Praying for Garissa

Praying for Peace and Healing in Garissa

This past week Canadian Baptist Ministries hosted our fourth conference for Garissa pastors and church leaders. The group of sixty leaders and CBM team members gathered together in the beautiful Brackenhurst centre in Tigoni, Kenya, for training on designing church-based sustainable community development projects.  Over the past year, we have been working with the Garissa churches with the goal of strengthening the fellowship and unity among the churches, and enhancing the work of Integral Mission within Northeastern Province.  We were delighted to have 24 churches represented at this week's gathering. They are eager to begin participatory community assessments throughout Garissa District, as they are mentored by our colleagues William, Yattani and Michel.

The other focus of the conference was to help the pastors and leaders responding to post-traumatic stress arising from the increased persecution and attacks against the Church in their region. We are grateful for our colleague Elizabeth Legassie who led us through sessions on PTSD and strategies for both self care and care of others experiencing anxiety and PTSD from the attacks. All of the participants expressed deep appreciation for the concern and support that they have received from CBM and Canadian Churches. “We are so thankful for the CBM,” shared Pastor Ibrahim of the East Africa Pentecostal Church, “they brought us together as churches. If the attacks had come before, when we were scattered and broken apart, it would have been devastating, but God knew that we needed to be together and united. Because of this, the attacks have shaken us, but we have not fallen away!” 

The July 1st attacks against three of the Garissa churches have had a serious impact upon the Church. “It is not only the 18 Christians who were killed and the 60 others seriously injured from the grenade and bullets,” shared Pastor Jesse of the G.P.C Church, “Many Christians are afraid to come back to Church. Some people have moved their families away, and others have requested that their employer transfer them away. On Sunday worship, the churches have maybe half their number, because people are scared.” Sister Lea Maina of E.A.P.C. also shared with us how those sitting in the worship services have struggled with fear. “We sing and pray, but everyone keeps looking over his shoulder. If you see a shadow by the window or at the door, you think maybe it is another attack. Everyone is on edge. Even if someone gets up to leave for the toilet, everyone sits up and wonders where is he going?... in our fears we must turn to God ...We have not lost our faith. God is good, and God is mighty.” During the conference, she preached to the gathering encouraging her fellow Christians not to lose hope.

It was encouraging to hear of the faith of God’s people as they witnessed to signs of healing and hope in Garissa. Reverend Mutunga, pastor of the African Inland Church Garissa, buried 14 members of his church in a mass funeral after the attack on his church. On the Sunday after the attack, he led worship in a church where bullet holes and scars from the violence remained. “Evil has not won!” In a courageous act of solidarity, Muslim sheiks, leaders and neighbours came and formed a human wall around the church. “They came to show that the terrorists had not won!” shared Rev. Mwasya of the Church on the Rock (another church targeted on the July 1 attack). “They came to protect Christians, they came to show that they were sorry for what had happened,... it is a sign that good can come out of something so terrible!” In the past two weeks as several churches in Mombassa, Kenya, have also been attacked and burned, similar signs of solidarity have been shown as Muslim leaders have not only surrounded churches, but have actually entered them and joined Christians during their worship services. “They are telling the terrorists that if you want to kill Christians, you must kill us as well!” shared Rev. Mwasya. Such actions are signs of God’s grace and redemption at work.

Photos Courtesy of Wayne Morgan

Pastors and Leaders working on problem analysis concerning 

poverty and conflict within their community

Please continue to pray for the Church in Garissa and for peace and healing within the greater community. As we concluded this gathering, it was evident that God has placed these faithful men and women to be ambassadors of the love and mercy that is at the heart of God’s kingdom. The road ahead will not be easy. The challenges the Church faces internally, and within their wider context are great, but as our friend Sister Lea shared “God’s Love is Greater!"

CBM Kenya team members: Karen, Elizabeth, Randy, Wayne, Maureen, Aisha, Yattani, Deanne, Michel, Pauline, Erica, Aaron, and William (missing from the photo are Ruth, Laura and Colin)

Thank you for your prayers and support!

To learn more about the work of Canadian Baptist Ministries in Africa and around the world, see our website at www.cbmin.org