sunday, 30 december

8.00am local time
Nairobi, Kenya

Well, last night was fine. Seems like the City was very quiet. Power is still on, cell phone service still on, etc etc. Rod and the gang slept well, I slept well. Now, to sit and wait another day to see how things are. Please keep praying that this country will settle down and get a hold of itself. On the news last night, everyone was asking for calm and saying how this nation can be one of calm and peace, that the people do NOT have to resort to violence. That this nation can show the rest of Africa and the rest of the world that things can go right. Please pray for that.

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3.00pm local time
Nairobi, Kenya

The elections have been kind of crazy here in Kenya. Been holed up for the last few days. We honestly thought things were okay on Saturday, which is why Rod and the gang all went up to Trout Tree for lunch. Naro Moru River Lodge is not such a bad place to stay, though. They will stay again tonight. They did NOT go prepared for any overnights, so are wearing the same clothes (and undies!!) over and over. Ugh! I am glad that I am here, but wish they were as well.

If we would have known that the results would have taken all day -- or longer, as they still have not been released -- Rod and the gang would have been home by now.

They plan to leave up there at 5.00am tomorrow. That way, if there is violence this afternoon or tomorrow, then most of the people will be sleeping or just getting up as they arrive into the city. They will also have a plan to stop at the Baptist Mission compound north on Thika Road if things get bad. That way, they are safe, but also closer.

We are still awaiting the results of the Presidential race today (1.30pm Sunday). It has been crazy, just waiting, waiting, waiting. I have talked with both our gardener and house help and they say that there is a lot of fear in the slums. They don’t have food or water (they don’t have the money to keep that kind of food or water on hand) and the shops are all closed -- half have been looted anyway so there is nothing left. That could prove to be a whole other issue to riot about.

Things do look bad on the news, and yes it is that way. It has mostly been in the slums here in the city, but in Western it has been in the main towns -- Kisumu, Kakamega, etc. There was a lot of rioting up and down Ngong Road yesterday. Some of the main shopping centers were closed also after the rioting.

Please just pray for safety for Rod and the gang as they try to get home in the morning. I will be much better when they are here. But, am also glad that they are in an area that in hugely Kikuyu, so very little rioting potential -- no need for it (as the President is Kikuyu and they are all happy with the results). :-) And, that they can be out and about seeing more of the country. Rod told a friend yesterday that he is most worried about me, but he knows that I am in good hands, just not his! And, of course, he would rather me be in his hands and not anyone else’s. :-)

Just now there are reports of more violence happening in the slum areas -- almost 3.00pm.

Thanks for your continued prayers! Happy New Year!

(P.S. Please do not try calling Rod. We are trying to preserve his battery on his cell phone and have just been text messaging back and forth in order to help with that. He will need as much battery as he has to make sure for communication on his way down tomorrow. He does have a SAT phone and a GPS, though, just in case they need to navigate somewhere else.)

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7.00pm local time
Nairobi, Kenya

Okay, not to be alarmist or anything, but the City is falling apart. President Kibaki was declared the winner about an hour ago (6.00pm) and has already been sworn in. There is widespread violence and rioting in the slums and over 12 people in different areas have been killed in the last hour. Let me reiterate . . . most of the violence is in the slums.

Rod and the rest of the gang are safely in a very strongly supported Kibaki area. The city, however, is completely divided . . . and that is why the violence here.

Please pray for safety for us all in the midst of all of this. We do not know what the night will hold, or what the next few days will hold.

Please pray that Sally is fine, and that she does not start giving me pains. I am okay, I have a good support system right here around me. I have you all praying for all of us!

Please also do NOT try to call, as I would like to keep the phone line open for communication with Rod.

I do have a friend here staying with me tonight, she is a single girl, so we’ll help take care of each other! :-)

Not really sure what else I should write, just know that right now things are a little hairy . . . but we also have a God who is STILL and always WILL be bigger than any and all of this!