air for rain” in yesterday’s The Standard (Sunday, October 26, 2008, p.3).

“Here its survival of the fittest,” a small box nestled within the article, added that temperatures in this area fluctuate between 95and 107F and high winds are common at midday. “In these expansive semi-desert plains live a people who are resigned to the hardy lifestyle. They are pastoralists, who supply more than 80 per cent of the meat consumed in Kenya, but are still perceived by other Kenyans as backward and primitive.”

The facts in this article leads to a comprehensive list of how to pray for drought situations and pastoralists – the starvation and hunger, the resulting death and illness, its affects on children including opportunities for education, etc., BUT one great need is not noted – the “silent prayers” of these people may be to the true God, but the large majority of these people are uncertain of who this God is. Many people groups are found among the pastoralists of Kenya and all are among the people groups where few if any of their people know of our Saviours Good News. They have not had the opportunity to know of the true God and of His love and salvation or they are so bound to their old ways, traditions and fears that they are not able to accept what they may identify as the “white man’s” or modern way. Do pray for the drought conditions and the resulting problems listed above in the North Eastern Province of Kenya. Pray also for the additional drought they face – a lack of the knowledge of our Heavenly Father’s love and salvation through his Son, the Son who shared the message of living water. Bert Yates
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“Despair forces village to ‘scent’ air for rain” – http://www.eastandard.net/InsidePage.php?&id=1143997859&catid=259&a=1

"Beasts of Burden"

2008-10-23T15:42:00.004+03:00

b“At the first cockcrow …Charo (Chah-roe) jumps out of bed. She has barely slept … it is 3am, a signal that she must start what has been her daily routine for years. Every day, she treks for many kilometres in search of water … picks a 20 litre (5 gallon) jerrican, hangs it on her shoulder … and begins her journey through poor terrain to the nearest water pan … about 15km (almost 10 miles) … she makes about four trips, about 120km daily … Charo won’t be making the journey alone. There are dozens of women heading to the (water) … Most of the women remember making the journey as girls.” These words found in “Where search for water is a day and night affair” (pp.30-31) an article included in the October 19, 2008 edition of the Sunday Standard as a part of “IN FOCUS: Water Crisis” special report. This was their description of women who describe themselves as “beasts of burden” – a group of women of the Mjikenda tribes who live in Bamba, about 20 miles inland from the Indian Ocean, between Malindi and Mombasa.

The description of the water that these women will bring home is also burdensome – “The women are not looking for clean water. That would be too ambitious. They are looking for any water.” The water they find on this day shows signs that the water pan will soon be dry. It is “already slimy. It has a foul smell and even animals are avoiding it.” Yet, Charo is desperate and on this day, “Happily she scoops the dirty water and starts filling her jerrican.”

Another woman, Karisa, shared, “By the time I get home, everyone is thirsty and I cannot have time to … boil the water. This explains the several cases of diarrhoea and stomach problems … all the water is drunk sometimes in 10 minutes. I just rest before walking back to this plane again. What life is this?”

The government built a huge water tank in the area “at a cost of Sh28 million” (around $500,000), yet is rarely provides water. Water is supplied through a local water company, but only one of many pumps currently works, which results in dry taps and empty storage areas. Another frustration is shared in a box, “Village’s Water Woes” on page 30 – When it does rain, flooding occurs and “lives and property are lost as all the water is swept to the ocean but soon after, the local people walk for more than 20km in search of the same commodity.”

It is likely that Charo nor Karisa know of the Saviour who spoke of “living water … a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:10, 14). If they have claimed God’s love and salvation through His son, they have no time to study His word or meet with others to worship Him. They are also unlikely to have had opportunities for education, which means they cannot read His word, but must hear it from others. So please join Karisa in praying for the prayer item she shared in the article – that “one day this problem would be resolved once and for all.” Pray that the people of the coastal areas of Kenya and many other places within Kenya and our world will have easy access to clean water – water that will allow them to live healthy and happy lives. Pray also that they will have the opportunity to claim “the gift of God” that leads to eternal life.
Bert Yates
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“Where search for water is a day and night affair” (pp.30-31) – http://www.eastandard.net/specialreports/InsidePage.php?id=1143997297&cid=259&

Fish Doughnuts and Fried Skeletons

2008-10-11T11:50:00.009+03:00

“Coping with cost of living in a slum” in the HORIZONS magazine of the Daily Nation (October 2, 2008, p.1) brought back old memories and a clear recollection of being very humbled. One of the perks of living in Mombasa on the Indian Ocean in the early 1980’s was buying fresh – very fresh fish – from the fishermen passing our gate as they returned from their early morning work. I love eating fish, but I hate cleaning fish – especially the beheading part as the eyes still look very alive! The man who worked in our yard was always eager to do the job for me, but for some reason, one morning I chose to do the job. As I threw out the head, skins and bones, Stephen came running and asked for these remains. Now, I may not like the job, but I am very good at filleting a fish and saving as much meat as possible, so only what I thought was totally trash was wrapped in the old newspaper! Later in the evening, guests arrived at Stephen’s small house. The next morning, he excitedly described the feast that his family had shared with friends the night before – a feast of fish stew made from my scraps! This was definitely one of my transforming “life experiences” when our Father helped me rearrange my priorities and concerns!

The article subtitled, NUTRITION, shared: “Staring at the prospect of malnutrition and hunger, residents of Obunga slums in Kisumu have found a way to feed themselves and get extra proteins.” How to these people who live in western Kenya on the shores of the Lake Victoria get this extra nutrition? “Residents have learnt how to exist alongside fish processing firms which at least provide them with a meal that is better than nothing, during these days of spiralling cost of food. Locals are making do with cheap fish factory discards such as bones, fillet cuttings and the skin which traders innovatively turn into ready to eat products.” One woman “sells fried fish ‘fillets’ locally known as ongin – made to look like doughnuts … costs Sh60 per kilogramme at the factories. One kilogram … can produce between eight and nine fish doughnuts each sold at Sh10 … Another trader … sells fried fish skins locally known as gwaragwara in quantities of Sh10 … a trader in mwongo wazi (Nile Perch skeletons) which cost Sh25 when fried, attributes her good business to the low cost skeletons … Sh5 a kilogramme.”

Praise God for the ingenuity of these people. Thank him for how they are providing nutritious food for others who make no money or survive on $1 per day, not just for themselves, but possibly for their entire family. Pray for Christians among these people as they share the stories of a Saviour who cared about the hunger of people and sought to meet their needs. Pray also for extra sensitivity and wisdom for the missionaries sharing God’s love and salvation with these people. Bert Yates
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“Coping with cost of living in a slum” – http://www.nation.co.ke/magazines/artandculture/-/1222/476396/-/8nymoez/-/index.html
Current $/Kenya Shilling exchange rate: $1=Sh73.6

A Monthly Calamity

2008-09-28T15:30:00.008+03:00

“The girls huddled together in a village school whisper about the ‘calamity’ that has befallen one of them” – Are these teen girls discussing a broken relationship with a boyfriend? No, they are discussing a misfortune that will cause the girl to miss school for up to a week – as she and most of the other girls have to do each month. The calamity? “Sanitary pads reinvented” (SUNDAY MAGAZINE, Sunday Standard, 9/28/08, pp.12, 13) shares that one of the girls has started her monthly period. If she attends classes “she will likely soil her dress and chair and all the boys will laugh at her.”

Why does one girl say, “Every month is a nightmare.” Her mother “earns less than Sh100 a day … and cannot afford to buy … sanitary towels. A pack costs at least Sh70.” Another girl, an orphan, shared, “If my period starts in class, I ask for permission from the teacher and rush to the refuse pit to pick papers to use.”

Some girls have found a way of handling their problem in a way that usually results in greater problems – “While searching for a solution, they often find men who offer them pocket money and are ready to cater for their needs. Many girls succumb to the incentives and end up pregnant and leaving school.”

Thankfully this article does offer a “glimmer of hope” offered by a group of women who want “to ensure that the girls stay in school instead of being married off at a tender age to early pregnancies or missing out on education.” These women have updated “a concept drawn from ancient times when women creatively found materials – from softened papyrus reeds to rolls of grass to … old rags” and offer the girls “reusable and washable sanitary pads” which are sewn from “locally available material” – including “the plastic bags used to pack sugar.” Yes, there are disadvantages to these “vichere”, such as irritations and a lack of soap to wash them, yet they allow the girls to “stay in school all the time.”

An added box within the article: “FACTS AND FIGURES ON GIRLS, SCHOOLS AND SANITARY TOWELS – Kenya has about 500,000 girls aged between 12 and 18 without access to sanitary towels. Most Kenyans earn less than a dollar day and sanitary towels (pack of 10/12) cost just below a dollar. In Budalang’i (western Kenya, on Lake Victoria), about 15 girls miss classes for three or four days every month. This translates to 340-510 girls missing classes for three to four days every month. Although the government reduced taxes on sanitary towels last year, they are still to expensive for most families.”
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“Sanitary pads reinvented” - http://www.eastandard.net/InsidePage.php?&id=1143995773&catid=499&a=1

Dogged by ill-luck

2008-09-27T14:20:00.007+03:00

The look on her face confused me – Was she angry? Or was she sad? I also was puzzled by how this young woman in the picture, who looked to be in her early thirties, could already be tagged as a “Woman dogged by ill-luck” (Daily Nation, 9/26/08, p.5). As I read the article, I realized that the young “woman dogged by ill-luck” was likely angry and sad. Ten years ago, her husband sold their ancestral land in Central Kenya and the family moved to the Rift Valley to secure jobs as tea-pickers – one of the lowest paid jobs in Kenya. Her husband was killed during the post-election chaos and his “attackers spared her life but told her to leave the area with her children, aged between 10 and 18 years.” She fled to a camp for the Internally Displaced, but later left the camp only to be threatened again when she returned to her old job. This time she was injured by an arrow during the attack and spent days in the hospital before returning to the camp. During her hospital stay the records of the true displaced families at her camp in need of financial assistance by the government was compiled, so her name was omitted – which means she will not receive any assistance to help her begin a new life.

Did you catch what seems like a mistake in what I have written? I’ve described the mother as being in her early thirties, yet her oldest child is 18! As I pondered this discrepancy, I continued reading the newspaper and on page 22 found the likely explanation in the advertising feature, “World Contraception Day.” Unfortunately in Kenya and many other third world countries, many mothers of 18 year old kids are in their early 30’s! A map appearing on this page, “Teen Pregnancy and Motherhood” states that 23% of women in Kenya aged “15-19 are mothers or pregnant with their first child (2005).” What the article doesn’t say is that there are also girls who became mothers at 13 or 14.

“Schoolgirls who wed till the law does part” (Daily Nation, 9/23/08, p.3) tells of girls as young as 13 years old being “married off”, including a “shy Standard Seven (grade 7) girl … sent off to meet her ‘husband’, a wealthy 62 year-old man … for five cattle and some money as a bride price” given to the girl’s mother. The article ends with this statement: “The trend is blamed on rampant poverty in the area that makes parents marry off their teenage daughters in exchange for wealth.”

This sounds unbelievable, yet the reality is that in many parts of Kenya and our world unless a child proves to do extremely well scholastically or in sports, their future holds little opportunity, more likely NO opportunity for escape from the same poverty and misery felt by the parents. This will not change until the economic, social, medical, education, etc. systems in the third world change. Reality also includes the fact that the people groups unreached by the Good News of our Saviour are most likely to be among these children with no opportunities. Pray that changes will come to Kenya and other places that will allow all children to face futures with opportunities for a bright, healthy and happy future. Bert Yates

Padlocks on Abandoned Classrooms

2008-09-15T10:57:00.003+03:00

“At Maela Township Primary School … Huge padlocks hang on the abandoned classes and offices. And in the back streets of the timber structures in Maela trading centre, some youths are gathered in groups. Armed with all manner of crude weapons – arrows, spears, blunt machetes and clubs.” How I wish this was the scene of a movie being filmed in Kenya, but this quote is from “Mayhem returns to Maela”, an article in yesterday’s The Standard (9/14/08, p.9) – a “news analysis” of the a new round of ethnic clashes which happened last week. The article shares that “For residents of Maela, 50 km south of Naivasha town, life has been marked by fear and hopelessness … Locals say land and dwindling water resources are the cause of the skirmishes” between “Maasai herders … saying it is their ancestral land” and farmers of other ethnic groups who have lived in the area for years.

As you pray today for those in our world who are suffering from too much water from monsoons, cyclones, and hurricanes, also continue praying for the problems in Kenya and much of Africa related to too little water. Pray that the problems in Maela and nearby areas will “be solved in a manner that all sides are happy with the outcome.” Pray that “Government, farmers and herders (will stop) point(ing) accusing fingers at each other” and that “Their hope and prayers … (for) a lasting solution be found.” Pray especially for the children who are “unable to understand why their mothers are panicking.” Pray for the students who cannot attend school during this time, especially those in Class Eight who will sit for the national exams next month – exams which will determine their futures including the likelihood of their becoming a continuing part of this problem if they lack education. Pray also that the Christians in the Maela area – those among the farmers and those among the herders – will boldly share with their neighbours and relatives the Good News of their Saviour, the answer to “fear and hopelessness” – the answer to the padlocks on people’s hearts. Bert Yates
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“Mayhem returns to Maela” – http://eastandard.net/news/InsidePage.php?id=1143994843&cid=159&

Inflation over 11 Million Percent in Zimbabwe

2008-09-12T15:58:00.003+03:00

From an early September, 2008 prayer letter of a volunteer doctor at Sanyati Hospital in Zimbabwe (southern Africa): The economic and living conditions in Zimbabwe are desperate. The people are truly in survival mode... the old monthly wage is not enough to provide food for even a day for a family.
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When I arrived in late June, the inflation rate was over a million percent and on the rise daily. It is now estimated over 11 million percent (or more?) and continues to accelerate. Even then, I started wondering when the whole economy would come to a halt. For many months now, an average worker is not able to earn enough money to buy food. I started thinking that, at some point, people would just stop going to work because their salary did not cover the cost of even one essential item. That has started to happen. Nation wide, hospital staff and teachers have either stopped working at the job or stopped going to work at all.This morning the staff at Sanyati Baptist Hospital left on strike. The issues they are striking over are out of the control of the Hospital. The staff remaining are the heads of departments and 27 student nurses. We have closed outpatients, pharmacy, and will discharge all patients that are not critical. We will be open to local emergencies and maternity only. Our laundry and ability to sterilize instruments is gone …

Please pray that we would have wisdom in the situation. Pray for the patients who will not have the means of medical care needed in this situation. Pray for change in the government. Pray that Christians and the Church in Zimbabwe will seek God and take a leadership role and that God will be glorified in the outcome of this situation.

Picture is from www.freeworldmap.net with Zimbabwe highlighted

Reading and Writing or Fighting and Killing?

2008-09-11T16:45:00.003+03:00

The host of feelings harbouring in the children’s eyes initially caused me to overlook the unsafe means of their transport. What father would travel with his four small children – two sitting in front of him and two behind – plus luggage on his motorcycle? The article accompanying the picture* explained – the father was as terrified and confused as his children as they fled Naivasha as an “Uneasy clam after ethnic clashes” prevailed. This is not an old article, but a new one in today’s Daily Nation (9/9/08, p. 2). Some say “Tension sparked by death of a member of one of the feuding groups in bar brawl” led to the current “fighting between two communities.” Others blame “it on illegal grazing … which resulted in destruction of crops.” No matter what the cause, “A 96 year old man died when the house he was sleeping in was torched by raiders. More than 10 houses were burnt during the attack, with seven people sustaining arrow wounds.”

Another result of the current “Uneasy calm” is that yesterday “Several schools remained closed as pupils and students kept off following the tension.” This seemed almost a paradox as today’s Daily Nation’s front page picture is of children, colourfully dressed in Maasai blankets, performing during the World Literacy Day celebration – which also occurred yesterday! “Free learning offers hope for millions of Kenyans wallowing in ignorance” (Daily Nation, 9/8/08, p.8) seems an empty promise if the schools are not in session due to ongoing fears, lack of teachers proper school materials and facilities, etc.

When I asked about the current problems in Naivasha, I heard a familiar phrase: “The area has many unemployed, bored and possibly hungry youth.” This fits exactly with the facts given in yesterday’s article about “Free learning … As the world celebrates the International Literacy day today, about seven million Kenyans can neither read nor write. Illiteracy has limited their ability to function in society, placing them at a disadvantage, with fewer options in terms of jobs … ‘Currently the country has one of the highest illiteracy rates in the world, with only 68 per cent of the population able to read and write.’”

To be honest, it is frustrating to continue asking for prayer for those in our world who choose to fight, kill and cause suffering when so many others are facing natural disasters out of their control such as the current hurricanes and cyclones. Yet, prayer is the one thing that can bring a change to hearts – prayer that these people will come to know the true source of peace, our Heavenly Father. Do pray for comfort and wisdom for those who continue to face ethnic problems in Kenya. Pray also for “The massive shortage of teachers and lack of materials … that hinder efforts to reduce the 7.2 million illiterate adults” in Kenya and the “Stigmatisation of the programme” which contributes “to the large number of illiterate adults” (“Adult tutoring project”, Daily Nation, 9/8/08, p.9), including the many youth without jobs due to illiteracy. Please pray for Kenyans and others “without hope and without God in our world” (Ephesians 2:12). Bert Yates
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“Uneasy calm after ethnic clashes” (*with the picture of the children) – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/468488/-/tkcffh/-/index.html
“Free Learning offers hope for millions of Kenyans wallowing in ignorance” DN 9/8/08, p. 8 – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/468210/-/tkcdo5/-/index.html
“Adult tutoring project needs 25,000 teachers” – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/468224/-/tkcdp5/-/index.html
“High illiteracy rates a global shame” (Daily Nation, 9/8/08, p.10) – http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Editorial/-/440804/468246/-/qlhfrdz/-/index.html

Road Scrapers, Coloured Beads and Water Jugs

2008-09-11T15:01:00.002+03:00

The contrasts in the picture caught my eye first – A woman from northern Kenya, with her short braided hair, layers upon layers of colourful beads resting upon her neck, and her traditional dress covered by what appears to be a pink sheet tied across her shoulders. In her left hand, covered by the draped material, she is carrying something – very likely water. She is walking on a patch of road freshly levelled by the very large and shiny new TONKA-yellow road scraper sitting behind her.

The heading above the picture: “LET THERE BE DEVELOPMENT”. Description under the picture: “A woman walks down a road under construction … The road which will connect Isiolo Town to Moyale on the Ethiopian border … Research has shown that improving infrastructure can reduce poverty in marginalized areas.” This picture was found in the Daily Nation this past Monday (8/25/08) on page 13. I searched today, but failed to find it on the internet for you.

I had saved this page to share with you an article that revisits the post-election chaos of Kenyan youth. The writer pre-titles this article, “FORGOTTEN CLASS” and says, “It is likely that the protests had nothing to with who had won or who had lost. There is a possibility that the youth blocked roads and burnt property because they felt alienated … they felt disillusioned … our country must find a way of reducing the frustrations that young people have to endure … find a way to inject hope and optimism into the veins of the youth” (“To end violence inject hope in veins of youth” – Daily Nation, 8/25/08, p.13). Pray that changes in the country will lead to brighter educational and employment opportunities for Kenya’s youth. Pray for those that the writer says are too poor to access “the knowledge to advance themselves in life.” Pray especially that Kenyan’s youth will come to know that their heavenly Father has not forgotten them. Pray they will come to claim the greatest source of hope – His love and salvation.

I also ask that you pray for women like those in the picture. Pray that changes will come to Kenya that will reduce her poverty and that she will be able to provide her children with food, clean water and medical care as well as dream of a bright educational and professional future for them. Pray also that another “poverty” in her life will end – the majority, vast majority of people in northern Kenya have never heard the Genesis 1 story of “Let there be light” or Jesus’ teachings about “living water … welling up to eternal life” (John 4:10,13). Pray that the eternal gospel will be proclaimed to this woman and “every tribe, language and people” (Revelation 14:6) in northern Kenya. Bert Yates
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“To end violence inject hope into the veins of youth” – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/462936/-/tk8db9/-/index.html

Buying Sugar by the Tablespoon

2008-09-11T14:56:00.004+03:00

Can you imagine buying sugar by the tablespoon rather than by the bag? Have you ever thought of buying margarine by the ounce? What about having to choose between using your dwindling kerosene for the lantern your children need for studying or for preparing the evening meal on your tiny cooker? This is the norm for many Kenyans these days. Yesterday’s edition of The Standard on Sunday carried articles leading to questions such as these.

“It’s struggle for survival for rural folk as inflation rises” (p.28) shares that “At the village retail shop, commodities are sold in small quantities … ‘Desperate villagers come asking for cooking fat worth Sh5. Some even want to buy sugar just enough for making one cup of tea.” One young mother shared that “buying milk for tea is just unimaginable. Her children are now taking porridge and black tea. Sometimes she says, her children take porridge for lunch.” This woman and her husband both work, but make too little to meet the basic needs of their small family.

This article and others including “Sawdust is the only affordable fuel for thousands of slum dwellers” (p.29) are not found on the internet, but I have included links for the two articles in this series which are available for reading and a commentary that shares more of the problem. “Rising cost of living chokes many families” (p.26, 27) reported that “A security guard in the Nairobi’s Business District, has been forfeiting lunch since the beginning of the year. He has also struck milk and bread off his breakfast table. Meat graces the dinner table only once a month … his dilemma is captured across million of homes in the country … As earnings remain constant, budgets are growing thinner, number of meals per day is dwindling and walking is fast becoming a favored mode of transport.” “City dwellers eat less as inflation shoots up” (p.29) includes a theme included in all the articles – “No hope is in sight yet.”

I’m not sharing this to imply that the inflation that is hitting the entire world is worse in Kenya than anywhere else. I’m sharing this because as your missionaries, we must know the real lives of those in our adopted homes. This knowledge is also essential for those of you praying for us and for those who need to hear of our Father’s love and salvation. So, as you pray for us as we proclaim the eternal gospel to “those who live on the earth – to every nation, tribe, language and people” (Revelation 14:6), pray for the exhausted, frustrated, stressed and/or hungry among those who need to know of the hope offered by our Saviour. Bert Yates
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The Standard on Sunday, 8/24/08
“Rising cost of living chokes many families” –
http://www.eastandard.net/InsidePage.php?mnu=details&id=1143993285&catid=4
“City dwellers eat less as inflation shoots ups” – http://eastandard.net/news/InsidePage.php?id=1143993235&cid=159&
Daily Nation, August 18, 2008, p.13/“Can the poor stand up to be counted?” – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/457426/-/tjp72m/-/index.html
Kenya Shillings rates at a glance/ $1=Sh 68.83 (Saturday Nation, 8/23/08, p.24)

Scavenging and Trading

2008-09-11T14:46:00.004+03:00

Somtimes one sentence is enough from a news article to lead to serious praying - “Children have turned to scavenging, while girls and women are trading sex for food.” This was found in an article entitled, “Families feel abandoned as they scavenge for food” (Daily Nation, 8/22/08, p.32). This article will lead to many questions, reactions and possibly a few judgements, but as I read of the hopelessness felt by these who are still displaced, the one certainty is that they are in great need of prayer for peace, comfort and wisdom.

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“Families feel abandoned as they scavenge for food” – Daily Nation, 8/22/08, p.32 – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/461698/-/tk7ls3/-/index.html )

"Easier to get a bottle of beer than a glass of clean water"

2008-09-11T14:35:00.002+03:00

A feature appeared in the Daily Nation LIVING Magazine which shared the life of some of the “Kenyans (who) have shown both resilience and determination (not just) in the quest for a … a new Kenya”, but a “resilience and determination” to survive. “Residents take to UV rays for protection” (LIVING/ Daily Nation, 8/20/08, p.3) shares the struggle for water in Kibera, the largest slum in Kenya. Wikipedia says that “Kibera is located southwest of Nairobi city centre … approximately 2.5 square kilometres … or 630 acres … 5 km south east of the city centre of Nairobi. It holds more than a quarter of Nairobi's population … Its population is put at anything between 600,000 and 1.2 million.” One may assume that Kibera is home only for the lower level of society, but this is not true. Many professional people and well-educated people live there because of the high costs of living in Kenya’s capital city. Why do they stay in such a horrible situation? Opportunities in other parts of the country are limited, so they keep hoping and praying that their turn to move out of the slum to a better area will come quickly!

“It is easier to get a bottle of beer than a glass of clean water in Kibera.” This is the statement from yesterday’s LIVING Magazine that haunts me. Fresh water is a problem throughout Nairobi due to recent drought conditions, but this article shared that even the available water in Kibera is extremely contaminated. The article shares a way to purify the water – which unfortunately too few people use – “filling plastic bottles … with tap water … and exposing them to sunshine.”

I am not sharing this article to solicit help for the need of clean water – a problem faced by many, too many people in Kenya and our world, although I do share a link of a relief group that can help. I am sharing this update to help you understand the urgency to pray for “a new Kenya.” Pray that the leaders of our country will bring about change that will benefit all Kenyans. Pray that Kenyan Christians will search for ways to be a part of this quest as they obediently follow their Saviour’s teachings (Matthew 25:31-40 and John 4:1-26) giving pure water to the thirsty and sharing the living water that leads to eternal life. Bert Yates
*Please note additional guide for prayer listed below at “Walking Thru Kibera”
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Daily Nation/LIVING /“Residents take to UV rays for protection” – http://www.nation.co.ke/magazines/Living/-/1218/460720/-/shjhsiz/-/index.html
Wikipedia/“Kibera” – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibera
“Walking Thru Kibera”/You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TlZRcgopQs (If you choose to view this, I would suggest you turn down the sound for the video, and use the scriptures and prayer items in the last paragraph as a guide for praying as you “walk thru Kibera”.
“Kibera: Africa’s largest slum” – http://affordablehousinginstitute.org/blogs/us/2005/07/kibera_africas.html
Baptist Global Response (Connecting people in need with people who care) – http://www.baptistglobalresponse.com/main/

Fighting Female Circumcision

2008-09-11T14:28:00.004+03:00

“After Mother Teresa, in comes Girl Teresa, 16” (Daily Nation, 8/20/08, p.3) shares the story of a young Pokot girl recently “named Nobel Prize winner – Children after she presented a talk on female circumcision and how it affected the schoolgirls in her district.” Rather than using her prize money “to buy a business or plot … (or) be the proud owner of more than 500 head of cattle”, she chose to giver her money to a group that fights traditions that cause too many girls of her ethnic community to “drop out of school and get married, often forcefully” at young ages. In one local school, “of the 300 girls who had enrolled, only 30 were still learning … Standards (Classes) Five up to Eight did not have a single girl. They had dropped out.” The young woman’s prize gift will be used “to spearhead the campaign that will see many girls from West Pokot district get the opportunity to go to school” and encourage them in “pursuing education to university”.

Pray for the young girls and women of Kenya. Pray that they will have the opportunity to become all God planned for them to be. Pray that they will know true hope, joy and peace. Pray that Kenyan Christians will be strong ambassadors of His love and salvation which is more powerful than all the old ways and traditions that continue to keep His children in all parts of our world from becoming all that He created them to be! Bert Yates
*Picture is of Pokot children
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“‘Nobel’ winner donates Sh1million” – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/regional/-/1070/460644/-/6jorrj/-/index.html

Rebuilding the life of a family

2008-09-11T14:19:00.000+03:00

Sometimes as I read the news, my heart turns to prayer, yet I’m unsure if I should share these articles with you. This is how I felt this morning as I read “Diseases threaten refugees” and “As camps shut down, refugees are setting up their own”, both found on page seven of today’s Daily Nation. I have lived in Kenya for almost 30 years, there is still much I don’t understand about the views, ways, and expectations of Kenyans. I have never understood how many Kenyans survive on so little as expressed in the name of one of the most common foods, greens similar to kale, which is called Sukumawiki – in Swahili this means to push (sukuma) the week (wiki) along. My personal experiences simply do not allow me to understand the needs and hearts of those who have remained in the camps for the displaced. I also don’t comprehend what it is like to have no resources – including a much needed resource, a sense of hope.

“As camps shut down…” reports that “The government wants the camps closed this week because it is becoming expensive to maintain them … Food has also become scarce … donors are looking elsewhere.” This article adds, “Most of those purported to have gone home are instead living in ‘transitional camps’ close to their farms.” Why are these people still in the camps? I am sure that some are there for the wrong reasons, but one phrase shares the answer for many of them, “The resettlement process should have been preceded by peace-building programmes and counseling.” They are too fearful and traumatized to return home. Few have the resources to begin again, replacing all they lost. Yes, donors have done much to help and the government “As a part of the resettlement package, is giving each displaced family … Sh10,000 and a month’s supply of food”, but how does one rebuild the life of a family and replace all the necessities on $150?

“Diseases threaten refugees” which was prefaced by “HEALTH TIME BOMB”, left me praying not just for the IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons), but for a large majority of Kenyans. Join me in praying for the many who “cannot afford the high cost of medical services” and those who find that the “long distances to the nearest health facility make it almost impossible for them to access medical services.”

Once again, I am not sharing all of this to break your heart, but to keep you praying for the displaced. Pray that those still displaced, will find the needed means, peace and confidence to rebuild their lives. Pray that changes in the Kenyan Constitution will bring about economic, social and political changes which will benefit all Kenyans. Pray for true peace that will not allow future elections to result in so much pain and turmoil. Pray also that all Kenyans will come to know hope, especially the hope offered through our Lord Jesus Christ. Bert Yates
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“Diseases threaten refugees” – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/457536/-/tjp7uy/-/index.html
“As camps shut down, refugees are setting up their own” – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/457542/-/tjp7vq/-/index.html

"They Can No Longer Provide for their Children"

2008-09-11T13:58:00.000+03:00

Local newspapers continue with the reports … of the resultant post-poll violence. The causes given by those presenting information differ daily – politicians, the church, media, police, land issues, bad weather (Yes, that was suggested one day!), etc. … It also shares the ongoing problems they face including that at least “19,800 refugees are still living in camps.” Continue praying that the displaced will receive needed counseling, means for rebuilding homes, water and food … Pray that all those affected will have a sense of hope and will have the needed strength to rebuild their lives.

Pray also for the “Separated children yet to be reunited with parents” (The Standard, Aug/10/08, p.6). A “New survey indicates over 1,600 displaced children have lost touch with their parents or next of kin” – a painful number, yet the article later says, “The number is definitely higher than this” as this represents a survey of only 12 of 31 districts. It does not include “lost and separated children in the streets, as well as those accommodated by communities or other families.” Pray for children who “do not know if their parents are dead or alive.” Pray for the families of these kids as they struggle to locate lost members, especially those who are extremely poor and illiterate as this limits their ability to use resources. This article also shares that some parents have been located and “are too embarrassed because they can no longer provide for their children.” I cannot imagine the frustrations and pain of these parents, so I can only ask that you pray for this situation. Bert Yates
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“Separated children yet to be reunited with parents” – http://www.eastandard.net/InsidePage.php?mnu=details&id=1143992094&catid=159

Illiteracy and "Enjoying the Benefits"

2008-09-11T12:26:00.000+03:00

Whenever I read research reports in Kenya, I always question the quality/accuracy of the research whether it be the prevalence of HIV/Aids, this month’s inflation rate or the most current literacy rates. My scepticism is based on the university class that I vividly remember even after years of having my degree! In this statistics class, our main project was to conduct research that purposely resulted in an inaccurate result, yet met all the criteria of proper research! The scary part was how easy it was to complete this project simply based on the choice of those interviewed, the questions asked, the timing of the questions, etc.

The CIA World Factbook internet site says that 81.5% of Kenyans over age 15 can read and write. Yet, an article in today’s Daily Nation repeats a very different set of facts – “Not so long ago, Education minister … said that half of the youths aged between 15 and 25 can neither read nor write” (“Millions lose out on the wonders of mobile phones”, 8/11/08, p.13). The writer of this article continues by saying, “As classrooms become as congested as some mobile phone networks, 39 percent of Kenyans remain illiterate.” Based on the current growth of the use of cell phones in Kenya, this article highlights yet another way that the illiterate “are unlikely to enjoy the benefits of new technology and other conveniences of the modern life.”

I am not sure if the estimate of 28.5% of Kenyans being illiterate or the 39% is most accurate, but I do know that the facts given in this article are true – “The majority of these people are to be found in rural areas, but a large chunk of them live in poor neighbourhoods in towns where they are day laborers … past surveys by the National Planning ministry have shown that households led by illiterate and semi-literate people are the poorest.”

I also know that Christians ministering in many places in Kenya are striving to make sure that the illiterate do “enjoy the benefits” of knowing of our Saviour’s love and salvation. Today, I ask that you pray for those who are offering literacy training. Pray for those who are using oral means of sharing the gospel that can be learned and taught by non-readers to new disciples. Pray also for illiterate new Believers who have a desire to learn more through oral methods of teaching. Pray for the missionaries, home and international, planning training courses such as those leading to seminary certificates for illiterate men and women who have a heart for growing as Christians and sharing God’s love and salvation with others – continuing the multiplication process of Matthew 28:19-20. Bert Yates
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“Millions lose out on the wonders of mobile phones” – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/454666/-/tjn5rk/-/index.html (For those of you who read this article, a few explanations: Alvaro is one of the many new sodas advertised as a non-alcoholic drink, but our MPs have spent mega time debating this; and “Wahi and Kuwahi” is a new Coke promotion and a young friend says this means going from doing well/modern to hitting the jackpot and doing extra well/sophicated!

Out of School and Eating Wild Fruits

2008-09-11T12:17:00.000+03:00

As I read “RAIN FAILURE/Thousands in 10 districts stare hunger in the face” (Daily Nation, p.30), I realized that I would be failing many of the peoples of Kenya – peoples unreached by the Good News of our Saviour – if I did not share this article with you. The article shares that the “Herders’ problems (are) made worse by cattle raids, animal disease and internal refugees” as they live in areas “ravaged by famine …pupils … dropped out of school due to hunger … those who attend school can’t concentrate on studies due to hunger’ … residents are eating wild fruits after the livestock, their main source of food, died … have driven their animals more than 200 kilometres (125 miles) northwards in search of pasture and water. Only malnourished children, women and the elderly are left behind.”

Many relief agencies are in the area providing food, but there is an even more serious famine in the area – Less than 1% of most of the area people groups know of the love, peace and salvation offered through our Lord Jesus Christ. The Unfinished Task (2004, ACM FTT Afriserve, p.38-40) shares this about the Garreh-Ajuran (less than .01% Christian), one of the unreached people groups in the drought area: “In past times the Garreh-Ajuran’s diet consisted almost entirely of milk taken from the herds … They keep chicken and sheep alongside goats, cattle and camels. Sheep and chicken are kept specifically for religious purposes, specifically for offertory sacrifices and paying for the services of (those) who pray for the sick and spiritually possessed … very resistant and antagonistic to the Christian faith … shy away from the Christian message for fear of family rejection and persecution … literacy levels … extremely low …urgent need to reach these people (with the Gospel).” The descriptions of other unreached people groups of the drought area would share similarities and differences, yet this one gives you a glimpse of why our Father’s love and salvation has yet to reach these people.

There are many ways to pray for these unreached people groups, but I ask that you use The Unfinished Tasks’ suggestions for the Garreh-Ajuran as a guide for all: “Pray that God would reveal himself to these people; Pray that God would raise intercessors for them; Pray for fear between the people and the missionaries to be overcome; … Pray for the spiritual growth and discipleship of new believers.” Pray also that the cycle of cattle raids/revenge attacks which are resulting in many deaths, injuries and additional suffering as reported in “Now cattle raid deaths rise to 74” (Daily Nation, 08/05/08, p.9) will cease in these areas. Bert Yates
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“Thousands in 10 districts stare hunger in the face” – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/449972/-/tj55u9/-/index.html
“Now cattle raid deaths rise to 74” – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/449968/-/tj55tj/-/index.html

Widows Facing Poverty

2008-09-11T11:59:00.000+03:00

Last week I shared the news of the increase of HIV/AIDS in Kenya – “Widows suffering for saying No” in today's (8/4/08) Daily Nation shares one of the continuing reasons for this increase. Those of you who have a heart for praying for the women of Kenya and for HIV/AIDS will find guides for prayer in this article as you read of how the “Tradition and Culture” (the subtitle of this article) of many of African people groups are in conflict with the loving care that our Saviour taught us to show to others as we feed, quench the thirst, house, clothe and minister to others (Matthew 25:34-46). Pray for the women of Kenya who must “choose between wife inheritance and building (their) own houses” and cultivating their farms. Pray that the few Christians in this area will be true ambassadors of their Saviours’ love and teachings.

The Teso People of Kenya are also included among those unreached by the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ. “Man evicts woman over ‘dowry’ hitch” found in The Standard today tells of the “drama … in … Teso District, when a man led a group of villagers in demolishing two thatched houses belonging to his sister-in-law, claiming she was a witch who had also denied the family a chance to get dowry by failing to give birth to a girl. The woman … married for more than 30 years and has one son, was ordered out of the home … Her brother-in-law is now allegedly laying claim to the land.” Pray that the Christians who desire to witness to the Teso will find ways to answer the traditions that lead to discord and pain rather than the love and hope that is offered by our Saviour. Bert Yates
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“Widows suffering for saying No” – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/446490/-/tj2y16/-/index.html
The Standard: “Man evicts woman over ‘dowry’ hitch” – http://eastandard.net/news/InsidePage.php?id=1143991607&cid=159&

Searching Nomads

2008-09-11T11:50:00.000+03:00

“30 herders shot dead by raiders” will be overlooked by many as they read today’s edition of the Daily Nation (p.5). It is a small piece surrounded by many larger articles about the ongoing probe into the election crisis, but Christians in Kenya who have a heart for the unreached in our country will notice this headline. They will also likely repeat my actions this morning and add a few words (shared in blue) as they read the article:

“More than 30 herdsmen have been killed (who did not know of our Father’s love and offer of eternal life) … in Turkana South District by suspected Pokot cattle raiders. An unknown number of the raiders attacked Lokubae village on Tuesday afternoon and made away with over 700 cattle … scores of the herdsmen are also believed to have been seriously injured (and to be unbelievers) … The herdsmen regrouped on Wednesday and pursued the rustlers and caught up with them on Thursday morning in Saguta Valley. A fierce fight ensued but the herdsmen were overpowered after they ran out of ammunition.”

No, we are not being prejudiced, simply informed – The pastoralist’s communities, those who are nomads searching for grass and water for their cattle, are among the people groups living in areas with the poorest support systems of schools, hospitals, roads, adequate water, etc. They claim the highest rates of illiteracy within the country. These are also the people groups that are most likely to continue with old cultural practices. When one adds all these facts together, these people groups are likely to be among the peoples of our world who are unreached by the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ.

There are missionaries working with the Pokot, Turkana and the Samburu, but it is difficult and slow work. Special methods of witnessing must be used as one shares with people who cannot read and often move around. Those who work with these people would you to know that the lack of education or difference in how one views “home”, does not mean these people are not smart! They simply live a lifestyle that is different and many have more “common sense” than most people with high levels of education. Their ability to memorize and apply what they learn is amazing and would leave many educated people in awe.

So today, I ask you to pray for those affected by this latest cattle raid. Pray that the Christians in the area, especially those of other ethnic groups who work with government or NGO groups, will be strong ambassadors of our Father’s love and hope. Pray for the missionaries, international and home, who are striving to find the best ways to “fiercely fight” and “overpower” the devil in these areas where so many people need to know the peace of our Father. Pray that they will not run out of “ammunition” – physical and spiritual strength – until these unreached peoples know and accept the power of our Father’s loving salvation. Bert Yates

"Lack of awareness of their rights"

2008-09-11T11:20:00.000+03:00

Local papers continue to share heartbreaking stories about the Internally Displaced Persons – “Women in camps forced into sex to get food” (Daily Nation, p.8, 7/25/08) shared today that “In addition to sex for food, other women also suffered rape and indecent assault” in the displacement camps. The reason given by one man for these happenings leads to a great need for prayer – “The lack of awareness of their rights was compounded” by their lack of education. Pray that women in Kenya will learn of their value to their Creator. Pray that they will strive to become all He created them to be.

“Three times unlucky in polls violence” (Daily Nation, p.9, 7/25/08) quoted one woman with “no reason to live. Twice she has lost a spouse and twice she has faced death … because she exercised her democratic right to vote.” Pray for those who continue to hurt due to the post-election violence. Pray for physical healing and for spiritual healing. Pray that Christians will rise up to boldly share the source of true peace and hope. Bert Yates

"Slum dwellers face eviction..."

2008-09-10T17:43:00.000+03:00

“20 chiefs face graft charges” on the back page (p.68) of the Daily Nation reported a speech of the Nairobi Provincial Commissioner. The PC said that chiefs are the ones with “a duty not only maintain law and order but also to protect people’s lives and property.” The chiefs were warned not to meddle “in land matters … the duties of land allocation, registration and certification lay with the Ministry of Lands.”

“Slum dwellers face eviction from oil pipeline’s reserve land” (Daily Nation, 07-09-08, p.14) shares this quote about some of the 7,200 households facing eviction: “The resident’s association secretary says that most of the people who have settled in a one-kilometre stretch along the pipeline bought the land from a former chief and a district commissioner.” Yes, the land that was sold was reserved land with no title deeds, yet today the area includes not just residences, but “health centres, churches and schools” on this borrowed/grabbed or illegally sold land!

Ownership and use of land in Kenya and especially Nairobi is one of the greatest challenges for the citizens of Kenya and unfortunately one of the greatest sources of corruption … often the grabbing is not done by the wealthy, but by people with no or little money who simply want a place to live or start a business. This definition covers many of those living on the pipeline reserve land. The article describes the area as a slum and reports that many of the residents have nowhere else to go – even though they are aware of the dangers of living so close to pipes which could lead to explosions.

Why am I sharing all of this? First, the article on the evictions can help you learn how to pray for the ongoing complex problems of Kenya and many other places in our world. Secondly, I hope this information will help you understand how this affects those ministering to these people. In the last few years, many of your missionaries have gone into the lower cost housing areas of Nairobi with a new method of reaching those who do not know our Saviour’s love and salvation – T4T training. I could spend hours explaining this, but basically this is training a Christian to begin Bible study in his/her home or workplace. Sometimes that Christian is a new Believer who has responded to the witness of the missionary or Kenyan Christian. These Bible exploration groups can become House Church Groups, which is not only a great method for rapidly reproducing Believers as the groups expand and divide into trained new groups, but this is also a great way to deal with the lack of land in the city – which includes lack of space for traditional church buildings.

So I ask that you pray for the poor of Nairobi. Pray for those who are trying to share God’s love and salvation with these people. Pray that they will find the best way to make new Believer and train them to share the Good News they have received – the Good News of the greatest source of hope and joy! Bert Yates

"Alert over high child deaths"

2008-09-10T17:15:00.000+03:00

“Alert over high child deaths” (Daily Nation, 7/1/08, p.32) shares the need to pray for better medical care as in Kenya – “More than 400 children under the age of five die daily from preventable diseases such as malaria, diarrhoea, pneumonia and HIV. ‘It is sad to note that one in every nine children dies before the age of five,’ said Public Health minister … launching a campaign to reduce maternal and child deaths.” A general knowledge of Kenya affirms that the peoples unreached by the Gospel are the ones who face the highest incidences of maternal and child deaths due to their living in inaccessible places. These are usually the areas with the poorest schools, roads, medical care, etc. As you pray that the figures quoted in this report will quickly decrease, pray that the number of people who know of our Saviours’ healing and love will increase. Bert Yates