CDSP alumnus the Rev. John Mwiya traveled to his native Kenya to work as an observer for the presidential elections, and has found himself in a country in chaos. When post-election violence erupted, John began working out of a church, giving aid to children made orphans and families made homeless by the reckless destruction rampant in that area. When John last made contact, 22 orphans were in his care, and he was preparing for a healing service for 1500 who were among those who fled when their city, Kisumu, was burned to the ground.  John writes that he agonizes when the children ask why. As he strives to show the broken-hearted that God’s love is present, even in the midst of such overwhelming horror, there is still the need for the most basic supplies: food and blankets.

In a letter dated January 14, 2008, Mwiya wrote, “This week, over 3,500 families and over 2,000 children are sleeping at an open stadium in Nakuru town. On Friday and Saturday, I was at the stadium to receive the persecuted women and children on their arrival. For two days, I was frustrated to see the women and children sleeping in the open air; these people had a home, and today they only have ashes to sleep on. “The most pressing need at the stadium is food and water. Some families are getting emotionally sick, because they will never recover. The children are supposed to report back to school on January 15, 2008; it has been very sad to hear stories from children who lost everything they have ever owned. I wish we could assist a few students to buy school uniforms.” He gave special thanks to the “prayer partners and supporters who in the emergency responded very fast,” including the Rev. Michael Kerrick, Episcopal Church, California; the Rev. John Kater, Episcopal Church, California; the Rev. William Burkett, Episcopal Church, Florida; the Rev. John Kelly, Lutheran Church, California.
CDSP invites prayers for John and the people with and to whom he ministers. If you would like to make a gift to help John in his vital work, the Celtic Cross Society, CDSP’s student-run outreach organization, is accepting donations which it will pass on to Kenya via an emergency grant for all funds received.
If you wish to make an immediate online donation, fill out the form at http://ssl.charityweb.com/cdsp/ and type “Kenya” in the space provided for gifts in honor. Checks may be made payable to Celtic Cross (place Kenya in the memo section) and mailed to CDSP. To donate directly through Western Union, contact Ann Coburn at 510.204.0710.
A further CDSP connection will be forged in June, when two current CDSP students, Michael Barham and Linda Hall, travel to Kenya to work with John.  Michael and Linda have received a grant from the Evangelical Education Society for this project.  For more information about John, contact Ann Coburn, Director of Alumni and Church Relations at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or 510.204.0710.