He stands at the bridge that enters in to his community. He needs to protect his people; he MUST protect his people. But deep inside of him, he’s praying to God that they, the “bad” ones, won’t come. He’s young; he’s only 24 years old; he’s not married, no children. He still has a life ahead of him. He has dreams and goals that he wants to accomplish.
But he must do it. He must stand guard of his community; protect his people at any costs, including his life. No matter what.
It’s not a choice, it’s a command. He must be at the bridge every day, all day. If he chooses to stay at home, if he chooses to go to another place for safety, his people, the ones that he is called to defend, will find him. They will find him, call him a coward, harass him, abuse him and then kill him. They will kill him for not defending his community, his people.
Every night he goes to bed and cries, thankful that he is still alive; he made it through another day. And every day he wakes up and wonders if this is the day. Is this the day that he will need to defend his people and possibly die? And if it’s not, he continues to pray to God for the “bad” ones not to come. He can’t hurt a person, let alone kill them, even if they are the “bad” ones. But there is nothing he can do, his hands are tied. He must stand at the bridge that enters in to his community and put his life on the line for his people.
This is a daily battle of a friend of mine. These are his true emotions. And I’m sure that this is the thought of many young men standing at their bridges, their roads, protecting their community, their people. Some of these men don’t want to be there; they don’t want to harm another human being, but they must. They must or they will be ridiculed and killed from the people they are told to protect.
My heart aches for these men just as much as it aches for the people they are waiting for to come.
I got a phone call this morning from a Kikuyu friend. He is standing on the main road that leads in to Eldoret town. He is waiting in anticipation to what today’s events will bring for him. He has nowhere to run, nowhere to go. He can’t run to the core town, where there are many police to possibly protect him because there are barricades of people, different tribe from him, blocking the way to town. These roadblocks are asking for ID's of people as the name of the person will identify what tribe they are from. If it’s a Kikuyu name, they will be beaten severely or even killed.
Daniel and I were looking at the news on the internet this morning and on the screen was a picture of a morgue in Kisumu, lined with dead bodies, people walking by the dead bodies, trying to identify their loved ones.
I couldn’t sleep last night; I had dreams…well not dreams, more like nightmares. I saw houses burning; I saw my friend dying. I woke up in the night sobbing and just started praying.
Some of you may think, “Meredith, get back to Canada now.” But first of all, I can’t. It’s too dangerous to travel right now. There is no public transportation to get me anywhere anyway. Secondly, the safest place I can be is exactly where I’m at right now…my home in Kitale. Thirdly, I have friends/family here that I love and am concerned about. To know that I am close to them, just a phone call away for them, is what gives me a sense of peace right now. To be in Canada, thousands of miles away from these people, would drive me crazy. If I can bring a calmness to my friends when they can call me and I can pray for them, then I know that it’s good for me to be here and I’m thankful to be here. I promise you all that I would NEVER do anything stupid to put myself in danger.
I can’t say it enough, I am so thankful to all of you for your prayers, support, phone calls, text messages and emails.
I love you all!
Meredith
Xoxoxoxo
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4 comments:
Hello Meredith,
I was given your name from a friend of yours - Amanda. I am in the US and I am married to a Kenyan. He returned to Kenya in November and I am looking to coming in March. How far is Kitale from Kakamega? I am glad to hear that you are safe. If you can contact me, that would be great! My blog is at lifeinscription.blogspot.com. I look forward to hearing from you!
I pray for you and Amanda for your safety and for peace in Kenya. I am from Kitale now living in Canada.
Again i wish everyone a safe year of blessings.
Kenyans should have compassion and love towards all tribes.
I burnt my bridges when i moved here in 1981 but i feel sad at the destruction and cruelty by Kenyans to their own.You take care!
SS
I am praying for you in Dallas, Texas. I pray this scripture will encourage you. God is near to you & His hand is on you. He is watching you with love in His heart- for the love you are giving to his people. He has overcome the world. We can keep our faith in this!
Corinthians 4
Treasures in Jars of Clay
1Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"[a]made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
13It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken."[b]With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, 14because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Hello Meredith,
I am from NAC, I just started attending in August and was baptized in September and have been reading your e-updates and from there found your blog. I have been reading for awhile, growing up a missionary kid I have found your entries encouraging and I think you are an amazing gifted woman with such a heart for God. I wonder if you can see now that your blog is no longer just informing others of your activities but it is spreading now and touching, ministering, and speaking to others around the world not just in Kenya. Be encouraged by this and be strong and courageous knowing that Jesus is doing an amazing work in you and through you in Kenya, in Canada and in so many others that we don't even know. You are doing a mighty and powerful work and you are where you need to be. I hope to meet you someday.
Christine
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