May 14

Written by: Kady Burke
5/14/2008 6:02 PM 

May 14, 2008

Dear Friends,

It has been an eventful and at times turbulent first quarter of the New Year for Kenya and the Father Symon Jubilee School for Nomads.  As you may know, the unrest in Kenya has subsided as the coalition government has worked out a power sharing arrangement.  We are so very thankful that calm has been somewhat restored to the countryside.  Of course, there are lingering wounds and the reconciliation process will take considerable time.  I have provided a link from The Johns Hopkins University Center for Strategic International Studies, in which Professor Anyang Nyongo discusses the botched elections and the aftermath.*

We are grateful that the Father Symon Jubilee School for Nomads was spared any damage and all those who have been working at the site are safe.  But the unrest during this critical period created uncertainty which resulted in many delays.  Some of our workers were unable to return to their jobs until the first week of March.  And although established schools resumed class the second week in February, many parents were guarded about sending their small children to school unescorted.  These developments led parents of many students, who we had recruited, to enroll in established schools.  Our remaining class would have been too small to conduct school this year.  Furthermore, we were interrupted in our plans to construct the boarding facilities.  For these and other related reasons, our plans now call for the school to begin recruiting students for the first, third and fourth grades beginning early next year.  We will keep you posted of our progress.

Fortunately, Father Symon will be traveling to Kenya on June 15^th.  He will be able to give us a detailed assessment of events on the ground.  Also, Father will be overseeing the pouring of the foundations for one or two other buildings.   He will be meeting with the headmaster, and others reviewing plans as we move forward.  Our commitment continues to these nomadic children and their families.  We thank you for your support and concern and ask for your prayers for our peaceful journey together.

With gratitude,

Kady Burke  

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*http://www.politicalarticles.net/blog/2008/04/27/prof-anyang-nyongo-discusses-the-aftermath-of-kenyas-botched-elections/