Sunday 1 June 2008

Support Quaker reconciliation work in Kenya

I wrote in February about the work of Quakers in Kenya. Eden Grace, a theologian and Friend, has been living and working in Kenya since 2004 with her husband Jim and their two sons. Through Eden I have started receiving updates about the work of Friends Church Peace Teams, coordinated by David Zarembka. They make for sobering and occassionally also heartening reading. Much of the work of the Friends peace teams has been simply listening. There's also a focus on working with communities at encouraging the peaceful return of internally displaced people (IDPs). I was also interested to hear of the way the groups heard biblical justification for not having to welcome people back into their former communities.
Their action is about beginning to dig the foundations for rebuilding civil society, daring to believe that people can learn to love one another again. It is about peace-making at its most essential. Rebuilding trust, dialogue and communication will probably be as important for long term security as the practical aid which the Friends groups are also very involved.
I'll try to mention more about the work in coming months as I become aware of it.
In the meantime I would like to encourage you to support the work financially if you're able to.
Credit card donations can be made here and further information about the work can be found here.

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