“Let us pray.
Our Father who art in heaven, you are the creator of heaven and earth. Me and my friends, here Lord you created in your own image and likeness, and you put love and care in our hearts that we should appreciate each other the way we are.
Forgive us our sins dear lord, the pain, the hatred towards each other, the deaths, thefts & destruction that we have committed. Our Lord Jesus Christ is an advocate that represents us before the Father. In quietness and trust, we will keep trusting you.
We pray dear Lord that you give us peace in Kenya that shall surpass all human understanding, because you are the Prince of Peace. Dear Lord, please give our leaders ears that can hear the cries of the people, the voices of reason and eyes that can see the wanton destructions that have so much tainted the beautiful image of our country—Beloved Kenya. Lord, Kenya is in your hands and we like King Jehoshaphat and King David, shall be still and know that you are the Lord, the Lord mighty in battle, the battle is not ours, it is the yours. We are safe in your hands dear Lord.
No one dear Lord chose to be the tribe he or she is, all of us were born in accordance to your own plan and you have destined all of us for a greater future.
Help us to love one another unconditionally.
We pray all these in Jesus' name. Amen."
This prayer was written by someone currently living in Kenya. It was shared with me by the Rev. Cari Jackson who worked with the prayer-writer on a mission trip to Kenya.
While I was lost in the haze of Christmas services and celebrations, the beautiful country of Kenya irrupted in violence. It took me a while to begin to understand what was going on. From what I can comprehend, the current President claimed victory after controversial elections in December of 2007 and was sworn in for a second term. His swearing-in angered many people and triggered waves of violence that have been ongoing since the beginning of 2008. The violence is based on conflicts related to tribal backgrounds. Before European countries sliced Africa into convenient portions, tribes lived on tribal lands and practiced tribal religion and cultural customs.
My heart is breaking for beautiful Kenya because I have friends there. My heart is breaking because Kenya has always been a country of great and high-functioning diversity. My heart breaks because not too long ago Kenya was giving leadership to conflict mediation in the Sudan. My heart breaks for this gorgeous East African country that is considered the “cradle of civilization” and part of the continent that is my ancestral home.
Our dear friend and sister-in-faith Imaculee Ilibagiza has been to Marble to give us a first hand account of genocide, as well as her testimony of how God spared her life and eventually brought peace to Rwanda. I can’t hear the stories of this current Kenyan crisis without thinking of the Rwandan genocide in 1994.
I hope that you will join with me in praying for Kenya. The following is additional prayer language by the writer of the above prayer:
Let us pray together:
- Heavenly Father we pray for mighty repentance.
- Father we pray for forgiveness for our every sin.
- We pray that YOUR people's spiritual eyes and ears will be opened.
- We pray that YOUR people in Kenya will be obedient and that you will bless them.
- We THANK YOU for rain that has already fallen and that you will send enough rain in places that still need it.
- Also that YOU may protect all innocent Kenyans from all the violence in our country.
- And for a positive change in Kenya.
We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.