Rift Valley Academy staff share how the community came together in the wake of the mudslides and flooding that have devastated the region.
We know that even in grief, because of Jesus, we can also have hope, and we've watched those around us display this hope.
The last few weeks since landslides devastated our community have been heavy.
Amidst the unimaginable damage & loss, we've been amazed and encouraged by the spirit of our students and our surrounding community.
Upon hearing of the tragedy, our students immediately looked for ways to help.
They volunteered in various roles on campus, including the cafeteria, to cover for Kenyan staff who couldn't make it to work because of the landslides.
They sold homemade baked goods, jewelry and ran a coffee shop night to raise money for disaster relief.
They played with children who were evacuated from a nearby orphanage.
More recently, the motto of Harambee has become synonymous with “fundraising,” and can be seen in recent “harambees” for hospital bills as well the costs of rebuilding homes and lives.
We've been blessed by the example of Kenyan friends & colleagues as they have raised funds, made food, donated clothing, visited and prayed with those who were affected.
Please pray for the woman in green who lost her mother in the floods and others who have experienced loss.
God, you’re such a safe and powerful place to find refuge!
You’re a proven help in time of trouble— more than enough and always available whenever I need you. So we will never fear even if every structure of support were to crumble away. We will not fear even when the earth quakes and shakes, moving mountains and casting them into the sea. For the raging roar of stormy winds and crashing waves cannot erode our faith in you.
Psalm 46: 1-3
Pray
Please join us in praying this prayer for our community, which was shared in our church service the week of the landslides.
Merciful Father, we earnestly seek to be a strong and compassionate community of believers who will provide support and encouragement.
First, we pray that You help us to be vulnerable and transparent with each other and recognize the importance of reaching out when we need help.
Strengthen the bonds of fellowship and create a safe haven where we can lean on others, sharing our burdens and finding solace in You through them.
Lord Jesus, in the face of fear and anxiety, make us a caring community that becomes a beacon of hope and comfort.
We ask that You guide us to be a community where love, understanding and empathy prevail.
Give us courage to step out of our comfort, give us wisdom to know how to help others, and give us humility to see the strength in those around us.
We pray the fellowship of believers around us would be a beacon of hope and love, a bright light that shines for others to see.
Amen.
Background
At 3 AM on April 29th, a lake near Rift Valley Academy — formed due to a blocked tunnel and weeks of heavy rainfall — burst.
Collecting mud, trees, and boulders on its rush down the mountain into the Mai Mahiu (“My-My-hiu”) valley, the mudslide washed away concrete houses, vehicles, and people.
The first week of May was a blur as the RVA community collected clothes, sent food, made donations to help with funeral expenses, and assessed the safety of the school including the 400 students and over 100 staff here.
On Friday night, May 3rd, another tunnel (long ago a road) was blocked by a mudslide and sent a stream of water and mud down by RVA's main gate, called AIC gate.
The mud was over 8 inches deep in places and covered nearly half of our rugby/soccer field.
Staff and students gathered to help shovel mud and clear debris for most of the day.
We don’t have to know the whys, but what we can and do know is that He existed before anything else, and He holds all creation together (Colossians 1:17).