Keep Praying The Girls Are So Frightened

Keep Praying The Girls Are So Frightened

Kenya seems to be slipping out of the news. Not surprising since the riots have settled down till next week. But the President of Ghana, Kufour left after 3 days of fruitless talks and the opposition is calling for 3 days of rioting all over the country next week. (Well, they're calling it rallies but yeah....) Kofi Annan is going to take a crack at it if all sides will agree. I'm not too optimistic.

I was really happy when I read that secondary school fees will be partially covered by the government starting next week. Then I got this email from my friend. She and I are like sisters and I have watched her dedicated daughters grow into young women. It was just a couple lines:

"Thanks for your note we still trust God for everything in our country. Will keep you posted as things unfold. Keep praying the girls are so frightened with everything." Even if the schools do open, the children are so terrified to go back.

I read in the paper (Nation) that they are going to try and have some counseling for the children. I'm a shrink and I don't see how you can start counseling till you can reassure the kids aren't going to be killed on the way to school.And since it looks like an all out melee next week, especially where I work, I think I'd be counseling the folks to duck and hide.

I did read an interesting article about why the panga as a choice for killing and maiming. Because Kenya is an agrarian society, if I cut off your hands you can no longer work. So many who survived the attacks lost hands and arms. Simple reasoning it seems. I don't write this because it's grisly, but because so many people want to know why things are as they are. I struggle with that, but at least here is one answer I can understand.

Sometime soon I want to start the story of One Village at a Time and how it got started. Like Daniel, though, I feel folks need to know what is going on over there. So for now..keep praying, the children are so frightened.