Jan. 9, 2008, Grand Rapids, Mich. - The Christian Reformed Church in North America has launched a long-term relief effort to assist the thousands of people displaced by the election-related violence that has wracked the East African country of Kenya in recent days.
Andrew Ryskamp, U.S. director of the Christian Reformed Church Relief Committee (CRWRC), says the denomination is providing $25,000 worth of grain to help feed people in Eldoret, a community in western Kenya that has been particularly hard hit.
Meanwhile, CRWRC staff members in Nairobi, the capital, are working to address the needs of people who have affected by the violence.
Although Nairobi has been the scene of killing and burning of homes, some of the worst violence that has taken nearly 500 lives has occurred in the western part of Kenya, which includes Eldoret.
"There are now, and are going to be, lots of needs," said Ryskamp, who was on the phone with CRC staff in Kenya throughout the day yesterday. "There are the immediate needs, for food and blankets and other items, and then there will be long-term reconstruction needs."
Violence erupted again on Tuesday when President Mwai Kibaki announced a new cabinet that did not include opposition leader Raila Odinga or any of his supporters.
Because the CRC has worked for many years in Kenya, it is in a position to play a role in providing long-term relief effort that, Ryskamp says, could run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"We have set up a relief fund for Kenya. We are asking people to give an offering if they are able," said Ryskamp. "We also ask people to be in prayer."
CRWRC has five full-time staff members in Kenya. The country is also the base for the CRWRC's HIV/AIDS coordinator for the East/South African region. Partners Worldwide, a CRC business-development ministry, also has a staff person in Kenya. All personnel were reported to be safe.
Two Christian Reformed World Missions employees who went to Kenya last week to work in a seminary library in the Eldoret area have now left the country, says Ron Geerlings, Africa director for CRWM.
Clashes and protests began in early January following the announcement that President Kibaki was declared the winner of the closest presidential election in the country's history. Raila Odinga refused to concede defeat, charging that the election was rigged.
Chris Shiundu, national relief manager for CRWRC in Kenya, will meet with a relief consortium consisting of Dorcas Aid, Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) and Nazarene Compassionate Ministries in Nairobi this week to explore additional ways of working together. These are the same groups CRWRC worked with two years ago to provide aid to drought victims in Kenya.
The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) said in a statement that much of the current turmoil is related to tensions between ethnic groups. Violence also broke out at the time of elections in 1992, 1997, and 2002.
The NCCK condemned the burning of a church in Eldoret in which a number of people were killed. At least two others churches in the western region of the country have also been burned. Meanwhile, churches and police stations have become temporary shelters for many of the more than 200,000 displaced persons.
"The country is in paralysis," says the statement. "An orgy of violence has been seen in many parts of the country ... Scores of women, girls and boys have been sexually assaulted. Property worth billions (of dollars) has been destroyed and hundreds of businesses crippled in looting and burning sprees by demonstrating mobs."
Christians account for about 77 percent of Kenya's 37 million people, while about 10 percent of the population is Muslim.
To donate to this relief response, mark donations "Kenya Conflict" and mail to CRWRC, 3475 Mainway, PO Box 5070, STN LCD 1, Burlington, ON, L7R 3Y8 or to CRWRC, 2850 Kalamazoo Avenue, Grand Rapids, MI, 49560. Donate online at www.crwrc.org <http://www.crwrc.org/> . In Canada, call 1-800-730-3490. In the U.S., call 616-241-1691 or 1-800-55-CRWRC. Email: crwrc@crcna.org <mailto:crwrc@crcna.org> .
-By Chris Meehan, CRC Communications
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Henry Hess
Director of Communication
Christian Reformed Church
To learn more about the Christian Reformed Church visit us at www.crcna.org <http://www.crcna.org
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