Below is a letter sent by The Outreach Foundation from Rev. Muindi updating supporters on the situation in Kenya and at Tumaini specifically -- thought you might be interested.  --A

 

 

Dear Friends and Families,

 

Eunice and I and the Tumaini Children’s Home Staff send you Christian greetings.

Thank you for your email of January 15, 2008 and for your continued concern about our welfare.

The state of affairs in the country does not seem to improve but the Lord has his own way of working and I believe a solution to the country’s problems will be found.

The former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan and a number of  distinguished international figures are here as mediators.  They have been shocked by what they have seen in some of the devastated areas.  Refugees are now in many areas which are not experiencing clashes and are being catered for by those who can.  Our people are doing their best to help those in need.  We have taken extra children in the two “Homes”, i.e. Tumaini and Huruma whose parents have been displaced and have no place to go.  Many schools in the affected areas have not reopened yet.

 

Food is already the problem and the situation seems to continue worsening and a recent report says that Kenya is going to face an acute famine because the country did not have enough rain last season and also due to displacement.  Most of those who have been displaced have been the main suppliers of foodstuffs.  The main cause of the problem is not post election tallying but land.  Post election has only sparked off the deeply long rooted problems by some tribes who are jealous of the achievements of some other ethnic groups.  Within a month Kenya’s economy has dropped drastically and has gone back to poverty despite the improvement the country had made.

 

We hope the political situation is going to improve and that those who have plans to visit us will come without any problem.

 

I have discovered that some of the matters raised in your email of December 18, 2007 have not been attended to.

First, I am already in communication with Jim Birchfield of St. Andrews and we look forward to his exploratory visit in April, God willing.

Second, our communication with the Meadows Presbyterian Church is also going on.

Third, the Mountain View Presbyterian Church Team will also be coming during summer.

 

The proposed dates of the visits are:

-  Mountain  View Presbyterian Church:   June 24 – 29, 2008

-  St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church:   July 24 – 30, 2008.

 

There is room for adjustments by any team.  Our Development and Partnership Committees are establishing the projects to be undertaken.  However, our main objective is Christian fellowship and orientation to the mission and ministry of the Church here.

 

We are glad to hear about the Tumaini US Committee meeting such as the one held in Nashville.  The committee is most welcome to Kenya.  We have a common saying here that:

“To go is to see and to see is to do”. And also “seeing is believing”.

On our part we feel blessed because many members of the Tumaini committee on your side have visited here but they will be more enlightened when they discuss matters on the ground.

 

We are in the process of establishing a more dynamic Tumaini Committee to work side by side with the children’s Welfare Committee which has been running the home though it is not easy to get competent people who are willing to work on voluntary basis.

 

Hope you, the family and your colleagues are well.

 

Sincerely yours,

 

Bernard Muindi (Very Rev.)