It was expected that at least 18 million Kenyan citizens would register for the elections due next March 4. Some hoped that the number could reach 22 million. Only 14.3 million registered, and the justification for such a low number is the fear of violence during the elections. It is not clear how non voting could decrease the risk of violence, but certainly the daily news are worrying. Bomb explosions, fights that occur apparently among cattle raiders that leave dozens dead. The fear that this is just the beginning of a season of much bigger violence is founded.
Yesterday morning I went to Kibera, and passed near a five-story building that had collapsed during the night. Luckily it was still under construction and was not inhabited, and only two people were injured. The collapse of a building, probably built without proper plans or by bribing city council offcicials, it’s worth in today’s paper only a few lines.
The youth coming from 5 difiente Koinonia insititutions in Nairobi have completed the first phase of the course of the Maji Tome Circus Project, with a show in a Salesians theatre. For the first time in our ongoing circus training there was the successful participation of eight girls of Anita’s Home. Other forty students who have completed the eighth grade went for the first time at seaside, in Mombasa, for a week. Twenty-five males were circumcised and were instructed on their responsibilities as adults. All children from our institutions are mobilizing for a great concert for peace that will be held by the Ndugu Modgo children on January 26, to plead for elections without violence. Hundred and twenty boys and girls last night animated Christmas Mass in Kivuli. Their faith, their hope for a better possible world, their sincere affection and love renew us all, encourage us to procced on the right road, and ensure us that there really is a better world possible, humanity has the potential, we need to work for it all together.
I received a Christmas card with a poem by Ephrem the Syrian, a doctor of the church of the forth century, dedicated to the Child Jesus. The weak translation from Italian to English is mine. If you know a better one I would like to get it. Here it is, with the photo of the last child we welcomed at Kivuli Ndogo.
How cheeky are you, or Child, that throw yourself into everyone arms!
To whoever finds you, you smile; anyone who sees you, you love him.
It’s as if your love is hungry of people.
Maybe you are not able to distinguish between your parents and the strangers?
Between your mother and your servants?
Between the one who feeds you with her milk and those other women?
Is this your cheekiness or your love?
You, who love everyone!
How did you get restless,
that throw yourself into the arms of anyone who sees you!
It is the same if they are rich or if they are poor;
you seek refuge in them, they do not need to call you.
Whence comes this your being so hungry of people?
Buon Natale, Abambo Kizito. Ti mando un abbraccio da condividere con tutti i bambini e le bambine, iragazzi e le ragazze e i membri dello staff di Koinonia che ogni giorno s’impegnano per costruire il futuro migliore .
Caro Padre Kizito, con colpevole ritardo apprendo solo ora della morte di padre Eugenio Magni, che ho avuto l’onore di avere ospite a casa mia qualche anno fa, quando feci una donazione per la costruzione di un’aula scolastica in memoria di mia madre Ultima, maestra elementare appassionata e devota cristiana. Scrivo a lei perché di lei mi fece parola allora padre Magni: dove posso trovare un suo ricordo, oltre che notizie delle sue/vostre opere, che certamente continuano in sud Sudan? Peraltro sono in contatto con l’associazione FOCSIC che opera in Kenya per reinsediare profughi sud-sudanesi sulle loro terre (abbiamo contribuito a comprare un terreno e adesso siamo alle prese con la costruzione di un pozzo).
Un sentitissimo grazie per quello che fate e un augurio per un sereno Anno Nuovo.
Claudio Salone