Monday, February 16, 2009

Attack victims still head back to Kenya

An impressive story in the Edmonton Sun tells of a couple of missionaries who are heading back to Kenya. It's the fact that they are heading back after being beaten and left for dead which is impressive.

John and Eloise Bergen are expanding efforts to help widows and orphans in Kenya. The story by the Sun's Dave Dormer describes the attack, and what the missionaries are doing with their return trip.

Four months after arriving to help build orphanages near the town of Kitale, in March 2008, the couple was attacked by a group of nine men -including two guards assigned to protect them.

John was beaten with machetes and left in a bush - suffering several broken bones and dozens of serious cuts - while Eloise was attacked inside their home.

After several surgeries and months spent recuperating with family in Canada and the U.S., the couple began fundraising once again in August and returned to Kitale in January, not only to testify against the men who attacked them, but to continue helping people they say desperately need it.

"We've been able to move on purchasing two properties of land for the purpose of orphanages, schools, wells and gardens," said John.

"One of the parcels is a five-acre piece close to the seven-acre farm (where) we already have a number of boys off the streets."

And on that parcel, workers recently completed digging irrigational channels, which John said will be instrumental in lifting people living in the area out of poverty and despair.

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