Towards The Edge

Towards the Edge

It is almost Wednesday over in Kenya. Thank Heavens Raila Odinga called off the rally that he had planned. It will allow a little cooling off. Tribal hatred, though,is centuries old, and a few months or one crisis is highly unlikely to change much.

I spoke to Daniel today. It was good to hear his voice and listen to him laugh as he said his boss ran away. So many are leaving Kenya for the borders, Uganda and Tanzania. No one is fleeing into Somalia for obvious reasons. Besides, the trouble is in the Western part of Kenya and to the South. Daniel was more upbeat, he says things are calming down somewhat. Kisumu and of course our little Nambale/Busia (see map) were hit hardest. He had wanted to get internet in his place, but the shops have all been burned out so he must wait. To live or to work in Africa involves a lot of waiting, one just has to accept that even in the best of times.

It was good to get his opinions about what will happen next. He is grateful that the UK and US have sent mediators. We both agreed that new elections would have to be held. I teased him that we would have a Luo President (Daniel is Luo) before he did. It was good to hear him laugh. However his keen observations about tribalism and the hatreds stirred by the elections always amaze me in someone younger than my youngest child. But Daniel is a man, not a child and it is his generation that will lead this world. I suspect it is why I am pushing for a Luo over here.

I believe it is time for my generation to get off the stage. We are no longer foremen on the constructions site, and must gracefully move to consultants. I believe that just as parents have a hard time stepping away from telling their grown children what to do, so as Boomers we are having a tough time relinquishing the spotlight for new thinking and a new generation. I work with the Peacekeepers. I know they are meant to do great things for this world and they are.

Kenya is close to the edge. What will happen next no one knows. I pray for Daniel’s voice to remain strong. And I close today with an email I received from another friend who is an Anglican minister over there. It is how things stand as of today.

Dear Friends,

We thank God for all your prayers and thoughts sent our way for our family and the country at large. The events in our Kenya need God's intervention.

As a family we are safe and after one week of separation from the rest of the family, I finally was rejoined to them yesterday. It was a week of anxiety and worry for all of us.

Thanks for your concern.

We will keep you posted as events unfold.

Many blessings,
E