Kenya (MNN) — Kenya's opposition has called off protests as talks to resolve the bloody political standoff begin.
Former United Nations chief Kofi Anan arrived in the country Tuesday night to try to end the stalemate between Mwai Kibaki and challenger Raila Odinga. Bloody protests erupted following the December 27 election.
More deaths and fresh violence broke out this week in advance of Anan's arrival. Clashes between Kibaki and Odinga supporters fought on tribal lines, and a crackdown by security forces has killed at least 650 people over the past month.
Roadblocks have prevented supplies from getting into cities, which has led to a humanitarian crisis. Rough estimates are that well over 250,000 have been displaced by what's being called an "ethnic clash" between the Kikuyu (Kibaki) and the Luo (Odinga) tribes.
Compassion International has 29 projects at the center of the chaos. Fifteen hundred of their sponsored families and children have been affected, but other details are sketchy. Compassion Kenya is providing medical aid, counseling and other assistance, with the help of other agencies in the area to help other families outside Compassion's projects, too.
Compassion International works with more than 900,000 children in 24 countries in Africa, Asia, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Some 4,000 indigenous churches from more than 65 denominations partner with Compassion.
Pray that the talks would bring stability. Pray also for the Compassion teams as they serve as the hands and feet of Christ.
