Kenya (MNN) — Al-Shabaab, orphans, and/or wildlife is usually what puts Kenya “in the news.” But today, U.S. politics, African security, and Christian resources are attracting the attention of journalists and news junkies.
Upcoming Carson journey to begin in Kenya
In a few weeks, Kenya will be the first stop for U.S. Presidential hopeful Ben Carson as he explores his “ancestral homeland.” Nigeria and Zambia will also be receiving the Michigan-born former neurosurgeon.
(Photo credit: Ben Carson campaign via Facebook)
Earlier this week, Carson told a U.S. radio host, “I think a lot of our policy in the future is going to affect Africa.
“But I’m going to those three countries in particular because my ancestors are from the Kenya-Tanzania region, the Turkana tribe. I’ve had all of that traced back.”
African terrorism will reportedly be high on Carson’s week-long trip agenda, as he seeks to improve his knowledge of foreign policy.
“I want to get an idea from the people what the effects of Boko Haram are, what people are thinking, to see what the economic situation is there.”
#Garissamassacre mastermind apprehended
(Photo credit: fatima msheliza via Twitter)
Across the border in Somalia, security forces arrested one of the masterminds behind this Spring’s Garrissa massacre: U.S.-born Abdimalik Jones.
“We found him as he was hiding himself somewhere near Barawe after [he] defected from al-Shabaab,” a local official told DPA.
On April 2, Christian students quickly became the target of al-Shabaab terrorists who stormed the campus of Garrissa University College. Combing through classrooms, jihadists would first ask students if they were Christian or Muslim; those who claimed the name of Christ soon met Him face-to-face.
According to DPA, Jones recently left al-Shabaab to join fighters aligning with the Islamic State.
Christian resources arrive, outreach begins
Into this context, Western believers are sending their Kenyan brothers and sisters in Christ a little encouragement.
A container of Christian resources and Bibles–collected, packed, and shipped by Christian Resources International–arrived this week at CRI’s new Distribution Center in Nairobi. After it was unloaded, “many materials were distributed to the locals,” the ministry shares on Facebook.
(Photo courtesy CRI via Facebook)
“Now, Joseph is visiting the surrounding areas, distributing materials to youth and children! We just recently received an update that during Joseph’s outreach last week, 50 out of 220 teens accepted Christ as their personal Savior, and all 220 received a Bible!”
Please pray for the new believers as they grow in their new faith. Pray also for the hundreds of other teens who were given Bibles.
