"The VTS community stands in solidarity with our students and graduates from Kenya and with all of their families," said the Rev. Dr. Marge McNaughton-Ayers, dean of Admissions and Community Life at VTS. "We are especially grieving with two of our Kenyan students, one whose house was burned to the ground in the violence in Eldoret and another whose relative was killed on his own land. When one person in the body of Christ suffers we all suffer with them. We pray for peace."

On January 5, Masters in Theological Studies student Mary Tororeiy received word from her husband in Kenya, the Rev. Antonio Nyandoro Ocharo, that a mob of people had burned their house to the ground along with three other houses in the neighborhood. Neither Ocharo nor the man who looks after the house when they are away was in the house at the time. Had they been home, they would have likely been killed. Ocharo, who has not been able to return home, is staying in the rectory. Tororeiy is not able to return to Kenya because of the danger traveling within the country.

Last week, Master in Divinity student Kanyi's brother-in-law, Peter Muchina, a farmer in Cherangani in the Kitale region, was killed on his own land. The family cannot get to the farm to bury the body because the area is still under fire from the opposing tribe. "It's almost impossible to get information on family members," Kanyi said.

More than 900 Kenyans have been killed and hundreds of thousands more displaced since the disputed December 2007 re-election of President Mwai Kibaki which set tribal rivalries and unspeakable violence into motion. The current government has given "the shoot to kill" order for demonstrators who gather. As a result, demonstrators as well as innocent bystanders have been shot, beaten and killed.

"When the media talks about 'the government'," said Kanyi, "I don't know who they're talking about now -- nobody is in control."

According to VTS student Daniel Munene, "Church buildings have become places of refuge for the displaced, although they have not been spared either. On the other hand, the Church has the challenge, more than ever before, to rise above the differences."

Tororeiy commented that although her husband has held church services the past few Sundays, the congregation has gone from 350 to 30. "People are afraid," she said, "and it's taking a toll on our budget and on the future of the parish."

Current peace talks began in Nairobi January 29 led by former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, and other former heads of African States. "The [Kenyan] President and the opposition leader both have high regard for Mr. Annan," said Tororeiy. "The fact that Mr. Annan has been able to bring the two leaders together at all is a sign of hope. Both sides understand that if the situation continues as it is, they all lose, and they are ready to make hard decisions for the sake of the country."

When asked what the VTS community could do to help, Munene replied: "We ask that people continue to pray for Kenya, for the current peace talks, and for a positive outcome. Then, when things cool down a bit, we will know exactly what the needs are."

"I always took pride in the fact that Kenya was a stable country," said Tororeiy. "But this has impacted negatively on that sense of pride. I thank the VTS community for their continued support and prayers."

Virginia Theological Seminary is the largest of the 11 seminaries of the Episcopal Church and was founded in 1823. The school prepares men and women, representing more than 40 different dioceses and 9 different countries, for service in the Church, both as ordained and lay ministers, and offers a number of professional degree programs and diplomas.

A recent ELO article about the Episcopal Church's missionaries is Kenya is available here.