Can Olympia Help Kenya? Maybe We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For?

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Can Olympia Help Kenya? Maybe We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For?

Submitted by Mike on Wed, 02/06/2008 - 9:40am.

Dear Friends:

I am writing to you on behalf of the Peace and Social Justice Committee of the Olympia Friends Meeting. Anne Phillips requested immediate assistance to a Kenyan mediation program earlier this month and our Committee approved an immediate donation of $100.00 to support the mediation training program. Kenya is in crisis today. A stable African democracy is in danger of descending into the hell of ethnic and tribal violence that shook Rwanda and Burundi in the 1990s. We can help our Kenyan friends prevent this situation from developing into tribal genocide through our support for the Kenyan mediation program.

The Peace and Social Justice Committee is planning to follow up this $100.00 commitment with a prayer for matching funds from friends at the Olympia Friends Monthly Meeting and from other groups and individuals.

I have included an email below that describes the Kenyan project that is requesting our support. Please feel free to contact Anne Phillips at mygratefulspirit@yahoo.com for information regarding how to take part. Anne is able to "bundle" our collective support and get it to our Kenyan friends quickly.

Olympia Friends Meeting is also looking forward to a visit from our friend Adrien Niyongabo from Bujumbura, Burundi in March. Adrien will be giving us an update on the projects in Burundi, Rwanda, and Kenya that we have been supporting. These include a microloan program and the wonderful "alternatives to violence" programs that have been developed for reducing the violence between the various peoples in the African Great Lakes region. We will have more information regarding Adrien's schedule later this month. These programs are providing healing ideas for communities struggling with the aftermath of genocide. It is important work. In Kenya today, our support may prevent genocidal violence from developing. Our small gifts can make a big difference in Africa.

Please pray and reflect on whether you are called to support these projects.

Namaste,

Mike Coday
for the Peace and Social Justice Committee of Olympia Friends Meeting

From: Anne Phillips <mygratefulspirit@yahoo.com>

To: olyfriends@yahoogroups.com
Cc: mygratefulspirit@yahoo.com
Sent: Tuesday, February 5, 2008 12:39:57 PM
Subject: Kenya Update

Hello All

I wanted to share with you a recent email rec'd from Eric Lijodi. You may recall he was the recipient of the contributions Oly Friends made for urgent supplies in Kenya. The supplies went to protect folks from the elements who sought refuge at a police station. Eric was nominated at the Kenyan National Quaker Peace Conference to be part of the Coordinating Committee. The committee will work to implement actions to encourage peace as the answer during their time of conflict. Eric is part of the youth organization and had sent a request for funds to support mediation training. He is working with David Zarembka (AGLI) and FUM in an effort to train mediation trainers for the youth population. As Eric notes below, they are the most vulnerable segment of the poplulation when it comes to political agendas. The contribution will be used for materials, assisting in transportation (costs have exploded due to current chaos), and other related expenses.

I presented Eric's request for funds to the Peace and Social Justice Committee last Sunday (2/3/08). I am happy to report that Oly Friends are able suppport Eric's request with $100 donation and we have the potential to increase that contribution this coming Sunday (2/10/08).

"Friends,
I want to keep on saying thank you very much for all your efforts.It very wonderful having friends like you amongst us.You make for us what appears to be so difficult to be simple.
.............I will be mediating in an area that does not have internet.The task is quite heavy but i know with Gods Grace we shall make it.Sunday was a very busy day for me.I installed two filters in a one girls secondary school and visited two different local denominations just to talk to them about peace.The response from this talks is very promising.I believe as much as top leaders look for a peaceful solution,the real peace can be brought about by the common man.There is a big need to create trust between the different communities.Our culture and tradition should be harmonized to a unified nation.We should empower our youth economically.In almost all the areas i have been moving i discovered that our young people are always on the front line in causing chaos.Most of them have gone to school but do not have any employment.They are idle and ready to do any awkward assignment given to them by the politicians.
Apart from the ethnic clashes we have experienced in some areas there has been some calm.The problem is with some of our leaders who usually make statements of incitement.We are praying that God gives them wisdom to utter constructive statements.
Otherwise friends we are within the purpose of God.
ERIC "

I know that Eric and all appreciate our love and support during these difficult times.

If you would like to get daily updates from David Zarembka you can view these via:

FYI, Mary Kay Rehard has set up a space on her blog
www.updatesonkenya.blogspot.com
<http://www.updatesonkenya.blogspot.com/> with
Daves reports and other information from Kenya. Look on the right

sidebar, News Out of Kenya.

Blessings,

Anne Phillips

-- 
"The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells the Great Spirit, and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us." 
         Black Elk - Oglala Sioux

Mike's blog
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