Clinic Attack Latest

As most of our subscribers already know, we had a robbery and rape at our clinic in the early hours of September 27th 2004.

After beating our watchman very badly, the gang managed to catch one of our young workers and, after forcing her to take them to the clinic and our dwelling house, robbed both places and then one of them brutally assaulted her.

Two other girls managed to flee into the bush and hide until daylight.

On that date my wife and I were in Spain for the Baptism of our twin granddaughters, Rebecca and Leah.

I received a text very early in the morning with the news and Rev. Hanna very kindly assisted me to get to the airport for the early flight back here which enabled me to continue immediately back to Kenya.

Since I was closely involved in the arrests, investigations and house searches etc. I feel it important to say a word here on the subject.

Here in Kenya, which is after all a developing country, resources are sometimes so minimal that large scale operations are greatly hindered. The police were willing enough to do the job, provided they could get to that point, which meant transport and fuel.

It was here that I was enabled to help. I sent a man after the suspects with a mobile phone for communication and when they were identified I took the police in my truck for the arrests.

I felt I owed it, not only to the girl who was so brutally treated, but to all my staff who labour so willingly to help the community. If this action of mine results in my being in danger at the hands of like minded thugs, then I can only say that I must take that risk.

But in the same circumstances I would do exactly the same for the same reason.

I took no pleasure in the raids on suspects houses. I took no pleasure searching mud and thatch dwellings for stolen property. In every home we visited I was conscious that the wife, the children, the mother, were as much victims as we were, and I treated them accordingly.

I performed with distaste a task I felt was my duty to perform that these men could be apprehended, and that the wider community would get the message that there are certain things which will not be tolerated concerning the welfare of our staff.

The court case will be up soon and if convicted the charges carry a death penalty. Unfortunately Kenya has followed the modern day approach to such thuggery and there has been a moratorium on hanging for over a decade.

The girl assaulted is making a recovery, and has since returned to work, although I fear things can never be the same again for her.

Perhaps you could pray for this specific incident that the forces of evil my be kept at bay and that the work may continue without fear or intimidation regarding the outcome of the trial.

This young man lost his leg due to a drunk driver, he was escorting a body from the mortuary with several others, when the driver of his vehicle lost control. We are presently enquiring about a prosthetic limb to enable him to again be the breadwinner for his family of seven children.

Since the September attack I closed down our Mulinde outreach clinic as being too vulnerable and dangerous for a nurse alone. Since then our nurse Lydiah carries on a daily programme of mobile medical services from our base, this gives us a wider coverage to more people in more remote areas. One day per week is also allotted to schools visitation.