Crisis in Kenya

Even though many Kenyans celebrated the political election of Barack Obama as president of the United States, citing hope for a greater partnership between the two nations, America's top diplomat to Kenya has announced that the United States has suspended a $7 million “capacity building” program for the country's Ministry of Education.

“The United States shares the deep concern of Kenya’s development partners and the Kenyan people regarding the continuous revelations of large-scale corruption,” Ambassador Michael Ranneberger said in a speech to the American Chamber of Commerce in Nairobi, Kenya.

But this is only a portion of Kenya’s brewing troubles.

Al-Shabaab, a hard-line Somali rebel group that is on the U.S. government’s terror watch list, is threatening to attack neighboring Kenya. The threat follows growing tensions between the Kenyan government and Somalis living in Kenya over the past month. Kenya recently rounded up and arrested several hundred Somali immigrants and refugees living in a mostly Somali neighborhood.

Long seen as the stabilizing factor in East Africa, difficulties in Kenya would easily translate into difficulties throughout the region. Help -- Divine or otherwise -- is needed!

Haitians & Somalis -- homeless & helpless

As the crisis in Haiti continues, so does the crisis and chaos in East Africa ... particularly Somalia. For those living in Haiti and Somalia, the devastation of the last week or so has resulted in tens of thousands of people being displaced from their homes -- in Somalia as a result of war and Haiti as a result of the recent earthquake.

Whatever the reason for their displacement, the victims of the catastrophe in both regions are now struggling to survive. And they will suffer for years to come. Long after the cessation of hostilities -- long after the last relief workers have gone home, those who have witnessed the brutality committed against their families by armed gangs -- will have recurrent thoughts of violence and atrocities. And others -- those who have survived the earthquake -- will have terror-filled dreams of houses falling down and loved ones being crushed beneath rubble. Whatever the reason, long after their cities and towns have been rebuilt (if that is to be the case), those who have suffered so terribly will live in fear. They will awake in the dark of night -- not knowing if what they dreamed was real or an illusion.

As we reach out in compassion to provide food, shelter medicine and other basic necessities to those in need, let us also pray for the healing of the minds and hearts of those who are enduring such incredible hardship. Let us help rebuild their spirits as well as their buildings.

Haiti & the “curse” of poverty

This week, a massive earthquake destroyed thousands of buildings on the Caribbean island of Haiti. The country’s government fears that as many as 100,000 people may have died. And in the midst of this tragedy, there are those who are saying that Haiti’s enduring poverty and despair are payment for its sins. But perhaps there are other thoughts to be had here . . . .

In the midst of the earthquake cataclysm, Haiti’s island-neighbor -- the Dominican Republic -- is embracing the less-than-friendly legacy between the two nations and opening its doors to help Haiti’s victims in any way it can. “We're going to send teams from the Dominican Republic to help with the rescue. We're going to send food, water and mobile clinics,” a DR spokesperson said. Such cooperation was not historically the case. Haiti, a former French colony, and the Dominican Republic, with roots as a Spanish colony, have tensions that go back hundreds of year.

Within a day of the tragedy, the DR government had started sending food, medicine and rescue crews to Haiti. Top Dominican leaders gathered at the border as a staging ground to begin transporting aid into the country . . .

. . . and in the midst of such tragedy, healing begins.

... worse news for Somalia

Officials are warning that crises and catastrophes are continuing to develop throughout East Africa. Most recently, attacks from militant groups are making it nearly impossible for relief agencies to distribute food those who are on the verge of starvation in southern Somalia. The actions by militant groups have led to a partial suspension food distribution throughout much of the nation.

The result is more than 1 million people in the area in peril -- according to the United Nations.

One agency, the World Food Programme, is “deeply concerned about rising hunger and suffering among the most vulnerable due to these unprecedented and inhumane attacks on purely humanitarian operations,” the agency said in a statement. Four of the agency’s staff members have been killed in recent years.

Despite difficulties, though, food supplies are still being dispensed in the capital city Mogadishu and several other areas.