Am grateful too. Please you can share the story with the whole world through the e-mail have sent you.

What it is so surprising is that the neighbor you have been living with is the one that murders/killings you. or he/ she can do a setup for you to be killed. people have been slaughtered, blood drunken, and bodies burnt so that it can be beyod recognition. there is also petro bombing that is used to destroy the houses. we are living in a world that is full of surprises. –jacintah

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Mission in Action – Australia
Date: Jan 30, 2008 3:50 AM
Subject: “in shock”
To: studentprojectafricanetwork

I wanted this next update to be a good one.. With some news that maybe the violence has stopped in the country that we love… But the news just keeps getting worse. Although… you have to search all the news websites and non ‘main stream’ news to find out what is happening … Imagine if this was happening in the US? Australia? Canada? You bet it would be all we would hear about… What is the difference with Kenya?

I get teary most days since this ‘post-election’ violence has started.. Not only because I am fearful of what may happen to my friends and children in Nakuru but also for the innocent people of Kenya I don’t even know… How can this be happening to what has always been a fairly peaceful country?

I have just been sent the worst images I have ever seen in my life. They almost made me sick. I think that the world needs to see these to see what is really going on. I have posted these to the website but I want to warn you that they are absolutely disturbing and only view them if you are ready to see what is really happening … they will not leave your head.

Please keep sending your words of encouragement to me and I will send on to our brave family at Mission in Action to help them keep going. I am still raising money for the displaced community members of Nakuru. Please see our Crisis updates page on how to donate. I hope the next update is a better one.

Sarah Eaton
Mission in Action
Nakuru Baby Orphanage

24th Jan night, 25th Jan morning
How sad and horrific the last night was (Thursday night). It was a sleepless night, a night filled with distraction and painful killings, estates were brought to Ashes and valuables were destroyed. These are house people living under poverty. They live on hand to mouth/ sometimes it takes days without eating, having anything for their stomach. These are the people suffering under the brutal and unmerciful young men.

About 200 to 500 young men ganged to terrorize people last night. They burned houses properties and killed animals. To be certain only in one estate (estimated area of 100m x 100m) more than 50 families live together. Selectively houses were clearly brought by razing fire people spend the whole chilly night outside helplessly watching their only home and properties extinct. The situation was atrocious.

25th Jan — the day of action
As I write tears flows freely, my heart pains, painful as more lives were claimed last night. Walking outside even at day-light it’s impossible, right now is 12 noon and shooting is on, shots of guns have occupied the air of Nakuru. It is the forth largest city in Kenya and now residents of Nakuru have nothing but running for their dear lives. At about 10am. A police fire extinguisher have been brought to ashes by the imperative youth, whose only ambition is commanded by people in

Hope doing ok.
tension is rising day by day. romours going aroung this morning is that government can be overthrowned anytime and the Miltary will take charge. Am not sure where we are heading becoz the future is full of uncertinity. this morning on of the Member of Parliament has been killed in Nairobi(embakasi). yesterday Kakamega, Kisumu, and Kericho started figting again. roads are blocked, bridges are destroyed. so the future of Kenya is not known well. since things are rising. –jacinta

The horrifying & the awe inspiring
The fund raising has gone well, with over $2500 USD in just 4 days. Thank you everyone for your rapid response and support. I am so pleased to find friends among co-workers at IBM and Sony gracious with their donations; support through employees, family, my high school physics prof, and a climber I met just once four years ago at Hueco Tanks (who then called a wood-paneled station wagon home). We have also received donations from a young man I met playing a midnight game of frisbee on the loading dock to the fairy between mainland Mexico and Baja; friends of friends and complete strangers.

In the midst of such chaos, it strikes me that humanity is able to take on two contrasting forms, the horrifying and the awe inspiring. Gladys, Wycliffe, and Jacintah moved to keep the children safe when literally, just outside the orphanage walls people were killed. You who have donated funds have almost overnight enabled Cameron to make certain the kids have their basic needs met, Cameron himself risking his life to remain there as long as he is able.

It’s not over yet, but thank you for everything to date.

Update from Nakuru
Cameron is getting to town as often as he can, when it is safe to do so, to stockpile food, mattresses, and blankets for the kids. These text messages in today from Jacintah and Cameron.

SMS from Jacintah, 28-Jan-08, 06:22
“Thank u 4 the donation u sent thru Cameron. 2day people r indoors. Hope this will all settle soon.”

SMS from Cameron, 28-Jan-08, 08:45
“Things seeming better today in town. Road bad, plan to stay here for now. Bought 15 mattresses & blankets today. Town busy.”

These in from Wycliffe, Cameron, and Jacintah.

SMS from Wycliffe, 27-Jan-08, 03:56
“Army choppers filled the sky of Nakuru shooting. Pple r killing one another. Getting worse n worse is Nakuru.”

SMS from Cameron, 27-Jan-08, 08:32
“Was in town for a min today. Was quiet. On way to nairobi kikuyu are checking vehicles. [Withdrew] $400 today, will do same tmrw 4 mattresses & food.”

SMS from Wycliffe, 27-Jan-08, 08:34
“It’s war. 4 last 2 days live[s] claimed 120 over. Now spreading 2 Naivasha abt 60 miles frm Nkr. Shooting outside Pistis is on. 2 nights no sleep I’ve 2 [see] kids safe”

SMS from Cameron, 27-Jan-08, 08:57
“Have seen choppers the past few days. Safe. Haven’t seen fire today. Still lying low. Will keep you posted as i know [more]”

SMS from Jacintah, 27-Jan-08, 15:57
“Am really afraid, it’s already 1 am and i am unable to sleep. Am just sitting on my bed thinking wen will peace kam!”

SMS from Jacintah, 27-Jan-08, 21:52
“This is beyond politics its tribal which was hidden 4 long n it has erupted, n we still say post election violence. Our neighbours have shifted we’r alone. Peace not known since all sides have laid their rules down.”

Getting worse before it gets better
Contrary to an ealier post in which I reflected upon my conversation with Wycliffe and a related NPR story, the situation has moved form political to general lawlessness to inter-tribal conflict with intentional killings for the purpose of revenge.

I have received communications from Cameron, Gladys, and Jacintah.

SMS from Cameron, 25-Jan-08, 04:35
“Dont come unless already set. I can’t even get to

[Pistis]. Bought 400$ food w gladys and she took [to Pistis]. I am safe but sit[uation] is bad. Talk soon.”

SMS from Cameron, 25-Jan-08, 06:00
“Hey k, doing fine. 30 refugee kids @ CMD [Pistis]. No internet, town is shut down. Safe @ home, cam”

SMS from Cameron, 25-Jan-08, 22:39
“No immediate rush w money. I’ll use my own until [donations] come in. Banks may not open – army shut down town today w curfew. Areas around [Pistis] most dangerous.”

SMS from Gladys, 26-Jan-08, 11:02
“Hi kai, thank u 4 the support of money. Cameron bought goods worth ksh 27,000 2day. Thank you 4 ur love n concern. Mama Gladys n Bishop”

SMS from Cameron, 26-Jan-08, 12:06
“50 dead today here. Burning houses a mile away. But home and safe. Plan to be here months. Violence no longer pol[itical].”

SMS from Jacintah, 26-Jan-08, 21:37
“Hi, we’r all fine n pistis is ok 2. The morning of yesterday i saw 7 dead bodies which were cut n burnt at ponda mali ([where] u bought potatoes, do u remember that market?) we’ve curfe n security implemented at nite but still people r dying during the day n early morning.”

I spoke to Cameron two days ago and then again this morning, following a long conversation with Wycliffe. Cameron is living a few miles from the Pistis orphanage, off the main highway to Nairobi, on the southwest side of Nakuru. From his home there, he can see smoke on the horizon, homes burning in the area immediately surrounding Pistis.

Yesterday, Cameron went to town with Gladys, the founder of Pistis, to purchase food for the orphanage. He is using his own funds until we can route the donations (over $1500 USD in the pas 48 hours) to his account.

He describes downtown Nakuru, the business district, as relatively untouched by the violence. Roughly 50% of the stores are shutdown, steel roll-away doors protecting the store fronts from vandalism. The number of people on the streets is also at roughly half, with a greater military presence than normal.

Nakuru is under a 7 pm to 7 am curfew, which Cameron states is working to some degree. And yet 50 people are reported to have been killed yesterday. Wycliffe confirms this number from Pistis. Cameron is unable to get to Pistis which is in the center of the high tension area.

Wycliffe is now living at Pistis instead of his apartment or his family home two kilometers distance, toward the national park. He is acting as a security guard by night, and helping to keep things running smooth by day.

The tension around Pistis has escalated to a critical high, with threats by tribesman to avenge killings, boys and men carrying jengas and machetes even as they pass by the police and military. It is the poorest part of Nakuru with the highest density of people. This is where tribal conflict erupted some years earlier.

Wycliffe walked through the streets just outside of Pistis and counted some 20 bodies, slain in the past day or two. In his thirty years he cannot recall anything like this.

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Mission in Action – Australia
Date: Jan 25, 2008 9:30 PM
Subject: “Nakuru Town is Shut Down”
To: studentprojectafricanetwork

Trouble is escalating in Nakuru and I have never felt so scared for MIA and the people of Nakuru. The people that many of us know and love… This is out of control and there is nothing we can do for them.. As I type this my hands are sweating and my eyes are welling up with tears.

Mary and the girls are still enroute to Nairobi and then has to make the very unsafe drive home to Nakuru. She has stressed the point that she NEEDS to be home with her children. I will update the site as soon as I hear they are home safe.

The update I have received over the phone from Tammi as she spoke to Ivan is below. You can see more info on the website as well… I will keep it as updated as I can. Some of you will not know the people named below but they are some of our workers who are a big part of our family….

The Kikuyus have said that for every one Kikuyu killed in Eldoret, 2 Kalenjins will be killed in Nakuru. Apparently (from Ivan) the road up to Piave has people waiting with bows and arrows, manchette’s and other weapons incase they are attacked, they are ready to fight. The roads into Nakuru have been blocked and there are checks going on everywhere in Nakuru. One staff member said that the Kikuyus are asking everyone who is not kikuyu to get out of matatus and they are fighting (if not killing) them. So matatus and cars are rarely on the road. They are also targeting the Luo tribe (Anishas tribe) as they are thought to have voted for Raila.

Ivan had to send Wesley back to his home for the orphanages safety, as he is Kalenjin so some prayers his way wouldn’t hurt! There is a good chance that he will have to fight.

Last night was expected to be a very tense night and the violence is ALOT worse than when I was there. As I spoke to Ivan there was a fight happening in Molo, not too far away and many fires.

In town the GSU (riot police) have bee deployed but there are still MANY fires. They are even starting fires during the day! Outside our friends orphanage there are fires that Ivan could see as he spoke to me.

There is talk over there of the violence entering the showground. I’ve seen the showground with my own eyes and if they go there things are going to get a lot worse, there are thousands of people there. Many (if not all) are there because they were scared to be in their own town. Now they’ve tracked them down and are ready to kill them. This is escalating beyond belief

Sarah Eaton
Mission in Action
Nakuru Baby Orphanage

The next morning

SMS from Jacintah, 25-Jan-08, 21:08
“At least the morning has come. We don’t know wat next. Part of Pistis neighbourhood houses have been burnt. I don’t know

[where] we r heading.Tension is very high.”

SMS from Jacintah, 25-Jan-08, 23:49
“Gun shots r heard. People r chased. Pistis is in the middle of all thats happening.”

And through a phone conversation I learned the photos from Gladys’ email showcase an estimated 2,000 displaced or homeless individuals. While the Red Cross is working to support those people in the ball park, Pistis remains without financial nor material support. I fear the food will run dry quickly, having seen 90kg bags of beans and rice consumed daily, even when rationed.

My sys admin and I have completed the new donations form for SPAN. We are now moving to raise funds to send to Cameron, Executive Board member who is in Pistis now. With these funds he will purchase food, clothing, beds, and soap for the children. Please consider a donation of any value.

A sleepless night in Nakuru
I stepped away from my office for a few minutes to fix a late lunch in our office kitchen. Upon return to my desk, I noticed three missed calls and a text from Jacintah in Nakuru, Kenya.

SMS from Jacintah, 24-Jan-08, “PRAY, WE R SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO’VE SWORDS, LIVE GUN SHOTS N ARROWS HERE IN NAKURU. NO PEACE BUT MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON US N SAVE OUR NATION”

I immediately called her back. Her voice was shaking. It is 2:00 am there. She cannot sleep for the yelling and gun fire. Her family, my host family, is scared to sleep indoors for fear of a fire bomb hitting their house, but outside is equally scary, and cold. A house was burned just down the alley and across the street. It was all I could do to not cry while listening to her.

She echoed her brother’s email in sharing how the thugs are neither motivated by the politics nor inter-tribal tension, rather taking advantage of the chaos for personal gain.

It is nearly impossible for me to sit here, with everything I could ever want in life, in a safe neighborhood where I can freely walk to and from work, and not drive to Denver to catch the next plane to Kenya. I don’t know if I will do more good here where I can raise funds and help coordinate relief, or there where I can be with the children whom I have come to know and those who are new to Pistis, to offer some level of comfort, perhaps protection.

I remember the riots following the Rodney King trials in California in the early ’90s and realize this can happen anywhere. But it truly hits home when it is a place that I have been, to people I hold dear. I just hope the next call I receive from Jacintah is one of her waking to a peaceful day and a sky filled with blue in place of burning grey.