Kenya,
10 June 2007


Dear Editor,

Kenya has lived through a troubled week, Nairobi has been the epicentre of the chaos, Mathare has lived through bedlam. The judgements are now being made, the fingers are now being pointed. What is certain is that some innocent men were killed who should never have been killed and some innocent women have been raped who should never have been raped. And what about the scars picked up by the children?

My abiding memory from this week’s carnage are the photos of the appalling degrading conditions under which too many of our human family are doomed to live at a time when our G8 summit speaks of the billions now available for the onslaught on the deprivations of Africa. I don’t disagree with Bob Geldof and Bono when they describe the words coming from the gathering of the rich in Germany as a fraud and the whole thing a sham.

Every name needs a human face to give it visibility, every place needs a human connection to give it human relevance. In the week of June when Nairobi exploded and the G8 lived the life of the rich and spoke about the poor, your providential magazine issued Wanjiku’s Story.

For Wanjiku, Mathare is home. In her Mathare home-place Wanjiku has vowed never to exchange her body for favours. She promised to persevere and she remains a faithful sister to her sibling who is now carrying her third child from her third relationship, though she is already living with HIV and has advanced to AIDS. Very little of the G8 pledged billions will come to her and can do little for her. Sometimes to continue to be a follower of Jesus can be tough but Wanjiku is serious about the Gospel reality and is willing to make the best out of life.

If we were all more serious about climate change we might all have a change of attitude enabling us all to make the best out of life. But as of now, Wanjiku finds home in Mathare but probably doesn’t realise that the housed farm animals in Ireland have hotel accommodation compared to the living space she makes a home in.

Jesus cried over the death of Lazarus and the destruction imminent for Jerusalem. This week I’m sure Jesus cries over Mathare and all the ghetto places of Africa.

And Jesus has concern for Wanjiku; she knows that.

Tom Leyden, SVD


© Copyright 2006 www.theword.ie