Dear friends and family,
As you know, many of our dear African brothers and sisters have been suffering greatly. If you recall, the United Nations declared a famine in Kenya in March of this year due to a serious drought. We wanted to help our friends on the coast, the hardest hit area, and you were ever so generous in helping with funds to purchase food.
Nearly three to four months ago, we sent you a message encouraging you to rejoice with us, the rains had begun. After such a long dry period, the people were planting again and looking forward to a bountiful harvest. Little did we know then that the rains would not stop, and would in fact, increase drastically.
The picture you see is the front page headlines from November 24th’s edition of The Standard. It is a disaster. Flooding has caused wide-spread panic, fear and even death across much of East Africa and especially Kenya. I’m not sure you can read it, but the third paragraph reads, “In the Coast Province alone, the victims are estimated at 200,000 – all marooned in ever surging waters.” The UN is again saying that help is urgently needed in Kenya. They are conducting emergency airlifts into regions of the coast because roads are swept and bridges destroyed.
And yes, we have many friends who are affected by the floods. Their homes are being washed away (remember, they are nothing more than dried mud huts) and hopes of a bountiful harvest have been dashed.
At this time, we would simply ask you to pray. This is traditionally the time of the year when we all give thanks for what we have been blessed with. It is a time of joy, good-cheer, and gift-giving – a time to share with family.
Please pause and pray for your African brothers and sisters who continue to suffer. Many will celebrate Christmas with no home. Many will miss the joy of giving and receiving as we know it. Others still will ring in the new year not with shouts of joy, but with tears of pain for lost family members.
Pray.
