Kenyan Elections

The Kenyan elections are being held on March 4^th; a week from tomorrow.  

As most of you are aware, the elections five years ago, didn’t go very well.  Thousands of people were killed and thousands more became displaced from their homes.

For the past few months, we had been hearing mixed messages about what people think will happen during these elections.  Some had said that Kenya learned its lesson from the previous elections while others had said, they have prepared themselves because of the previous elections. 

As the US embassy said, “Prepare for the worst; hope for the best.”

And that’s what we’ve done.

We have (almost) stocked up on necessary items as we don’t know if the transport of food and other items will be unable to get to nearby cities, let alone our little town of Kitale. 

Things have already started to heat up in areas around the country.  Here’s just an article on one incident (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/22/world/africa/neighbors-kill-neighbors-in-kenya-as-election-tensions-stir-age-old-grievances.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0):

Neighbors Kill Neighbors as Kenyan Vote Stirs Old Feuds

By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN

 MALINDI, Kenya — In a room by the stairs, Shukrani Malingi, a Pokomo farmer, writhed on a metal cot, the skin on his back burned off. Down the hall, at a safe distance, Rahema Hageyo, an Orma girl, stared blankly out of a window, a long scar above her thimble-like neck. She was nearly decapitated by a machete chop — and she is only 9 months old.

Ever since vicious ethnic clashes erupted between the Pokomo and Orma several months ago in a swampy, desolate part of Kenya, the Tawfiq Hospital has instituted a strict policy for the victims who are trundled in: Pokomos on one side, Ormas on the other. The longstanding rivalry, which both sides say has been inflamed by a governor’s race, has become so explosive that the two groups remain segregated even while receiving lifesaving care. When patients leave their rooms to use the restroom, they shuffle guardedly past one another in their bloodstained smocks, sometimes pushing creaky IV stands, not uttering a word.

“There are three reasons for this war,” said Elisha Bwora, a Pokomo elder. “Tribe, land and politics.”

Every five years or so, this stable and typically peaceful country, an oasis of development in a very poor and turbulent region, suffers a frightening transformation in which age-old grievances get stirred up, ethnically based militias are mobilized and neighbors start killing neighbors. The reason is elections, and another huge one — one of the most important in this country’s history and definitely the most complicated — is barreling this way.

In less than two weeks, Kenyans will line up by the millions to pick their leaders for the first time since a disastrous vote in 2007, which set off clashes that killed more than 1,000 people. The country has spent years agonizing over the wounds and has taken some steps to repair itself, most notably passing a new constitution. But justice has been elusive, politics remain ethnically tinged and leaders charged with crimes against humanity have a real chance of winning.

People here tend to vote in ethnic blocs, and during election time Kenyan politicians have a history of stoking these divisions and sometimes even financing murder sprees, according to court documents. This time around, the vitriolic speeches seem more restrained, but in some areas where violence erupted after the last vote the underlying message of us versus them is still abundantly clear.

Now, the country is asking a simple but urgent question: Will history repeat itself?

“This election brings out the worst in us,” read a column last week in The Daily Nation, Kenya’s biggest newspaper. “All the tribal prejudice, all ancient grudges and feuds, all real and imagined slights, all dislikes and hatreds, everything is out walking the streets like hordes of thirsty undeads looking for innocents to devour.”

As the election draws nearer, more alarm bells are ringing. Seven civilians were ambushed and killed in northeastern Kenya on Thursday in what was widely perceived to be a politically motivated attack. The day before, Kenya’s chief justice said that a notorious criminal group had threatened him with “dire consequences” if he ruled against a leading presidential contender. Farmers in the Rift Valley say that cattle rustling is increasing, and they accuse politicians of instigating the raids to stir up intercommunal strife.

Because Kenya is such a bellwether country on the continent, what happens here in the next few weeks may determine whether the years of tenuous power-sharing and political reconciliation — a model used after violently contested elections in Zimbabwe as well — have ultimately paid off.

“The rest of Africa wants to know whether it’s possible to learn from past elections and ensure violence doesn’t flare again,” said Phil Clark, a lecturer at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. “With five years’ warning, is it possible to address the causes of conflict and transfer power peacefully?”

Spurred on by Kenyan intellectuals and Western allies, Kenya has overhauled its judiciary, election commission and the nature of power itself. Dozens of new positions, like governorships and Senate seats, have been created to ensure that resources flow down more equitably to the grass roots, an attempt to weaken the winner-take-all system that lavished rewards and opportunities on some ethnic groups while relegating others to the sidelines.

But in places like the Tana River Delta, where the clashes between Pokomos and Ormas have already killed more than 200 people, the new emphasis on local government has translated into more spoils to fight over. And there are nearly 50 governor races coming up across Kenya, many of them quite heated.

“The Orma are trying to displace us so we can’t vote,” said Mr. Bwora, the Pokomo elder. “They have burned our villages, even our birth certificates. How are we supposed to vote then?”

The Orma accuse the Pokomos of doing precisely the same thing, right down to the burning of birth certificates.

On the national stage, two of Kenya’s most contentious politicians — Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto — are running on the same ticket for president and deputy president. Both have been charged by the International Criminal Court with crimes against humanity stemming from the violence last time. Mr. Kenyatta, a deputy prime minister and son of Kenya’s first president, is accused of financing death squads that moved house to house in early 2008, slaughtering opposition supporters and their families, including young children.

He could quite possibly be elected Kenya’s next president and find himself the first sitting head of state to commute back and forth from The Hague, potentially complicating the typically cozy relationship between Kenya and the West.

There is a growing perception among many members of Mr. Kenyatta’s ethnic group, the Kikuyu, and Mr. Ruto’s, the Kalenjin, that they must win this election in order to protect their leaders from being hauled off to a jail cell in Europe, which is raising tensions even higher.

Most analysts here feel this election will be turbulent, though some argue it will not be as bad as last time.

“Things are different,” said Maina Kiai, a prominent Kenyan human rights advocate. For instance, he noted, it was the Kikuyu and Kalenjin who fought one another in the Rift Valley in 2007 and 2008, but now many members of those two groups are on the same side because their leaders have formed a political alliance.

“There may be new arenas of violence,” Mr. Kiai said. “But I don’t think the extent of violence will be the same.”

There is also a keen awareness of how much there is to lose. The Kenyan economy flatlined after the turmoil of the last election. But now it has recovered mightily, spawning a dizzying number of new highways, schools, hospitals, malls, wine bars, frozen yogurt stores, even free samples in the supermarket — evidence of Kenya’s position on this continent as home to a deep and booming middle class.

Many nations in this region depend on Kenya, as demonstrated by the economic chaos caused downstream during the last election when mobs blockaded Kenya’s highways and sent fuel prices spiking as far away as the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Another safety valve may be the courts, which are now considered much more independent, one of the biggest achievements since the last election. Kenya’s new judiciary is led by a former political prisoner and widely respected legal mind, Willy Mutunga, the chief justice, who said he was threatened this week.

The hope is that if any election disputes arise between Mr. Kenyatta and the other front-runner, Raila Odinga, Kenya’s prime minister, who says he was cheated out of winning last time, Justice Mutunga will step in — before people on the streets do.

But the Tana River Delta remains a blaring red warning sign, and there have been suspicions that political figures are deliberately fanning old disputes, in this case over land.

One leading Pokomo politician, who was an assistant minister, was recently arrested and accused of incitement, though the case was soon dropped. The allegation echoed the International Criminal Court cases, which assert that behind the ground-level mayhem in 2007 and 2008 were political leaders who incited their followers to kill for political gain.

Up and down the crocodile-infested Tana River, Pokomo and Orma youth are now patrolling the banks with spears and rusty swords. The result is a grim, sun-blasted tableau of ethnically segregated but parallel villages mired in the same poverty, misery and fear.

So pray for us in Kenya. Pray for the politicians of Kenya. Pray for the people of Kenya. Pray for us serving here in Kenya.  No one wants to see a repeat of what happened five years ago. I know I sure don’t. 

I will continue to update as best as I can on how things are going on before, during and after the elections.

Much Love,
Meredith 

Visit to Canada

On Tuesday morning, Sean and I visited Canada. The trip was short; it was only for three hours. And then we left again.

Okay, we didn’t actually get on a plane and fly over to Canada for three hours.  We went to the Canadian Embassy in Nairobi.  Sean and I needed to go to the Embassy because we need a letter from the Province of Ontario and the Canadian Embassy stating that both of them agree that we are Canadian citizens and that they are in agreement for our adoption.  It’s a standardized letter but needed by the adoption agency.

As we drove toward the Embassy, there was a drop-off lane that had Canadian flags leading up to the entrance gate.  I turned to Sean and said, “I’m so excited to be on Canadian soil; even if it’s only for an hour.”

We went through a bunch of security; we had to turn in our cell phones.  We saw the tennis courts and basketball courts (but didn’t see the pool).  I don’t think these luxuries are available for any Canadian who just strolls off the street; I assume it’s for the staff of the Embassy.  Bummer.

We walked to one department of Embassy and were quickly told to go to another department which lead to more security to go through.  When we reached the immigration side, we sat down and waited our turn.  We looked around at the people waiting their turn as well.  We were still the minorities. In the three hours we were there, we only saw two other white people. 

We then finished with immigration and went back to the other department to finish up with them.  As we sat in the comfy chairs, it was so comforting and cool to see the Canadian flag displayed everywhere. It was nice to read books about our Canadian history. It was great to see pictures on the wall of the Rockies, even a York University poster. 

It made me miss Canada a little bit but helped with a bit of the “homesickness” that I’m feeling.  You can take the girl out of Canada but you can’t take Canada out of the girl.  I’ll always have a soft spot and love for Canada.

It’s always nice to have family/friends come from Canada.  Although we can’t go there, when people come and visit, it brings a bit of “home” to us.  And usually family/friends are awesome to bring us things from Canada that we can’t get here or really miss from there. 

We currently have two friends here in Kitale from our church back in Newmarket; they are here through a different ministry but we get to see them.   We have a team from our church visiting us at In Step for two weeks in July.  And one of the team members is staying for three months.  Sean’s mom is looking at coming in the fall of this year too for a visit and hopefully to hold her grandbaby for the first time!

We don’t know when our REAL next visit to Canada will be. Sean and I looked at coming to Canada for a visit in April but just don’t see it being a financially responsible move right now, especially with the adoption stuff going on, among other things.  But God has been so faithful to us; I’m learning to worry less and trust more. J

So if anyone wants to plan a trip to Kenya to visit us, come on over!  We have the room for you.

Much Love,

Meredith

Adoption Paperwork Update

We have been asked by a few people how the paperwork is going for the adoption so we thought we would put out an update.

The paperwork isn’t difficult to work on or get, it’s just the waiting period of getting them all.  We had a “hope” to have all the paperwork done and in our hands by the end of February so that we could have it submitted to the adoption agency before the Kenya elections on March 4^th. Unfortunately, there are two things that likely won’t be available by the end of the month and so we will likely delay putting our paperwork in until mid to end of March.

We’re not upset, slightly disappointed but not upset.  As one of the ladies said in bible study last week, “It’s just part of God’s plan to be perfectly orchestrated so that you get the baby He has specifically chosen for you and Sean.”

Ah, yes.  God’s plan. Not mine.

I just can’t wait to hold our sweet baby girl or boy in my arms.

Here’s the list of what is needed and what we have so far (check marks indicate what we have - blogger wouldn't let me post it differently):

• ü  Passport copies
• ü  3 full size colour photographs
• ü  Copies of Birth Certificates
• ü  Copies of Marriage Certificate
• ü  Application Forms
• ·         Medical Certificates  (going in the next two weeks)
• ü  One reference from someone overseas 
• ·         One reference from someone in Kenya  (should have in the next week or so)
• ü  Legal guardians letter of consent 
• ü  Consent letters from extended family members
• ü  A report on finances
• ü  Copy of work permits and residence pass
• ü  Letter from employer
• ·         Certificate of good conduct (Kenya)  (will be ready at the end of the month)
• ü  Criminal Clearance (Canada)
• ·         Consent from government authority (Canada) permitting the adoption (going to apply for it soon!)

We’ve already been given a few little gifts for our child.  First we received a baby carrier from a missionary family here.  The day we got it, yes, Sean and I did try it on.  We were so excited.  We’ve been told to put a large watermelon in the seat of the carrier and walk around. That will give us a bit more of a “real” feeling.

Note to self:  go and buy a watermelon.

And the second thing we have gotten is a high chair. A real high chair!  Awesome.  Love it.

And so we wait and try not to buy baby stuff. Yet.  J

If you could all pray for us, it would be so appreciated.  We know that with the upcoming elections and what may or may not happen with them, it will delay things.  But we know that when we hold our baby for the first time, the wait, will have been worth it all and maybe, we’ll forget how long the wait really was.

Much Love,

Meredith

More Valuable Than Birds

During my first year of college, I was poor. I moved away from home to attend school. I lived in a house with four other girls; three of the girls I had gone to high school with.

I had a gotten a job transfer from the A& P grocery store (as a cashier) in my hometown to the city where I would be going to school. Unfortunately with the transfer, I was put on the bottom of the sonority list and therefore, I got the least amount of shifts to work. Most weeks, I worked four hours a week (the odd week, I didn’t even work at all). Not exactly easy for anyone to live off of.

My parents had agreed/offered to pay for my rent ($300 per month) but all other expenses were on me – with four hours a week of pay. It was TOUGH.

There were many weeks where I couldn’t afford lunch and so I would have a piece of toast for breakfast, head to school, be in class all day with nothing in my stomach, and then go home and find what I could scrounge up.  In that first year, I mostly lived off pasta noodles and no name Italian dressing.  That would be my dinner. Every. Single. Night.

I had some friends in school that would randomly bring me or buy me a bagel for lunch and sometimes they would invite me over for dinner just so that I could have one decent meal to eat.

There were times when I didn’t know how I would pay for groceries when I had nothing left or how I was going to pay for my week of toilet paper in the house. 

I would forget that I am more valuable than birds.

During my first four years on the mission field, I lived off of $250 per month.  It was okay to live off of that for the first year because I lived at a children’s home and didn’t have very many expenses.  I wasn’t charged room/board; all I had to pay for was my personal expenses (internet, food outside of what they had to offer and toiletries).  But when I moved to another ministry and lived on the compound, I needed to pay rent, food, transportation, etc.).  It was a stretch when after paying rent, what was left over for the rest of the month of expenses.

I started to remember that I am more valuable than birds.

During Sean’s and my first year of marriage, we lived on a compound with other people.  We had only a bedroom to ourselves and felt constantly watched by everyone.  The compound had a revolving door of teams, interns and regulars.  If Sean and I needed to have a conversation, we had to go to our bedroom to talk. We would constantly get bugged or harassed for giving each other a kiss hello or goodbye that was outside of our bedroom.  

In our first year of marriage, we spent four weeks of that, alone. Not one single person on the compound. Four weeks.

We knew that the best thing for our marriage (and sanity!) would be to move out and find a place of our own. Our financial support was good for living on a shared compound with people but we knew that it was going to be stretched by having a place of our own.  But we were doing what we knew was best for us.

And God provided us with the perfect house...just for us.

We moved in to our home in May of 2010. We hired a day time watchman and a night time watchman.  We hired a lady to come and do our laundry (it’s all done by hand – we don’t have a washer/dryer). We got a guard dog.   All necessities when living here.

The first year of living in that house, by the beginning of the third week each month, we didn’t know how we were going to get groceries or have transportation money to get to/from places we needed to go.  Our money had been spent on necessities.  The expenses increased but the financial support remained the same. 

We had even contemplated not having internet anymore but we realized it was a necessity to us. It was our connection to family and friends back in North America.

We had been invited to a fellow missionary’s home for dinner one night and when we were leaving, the wife handed me a bag. I looked inside and it was groceries (meat, canned goods, fruit, vegetables, etc.).  She just looked at me and said, “God just laid it on my heart that I needed to give you guys these things.”  How did she know? God told her.

We ARE more valuable than birds.

Sean and I are approaching our fourth wedding anniversary in two weeks (from tomorrow).  We are embarking on a new adventure of adoption.  We are also embarking on a new year of our financial support being lowered.

The economy isn’t the greatest right now and we know that.  We know that every one of our supporters is working hard for their families back in Canada and the US and also feeling the pinch in their own personal life too.  And please know that we are forever grateful for each and every one of you who continue to support us (financially, prayerfully) no matter what.

January of this year was our first month with our financial support being lowered.  It was lowered by the amount equivalent to paying for the rent on our home and almost the amount of our night time watchman.

Yes, I admit, I lost a few nights of sleep worrying and then in the middle of the night, God said, “My daughter, read Matthew 6.” 

So I did. And I came to Matthew 6:25-27.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” - Jesus

Sean and I BELIEVE and KNOW we are MORE VALUABLE than birds.

Why?  Because our Daddy continues to provide. We have seen it first-hand. We have experienced it over and over again.

I experienced it in college when God would have my friends bring me food for lunch or there would randomly be $100 in my account on a month when I was hungry.

I experienced it in my first few years on the mission field (pre-marriage) when I didn’t know how I was going pay for groceries every week when living on the compound and then I would check my bank account and there would be a random $100 or $200 in my account.

Sean and I experienced it in our first year of marriage when a missionary friend gave us a bag of groceries from her kitchen or when we would get an email that someone had donated an extra $100 that month to us.

Sean and I experienced it THIS WEEK when we were wondering how/where we were going to work things out, having received less support (the new changes for the 2013 year) and we got an email that there was a transfer in our account of what was needed plus a bit extra.

We have never gone without the necessities.  Luxuries - yes, we have gone without. But necessities – never.

And so we press on with life here (and the adoption!) because we know all this is where God wants and needs us to be right now and we do it without (as much) worry (I’m still a slow-learning human being, remember!). 

Jesus said we are more valuable than birds and He has shown it over and over again. So my mustard seed of faith will just keep on believin’!

I hope you will start believing too.

Much Love,

Meredith