In 2006 the PCF gave support to African AIDS orphans through Amy Attas who traveled to Africa to work and play with the children at the Nakuru orphanage in Kenya. From this arose an e-mail friendship between Josphine Gathama, a worker at the orphanage, and Amy’s mother Jackie Sturton. Until last December Josephine’s parents, her grandmother and her five siblings lived on a farm in the Burnt Forest district in the Rift Valley. On New Year’s Eve, four days after the widely disputed Kenyan election and associated violence Josphine sent Jackie, whom she addresses as “Mum”, the following e-mail.
“Mum,
I want to inform you that I am now not strong enough. Our houses were burnt yesterday, 6PM. Today in the morning, the enemies stormed where my parents and other people were camping, killing many, burnt the houses and so they ran for their lives. My grandmother could however not move because she has not been walking for three months. She was left behind and so I have been told that she was burnt in the house. Vehicles are not going towards that direction. If there is anything you can do to assist me, please assist.”
Subsequently Josphine was able to borrow a Land Rover and go to the Burnt Forest area where she saw the devastation and managed to bring her mother and younger siblings back to Nakuru. Her father and brothers also came there a few days later. It will not be safe for her parents to return to their old farm. Because of this the PCF Missions Committee has decided to send Josephine money from the PCF Mission Fund in the next few weeks to aid her parents to resettle elsewhere. You can get additional information about Josphine and her family can by contacting Jackie directly.
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