Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Thoughts and prayers in the aftermath of the West Gate mall tragedy

Please note: This was written one week after the attack at Westgate Mall but due to the craziness of our lives recently, I was never able to post it.
 
It has been a crazy week here with all that has happened in Nairobi. There has been unbelievable turmoil and devastation as the events surrounding the siege at West Gate Mall. Many here in Nairobi are saying that this is the equivalent to their “9/11” that will rally this country to be unified across political parties to work for the better good of Kenya. I truly pray that that will prove to be true. 

The events at West Gate mall have hit home for so many here at RVA. It is the most western style mall here and one that most if not all of the staff frequented on a regular basis. It truly was designed to provide all your needs under one roof. There were cafes and restaurants to eat at, movie theaters, groceries, communication providers, pharmacies and clothing stores as well as a branch of every major bank in Kenya. These amenities made the mall attractive to ex-patriots as well as the upper echelon of Kenya.

Unfortunately, we have learned that this made the mall an attractive soft target for Al-Shabbab forces to attack. The events that unfolded that day were truly horrendous. The death toll stands at 67 which are expected to rise as the authorities dig through the rubble that was once the mall. As of today, there are 61 people reported as missing and about 250 others who sustained injuries that they will survive.

 

How will those who were at the mall be able to put this behind them and move on?

They have lost so much physically and emotionally. Here at RVA we were enjoying Titchie field day, a day where the school celebrates our elementary school-aged students with field games and events. Along with that, the seniors were hosting a “Senior Store” day where they serve lunch and other goodies to raise money for their senior safari later this year. Julia was busy serving as manager of the specialty food service and was fully involved in that process. Around 1:30 PM word began to circulate about what was happening at West Gate, only 45 kilometers from our campus. Immediately the school implemented many of the contingency plans we have trained on over and over. The campus was full of guests and family members so we needed to work quietly to keep from raising unnecessary alarm. First, we needed to account for everyone, who was on campus and who was not. We were charged with verifying the whereabouts of all our dorm girls and their families. We quietly spoke to those who had plans to return to their homes in Nairobi and advised them to use an alternate route and avoid the Westland’s area where the mall was located. Next we called the families that had left campus and advised them of the situation. We came to realize that three RVA students and their families were at the mall at the time of the attack and were still inside the building. One family managed to work their way out quickly but the other two remained inside for many hours and one family had to play dead for awhile when the terrorists were in near proximity. We are thankful that they all were eventually led to safety. We did however, have one student who lost three extended family members in the attack. The entire campus is grieving with him as he mourns family members killed in the attack.

 
So what lessons can we take from this vicious attack?

First and foremost, we must remember who is ultimately in control.

We have spent this entire week reminding the students of the promises God has made to never leave nor forsake us. We have used chapel times, dorm times and Sunday’s services to do just that. We will continue to pray for those affected by this tragedy especially those in our own RVA family. We will pray for other school communities as they have suffered far greater injuries and loss of life. We are trying to find ways to reach out to them and share the love of Jesus.

 From a practical standpoint, when we go to town, we will always have a fully charged cell phone (or two) and enough cell credit to make any necessary calls. We will ALWAYS make sure someone on campus knows where we are headed and how to get in touch with us. We will NEVER separate from each other as we have done in the past and we WILL be efficient in what we have to do and then return to the safety of campus.

When I travel for school, I will make sure my plans for the day are known to the administrative team including where I am going and what times I expect to be in that area. I will try not to travel alone and be diligent to finish as quickly as possible.

 As we have witnessed the events of this week, we have seen the resiliency of the Kenyan people as they joined together to meets the needs of all. The long lines at all blood donation centers set-up throughout the country was just one testimony to their unification. We will continue to pray for healing for this nation as they attempt to move forward. It has been an emotional week for us all, but we rest assured that we are in the hands of the One who created us.

 We want to leave you with the lyrics of the Kenyan national anthem as our prayer for all of Kenya.

V1    O God of all creation
Bless this our land and nation
Justice be our shield and defender
May we dwell in unity
Peace and liberty
Plenty be found within our borders.


V2    Let one and all arise
With hearts both strong and true
Service be our earnest endeavor
And our homeland of Kenya
Heritage of splendor
Firm may we stand to defend.

V3    Let all with one accord
In common bond united
Build this our nation together
And the glory of Kenya
The fruit of our labor
Fill every heart with thanksgiving

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