Kenya Explodes in Civil and Political Unrest

From an Oakseed friend in Kenya….

Kenya is at a civil and political crossroad this 31st December 2007 morning as we wake up to a day of uncertainty after a night of violence in Kibera; the home of KTDP among other slums and the major towns of Kisumu and Mombasa. This followed the announcement of Kibaki as winner of the just concluded otherwise peaceful elections.  The nation was largely prepared for a Raila win as early returns indicated so until the last central Kenya votes started coming in to tilt the scale. Claims of rigging were voiced by Raila’s team and a committee put in place by the Electoral Commission to scrutinize the returns.

The tension and unrest resulted to no church services in the city yesterday as public transport was paralyzed.

We do not know what the findings of the above committee were as they worked all night but what we know is that both Raila’s and Kibaki’s teams claimed victory by making all sorts of press and counter press announcements right in the ECK’s premises and podium. This made the work of the ECK difficult resulting to the announcement of the winner being made behind closed doors.

Riots followed immediately after the announcement as a swearing in ceremony was hurriedly arranged to avoid a constitutional crisis following the expiry of the president’s term at mid night 30th Dec 2007. We now have a president who many don’t consider legitimate and have to make a choice between peace or chaos and riot to demand justice. Sadly the injustice of seeking justice in this part of the world is that it is the poor in the slums who suffer and die as they already have by battling each other while their leaders go around with high security around them. Secondly, the reality of the battles in the slums is not political but rather a hive of lawlessness to cover up for looting and theft of private property.

What Kenya asks of you is that you pray for restoration of calm and unrest to dissipate. That torching of houses in the slums will stop and that Kenya will wake up to a sense of responsibility and stop destroying a nation built over 44 years as leaders haggle over a 5-year term.

Palabras de Aliento - Mateo 1

«La virgen concebirá y dará a luz un hijo, y lo llamarán Emanuel» (que significa «Dios con nosotros»).
“Cuando llegaron a la casa, vieron al niño con María, su madre; y postrándose lo adoraron. Abrieron sus cofres y le presentaron como regalos oro, incienso y mirra.” - Mateo 1:23; 2:11

El nacimiento de Jesús es el evento histórico de todos los tiempos y para toda la gente. Estos dos versos del evangelio de Mateo nos dan un vistazo de lo que este evento significa y como debieramos responder.

Enmanuel significa Dios con nosotros. Este nacimiento es la venida del Dios eterno, el creador de todas las cosas, el todo poderoso, el sabedor de todo, el Santo que es sabio y misericordioso y que mora con nosotros. ¿Cómo respondes a esto?

• Está más allá de mi entendimiento.
• ¿Por que vendría Dios a estar conmigo?
• ¡No soy digno de estar en Su presencia!

Había un grupo pequeño de dignatarios extranjeros que habían recibido entradas para la noche de apertura. Habían viajado por varias semanas sin saber la ubicación exacta. Nunca habían estado en un evento de este tipo. De alguna manera sabían que era el evento de su vida.

Cuando entraron al teatro en sus sotanas reales y pasaron por los olorosos animales se sintieron obligados a dejar su rol de espectadores. Se postraron y adoraron. Abrieron sus tesoros y los pusieron frente al Rey de reyes.

En una semana celebraremos el nacimiento de este Rey. ¿Permanecerás como espectador?

Upper Loft Meditation - Matthew 1

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” - which means, “God with us.” “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother MAry, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.” - Matthew 1:23; 2:11

The birth of Jesus is THE historic event of all time and for all people. These two verses from Matthew’s Gospel give us a glimpse of what this event means and how we should respond.

Immanuel means God with us. This birth event is the coming of the eternal God, the creator of all things, the all powerful, all knowing, wise and merciful Holy One, to dwell with us. How do you respond to this?

• It is behond my understanding.
• Why would God come to be with me?
• I am not worthy to be in His presence!

There was a small group of foreign dignitaries that had received tickets for opening night. They had traveled for several weeks not knowing the exact location. They had never been to such an event. Somehow they knew it was an event of a lifetime.

When they entered the theater in their regal robes and walked past the odorous animals they were compelled to step out of the spectator role. They bowed down and worshipped. They opened their treasures and set them before the King of Kings.

In a week we celebrate the birth of this King. Will you remain a spectator?

Read the Spanish Version of this meditation.

Palabras de Aliento - Lucas 2

“De repente apareció una multitud de ángeles del cielo, que alababan a Dios y decían: «Gloria a Dios en las alturas, y en la tierra paz a los que gozan de su buena voluntad.»” Lucas 2:13-14

Hubo una vez que ocurrió una gran celebración en el cielo. Habían pastores que estaban trabajando en el campo. Era ya entrada la noche cuando la fiesta celestial se desbordó sobre el mundo. La primera reacción fue un completo terror. No había lugar donde correr. No había lugar donde esconderse de los intrusos angelicales.

Sintiendo su terror, los ángeles gritaron no tengan miedo. Yo soy un mensajero y tengo grandes noticias que decirles. Estamos celebrando en el cielo la noticia que “Un Salvador les ha nacido; El es Cristo el Señor.” (verso 11)

Navidad es un tiempo de gran noticia. Un Salvador ha nacido. Hay dos implicaciones importantes para nosotros debido a esta gran noticia.

La venida de un Salvador restaurará la paz de Dios a todos los hombre. Esto no es un estado nuevo. Es la restauración de paz con nuestro Creador. Aquéllos que acepten esta gran noticia, tendrán paz. Aquéllos que rechacen la noticia tendrán la paz que ellos pueden producir por si mismos.

Segundo, la venida del Cristo es una demostración del amor de Dios, favor hacia ti y hacia mi. Somos muy preciados ante los ojos de Dios.

Paz en la tierra y humilde misericordia, Dios y pecadores ¡reconciliados!

Gozosas, todas las naciones se levantan, unanse al triumfo de los cielos; Con la legion angelical proclamando “¡El Cristo nació en Belén!” Charles Wesley (1739)

Upper Loft Meditation - Luke 2

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14″Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” - Luke 2:13-14

There was a time in the heavenlies when a great celebration occurred. There were shepherds doing their job out in the fields. It was late at night when the heavenly party spilled over into their world. The first reaction was utter terror. No place to run. No place to hide from the angelic intruder.

Sensing their fright, the angel shouts out do not be afraid. I am a messenger and I have great news to tell you. We are celebrating in the heavens the news that “a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”(v. 11)

Christmas is a time of great news. A Savior has been born. There are two significant implications for us because of this great news.

The coming of a Savior will restore the peace of God to all men. This is not a new status. It is a restoration of peace with our Creator. For those who accept this great news, it will lead them to peace. Those who reject the news are left to the peace they can produce on their own.

Second, the coming of the Christ is a demonstration of God’s love and favor for you and me. We are treasured in God’s sight.

Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic host proclaim,“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Charles Wesley (1739)

Read Spanish Version of this Meditation

Palabras de Aliento - Lucas 1

“Y tú, hijito mío, serás llamado profeta del Altísimo, porque irás delante del Señor para prepararle el camino. Darás a conocer a su pueblo la salvación mediante el perdón de sus pecados, gracias a la entrañable misericordia de nuestro Dios. Así nos visitará desde el cielo el sol naciente, para dar luz a los que viven en tinieblas, en la más terrible oscuridad, para guiar nuestros pasos por la senda de la paz.» El niño crecía y se fortalecía en espíritu; y vivió en el desierto hasta el día en que se presentó públicamente al pueblo de Israel.” Lucas 1:76-79

El contexto es muy importante para entender el valor y significado. Si fallamos en ver el contexto anulamos el entendimiento de lo que está frente a nosotros. Ahora que entramos en la época de advenimiento, ¿Cuál es el contexto?

Dios, en su misericordia, ha puesto ante nosotros una forma de paz. Estos versos son parte de una canción profética de Zacarías con relación a su hijo Juan, cuya misión en la vida es preparar el camino de Jesús.

La forma de paz viene a través del perdón de nuestros pecados y un entendimiento de lo que Dios ha hecho para lograr nuestra salvación, nuestro rescate.

Aunque caminamos en el valle de sombras y la oscuridad nos rodea hay un camino que lleva a la paz. Gozo para el mundo, ¡el Señor ha venido! “La paz les dejo; mi paz les doy. Yo no se la doy a ustedes como la da el mundo. No se angustien ni se acobarden. ” Juan 14:27

Un camino de paz ha sido puesto ante nosotros. Durante este tiempo de advenimiento, busquemos la paz que Dios da a sus hijos, una paz interior y la paz con otros. Y lo más importante el regalo de paz con Dios que El nos ha dado.

World Disability Day

We live in a world of rallies, protests and speaking out against injustice. No longer will people sit back as children are taught to murder as soldiers in civil wars, or as young girls are being sold as prostitutes. They refuse to look the other way when millions of children are forced into labor. Hollywood has used its resources to bring attention to the injustices around the world through movies like Hotel Rwanda and Blood Diamond.But where is the outcry against the mistreatment of those with disabilities? These children are abused even in countries where there isn’t political unrest. There are about 150 million children in the world living with a disability. Many of these vulnerable children are exploited because of their disabilities. They are abandoned by their families, left without education and surrounded by a stigma of being untouchable.

But each year, December 3 marks World Disability Day. The day is set aside for those with disabilities and their advocates to demand the acknowledgement of their needs. The 2007 World Disability Day was the 11^th event and was celebrated in many countries around the world. Participants flooded the streets of Patna, India, chanting, “We don’t want kindness… we want education.” The day is also intended to celebrate those with disabilities. As one blogger wrote, “Of course, for many of us all 365 days of the year remind of our disability, so perhaps this occasion should be used to celebrate our abilities.”

Upper Loft Meditation - Luke 1

“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” - Luke 1:76-79

Context is very important in understanding value and meaning. If we fail to see the context we void the understanding of what is before us. As we enter the advent season, what is the context?

God, in his mercy, has set before us a way to peace. These verses are part of a prophetic song of Zachariah about his son John, whose mission in life is to prepare the way for Jesus.

The way of peace comes through the forgiveness of our sins and an understanding of what God has done for us to bring about our salvation, our rescue.

Though we walk in the valley of shadows and darkness is all around us, there is a path that leads to peace. Joy to the world, the Lord has come!

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” - John 14:27

A path of peace has been set before us. During this Advent season, let us all look for the peace that God gives to his children, a peace within and a peace with one another. And most of all the gift of peace with God that He has given to us.