A CRIME OF CHOICE?

ON THURSDAY LUNCHTIME, the wife of one of our respected Asian Doctors was kidnapped. In her sixties and on the way to the Hospital in which she works with her husband, Mrs. Lodhia's chauffeur driven car was stopped at gunpoint, her driver bundled into the boot of another car, and she herself driven off with her kidnappers. All this happened very quickly on a fairly busy road - just a hundred metres from our School main entrance - a time when vehicles and people were passing by. The action in fact was observed by many but no one risked being shot themselves by these gunmen. This dear lady and her husband have worked for more than 40 years here in Eldoret, and we have known them for most of that time, beeing treated at their hospital, and their daughter attending Testimony School. She has strongly supported and encouraged the school, and is well known in the community. So far nothing seems to have been heard of her since she was driven away. The Police say they are sure she is being held in a local housing estate, and it seems a Ransom of some kind is, or will be, demanded. We are appalled that such a thing can happen on our very doorstep in broad daylight. BUT as a crime it is in fact increasing in Kenya. Very NEW but definitely on the increase. NOT new in the world, as our picture portrays - but NEW in Kenya. SO, how safe IS Kenya today?

Perhaps this up to the minute ADVICE from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade might set the scene as at 31st October 2009 -

'WE ADVISE YOU TO EXERCISE A HIGH DEGREE OF CAUTION in Kenya at this time due to the high risk of terrorist attack, civil unrest, and high crime levels.' Not very encouraging or inviting - and this advice may not be taken to refer only to expatriates but to our own citizens as well! This extract from a further Article found in the Kenyan Newspaper - The STANDARD - for 20th October specifically comments on Kidnapping!

'Abductors are on the prowl....... IF THEY GET YOU, they can hold you at will as they work out how much freedom should cost. Kidnappers, who have found an almost effortless route to wealth, last week pocketed Ksh.10 million (about nine thousand sterling) by way of ransom from an Asian businessman in Nairobi. The money changed hands to the fury of the police who had insisted the man's family did not part with a single cent. But the man had been in captivity for five days, and there was no sign he would be found. In fact the only sign he was alive and might be freed unharmed, were the desperate phone calls demanding payment to his captors, and threats that no payment would mean his death.
Our (new) Police Commissioner Matthew Iteere, concedes that his Force is now dealing with as many as five cases of this 'Cash for Freedom' trade each week! Iteere says this is 'unacceptable.'
But Security Forces are worried; they lack adequate information to trace these kidnappers. The families of those in captivity are often not willing to negotiate the ransom to reasonable levels, and often mistrust the police.

THIS is the NEW FACE of crime in Kenya - hitherto just accustomed to robberies and carjackings.

The business community and middle-class Kenyans are the targets of choice, although children are not out of. A six-year old Sudanese boy, Emmanuel Agwar Adar, in Komarock abducted last month, the subsequent demand for ransom from his captors, and his eventual killing would just have been a painful pointer as to how this new crime could get
vicious. The latest Ransom demand for a captive is for Ksh.78 million.........(Cyrus Ombati of The STANDARD)

AND SO ELDORET'S first Kidnapping has happened. What now? This morning two Police Land rovers, full of Police are parked outside our main gate stopping all vehicles passing by and also, it seems, all pedestrians as well. NO news so far of Mrs. Lodhia. Are WE more fearful, more anxious about our personal safety? NO; not at all. A number have come in trepidation to ask if we FEEL safe, and whether or not we think that THEY should feel safe! We say YES, of course. The Lord our God is with us all, and He WILL save all who look to HIM.

TESTIMONY FAITH HOMES IS STILL CONTINUING, even though some one is putting it about that the Government has already CLOSED all the Children's Homes. This is not true of course, and shows how bad we all are at communicating what we hear or are told faithfully and honestly NO! WE ARE all still here and functioning well. The government has NOT, yet, closed and Children's Homes in our district.

On MONDAY there was a District Meeting of CCI Managers laid on at District Headquarters by the District Children's Officer. Out of 14 Registered Homes the Managers of only THREE turned up. This was disappointing for the District Officer who was anxious to soften my Memorandum on recent legislative changes in the Children's Act.

ON WEDNESDAY we entered into the 33 monthly Meeting of the Children's Services Forum. Some 40 Members turned up as well at Representatives from the Children's Department, Probation and Social Services. It was a a lengthy Meeting and it unanimously questioned the Governments good sense in taking these steps (please see previous Blob for two weeks ago.) I have now written on behalf of the Forum to the Area Advisory Council asking them to table discussion of the Government's proposed changes in the ACT. Could be quite interesting - even explosive! We need the Wisdom of God in this. It seems clear that the Government is miss-led in in its information and in its policies.

TODAY our School is selecting Next Year's Primary Class 1. The whole place crawling with prospective parents that want their children to study here. A real scramble - though it is the children who are interviewed and not the parents! Esther very busy indeed. Still it is remarkable to seek how the Name of our School has become so famous.

It is also the LAST day of the month, and for the first time ever we have been unable to pay any part of the monthly salaries of any of the Homes staff. Funds just have not reached us, though we know they may be on the way - especially from AENON Trust - BUT even the lowest in the order of service here with us stands trusting in the Lord, and the work continues. NO MATTER what happens, how completely hopeless things may see m to be - we SHALL ALL BELIEVE and Rejoice in Him Who is our Life and our Saviour.

Still RAINING. Quite COOL as well.

God Bless and Keep you all through the week ahead

John & Esther