Wilson Ngaira Shirambira inside the Church Photo: Photo: Jez Smith
Eldoret testimonies 2
Two Friends share their experience of caring for the community
Wilson Ngaira Shirambira is clerk of Eldoret Friends Church. He explains how his church met the challenge of caring for the seventeen families who took refuge with them
It came up after politics. People had the other side. In Kenya, we talk of tribes, in that maybe a certain tribe ganged against the other tribe, burning their houses and other things. At first we started seeing people coming from the nearby estates, these were not our members but anyone coming in for safety. We were to provide accommodation, what with the rooms [the church and the Sunday school classrooms] that we have around. We welcomed them. It was hard because it is a situation where you have not prepared for people. A pastor can’t cook food for his children while others are there with a need and children are crying. We started sharing with them and encouraging them and then started to talking to our members wherever they were. We requested assistance if they could help us with anything, food or clothing. The response was good. We were brought maize, which we ground so at least we could give the young children porridge. Our members brought food and clothes.
