This week the children in our schools started their mid-term break, while the country has experienced a series of political protests and unrest. Successive Kenyan governments have been going into rapidly increasing debt over the years, with the financial burden, due to unchecked borrowing, falling on the growing but stifled middle class and younger generations. In addition, large portions of the borrowed money have been lost to corruption, with wide-reaching consequences that have further hampered development in Kenya.
This economic climate, plus the introduction of an unpopular finance bill that would have resulted in even more debt and financial burden on the citizens of the country, culminated in countrywide protests, with thousands of ‘Gen Z’ young men and women taking to the streets. Due to the political pressure from these widespread protests which ended up developing into some scattered violence and loss of life, President William Ruto did not sign into law the proposed bill. While the dust settles and the country's leaders return to the drawing board to chart a way forward, we ask all of our supporters to pray for Kenya this week.
Whenever there is political unrest, the most hard hit are often the poor. For the children who attend our Mawewa and Chelezo Schools, political upheaval means the potential to get caught up in a riot, loss of livelihood for parents and damaged homes due to riot fires. The increased physical and food insecurity means an even more unstable environment for the poorest of the poor. Thankfully, to this point, this has not been the case.
Please pray with us for our students' safety and security during this time of unrest. Pray for our staff on the ground in Kenya as they navigate how best to serve our families. Also, please pray for Kenya’s leaders and the country as a whole, for character, wisdom, peace and forbearance for both young and old as decisions are made about the economic future of the country.
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
1 Timothy 2:1-4 NIV