Thursday, July 30, 2009

Jikaze (Pulling Oneself Together)

Last Saturday my Plug-in group from church went on an outing in an effort to put into practice what we have been studying about social justice. We visited some IDPs (internally displaced people) that have resettled in an area in the Rift Valley called Mahi Mahu.

This area Jikaze has been referred to as an IDP camp. But actually this is a group of people who met at an IDP camp and organized themselves, pooling their limited resettlement monies to purchase land together. They now have 17.5 acres for 145 familes and are building little houses and starting small businesses.



This is most of our group. From left to right: Bella, Me, Ian Gitau, Valerie, Susan, Monica, Robert (his wife Jane was around but didn’t get in the photo), Mukami, David (behind her), Ian Melita, and Helen. Also around but not in the photo was Arthur. His wife Waki didn’t come, nor did our leader, Pastor Cathleen or her assistant, Loretta. (Monica and David are married. Monica is my prayer partner.) The kids in the photo live at Jikaze.

You must have questions about IDPs. Please ask.

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