OnceAgain

And now the work begins. Despite running a practice and getting ready for our fundraiser, the real work, my heart work now begins, returning to Kenya. The papers are not encouraging for crossing the Rift. (See article below). However my heart sings as I plan my quixotic way across my beloved country. How shall I get the job done?

First I want to go to my church in KARI. I can use my trusted driver, Francis for that since he is Kikuyu. I have heard from my pastor over there, that things are better, but not stable. She sounds so tired and weary. I do not know what I will find at KARI, but what I know is that some of my friends and my beloved African sister shall be there. I hope it will be a day of some happiness and peace, though it will be mixed with sorrow and loss for all who will no longer be there.

I met a fascinating Masai chief while last in New York. I’d love to go visit him and check out his area as a possible site for One Village. I suspect if he can he will guarantee me safe passage to Shompole, though I must pass through Nakuru where the Mungiki are running amok. I think back on when I first went to Kenya I knew nothing, and so with the faith of a child I was safe. I still believe that as a child of God I shall be safe.

Next I must work on getting across the Rift. I can fly from Nairobi to Kisumu I hope.I do not know what I shall find in Kisumu, though I know there is a lot of burnt carnage sprawling along the city streets. I cannot take Francis with me for it would not be safe.He is Kikuyu and this is Luo/Luhya Land. Ochieng will meet me in Kisumu. I just spoke to him on the phone. He was so happy to hear from me. He is Luo and has safe passage in the areas we must traverse. I would have liked to go up to Kitale, but even I am not going to try making that trip. I hope the Bishop I have written to from Kitale will be able to make it down to meet me in Kisumu. He is Kisi but should be able to make it if he avoids Mt. Elgon.

I must contact Daniel now. I want to spend an evening in Kisumu and hear from him what his take is on matters in Kenya. I have always relied on Daniel to speak the truth. His eloquence and perception often leave me speechless. I don’t think he is 30 yet his wisdom and analysis have helped me grow in so many ways. I owe him a great debt though he would never imagine it.

As I sit here, I must plan how I shall attack the problems I have with the schools not reporting as they must. Shall I be stern or shall I be asking them to teach me how to teach them? I don’t know yet, but I begin my deliberations. I will pray on it, I will seek advice from my board and from my advisors, and then I shall try and be fully present in the moment and let it happen. It’s that Micah thing you know.
“What doth the Lord require of thee…to walk humbly with thy God”. So He’s probably going to have to slap me around a bit, but we’ll get there.

And now the news of the day.

Railway services suspended

Story by NATION Reporter
Publication Date: 4/16/2008

Rift Valley Railways Tuesday suspended its passenger services indefinitely following Monday’s destruction of a section of its railway line by members of the outlawed Mungiki sect.

A drailed passenger train after Mungiki youths destroyed a section of the railwayline at Dandora, Nairobi on Monday. Passenger services have now been suspended. Photo/PETERSON GITHAIGA
Although no passenger was reportedly hurt in the early Monday morning incident, two commuter trains were derailed in Nairobi, after the Mungiki followers, operating under the banner of the Kenya National Youth Alliance destroyed sections of the line.

The action piled more misery on Rift Valley Railways (RVR). Last week, about 500 meters of the Gatuikira section of the line in Kibera, Nairobi was uprooted by residents of the neighbouring slum, protesting the delay by President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga in naming the Cabinet.

That action paralysed commuter services to Kisumu from Nairobi, and cargo freight to the Kenya-Uganda border at Malaba. The routes that have been affected by Monday’s Mungiki mayhem are the Ruiru-Kahawa and the Makadara-Dandora routes.

The Embakasi train, however, picked and dropped commuters in the city centre. Confirming the suspension, RVR managing director, Roy Puffett, said that the disruption of the services was temporary and that they would resume as soon as calm returned in the country.

“It is unfortunate that we had to suspend these services especially at this time when rail transport had returned to normal,” said Mr Puffet.

He added: “We take utmost responsibility in safeguarding the security of our passengers as well as protecting our assets.”

In the Monday incident, two commuter trains had their locomotives and coaches derailed after protestors removed the railway lines in two separate incidences.

The suspension could not have come at a worse time for RVR — the Kenya-Uganda railways concessionaire, still reeling from similar damages it incurred during the January’s post-election violence, when protestors in Nairobi’s Kibera slums, angered by the declaration of Mwai Kibaki as president by the now discredited Electoral Commission of Kenya first targeted the railway line.

At the height of the January violence, which broke out following the December 27 General Election, various sections of the line were also vandalised.