Peace

June 02, 2017

Peace

This morning I woke early and spent some time on our front veranda. It was a beautiful morning. Birds were singing. Grass is so green with the rainy season here.  The blue sky was pretty perfect with the early morning sun peeking through the trees that surround our house. The warm rays reaching my lawn chair. A sweet morning to sit quietly,  enjoy a good cup of tea, and review my Bible lesson that I would share at Officers Councils today.  As I sit, I feel the word ‘peace’ rising up within me.  Perfect peace. It’s so tranquil. I even ventured to consider it paradise. Perhaps similar to the garden of Eden – before the Fall.  In my heart I think - “isn’t this what we all desire?” Peace. A ceasing of what brings us turmoil, sorrow, pain or confusion.  An end to conflict, tragedy, terrorism, disease, poverty, corruption. Peace. Peace in our land. Peace in our hearts. Peace in our homes.

Here in Kenya, the election campaign for a new President is now ramping up and is quite visible. Every day we see and hear noisy buses and trucks combing the city with loud speakers blaring the promises of politicians, and causing more than usual chaos for traffic.  Today in Kakamega there is a significant political rally happening. The leader of the National Super Alliance party (the Opposition) is here. Our drive to Kakamega Citadel at 9:00 a.m. showed evidence of the preparation.  During our return drive at 2:00 pm we were stuck for a while in a congested traffic jam as hundreds of extra people had come for the rally.  The venue for the event was the city’s new Stadium that is still under construction. We were surprised (though I guess we should not have been) that it was being used even though the new structure is not completed.  From our car we could see crowds of people sitting or standing on risers and other wooden structures that looked fragmented. We hoped they would stay safe.

In some ways, this campaign is no different than the ones at home - opposing parties making promises to secure votes. There are two major concerns here though. 1. Will this election be peaceful or violent?  2. Will this election make any difference in this developing country? The first concern is based on the history that there can be riots and violence associated with such campaigns as evidenced by the 2013 and 2007 elections. We are praying that this year it will be peaceful so that vulnerable and innocent people will not be injured, or worse, killed. The second concern can only be tempered with hope that life will eventually improve for the Kenyan people.  Let’s believe that someday there will be better infrastructure for road ways, that everyone will have access to clean water and food, that education will not be hindered due to poverty, and that a higher standard of health care will be available, all of which are desperately needed for people’s basic human rights to be met.

My morning quiet time was a blessing to me but I could not forget that just outside the compound gate is a world that needs much peace. So I turn to the prayer of St. Francis:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy.