Gospel News — Sep-Dec 2013

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Reconstruction Of The Ecclesial Hall At Kakuma Refugee Camp

Bro. Innocent Baruani E'engele, (Kibera Ecclesia, Kenya)

Kakuma Refugee Camp

Early this year, we got a report from the Kakuma Refugee Camp ecclesia informing us that, following a dispute that had been brewing between a group of Muslims of Somali origin and our brethren, the ecclesial hall was pulled down. Bro. Katembo, the elder, told me that on the morning of Feb 4th 2013, when they went to where the hall used to stand they found slashed iron sheets and vandalized properties. This happened after threats were repeatedly issued to them from the time the construction had been underway. The group was opposed to the construction of a "Christian" meeting hall at the very site allocated by the Camp administration, citing that it was "their" area. Upon inquiring with

the Refugee Affairs Office in Nairobi, I gathered that there's no part of the camp assigned to either a particular religious community nor people of a particular nationality.

To avoid any further friction, it was considered wiser to relocate to another site as the Bible advises: "And if any man will... take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also." (Matt. 5v40)

Reconstruction Efforts

Brethren and sisters of the Kakuma ecclesia did not back down on their resolve to put up a meeting place. On that backdrop, some funds were provided for the reconstruction thus; I had to travel to Kakuma Camp, early April, to help brethren on the way forward.