Refuge

As I was looking up Kenyan news this morning, I came across an article in the NY Times published today. Now, I was thinking "Okay... it's the NY Times", but it IS written by a National from Nairobi. I debated on copying and pasting it on the blog, but it is long and I didn't know if you all could take the time to read the whole thing. So I will paste highlights here (which is a hard thing to pick out of this writing). If you have the time and are truly interested in understanding just what is going on there- I urge you to go to Kenya News to the right of the blog and read the whole thing. No one can explain all that is going on better than a national. I think this young man sums it up quite well.

Those of you with little time, here are your highlights:

The politicians no longer have the ability to stop the violence, despite their posturing that they could do so at the snap of their fingers. We see Kofi Annan, the former secretary general of the United Nations, posing with the rival contenders, President Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga, in photo sessions where the two antagonists shake hands and smile and call for peace. But the political rhetoric seems a joke; we know that revenge and counter-revenge are what the various ethnic groups really seek — to “do to what they did to our tribe mates.”

Daily life is a constant kaleidoscope of languages for those of us who are of mixed ethnic heritage. We must gauge what sort of street or village we are in and, like a chameleon, speak the “correct” tongue.

Supposedly cosmopolitan Nairobi has now been Balkanized, with whole neighborhoods turned into exclusive reserves of certain tribes. Some have imported murderous thugs from rural areas to protect their own — the Mungiki street gang for the Kikuyus; the Chingororo for the Gusii tribe; and groups taking the names Baghdad Boys and Taliban for the Luo people.

Where can those of us of mixed heritage, who do not know their tribes’ war cries, find refuge? My Luhya name is problematic in itself: The Kikuyus, who support Mr. Kibaki, are hunting Luhyas, whom they claim voted for Mr. Odinga, a Luo. And the Luos are hunting Luhyas as well, claiming they voted for President Kibaki. Such is my fate for having a father belonging to a tribe that apparently voted 50-50!

Many of my friends have now resorted to taking crash courses in the dialects of the tribes indicated on their identity cards, “just in case it comes in handy.”

In this climate, inter-tribal marriages have become so rare that they are the subject of TV news reports. This is greatly upsetting to those of us who — thinking about our parents marrying all those years ago — never felt that living a life outside your clan was a significant matter. We love Kenya, without thinking of our neighbors’ lineage. It is from us that Kenya will rise afresh.

Simiyu Barasa is filmmaker and writer.

Deuteronomy 33:26-28 (NIV)

"There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,
who rides on the heavens to help you
and on the clouds in his majesty.

The eternal God is your refuge,
and underneath are the everlasting arms.
He will drive out your enemy before you,
saying, 'Destroy him!'

So Israel will live in safety alone;
Jacob's spring is secure
in a land of grain and new wine,
where the heavens drop dew.

Oh God of Jacob! Please help them to rest in your everlasting arms and find refuge in YOU!
Thank you God there are no tribes in heaven! Thank you for not judging us by our tribe or lineage.
Father, your words says: For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though you bring grief, you will show compassion, so great is your unfailing love. For you do not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.
We know this because it is your word. Please help us to believe this in the depths of our being. We praise you for your compassion and mercy on us. We lift up the confused and lost, Father, that you would draw them to you. I pray for the believing nationals of Kenya, that they would share your refuge, your great mercy, and eternal life with others who are in such desperate need right now.
Thank you Father. Our Allegiance is to You and You alone.
Amen