TodayIKnowDanielIsAlive

Today I know Daniel is alive. I could read his byline in the Nation Newspaper in Kenya. He's a remarkable young man I have watched grow over the past 6 years. He has seen much too much for one so young. He has watched his father die of AIDS and felt the shame for the family. His mother is an Anglican minister who dared not only to give the funeral but to speak of her husband's death.
Daniel has always had a talent with words. I remember once asking him about one of the Bishops and his response is so Daniel. "The Bishop," he said, "is very economical with the truth". I think we all know a lot of folks who are economical with the truth.
I had wanted to help Daniel come here for his master's degree in journalism, but he must take care of his entire family on a very small paycheck. His mother now does mission work and he has several siblings as well as cousins to support. It is the face of Africa today.
Daniel is 26 now. This photo is a couple years old. We last saw each other in August. He was going to do my filming for me of the new school, but he had to go because of the flooding of the rivers and the drowning of several people. It was a brief time, and we both longed to be able to go back to the time when we would stay up half the night talking politics and how things might change. For now, I'm just glad he's alive and I pray we can meet soon when I return.
Here's his article posted today in the Nation. Pray for Daniel, please. And pray for all the people of Kenya. They will need them in these uneasy times.
May Peace Be in Your Hearts this Night.

NEWS

Food shortage bites in Kisumu

Story by DANIEL OTIENO and MUCHIRI GITONGA
Publication Date: 01/01/2008

Kisumu residents face hunger as they come to terms with the trail of death and destruction in the lakeside town for the past three days.

Several of them reported they were going without food due to looting and burning of shops by youths protesting at presidential poll results.

A loaf of bread which is normally sold at Sh35 was going for Sh50 while a bottle of 300ml soda was selling at Sh40.

Even fish, which is the staple food in the region was missing in local markets.

Other essential food items off the shelves were rice, milk and flour.

By yesterday, at least 19 people had been shot dead in Kisumu, according to sources at New Nyanza General Hospital and several others were nursing gunshot wounds.

Fear and uncertainty loomed as the usually busy streets were deserted with smoke billowing from debris of three business premises that had been set on fire. Public transport vehicles’ operators kept off town for fear of being attacked.

Petrol stations

A fuel crisis also looms in the town after the burning of two petrol stations.

Most residential areas went without electricity for the third day after protesters burnt transformers.

At the Rift Valley Railways terminus, hundreds of people who had attempted to flee were still camping there.

A Nairobi-bound train returned on reaching Muhoroni after reports that there was chaos ahead.

Violent protests after the announcement of presidential poll results, have also led to food shortage in Kakamega.

The main municipal market was closed, cutting the supply of vital commodities such as sugar, milk, bread and flour.

Several residents have for the past two days remained indoors for fear of being caught up in the violent confrontations between police and youths. In Nyeri Town, residents raised concern over a serious fuel crisis for the three days.

Yesterday, a queue for regular and super brands of petrol stretched for a kilometre at the only petrol station where it was available.

“We have started rationing and we are not allowing motorists to buy more than Sh1,000 of fuel,” said a petrol station attendant, Ms Jane Kamau.