Christmas is here! But not so for at least 10 million Kenyans who face starvation. Out of the 10, 4 million are ranked as an emergency, reports United Nations World Food Program (UNWFP). Meaning, theirs is a do or die situation. Relief organizations have to rush to provide much needed food and water, before death gets to the people first. 

The much awaited rains have may fail warns Kenya's weather experts. So far the rains have only settled down dust, but not enough to make the crop grow to maturity.

According to UNWFP, Kenya is experiencing the worst drought in a decade. Food prices have gone up by 100 per cent, human and animal conflict has increased as cattle raiding- as a result of the drought in Northern Kenya has become a norm. People have died; people and their animals. Carcasses in different stages of rot and their stench litter the grounds and air of most rural areas of Kenya, even areas that are traditionally wet, like around Mt. Kenya, reports local media. We need your partnership to support the many vulnerable and hungry families, in Kenya; please join our food bucket campaign.

“Our land is extremely dry. We are suffering. My people are literally sleeping hungry and our cattle is dying,” states CMA’s Peter Mutonga, who hails from Rift Valley,

It is 10 am on Sunday morning in Panyang, about two hours from Juaibor, a remote area in South Sudan. The sun is up and it is getting hotter by the minute. At 82 degrees, this may be the coolest time of the day. Toom! Toom! Toom! The skin hide covering of the drum is taut. Its beat is loud and clear, heralding the start of Sunday service.

Several children run excitedly to meet James Kaong, CMA’s Outreach Coordinator in South Sudan and lead him to the congregation under the ‘thow’ tree. This is not a rehearsal for some big concert inside the ‘church building’, this is Church! Under this tree, they gather - men, women and children to fellowship this and every other Sunday.  There are a few stick framed ‘pews’ and even fewer plastic chairs, but this is no deterrent to their attendance. Thankfully, the Lord inhabits in the praises of His people, for even as the sweat runs down their faces, their praise rise up to the Heavens. The beat of the drums gives rhythm to the songs - songs they have memorized and sang repeatedly for they have no hymnals from which to enrich their worship experience. Nevertheless, they sing with such gusto one would think they were singing one of the latest hits on the WOW charts.

You will agree with us, that it’s not too early to start thinking about Christmas gifts. And, there is no better way to honor special people than by giving meaningful Christmas gifts in their names. Think of giving CMA’s Christmas gifts that will make a lasting change; your gift, could actually be someone else’s life line.  Through our various ways of partnership, we afford opportunity for you to choose love gifts making lasting change. For example, you could give a food bucket on behalf of a loved one, for only US$ 35. The food buckets will benefit children like Benedict who live in drought prone areas in Kenya.

When we met ten year old Benedict Mutua, he looked much smaller for his age. Constant hunger and hardship at home in one of Kenya's worst hit drought area has stunted his growth.
For him Christmas day may be one of those days when hunger makes him too weak to play.  Your gift can make that change.
 
Over 10 million people in Kenya face starvation; resultant deaths and high malnutrition rates have been reported. Christian Mission Aid has responded to the crisis