Memorial

Yesterday there was a memorial at school for the Westgate victims. All the children made paper doves and wrote messages on them. The conversations still tend to be "How are you, is your family all OK?" One of my friends told me she was in then Pentagon on 9/11, in London  for 7/7 and now in Nairobi for Westgate. 

Terrorism happens everywhere. 

Yesterday I was out shopping and two guys jumped out of a car with automatic weapons. They saw my face and just waved. Almost a heart stopping moment! The are too many guns here, or maybe there are not enough, depending on your view point! Security, which was very tight on Monday and Tuesday, is already beginning to slip. Ironically, Nairobi is beautiful right now, with the stunning Jacaranda in bloom and purple leaves all over the floor.

Monkeys

This has to be a uniquely African experience sitting in the garden blogging whilst watching monkeys swing through the trees. The dog is going mental; she can't stand monkeys. They for the most part ignore her and happily swing through the trees. There is a whole troop that regularly visits the compound, but often they prefer the fruit trees on the other side of the compound. Yesterday when we drove into the compound from school we were surrounded by them and happily sat in the car and watched them for a while. Sort of like being on safari in your own garden.

Things feel a bit more normal here today. Security has been beefed up everywhere. This is kind of reassuring, but really how can you really stop men and women bent on death and destruction? - You can't. It is not very nice not to be able to promise your kids that terrorists won't come to school.  Our daily praying on the way to school is a bit more meaningful now!!

Well it happened...

Warnings had been issued about Al Shabaab for two years and just when we got complacent, the worst happened - they attacked in a public place as we were told they would. Fortunately for us, it was not a mall that we often frequent, but for all of us in Nairobi whether we were there or not we are experiencing our own degree of terror. 

Most people are connected to this event in some way. They were there ; know someone who was there, or someone who was killed. All the talk is about the ongoing horror. School opened as usual today although a few miles down the road the situation was continuing. Half the kids were absent and if I'm honest I really didn't want to take mine. I was also dreading the news from school: had any of my kids' friends been killed? Going to school was good for the kids, it was something to do that was normal and it gave them an opportunity to talk it out with their teachers and friends. Although we all indirectly know people who have been killed, no one from MAF or school has been directly affected. What a blessing. One MAF family was at Westgate  1 hour previously to buy a freezer. However, as they were out of stock they were sent to another store and so had left by the time this all erupted.

Things remain tense here and probably will do until everything is resolved. From time to time we hear sirens and the military helicopters over head and then we meet someone with yet another story of their narrow escape. Please pray for us, for safety, for peace, for wisdom and particularly for the children who have to find their own way of dealing with this.

Westgate Crisis

Hello all

Just a quick note. You have probably seen the news about the ongoing terrorist attack in the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi. This is not a mall we go to very often, as it is on the other side of town. We are all fine, and as far as we are aware, so are all the MAF staff. 

However, do keep Kenya in your prayers as it deals with the aftermath of this attack.