Update from Amani Family in Kenya

January 23, 2008

Amani friends –

Thank you, again, on behalf of all the Amani women in Kenya for your gifts of love during their time of suffering. We have completed the third distribution of food to 70 Amani women and their families and now we think, barring more major violence rocks the country, they have made it through the worst of it. Their income was seriously interrupted during the post election chaos, the tribal threats put fear in their hearts and the transportation system was either unreliable or took them through dangerous sections of town.

The three distributions were just the kind of “push” they needed until they could return to work at Amani. Now most of the women are back making beautiful products of peace once again. They are also earning an income that will sustain them and their families and praying for peace together with their Amani family.

One of the recipients of your generosity, Dorcas, expresses well her response to your love: “Our friends from around the world make us feel like they are sitting right here with us during the heat of the moment.” Most of the Amani women end up sharing their food with their neighbors. Their neighbors, who have to travel far to find their own food from the Red Cross, are always amazed: “Who is this that brings your food to you?” It gives the women an opportunity to talk about Amani ya Juu.

Zed, of Ethiopia, invented a new slogan with her reply to her friends who were complaining: “Why can’t we have peace!” Zed said: “Amani si Amani without juu” (Peace is not peace without God)

Every day this stalemate between the opposition and the ruling party causes the ethnic divide in the country to grow deeper. No one wants another tribal war that devastated the countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia, Sudan, Congo, Mozambique….

Stories behind some of your gifts towards the Amani food distribution program are astounding!

Yalelete, who used to work in the Amani Garden Café in Nairobi, and her family of 10 children repatriated to Chicago about 2 years ago. They sacrificially gave $300 as a gift to the Amani women!

Goreth, of Amani Burundi, gave not only $100 but is collecting cabbage to transport to the women in Kenya!

Your gifts of prayers are also appreciated.

Rosemary, who has made several trips to Amani in Kenya, prayerfully empathizes with the Amani women:

“Becky, I am finding it hard to concentrate on everyday living when I do not know if my dear friends are safe and well…My heart just breaks for Kenya and especially for the innocent lives who are always caught in the crossfire. I am often reminded of a sentence in the Hotel Rwanda movie where the line is spoken , ‘Americans will lay down their fork and watch what is happening and comment how terrible and then pick up their fork and go on eating’. I do not want to be one of them as my heart breaks and my soul cries out to God for this land and the people I love. Please let me know when you can if my dear sisters, as well as you, are safe. Let us know how we should be praying. Love and prayers, Rosemary”

Please continue to remember the women of Amani.

• Pray for continued safety for the Amani women.
• Pray that the Amani women will speak with a voice of truth as ethnic hate language circulates viciously around their communities.
• Pray that a solution of peace and justice will be found by the leadership of Kenya.

In God’s peace alone,

Becky Chinchen

Director, Amani ya Juu