Letters From Kenya

The Waugh family are part of The Mission Aviation Fellowship group in Kenya. We provide regular collections for the Waughs and MAF. Recently, with all the troubles in Kenya, the Waughs have been sending us emails about the current situation. This page contains their emails to St.John's about their experiences.

Tuesday 27th May 2008

Dear Friends,

We give praise to God that Kenya continues to be calm and peaceful now. The power sharing seems to be holding together, There is a promise of a new constitution by the end of the year. Unfortunately ,due to the violence in January and February There are already fears of huge food shortages by September.

Our News,
Jonathan has now begun his AS levels this week. PE Geography Chemistry and Biology. Please pray for him as he studies , he has been having headaches and after blood tests and MRI scan, The Neurologist is suggesting possible beginning of Migraines. However, it still could be stress with the revision.
David badly sprained his ankle while playing Rugby a week ago and after x-ray , it was decided that it was not broken. He is now on crutches and missed only one day of school but that is the end of rugby for him.
Fiona continues to work hard with her Team on a Wingman upgrade.
Paul is now working closer with MAF Kenya due to the lack of work coming from the head office in the UK. He is still supporting the other programmes that do not have IT managers , e.g. Madagascar , South Africa , Sudan . Paul was in Sudan two weeks ago working on the VSAT which was moved to MAFs new compound in Juba.
Many Thanks for your prayers and support

Paul, Fiona, Jonathan and David

Tuesday 8th April 2008

Dear friends,

Its roughly a month since the Power sharing agreement was signed. The two leaders are now working on a Cabinet. The Kenyan people are praying for a Cabinet that will create a strong and true Kenya. However, Fresh disagreements between the Government and ODM on interpretation of the coalition agreement has delayed the creation of the new Kenya cabinet.

Please pray for the leaders and MPs that there pride and ambitions will not blind them to the need of the Kenyan people

Paul, Fiona, Jonathan and David

Thursday 28th Feb 2008

Dear friends,

As we write this we are watching the TV news today saying “This is the night of a collective sigh of relief for Kenyans”.
Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga this afternoon signed a power-sharing agreement intended to end the post-election crisis that has killed more than 1,000 people.
From the Reuters website, we have taken these quotes from the agreement:

"The crisis triggered by the 2007 disputed presidential election has brought to the surface deep-seated and long-standing divisions within Kenyan society. If left unaddressed, these divisions threaten the very existence of Kenya as a unified country. The Kenyan people are now looking to their leaders to ensure that their country will not be lost.
Given the current situation, neither side can realistically govern the country without the other. There must be real power-sharing to move the country forward and begin the healing and reconciliation process.
With this agreement, we are stepping forward together, as political leaders, to overcome the current crisis and to set the country on a new path.
We believe by these steps we can together in the spirit of partnership bring peace and prosperity back to the people of Kenya who so richly deserve it."

This agreement allows Kenyans to start addressing the many problems faced by people who are displaced across the country. There are still many, many problems, but today’s agreement is a major step forward.
We thank God for Kofi Annan and his team who have been the real heroes of this story, strong, fair, wise and persistent, and for African Union chairman President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, who visited this week and helped to broker the deal. Let the spirit of healing begin today.

Paul, Fiona, Jonathan and David

Wednesday 27th Feb 2008

Dear friends,

We are still waiting for the announcement from Kofi Annan.
The latest news- Kofi Annan has suspended talks between the two teams yesterday.
Saying that it his now up to the two leaders. He did speak directly with the two leaders yesterday and today.
Once he is satisfied with the two leaders response, I am sure the teams will meet again and continue with discussions. The opposition had announced on Monday that there would be nation wide peaceful protest for tomorrow (Thursday ) However, the opposition has cancelled the rallies, to the great relief of the whole of Kenya as there was a possibility it would turn into violence. Please continue to pray for a out come to the talks , that will make Kenya strong.

Paul, Fiona, Jonathan and David

Friday 22nd Feb 2008

Dear friends,

A quick update on the situation in Kenya.

There are reports of a break through for a new “government” although Wednesday and Thursday both sides have been flexing their muscles .
The Opposition saying they will start the protests again ( I feel this would be disastrous as it would cause more violence) and the government is saying that you must follow the current constitution to solve the crisis.
However, Kofi Annan and his team have been working with the two teams of govt. & Opposition ... and speaking to the two leaders as well.
Today’s news is very optimistic saying that there maybe a announcement later today.
Lets pray for justice and truth , and a strong new government to come out of these talks.

Paul, Fiona, Jonathan and David

Friday 15th Feb 2008

Dear friends,

I cannot believe that it is 10 days since I last sent you all an update.

Kofi Annan continues to work with leaders representatives. They have just returned from two days in a Safari park lodge. Both teams are to speak to their leaders today. The talks will began again on Monday. Kenya continues to hold it breathe as the talks go on. “normal” life continues , however, there is still tension on the west of the country and the Slums in Nairobi. Everyone is waiting for the out come of the talks.

Please continue to pray for Kenya
for Restoration and healing
for Godly leaders, responding to God's leadership, to do the right thing
for God to work His power in a mighty way
for people to open their hearts and listen to God's voice
for people to trust in God's Word and to obey His commands
for restraint when emotions flare
for comfort for the victims of the violence and their families
for safety for those who travel each day to work and other locations
for God's glory and power to prevail
for justice and mercy
for wisdom and discernment
for courage
for compassion
for bridges of communication to be built
for God's power to continue to be manifested in the lives of Christians who have been ministering and who are ministering right now in Kenya


Paul, Fiona, Jonathan and David

Tuesday 5th Feb 2008

Dear friends,

Calm has continued in Nairobi , as the mediation talks carry on. Kofi Annan remains very optimistic and has acknowledged that both sides are working hard to solve the crisis and restore Kenya to a better nation. However, we are still hearing of clashes in the west , though not on the same scale as the past weeks , people are still losing their land, homes and lives. Tension is still high, so that when an MP was killed in Eldoret last week (it turned out that the policeman killed him because he saw his girlfriend with the MP),the news spread rapidly across Nairobi, and people went home early in case of trouble. Please continue to pray for the mediation talks and the people displaced.

We heard some very encouraging stories yesterday. A Kenyan friend who works with a children’s charity has spent the whole month supporting displaced people from the Mathare slum. They have been counselling children, persuading a dairy firm to provide milk, helping dig pit latrines, and last weekend they encouraged them to tidy the cramped messy area where they are living. The whole group worked together and made it spotless, with not a piece of rubbish in sight. How great for their self esteem, to be able to achieve something in a time where they don’t feel in control of their lives. I asked Pastor James who helped him in this, as he has normally been working alone. “Well the universities didn’t open because of the troubles, so I got some Christian students to volunteer!”

Fiona and David are returning to the UK for a week on 11th February , which is David’s half term. This has been planned since last year. Fiona will see her mum who had a knee operation last year , and also she and David will look at sixth forms for Sept 2009.

Many thanks for your prayers , Kenya still needs them.

Paul, Fiona, Jonathan and David

Sunday 27th Jan 2008

Dear friends,

This weekend ahs seen more violence in the rift valley, two towns that have not had violence but tension suffered this weekend Nakuru and Naivasha. Kofi Annan and his team are still working with the two leaders to put in place a solution for Kenya.

Would you take a moment and pray for the Nation and the people of Kenya -
for Peace and an end to the violence.
for Restoration and healing.
for Godly leaders, responding to God's leadership, to do the right thing.
for God to work His power in a mighty way.
for people to open their hearts and listen to God's voice.
for people to trust in God's Word and to obey His commands.
for restraint when emotions flare.
for comfort for the victims of the violence and their families.
for safety for those who travel each day to work and other locations.
for God's glory and power to prevail.
for justice and mercy.
for wisdom and discernment.
for courage.
for compassion.
for bridges of communication to be built.
for God's power to continue to be manifested in the lives of Christians who have been ministering and who are ministering right now in Kenya.

And that God would bring more prayer requests to your mind and heart as you pray so that you can specifically lift up the people and the nation of Kenya.

Paul, Fiona, Jonathan and David

Thursday 24th Jan 2008 - Nairobi

Dear friends,

With Kofi Annan and his team working with the two leaders, there is optimism in the air. Yesterday Kofi Annan met with the opposition leader and team. Today Thursday he will meet with the government. The opposition have cancelled nation wide demonstrations for today, because Kofi Annan’s team had asked him to. So MAF and many other missions are working with full staff today, whereas many people would have stayed at home for fear of the violence that has accompanied rallies .

Unfortunately some youths caused trouble outside a memorial service yesterday.

Across Kenya Friday is a Day of prayer for peace and justice and for the many, many families that have been affected by the violence. MAF Kenya will be praying along with many thousands of Christians and people of other faiths will be praying as well.

Pau,l Fiona, Jonathan and David

Saturday 19th Jan 2008 - Nairobi

Dear all,

The opposition have announced that there will be no more street protests after Friday (yesterday). They say “These last three days have been very painful and we have seen a lot of needless deaths and suffering ... but today is the last day of the protests and we are now going to move on”.
We give praise to God that at last, the normal person in the street can get on with building his life up again. We look forward to the two leaders meeting face to face with Kofi Annan and his team.

We have just heard by text message that things are very bad in one area of Kibera, and a pastor's family there are requesting prayer.

Pray for law and order -there are many stories of criminals using the political situation as an excuse to loot and burn. They burn one section, and when neighbours rush to help they loot the empty houses.
Pray for Kenya for Peace and reconciliation.
Pray for the Families that have been devastated by the last few weeks , many of them so poor that they were already barely making ends meet.
Pray that God move in the hearts of the two leaders as they meet , and that they will have good advisers.

Thank God for the good stories of neighbours harbouring and helping their neighbours, sometimes of different tribes. Many have donated food to complete strangers, churches in Nairobi have taken collections to help the displaced people.

Paul, Fiona, Jonathan and David

Wednesday 16th Jan 2008

Dear friends,

Yesterday in the opening day of Parliament the opposition’s candidate narrowly won the vote for the positions of speaker and deputy speaker.  The speaker, we are told, is the third most powerful person in the country, so this was a major win for the Opposition and they were delighted. The whole session was televised, which was fascinating, and also encouraging. People were arguing about their grievances in the right place, with people there to explain and enforce what was legally possible. The president and the Leader of the Opposition studiously ignored each other.  The new speaker has impressed many of us who watched his opening speech as a good man. We should pray for him in such an influential post.

Today was another day when only essential staff reported to the hanger, as the Raila Odinga’s opposition party had planned  more protests across the country. These protests are still all banned by the Police. Last night we were in a quandary about whether to send the boys to their schools or not. David's school is only 5 minutes drive away, but close to Kawangware a slum area from where people may walk right past the school to the rallies. Jonathan’s school is a hour away on the school bus, but only through safe areas.

The day started very quietly and the boys went off to school. This appears to have been the right choice as the protests in Nairobi were confined to a small area. As I write this we are watching the news and seeing that over the country there were several demonstrations and sporadic violence. In those areas education is being disrupted as teachers and students can’t travel across the country to their schools, and some parents fear for their children's safety.

Please pray for Kenya ,
For the leaders that they may at last meet and talk through the issues
For the People who have lost homes, family and friends.
For MAF serving the people of Kenya
For our safety

Paul, Fiona, Jonathan and David