Corruption. I know it’s present to some degree in every culture, but here in Kenya, it affects the residents of this country personally and on a regular basis. It is heart breaking, because there are so many good people in this country, working diligently to make a skimpy living. Yet, this nation will never flourish until the Holy Spirit sweeps in and convicts the leaders and those in authority of the pitfalls of corruption. Let me give some examples of how our regular run-ins with corruption here wear us down emotionally.
2. Two weeks ago, as I was doing our banking online, I discovered that our bank account was about $1000 short of what I thought it should be. After going through my records, I found that there had been two instances last month where we had gone to the ATM to withdraw $500 but no money came out of the ATM. Instead, we got a receipt saying our account would not be debited....BUT in actuality, it was. So, we have had to file two claims with our bank back home. They have temporarily credited us the money while they do their investigation, but if they can’t prove someone here has pocketed our money, they will take the money back out of our account. We have two friends here in Kitale that this has happened to recently with the same bank, and the bank here claims they have no discrepancies in their accounts. Because of corruption.
3. Last week, I was at a special Home School Week with my girls at Ethan’s school in Kijabe. We went with another family, Roger and Julie Tate, and their two youngest kids. On the way back, Roger was driving and we were pulled over for “speeding”. [Let me supply some back matter here.... The speed limit for public service vehicles is 80 kph, but the speed limit for private vehicles is 120 kph. Our vehicle was previously a cargo van, now turned into a private van. The licensing department recently made us have PRIVATE painted across the front of our van in huge letters so there would be no confusion as to it’s status as a private vehicle.] The officer (who had no radar gun) first accused Roger of driving over 120 kph. Roger calmly told her no, that he was actually going 90 kph. She then claimed she had video showing he was going 98 kph. That was rather funny, since there are no video cams along the highway, and they later refused to show us the video. Then another officer approached and told us he was placing Roger under arrest and we needed to follow him to the police station. At the police station, they told us that our van was considered a public service vehicle, so the 80 kph speed limit applied, so at 90 kph, Roger was breaking the law. They told him that in order to leave the police station, he would have to pay 3000 Kenyan shillings (about $40) “bail money” (IOW bribe money), AND he would have to appear in court two days later at the same police station to pay his 2000 shilling fine for speeding. Mind you, the police station is 5 hours drive from where we live, so the amount of money Roger would have had to pay in gas and lodging for a night to return on the day the court was open, was far greater than the actual fine that they wouldn’t let him pay the day we were already there. I called Jason (who stayed home for the week), who called a Kenyan friend who is the head of the CID (Criminal Investigation Department). The CID guy asked us which station we were at, and for the names and badge numbers of the officers who were hassling us. Next thing we knew, Roger was being given back his bail money, and the officers were practically shouting at him, “GET OUT!!” All in all, we had spent an extra hour and a half with a bunch of nervous kids and moms at the police station. Because of corruption.
As we were continuing on our journey home from Home School Week, and discussing the rampancy of corruption here, we were reminded of what we have been learning in our Sunday afternoon Bible studies with several other missionary families. We are currently in I Timothy, chapter 2. The first four verses read:
“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
These people, then...the thieves, the corrupt bankers, the corrupt police officers... are the very ones we are called to pray for, for God designed even them with a plan and purpose. And He will use everything of their pasts to shape them into the men and women He created them to be, if they will turn to Him in love and repentance. So we ask you to please pray with us for the people of Kenya. Not just the orphans and widows who tug on our heart strings, but for those who infuriate and frustrate us. Please pray that they will understand how much God loves them; their need for Jesus; and for hearts that will bring blessings, rather than curses, upon their beautiful country.
Ironically, the Anti-Corruption Department was recently shut down....not sure if it was shut down by the corrupt, or because it was corrupt....
Unfortunately there will always be corruption, some is blatant (like Kenya or Russia) while some is less so (like Washington, DC politics). It seems much more efficient than trying to do things the right way. But we will pray for Kenya and the US. I just wish Jesus would come soon.
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