Fostering Godly peace in hurting communities Page 1

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1 NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER 2016 The consequences of conflict are felt worldwide. People are needed to apply nonviolent means in sustainable change processes. PHARP has more than 20 years of experience in trainings on peace building, conflict transformation, forgiveness and trauma healing, mediation, reconciliation and discipleship. Our programmes mirror these experiences and we offer comprehensive range of trainings to participants to engage more successfully for peace, nonviolence as well sustainable development. As we approach Christmas festivities, some of us have started being busy buying gifts for our friends and family members. As we do so, kindly let us remember those who are experiencing severe drought and are struggling to get a meal for the day in the coastal parts of Kenya. On 28 th to 30 Th November, a team from PHARP recently was in Malindi for a discipleship follow up with some 32 community and religious leaders trained. The drought has hit this area so bad; mothers and children are so frail due to lack of food and water. It is very hard to preach the gospel of peace in such a situation when people are not at peace with themselves and the physical environment. Nursing mothers, children and their livestock are dying daily because of hunger. Fostering Godly peace in hurting communities Page 1

2 A farmer mourns the loss of his 32 nd cow to die due to drought Kindly during this season let us remember what the church of Macedonia did to the church of Jerusalem. They provided food for them to show that they do not only celebrate their joy but share challenges as they occurred. However little a gift can be, it s never small; it all depends on the motive in which it is given. PHARP was able to share a small gift with 30 households in Jilore-Malindi who really were grateful. Some families had not seen food like in two days. Other than giving man fish, it is also wise to teach them how to fish and this then becomes a sustainable development culture. PHARP therefore not only gave this community some relief food, but it also taught a skill of liquid soap making that would in the long run be beneficial and sustainable to this community. Thank you our friends and partners for investing in communities through PHARP. In the month of November, we received new friends who would want to share in the vision and mission of PHARP to foster peace, healing and reconciliation through training in conflict prevention, transformation and reconstruction. On November 10 th : PHARP was visited by youths who are in a one year national volunteering program initiated by the presidency of the republic of Kenya and implemented by the ministry of education. The program known as Greatness-United Program) seeks to strengthen educational outcomes, promote national cohesion and create enriching personal development opportunities for the youth through community service in Matasia, Kajiado North County. Kajiado County is among the counties participating in the program and has this year received a total of 14 volunteers from different parts of Kenya. PHARP is delighted that Onesmus (from Kiambu County) and Ndirangu (from Nyeri County) want to be involved in PHARP programs both in training and disseminating peace to grassroots of Kajiado North County. We hope to do together some of the activities in Fostering Godly peace in hurting communities Page 2

3 Left to right: Onesmus and Ndiragu volunteering with G-United program On November 13 th to 19 th : The PHARP Communications officer had an opportunity to attend one week training in Project Management for peace work- planning, monitoring and evaluation at Kurve Wustrow- Germany. Peace work needs proper planning, monitoring and evaluation in order to be able to contribute positively towards conflict transformation. Key questions regarding the impact of peace work was discussed and respective tools offered to find valid answers to them. The instruments ranged from the logical framework approach and out-come mapping to do no harm. The training drew together a total of 16 participants from Palestine, Burma, Nepal, Georgia, Macedonia, Kenya and Germany. Majority of the participants are civil rights activists. Participants had the opportunity to learn from each other then apply selected tools to their own context projects in order to be better equipped to manage their peace projects/ to respond to communities needs. Much thanks to all friends and partners of PHARP who supported Pelagie to travel for this training. These skills shall be of great asset to the organization. Pelagie and Esther (Peace activist in Myanmar) give a class presentation on the importance of impact chain as a monitoring and evaluation tool. Fostering Godly peace in hurting communities Page 3

4 On November 17 th : Capacity building for leaders in Pokot County have been rocked with so much violence that has led to the loss of many lives and property due to cattle rustling. Recently, a total of 14 people died through raid attacks in a community called Kerio Valley. PHARP is among the few organizations trying to empower community leaders to address that issue. foster Godly peace in this hurting community. The field officers in this community are seeking for more prayers and support as they risk their lives to preach peace and educate the community members on the importance of co-existence. One of the major challenges being faced is that the community leaders are complaining of the lack of support from the local administration (Chiefs). PHARP through this project is seeking to promote the need and importance of working together for a common goal- which is peace. Peace work is not an individual job, but rather of joint effort. PHARP has so far trained 40 key leaders in Pokot and Turkana communities and we urge them to reach many others. They have been equipped with material that will help facilitate community forums. Remember that these areas are suffering from hunger due to drought which is killing people and animals. On November 22 nd PHARP staff met with Visions of Hope for Africa (VOHFA) Director- Ed Fischer. PHARP has partnered with this organization to offer support in improving and enhancing peace work within the slums of Nairobi and Masaai community in Kajiado. This was a good opportunity to meet and discuss the way forward for Madam Susan (left) from PHARP and Ed- Fischer-VOHFA Director with Matilda(from Bungoma) Fostering Godly peace in hurting communities Page 4

5 Impact story- Jilore Malindi Pastor Charo (with lifted hands in worship) was very delighted that PHARP came back to do follow-up on the discipleship training that was conducted earlier on. At the time I was undergoing the training, I had just been commissioned to start a church in Malindi town. I was not very confident of myself because I had not undergone any theological training, but the 5 days extensive peacebuilding and discipleship gave me some hope. When the church started, we were 6 members (4 were my family) and 2 who I was sent with as assistants. Using the discipleship manual has been of great help to the church, since we are growing deep in the word and able to reach wide. We are now 22 members in the church. Keep praying for the church to grow as we make disciples. Thanks Giving and Prayer Requests 1. God has continually provided for PHARP to reach out to hurting communities. 2. Thank God for the contribution that PHARP is giving within communities as it seeks to promote co-existence. 3. Thank God for a successful follow-up training in Jilore-Malindi with 30 participants. 4. Pray for the counties affected by hunger caused by drought in Kenya; Kilifi, Taita-Taveta, Wajir, Pokot, Mandera, Turkana, Kwale, Kitui, Garissa Counties among many. 5. Pray for Kenya as campaigning started early towards 2017 as the country gears up for the general elections. 6. Pray for Uganda as its experiencing clashes in Kasese area and also for South Sudan as refugees continue fleeing to neighboring countries Kenya and Uganda. Fostering Godly peace in hurting communities Page 5