300,000 displaced and a member of parliament shot dead

Now they are sending in Koffi Annan to resolve the tension in Kenya Read more about it here Over 300,000 displaced persons and a member of parliament shot dead outside his home all because of bad politics and ethnic tension. The youth are not going to take it and they have taken matter into their own hands. I think this is a warning to america and what we could become....

On another note there are some Vineyard believers in Kenya who could use our support right now. If you want to give money to this cause email me or leave your info in my comments.



ASSOCIATION OF VINEYARD IN KENYA
A description of needs and responses

Overall
The situation in Kenya remains tense and skirmishes are ongoing principally in the rift valley, but also in the poorer slums in urban areas of Nairobi. The estimates are currently that due to the clashes they are over 300,000 displaced person in various parts of the country. The Government has mandate the Red cross to be the central co-ordinating agency for relief efforts and has stated that they intend to close refugee camps in a month. We as the Vineyard have needs amongst our congregation for short term survival needs and even bigger challenges of resettlement, reconciliation and healing.

While we cannot fill all the needs, we ask our friends brother and sisters in the movement to join hands in assisting us in at least trying to help.

Specific Needs
We have numerous request for assistance across our churches with some places having dozens of displaced families squatting on already very meager resources of our pastoral staff and other where conflict has forced dramatic loss of livelihood and households. The saddest and most violent event was happened to a leader of one of our Vineyard churches who lost 3 member of his family in a single horrific evening. The leader received call that violence had erupted in a very calm part of the country, his two brothers rushed to try and rescue their father and mother and in the process were killed. The pain and needs are beyond comprehension, this request is for us all to play a small part in trying to get us past this.

Response
We have described in part a very small effort to reach out to some families in displaced areas in Nairobi, Nakuru, Eldoret, Kakamega, Kitale, Kisumu, Kisii and Mombasa. Our estimate is that we can realistically help a maximum of 500 families, which as a percentage of the 300,000 families is minute. It is our knowledge that this token help is a way for us all to demonstrate be involved and a part of the process. It is our assessment that we will need to supply beddings (mattresses & blankets), clothes, food stuffs (rice,maize flour, cooking oil, vegetables, sugar, maize, beans, potatoes).

In addition in limited cases there will be some medicine requirments, money for transport back to their homes or relocation altogether.

We do not have a plan or a budget for the long term issues of resettlement and community reconciliation. It is our wish to make a world wide vineyard appeal for ideas, strategies and most importantly prayers on Gods leading and wisdom on how we can make a contribution to this most central and vital aspect of the emergency in Kenya.

Yours Faithfully,

Noah Gitau
For: AVC Kenya



Short Term Response Budget:

The following is the required amount to be able to meet the above needs:

Food Stuffs Kshs. 545,000.00
Clothes Kshs. 75,000.00
Beddings Kshs. 510,000.00
Medicine (Hop. exp.) Kshs. 105,000.00
Transport exp. Kshs. 66,000.00
Logistics/ Misc. Kshs. 40,000.00
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Total expences Kshs. 1,341,000.00 (Usd 19,720)
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The above budget is enough to provide for the basic necessities for between two to four months for the above families.

As a matter of urgency we need Kshs. 210,000.00 (Usd 3,088) to buy food in a weeks time.

We ask for your prayers on this and if you and your congregation to be a part of this short term response. We ask for your wisdom and ideas of how we could promote peace, harmony and reconciliation in communities by sharing God’s word.

Yours


Noah Gitao
For and On Behalf of Vineyard