A fund has now been opened to help our churches in Kenya play their part in helping relieve the suffering of thousands of Internally Displaced People (currently estimated to be 350,000) and others with food,

Originally the budget for the response was £250,000, but this is rising daily due to rapid price rises. The Newfrontiers churches in Kenya, together with NGOs on the ground, are overwhelmed by the size of the task.

Update at 30 April:
Good news! We have now passed £200,000. Thank-you for your generosity. Funds are still needed as prices of food are rising rapidly and, although the political situation is more stable, there are still hundreds of thousands of Internally Displaced People needing support until they are repatriated to their home areas or elsewhere.

Update at 7 April:
The fund so far donated is £160,000, from 6 nations. We are so grateful for the international response to the appeal. The need is still great and it is encouraging to see donations continuing to be received almost daily.

If you or your church wishes to make a donation that would be very much appreciated.

Finance Department

Newfrontiers
The Matrix Complex
91 Peterborough Road
Fulham
London
SW6 3BU

5th May
Resettlement of people who have been in IDP Camps (Internally Displaced People) started today. This is a crucial time as those returning will begin to interact with their previous neighbours, some of whom turned on each other. The teams from Newfrontiers churches are working in West Kenya and the Rift Valley with relief and rehabilitation programmes.

30th April
The situation in Kenya is now much more stable. Thank-you for your prayer and financial support. However, the crisis for individual families is far from over. Food prices are rising rapidly and many thousands are still displaced. It is anticipated that it will be many months before they return to their home areas. Please pray for Edward and his teams as they continue to bring support.

18th April
FINALLY! FINALLY! FINALLY!
After what has been the most painful period in the history of our Nation, in which we witnessed heartless murders, destruction to property and infrastructure in a massive scale, over a half a million internally displaced, and almost breakdown to our normal everything. God has FINALLY brought us to where we were longing to arrive to safely. Today marked another milestone in the history of our Nation as we witnessed the swearing in of the Government of National Coalition. Two weeks ago I told this country through our TV programme that there is always a FINALLY IN GOD. The book of Ephesians 6:10 - Paul exalts the believers in this church to get into the 'FINALLY in how to deal with the enemy, fighting the spiritual battle and in how to overcome - He tells them, Finally be strong in the Lord and in His power to overcome!' Praise God our Finally politically has come! Let me most sincerely thank all our many and dear friends who have faithfully stood with us in fervent prayer.
I know we still have so many challenges ahead of us arising from the crisis that will be with a long time to come, especially the whole issue of the idps who are scattered all over and who are in hundreds of thousands, giving of hope through business start-ups or farm inputs to those who are able to return to their farms, continues counselling to the thousands of those who are still nursing terrible trauma etc. With what happened today, we will be able to forge ahead together as a nation in addressing these and many other issues that arose from the effects of the violence / crisis.
God is so good that we FINALLY there! Thank-you so much.
God bless you!
With much love,
Edward.

6th April
Progress is being made politically but there have been significant problems over the past weekend. The new cabinet was due to be announced but lack of agreement of the distribution of the portfolio has brought delay and tension. See http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgindex.asp
Inflation is still running and prices changing daily.
Edward has been given much favour and is having increasing influence and opportunities. He sits with 11 key leaders on the Community Development Fund Committee which distributes funds for such projects as Roads, Education, Health, Security. He has been appointed Chairman of these projects. He is also on the Commission for Truth, Justice and Reconciliation.

5th March
Please pray for Edward. We have just learnt that he has been invited by the Chief Secretary to the Cabinet to help formulate and be involved with the Truth, Justice  and Reconciliation Commission. He is also to be on the committee of the Community Development Fund which is to be inaugurated on Wednesday 12th.

28th February
At last Kibaki and Raila have signed an agreement deal which means that is a MAJOR breakthrough. We all the same have a major hurdle to jump i.e. how to translate that agreement to grass root where tribalism and violence took place. Thanking all that have been praying around the prayer points that I gave. All other humanitarian efforts remain in force with major challenges as we try our best to assist. Thanks and all blessings. Edward

22nd February
Gospel being preached in the midst of trouble!
Text from Edward:
We are so busy with Peace Crusades that are attracting thousands. Wherever we have gone God spoke to us! Am loving all this great opening of actually presenting the gospel. The need for purchasing what we need against serious inflation is too much.

20th February
1.18 pm
ODM (the opposition party) are threatening to start all over again. Their mass action which would be really very bad. Don’t want to imagine this. Let much prayer be offered against this.

2.14 pm
I simply feel very strongly that mass action after the massive destruction of life and property cannot be justified. Let all push for their legal rights through legal/constitutional/political resolutions. The damage caused was just too much and a repeat of any amount of further destruction cannot be handled by already very overwhelmed relief agencies. It is so discouraging as some peace has been achieved. The enemy is defeated!

15th February
I am speaking today in a very important gathering that brings together universities of this country on Peace, Forgiveness and Rebuilding. Another great opportunity to make an appeal to all Kenyans as the proceedings are being covered by all media houses in Kenya. Pray God will allow His Spirit to powerfully use me for those converging but more to the millions watching by TV.

16th February
Excellent meeting! Gave me a very unique and powerful platform to make certain important statements directed to the President and Hon Raila, and to both parties PNU and ODM. My preaching based on forgiveness considering Jesus and Stephen who forgave their enemies when they didn’t deserve. They did it for the JOY beyond the pain and suffering they were undergoing. Told them that a better Kenya, a great Kenya wasn’t in our past but in our future and the joy that is to come we can surely forgive each other….. I purposely dressed very casually as I wore a T-shirt with a great message ‘Mission Rebuild Kenya’ and ‘Kenya will stand’. Was great impact countrywide many days and months to come.

9th February (Via SMS, 11.40am)
A big article (has been published) in the press about how we (Edfri/Newfrontiers churches) are causing peace and also helping the victims without discrimination. Inflation so bad against our budgets in a bad way. Don’t know how we can be able to buy what we need and at least store for a few weeks to avoid these high prices that are occurring almost on a daily basis.

5th February (Via SMS, 4.30pm)
Returning from Naivasha (where Edward planted a church in November 2007) where I joined our team there. What we have seen there is frightening. We must move very fast to avert a massacre from revengers on top of the normal supplies. We must help these trapped people to go to their rural homes

3rd February
Our Sunday meeting was awesome with over 3000 in attendance that included many national leaders. God's presence filled the entire service with so many giving their lives to the Lord and great faith ignited as I spoke powerfully on FAITH DOES NOT GIVE UP. I told my audience that the moment to trust more is when tried most! The moment to believe God the more, is when it looks impossible. We had many of the press present and our messages are being carried as main news items in all media houses. We are also getting calls, emails, text messages from all over the country with people expressing how KCC is bringing much needed healing and leadership all over (I forwarded an example of such an email to you over the weekend).

We have put BANNERS OF PEACE all over the major Cities with great impacts as people read out those messages and speak about the same. I AM IN GREAT FAITH THAT KENYA WILL STILL STAND AGAIN!

2nd February
I returned back to Meru and was just shocked by the numbers of victims who have finally come to seek cover and refuge in Meru. This now means we have to increase the numbers of relief centres to seven with this latest happening.The other emerging problem that will need us to act is that of assisting displaced children to access some kind of schooling in the affected areas, this is a serious problem because we are talking of tens of thousands of children.

We are so stretched in every way, the rate of inflation is totally against our budgets with prices increasing with every passing day.Last week we were buying a kilo of beans at kshs 20/= today its 65/=, fuels were 80/= a litre and now no control of this very essential commodity that controls the prices of everything else, in parts of rift valley we have purchased a litre at 180/=. We will be in great need for more help this week. We have had some encouraging support from our churches, schools, two banks and a number of individuals who have donated money and other required items.

As I write this email, our teams left for the Rift Valley and Nairobi respectfully for more relief assistance - with the new skirmishes that I believe are as a result of revenge mission from the Kikuyu tribe who have been badly, badly targeted by both the Luos and Kalenjins, we have been forced to once again re-open the Jamuhuri Centre in Nairobi which we had closed down. It is now home to around 2000 of Luos and it is giving us an amazing opportunity to demonstrate the love of Jesus as the church that has no borders.

1st February PM
Latest update from Edward:-
“Thank you so much for all the prayers, love and concern expressed to us from all over and for all the love, prayers and support from Newfrontiers.  My greatest encouragement has been being very close to the Lord, doing something to the affected and, also, speaking to the country through our TV programmes. Don’t know what would have become of me without the above.  I know KENYA WILL STAND AGAIN.  When and exactly how, I don’t know but that feeling is so strong in my heart.  I keep on asking the Lord to speed it up and I long to see that after all the suffering, death and destruction.”

1st February
“Am in Naivasha which saw the worst violence over the last weekend and early this week. It is in Naivasha that we had our latest church plant In November 07.  What I am seeing here is extremely sad and devastating.  Have called our Meru team to come quickly with aid.  The relief agencies are completely overwhelmed, can’t cope with the situation. Our church here is assisting close to 600 including children.  The rate of inflation has thrown our budgets – a kilo of beans now at 60 K shillings, last week was 25 K Shillings, a litre fuel was 79 K shillings now about 150 K Shillings. It is totally unbearable!  We have a meeting at KCC on Sunday that will be attended by thousands and will include many leaders as we pray about issuing statements geared towards healing, rebuilding.  Our involvement with the peace reconciliation is being felt all over through our TV programmes.”

25th January
Later -  “Very good news our team is out of Nakuru very safely, now in areas that are safe and on their way to Meru, Hallelujah!”  God is so good that immediately our team left Nakuru, the Government declared a curfew in that area after the violence escalated.  Thanks 4 your prayers with the elders”

25th January
Just received a distress call from John (Edward’s brother) and our team in Rift Valley.  Suddenly violence in Nukuru.  They can’t come out of Nukuru at the moment.  Ask our churches to pray for their security that they come out safely.

24th January
The uprising of inflation has seen things go up three times the normal price.  Clear indication that our economy has been affected badly.  The trend is that the prices of everything will keep on going up affecting us so badly.  Have come across many children who are separated from their parents, whose fate no-one knows.

23rd January
Have been in Nairobi for two days and our other team in Rift Valley/West Kenya until Friday. We continue to meet and hear very sad and hopeless cases that just make you cry and cry.  We decided to close down the Jamuhuri Park camp by distributing the displaced to churches and chief camps.  We are now directly helping 400 children and 150 adults in the Nairobi base. Terribly short of required necessities.