Floods Again in Kenya: Our Friends Are in the Middle of It
Illustrative Only - AI Generated
Over the past few days devastating floods have swept through parts of Kenya. Homes have been destroyed, roads cut off, and many families have been forced to flee rising water. Tragically, the death toll continues to rise as rescue teams search flooded areas and stranded vehicles. According to Reuters, at least 42 people have died and many more have been displaced by the severe flooding. (Source)
For many people reading about this online it may feel like just another international news story. For us at WayMaker, it is personal.
Our friend and partner Kevin is there in Nairobi.
Many of you will recognise his name from the work we support across Kenya. Kevin has walked alongside pastors and churches in some of the hardest communities we serve. Last year these same communities endured devastating floods that washed away churches, homes, and tragically the lives of pastors, families, and children.
Those wounds are still fresh.
Now the rains have come again.
Yesterday Kevin sent me a message that captures the urgency of the moment. He wrote:
“Hi Andy. Kindly, I should not be calling you at this situation after your operation, but we have church people that are stuck. We need to transport them to a safer place due to floods. Some we don’t know where they are. Also our church instruments were destroyed with floods but first if I can get 65,000 KSH to send to different places to rescue our churches in different parts.”
You can feel the desperation in those words.
Families trapped.
Church communities scattered.
People missing.
Right now the priority is simple. Rescue people and move them to safety.
Kevin and local church leaders are trying to organise transport to reach different communities and bring people out of flooded areas. The amount he mentioned, 65,000 Kenyan shillings, is around £400, and it would allow them to send help to several affected areas immediately.
In situations like this, the local church often becomes the first responder.
Before government help arrives.
Before large international agencies mobilise.
Pastors and church leaders begin knocking on doors, checking on families, rescuing people from flooded homes, and making sure no one is forgotten.
That is exactly what Kevin and the churches are doing right now.
Kenya has experienced repeated flooding in recent years as extreme rainfall events increase across East Africa. Entire neighbourhoods have been affected, forcing thousands to leave their homes and rebuild again and again. (Source)
WayMaker has stood alongside these communities for many years. We have seen their resilience, their faith, and their generosity even in hardship. They are not asking for luxury or comfort. They are asking for the means to rescue people and keep them safe.
If you would like to help, you can support this urgent response through WayMaker.
Your generosity will go directly toward helping Kevin and the churches on the ground move people to safety and begin recovering from yet another disaster.
You can give here at https://waymaker.org.uk/donate
Please also take a moment to pray.
Pray for Kevin.
Pray for the pastors and church leaders responding right now.
Pray for families still searching for loved ones.
Pray that even in the middle of devastation, God will bring protection, provision, and hope.
Thank you for standing with our friends in Africa. When crises like this strike, your generosity helps make a way where there seems to be no way.
