Violence in Isiolo

I received sad news this morning, from our friends in Isiolo (the town near our village of Gambella).  Violence has been escalating in Isiolo, and the surrounding area in the recent weeks.  As drought continues to crush the area, resources are becoming more and more scarce.  People are just trying to survive, and are becoming desperate.  

Due to the violence, the school in Gambella has been temporarily closed.  Most of the people from the village have left Gambella, and have gone to Isiolo where they feel they will have more safety.  Many men have stayed in the village, to protect it should there be an attack.

On Saturday, two men from Gambella were walking from Isiolo back to the village, when they were shot and killed.  We drove on that same road (pictured at right) twice a day every day we were in Kenya this summer.  At this point I am not sure if any of us met the men that were killed, but I can’t tell you how sad I was to hear this news this morning.  

This is reality.  Since I went on my first trip last summer, I’ve realized how “messy” this business is.  There’s no magic bullet that makes it all go away.  The bottom line is that this work involves people, and relationships—both of which can be messy.  Throw in some real life-and-death issues, and the results can be unpredictable.  But that’s why we’re there.  Because we care, and we want to offer hope and a different way of thinking.