Buckner to resume mission trips to Kenya

Posted: 2/26/08

Buckner to resume mission trips to Kenya

By Analiz González

Buckner International

NAIROBI, Kenya—The signing of peace agreement in Kenya—and reports of stablization throughout the area—led Buckner International to announce it will resume sending volunteer mission groups to Kenya in the summer.

“This is a result of our U.S. missions staff listening closely to our staff in Kenya,” Buckner President Ken Hall said. “It’s an answer to prayer that Kenyans have recognized the need for peace and that our teams will be able to be the hands of Christ to a country that needs healing.”

The decision opens the opportunity for previously scheduled church teams to send volunteers to Kenya. It first will affect summer trips planned by four churches—Valley Ranch Baptist Church in Coppell, First Baptist Church of Amarillo, Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas and Memorial Baptist Church in Columbia, Mo.

“We’ve been in constant contact over the last month with our Kenya staff, and things are much more stable now,” said Randy Daniels, vice president of global initiatives at Buckner. “A peace accord was signed … and all Kenya is celebrating. They anticipate stability, continued growth. The climate has dramatically changed over the last few weeks.”

Kofi Annan, past secretary general of the United Nations, mediated a power-sharing agreement between rival political factions in Kenya after riots broke out following a disputed presidential election. President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga agreed to the peace accord Feb. 28.

Buckner’s reinstating the trips will be an encouragement to the Kenyan children and staff, Daniels said.

“Not going over there would be akin to not seeing your family for a year,” he said. “When Kenyans see us in their country, it reassures our staff that they have our support. We are with them, walking beside them. We won’t abandon them. I mean, we weren’t going to put people at risk, and they understood that in Kenya, but they will be celebrating our presence now.”

Buckner set Feb. 28 as the deadline to make a decision because the mission groups need to plan their flights early, Daniels said. Early that day, he received a message from Dixon Masindano, director Buckner Kenya, saying the peace accord was signed and things looked positive for mission trips.

“Unfortunately, it was too late for our college interns to go because they need to start raising funds early on,” he said.

“When the turmoil started, we wanted to switch the (mission teams) to travel to another country instead,” said Victor Upton, vice president of missions resource group. “But they wanted to hold and pray about it. And it came through for them.”