Tears and Fears

Dressed in her crisp blue gingham dress and a new little pink pencil case hanging from her neck, the small child is screaming and reaching for something in the distance. This picture found on the back page of today’s Daily Nation (1/5/09) tells the story of the first day of kindergarten. In Kenyan schools this is the year when children learn to read and do simple math, so staying put with the teacher, rather than returning home with Mom, is a necessity for the little girl.

The first page shared more heart-touching news that leads to prayer, but not the type that also brings a smile. “2m risk starving as drought bites” shares that “Nearly two million Kenyans face imminent starvation following crop failure in parts of Eastern and Rift Valley. In Eastern, maize and bean crops have withered due to a long dry spell, while in Rift Valley Province, the shortage has been attributed to the delayed effects of the election violence, which caused delays in planting last year.” Several bits of information are shared that lead to specific prayer in addition to the need for food. First, is the listing of the affected areas – Moyale, Marsabit, Isiolo, Mbeere, Embu, Machakos, Kitui, Kyuso and Mwala districts in Eastern Province are hardest hit, with the lives of 1.6 million people at risk … about a quarter of the six million people in the region have been affected. In Pokot, a similar fate awaits more than 120,000 people.” God’s love and salvation is known and claimed in many of the listed areas, but the first three and the last – Moyale, Marsabit, Isiolo and Pokot – are areas where the people face an additional drought, they are among the peoples of our world where few have had the opportunity to claim our Saviour’s Good News. Pray for all those in Eastern Province and in Pokot (Rift Valley Province) who are facing drought and hunger. Pray also that not only will government and aid organizations bring physical food, but that the Christians among them will bring spiritual food.

Later in the article, other prayer needs arise: “An Embu farmer said … ‘All my crops have withered,’ … Others said that their children would have to drop out of school due to lack of fees. ‘We won’t have anything to sell to raise fees this time,’ a farmer said … would not have seed to plant in the next season … rise in food prices.” Pray for the children who will have to delay schooling due to the drought. Pray that this will only be a short delay – a lack of education increases their likelihood of living their entire lives in poverty and need. As you pray for rain for this area, pray also that the farmers will be prepared for the next growing season and not become deeper in debt due to the increased food prices and purchase of seeds. Pray that through all of this, the Christians in these areas will be strong ambassadors of their Father’s love and peace and those who are “unreached” will be reached by our Saviour’s love and salvation. Bert Yates
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“2m risk starving as drought bites” (Daily Nation, pp.1,6, 1/6/09) – http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/510996/-/u1713e/-/index.html