UNCOMMON FAITH WAS A COMMON FEATURE
Shining Light of Faith In The Midst Of Violence
By Jeff Maloba
Editor’s note: Heroic acts of faith never become too outdated to report or too far in the past to be relevant (if so, we wouldn’t be reading the bible millennia after the events it reports occurred would we?). In this article we highlight heroism on the part of some members of the Nairobi church during the eruption of violence earlier this year. To write this off as old simply because the post-election violence is no longer a headline feature in the international papers or a leading story on the evening news, would be to miss the point that the need for faith is ever present, acts of faith are eternal monuments and lessons of faith are of timeless value and do not have a sell-by date. This story is also an appropriate accompaniment to the bible lessons featured on this website at this time, entitled “The Peace Of God During Conflict” and "Where Is God When Life Hurts?"
A statue in Washington D.C. honouring soldiers from World War II states, “Uncommon Valor Was A Common Virtue.” In what in effect was war that raged in the slum of Kibera, among members of the Nairobi church, uncommon faith was a common feature.
The post-election violence that took place in Kenya left a trail of destruction within the Kibera slums as houses went up in flames and shops and kiosks as well as market places were looted and then torched. Men, women and children were attacked because of their tribal identity and had to flee for their safety. Tens of thousands from Kibera were displaced and had to look for temporary residence either with their relatives in safer parts of Nairobi or in the camps for Internally Displaced Persons.
One of the sisters in the Nairobi church’s Kibera ministry, Catherine Onduyi, lost an uncle, murdered in the lawlessness. Both she and her husband Steve were an outstanding example of true disciples in the midst of all this.
Steve and Catherine had to take n a relative couple who had been displaced as well as take care of three other friends in the neighbourhood who did not have any food to eat or money to buy food.
Even with this incredible strain on their resources and the skyrocketing of prices due to shortages occasioned by the violence, they refused to buy food from people whom had looted. And amidst all this they continued to study the bible with people and hold bible talks with their neighbours who had threatened to turn on them for not joining them in the looting sprees.
Evans Mureri had to take care of four other disciples who did not have any place to get food as well as four children whose parents had traveled and were unable to return to Kibera due to the outbreak of anarchy.
Many people in Nairobi lost employment because income and revenue were down and their employers had to lay people off. Evans faced the real prospect of being among those, and yet he continued undaunted to share and have everything in common, just like in Acts 2:42-47.
Other disciples were also put under pressure by their neighbours to join in turning on members of particular tribes, but stood up to it despite threats of reprisals, the prospect of escalation of violence and the uncertainty that prevailed.
We all face challenges—of different natures but in all cases challenges are scary, difficult, painful and stressful—and in face of them uncommon faith must be a common feature if we are to glorify God and allow him the platform to show his greatness and goodness through our lives. The violence in Kibera has come and gone, but one thing that never went was the uncommon faith of these disciples, who, for their courage and conviction, stand out as lights in the dark.
Just as battle-hardened soldiers, in a joint united effort with the last strains of energy left, hoisting their country's flag in victory at the summit of a hard fought and hard won victory, these bible-driven brothers and sisters have lifted high the cross of Christ and declared our Lord to be their victory.Let us all be men and women of similar faith in face of challenges.