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'Releasing resources for training leaders must be a priority if the Kenyan church is to unite and bring reconciliation' after violence.
Recent violence in Kenya shows there has never been a more urgent need for the church to unite and bring reconciliation, an African church leader has said.
More than 600 people have been killed and 750,000 made homeless by political and tribal conflicts following December's elections. One church was firebombed, killing dozens, and mission centres have been invaded by mobs.
“The question before us now is will the violence cause damage for generations to come or can the church speak boldly, sensitively and across tribal and political affiliations,” says Tim Wambunya, founder and International Director of AICMAR (African Institute of Contemporary Mission and Research).
AICMAR, situated near Kisumu, an area which has suffered greatly in the recent upheavals, is an interdenominational organisation which exists to advance biblical scholarship, promote biblical preaching and apply biblical truth to contemporary African issues. Now Tim is hoping AICMAR will be able to train and resource gospel teachers in divided communities which have been torn apart by violence and death.
He says: “Our founding conviction is that when the Bible is faithfully taught, God himself speaks and is heard, and that will continue to be our motivation for a ministry that, by grace, will heal the tribes and nations in Africa.”
“The recent violence has revealed that even church buildings have lost their traditional role as a place of sanctuary and so Christian people here must now stand together as a fellowship of peace in these troubled times.”
“Whilst there are a large number of Christians in Kenya, the lack of resources for theological training means that church leaders have been unable to wrestle with contemporary issues such as poverty, corruption and tribalism. To a certain extent we are now reaping what we have sown.”
Having spent the last 20 years in the UK, Tim has now returned to Kenya as Principal of Carlisle College in Nairobi but as staff and students have been victims of the troubles teaching is unlikely to begin this term. With Kenya experiencing the worst violence for generations he says: “People are extremely traumatised. Some of our students have been kidnapped for over 10 days, others have been forced to pay for protection and some have witnessed close friends hacked to death or ordered to humble themselves in order that gangs might spare them.”
Progress at the AICMAR compound has also been affected. After a successful November preaching conference, which saw ministers from the UK travelling to Kenya to teach delegates from several countries and more than 20 denominations, spiralling prices of fuel and building materials mean planned upgrades to the library, conference centre and computer facilities are now in doubt.
Tim urges the U.K. to help: “It is essential that the British government does all it can to work for stability. People in Kenya feel frustrated by the political process, people in the U.K. feel powerless to help but supporting organisations, like AICMAR, in their urgent work for peace is vital for enabling communities to reunite for a long term future.”
Calling on the church in the U.K. he says: “Please pray for our emergency response and management teams, please pray for staff and students at AICMAR and Carlisle College, and please pray for the political rivals to speak justly and with mercy towards each other so that the gospel can be proclaimed.”
“We would ask for your prayers for those affected by violence and those who have been violent, and for Christians working in Kenya to unite and preach reconciliation in Christ’s name so that the whole of East Africa can benefit.”