On the night of the 30th of December 2007 Kenya exploded in the turmoil of ethnic clashes the post election violence. During the following two months 1,200 people were killed and more than 260,000 people were chased from their homes. One of the hotspots of the conflict was Kibera, one of the largest slum in Sub-Saharan Africa. Right in the middle of this slum was a small church called Springs of Life Lutheran Church. This church was looted and burned and many of its members lost their homes and all their belongings - they were threatened and suffered great traumas. In this book you can learn about what happened to this church and its members - but more importantly you will learn about how this church, through its daily work were able to play a healing and reconciling role in the life of its members and to a certain degree, in the life of its local community. The book will also explore some of the general assets and strenghts, but also limitations and weaknesses, that defines the role of a church as a tool of reconciliation. Lastly the book discusses how the church can assume its rightfull position as a reconciler in a stronger and better way than what we often see today.

Autorentext

Andreas Viumdal(b 1972) was a journalist for 12 years before he pursued a carrier within international development and peace work. He spent 2 years working within these fields in the Middle East and Africa before writing his master thesis at the School of Mission and Theolog, Stavanger. Viumdal in now working as a project advisor in Pym in Oslo.