“Let’s not curse the darkness, instead let’s light a candle.”
– Anonymous
Hello everyone. By now, I am sure some of you may wonder where I disappeared to. My blog absence has been for a good reason.
From December 27 to late January 2008 my country was plugged into what is now famously referred to as post-election violence; violence in which over 1,000 people lost their lives and over 300,000 more were displaced from their homes.
The impact was even more devastating in the slums, which saw the biggest brunt of the violence and left many people wondering, questioning, hungry, displaced and grieving the deaths of family and friends.
It was at this time that I decided to start a reconciliation program at one of the child development centers I grew up in. I wanted to try and help the children, who mostly live in the slums, understand what was going on, to give them a platform to share their feelings and a place for them to come and heal.
On March 20, I received a letter from the local government representative that I had been selected among 15 other young men and women in Kenya to join the national reconciliation program, which is a special program started by the government to bring the people of Kenya back together and help prevent a similar scenario in the future.
So all this time I have been traveling around the country talking to various political groups, communities, churches, elders and youth on the need for unity, and more importantly, forgiveness.
It has been tiring, but its all worth it. And it gives me a chance not only to share with people the love of God but put into practice the skills I learned through the Leadership Development Program,* to teach the importance of servant leadership, which I believe is the solution to the many problems here in Africa.
The program will come to an end on May 23 and hopefully by this time a nation will have been saved through the candles that were lit by 15 young men and women.
*This content honors our historical Leadership Development Program. To learn more about our current youth development opportunities, click here.
7 Comments |Add a comment
To Richard:
Thanks for those words of encouragement, as well as for your prayers.
please keep on praying for this country even as we pray for yours.
Thanks again.
To Trudy:
After heavy consultations you can now join my fan club.. ha
Hey you,
Keep up the good work!
You’re in my thoughts and prayers.
Trudy
Hi Anthony. Violence is very disturbing, indeed. It’s bad enough for an adult to see and bear it, but it’s so much worse if a child has to see it. Thank God that He is always there in the midst of tragedy–whether it’s violence or national disastors. He’s a loving God and He loves and cares about you. I’ll pray for you and the children and that the country of Kenya will find healing and that times will improve there.
hi there,
To:
1. Lisa Miles:
Hi lisa.
Thanks for those words of encouragement. And its my prayer that God continues to use me to do even more for His people.
2: Ian Durias:
Hi Ian.
You have no idea what your prayers me to me and to the rest of the team I am with. Thanks for that and I too pray that God continues to use you in the places he has placed you.
3: Vicki Small:
Hi vicki,
Its always an honour to hear from you. Thanks a million for the prayers and be assured that God did hear them and you are the people that stood in the gap on behalf of this nation.
By the way how was the Compassion Sunday?
Anthony, thank you so much for sharing this! All the time your country was going through this troubled time, I was praying that God would raise up strong Christian men, leaders, who would be able to bring healing, restoration and reconciliation to Kenya.
What a wonderful thing you’ve done for the children, and for Kenya. God bless you, as I know He does!
Anthony, we’re praying for you and with you. Thanks for sharing this and I trust that the Lord would use me to carry one of those candles. The Lord redeems.
Anthony, I am so sorry to hear of the violence in your country. How wonderful that the Lord has brought you forward as a peacemaker. Keep up the amazing work you are doing! Praise God for giving you both the talent and the opportunity to serve your country and to be a Christian role model. God Bless!