latest update - from cambridge

Once again Bronwen is finding it difficult to get on the net and give you more news so she has asked me to give my version of the latest.
She is now fully recovered from Malaria and had a good weekend in Nairobi with Scovia and Nyox and saw Lucy from Cambridge who flew in prior to an organised trip. The two girls will be travelling togther later. Bronwen has since then written a large chunk of blogs to tell you what went on over new year but the internet access at Yasha school has not been working well and the last 48 hours have been quite frightening.
Late Friday night - as I was talking to her on the phone- gunshots could be heard. The school has Kalenjin on one side and Kikuyu on the other fighting back and forth in the area. A little later they could see the neighboring houses about 500m away up in flames. They could hear screams and sirens and a huge fire rising in the sky. The children at Yasha were very frightened and the adults too. No-one slept properly. Next morning a decision was made to leave. The school may be the next target as the land is rented from a Kikuyu man and so the other groups will burn it down to get at him, not to get at the Ventners or the school kids - they are just in the wrong place. The school wil remain closed for at least a week. It was only half open last week anyway as many parents wanted to keep children home in case of a sudden need to flee.
'Everyone' packed a small bag - including Bronwen, and squeezed into the Ventner car to attempt to get to safety. By 'everyone' I mean the Venters and various children with no relatives nearby. The staff and other local school families who have been sheltering in the school area have nowhere else to go and so will stay and run into the forest if necessary. So Bronwen and the others are in a car trying to get to Nakuru - which has been closed to outsiders for the last few days. Armed men refusing entry on Friday when Lydia wanted to go to the dentist and Bronwen was trying to return to the red cross! Luckily they found a vehicle carrying wounded to hospital - accompanied by army conscripts waving guns. They were given permission to follow for a while. Then everything stopped and the soldiers came over - they held the gun close to the car and said that the 'family' could only follow on payment of a charge - Lydia handed over the cash (gb£7) willingly - Wilco through gritted teeth- and were allowed to continue. The armed youths at Nakuru let the convoy, which had by now acquired a police escort, through at last and they were able to go through the town safely. In town Bronwen could go to the bank and withdraw money donated to Yasha from the church and collected at my annual teaparty and a little extra so that if her card gets lost or stolen Lydia will be able to 'post' her some. She could also buy more phone credit so we are back in touch. Bronwen is now back under the safety umbrella of the Red Cross and very grateful for it. She says there is a real difference when you are out 'in the bush' and on your own compared to the protection of being in an organisation. After a period of the Red Cross camps winding down they have gone up to three camps being run from their centre and another in Naivasha opened after the trouble there today.
Lydia and Wilco got through to Nairobi and dropped off the children with relatives there. They have gone on with the adopted children to Garissa which is south of Nairobi and is more stable at the moment.

I ask you all to think of her and those of you who can , to pray for her continued safety. It may be some time before she gets on to the web so please be patient for news.