The Work Goes On

The focus of Kenya and a good part of the international community this past week has been the post election violence here. The media, both local and foreign, have been reporting on this crisis nonstop. Nothing else has been reported. Actually some sports news is getting through, people love their soccer here.

If I am not careful we could shift our focus entirely to the displaced people now flooding Nakuru at the expense of the sick and dying that were already here. I am making effort to assist the displaced. Just a few days ago we fed about 300 people, and I am glad the resources were there. I do not want to ignore them, but I also do not want to neglect the ones we were helping before this mess started.

Today Ben will be heading to a small remote community on the other side of Lake Nakuru. He will be bringing them some much needed food and other household supplies. The parents of that family are sick with AIDS and need encouragement as well as help with food. Yesterday we visited Mary, HIV positive mother who is bedridden. Her condition has really deteriorated since our last visit. I am not sure how to help her. She does not want to be put in the hospital. Today I will go back to see her and bring some vitamins and maybe some fruit.

I wonder how many people who were too sick to flee the violence were left behind to die. If a family can lock you away and never visit you because you have AIDS, then it stands to reason that they would not risk themselves to save you. May not even report your death since it would be a shame.

Father, forgive us for our neglect and help us to not forget.