Post-election violence between two major tribes in Kenya has left hundreds dead and thousands displaced. Normally existing as the country of peace on a war-torn continent, Kenya is now on the news because of violence, desperation and destruction. What many people did not hear about were the Americans in the midst of the violence faced with fear and anxiety as a result of feeling trapped because of the events.

SportsPlus had a team of 13 individuals traveling to Kenya to spend Christmas with a school and orphanage in western Kenya. What they did not know is that it would be a Christmas that they would not soon forget.

Below is an excerpt from a team member’s journal from this experience:

“Kenya is going through some sort of civil war and uprising as a result of the presidential elections that were held on December 27. Our team arrived there on the 19th, so we were there during all the campaigning and saw everything unfold from the beginning. The riots began all around us on the 28th and 29th as the votes were being counted. We had to stay inside our house one day because it was unsafe to be outside. One of our team members was attacked at a road block set up by mobbers and was forced to flee from danger and spend the night in the airport because it was the only safe haven that could be found in the city. After that, the riots worsened. The Embassy contacted us to make sure we we were alive and well. Western Kenya was the worst place for rioting and violence through this whole ordeal, and that is where we were stationed. The Embassy informed us to either stay put and lay low in the village (literally, put ourselves under house arrest for an indefinite period of time, possibly weeks or months) or get out of the country immediately.

We chose to evacuate midday on January 2nd. We had to quickly say goodbye to the children at the school where we had been serving. With many tears and hugs, we quickly loaded up and headed home to pack. We could only pack a small bag and had to leave most of our belongings behind since there was no room to bring bags on the vans. The only safe way to the airport, which was about 2 hours away, was with a police escort. Our team rode in vans with armed guards carrying machine guns to get safely to the Kisumu airport. We were so scared that a few people were sick to their stomachs.

The ride to the airport was unforgettable. We saw smoke rising all around us in the villages where the riots had been taking place. People had been setting each others houses on fire and destroying business and stores as a result of the corrupt election. Vans and cars were turned upside down and burned in the middle of the roads. All the debris was still there, so we were forced to go off-road at times to dodge the destruction. It was like being in a war movie…

Once we got to the airport, we were “safe” as there were armed guards there to watch over us. Half of us spent the night in the airport that night and the other half were able to get a flight out to Nairobi. After about 3 days of travel, we were able to safely get back home to the States.

It’s crazy…people keep asking how I am dealing with all of this. They naturally assume that I won’t be going back anytime soon because of the sudden, fearful evacuation. To their surprise (and sometimes mine), I tell them that I can’t get back to the mission field soon enough. Why? Because God is bigger than our fears, our doubts, our struggles. He was with us the entire time and allowed His peace to be bigger than our understanding. However, if God would have decided to take me home during that trip, what better way to leave this Earth than by doing the will of the One who called me? I can’t think of one…”

—Lori, SportsPlus Kenya team member

View a video of Christmas morning as the team was able to deliver hope to the children at an orphanage and school in Western Kenya.