But Then There Are The Peacekeepers

But Then There are the Peackeepers...

Things are not going well over there. I'm hearing it from all sections of the country. 6 have been killed in Kisumu today on the second day of rioting and I'm including an article at the bottom from the Standard. That's the other national newspaper. I do read both of them.

What is amazing is the group I call the Peacekeepers and what they bring to this effort. Just today another one has joined us and brought enormous enthusiasm and a real gift for change. She also brought me a chief of the Masai whose letter follows. Big Francis was Masai, and I hold that tribe in awe and appreciation. If only I had all the space in the world to tell you about each tribe. Anyway I'm glad to be in contact with the Masai and especially at this time because I will need them when I go over in March. And I am incredibly grateful for the Peacekeepers. I think I'd rather you read about them today than the pillage of the country of sweet agony known to me as Kenya.

I wrote this a week ago. I mean every word!

God Sends Only Angels

Ten years ago a psychic told me that there was a remarkable group of young people who would find me. They were on this planet to help birth the millennium in peace. When the year 2000 was in sight I got ready, I worked on a project, but it was a dismal failure.

Then the following year some new clients started appearing. They were special, they were far from broken, and in fact they were looking instead to change the direction of their lives. They were deeply dedicated to this planet, they cared about justice, the environment, animals, children. Not only did they care, but also they showed their passion by actually doing things to make this a better world. They were bright, well educated, determined, but what made them so remarkable were the choices they were making about money and its importance (or lack thereof) in their lives. They were choosing to give up corporate work for lower paying jobs that had more meaning.

I soon learned that they were the Peacekeepers. There are certain tenets to being a shrink. In my training I was taught to be a blank slate, never divulge personal information. So many rules were to be followed, never allowing people to see others come and go from one’s office was another one of them. Now I do not break rules just for the sake of breaking the rules, but I do know that rules are made out of fear, and that one should never be afraid of peace. So when the Peacekeepers started showing up, I heard the message and encouraged them to congregate, meet on my roof deck, have parties together and encourage them to be there for each other. I just had to get out of the way.

So many have come through my doors. They are the promise that was foretold to me those years ago. Right now a lot of them are working on a fundraiser for One Village. I watch in awe as they bandy terms about and organize with such grace. I marvel at their wisdom, their experience, their dedication and then I remember. God sends only angels and for me they are called the Peacekeepers. I know some of them will read this, and it’s time they get recognized for the miraculous people they are. I believe in them, they will change the world. I wish I could share them with all of you, but perhaps you will find your peacekeepers in your world. And to the Peacekeepers please believe in yourselves, in what you do and know that you make a difference. Never doubt who you are even when others don’t recognize you. And know that the doors here are always open to you.


And now the news:

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Thousands of protestors dispersed in Eldoret

Published on January 17, 2008, 12:00 am

By Anderson Ojwang’ and Osinde Obare

Thousands of ODM supporters defied General Service Unit police officers and held a peaceful and successful demonstration in Eldoret town.

They took control of the town for more than three hours before police opened fire and dispersed them violently.

A demonstrator chanted: "We will continue to demonstrate until we get our rights. We will remain peaceful and no looting will take place during our protest. We voted for Raila Odinga but we were robbed."

Carrying placards and waving twigs, the demonstrators entered the town centre from three routes.

They converged near the district hospital on their way to the 64 Stadium, the venue of the planned rally.

Among the demonstrators were women with babies strapped on their backs, children, old women and men who walked from the outskirts of the town singing war songs and in praise of ODM leaders.

They marched on Uganda Road and other streets in the town centre under police escort and were addressed by their leader, former nominated councillor, Mr Faruk Teigut.

Speaking to the demonstrators, Faruk said they would remain peaceful and avoid looting.

Police kept vigil as the demonstrators marched for two kilometres to meet other protesters from Chepterit.

Before police dispersed them, traffic flow was normal and some businesses were operating.

Meanwhile, ODM supporters erected roadblocks on the Kapenguria-Lodwar road, a key route to Southern Sudan, and paralysed transport for several hours.

The group of about 800 members used logs and huge stones to block motorists heading to Lodwar and Lokichoggio.

Lorry drivers carrying relief supplies destined for the Kakuma Refugee Camp and Southern Sudan were stranded and only riot police rescued them.

Police later chased away the supporters and unblocked the road to allow free movement of vehicles.

More than 100 armed police officers sealed off Makutano Stadium in Kapenguria, a venue where a rally was to be held.

Opposition supporters demanded the resignation of President Kibaki. Carrying placards and twigs, the protesters chanted that ODM leader, Mr Raila Odinga, won the election.

Businesses remained closed and the streets were full of armed police officers to stop demonstrators from looting.

Riot police, led by the OCPD, Mr David Wambua, watched as the demonstrators marched and blocked them from entering the stadium.

In Kitale, police sealed off Kenyatta Stadium and blocked a handful of opposition supporters.