A prominent Kenyan bishop said Lent is a time to celebrate and experience God’s mercy, then donated clothing and food to more than 4,000 households in Ngong on behalf of the bishops’ conference. Bishop Cornelius Arap Korir of Eldoret called on Kenyans to forget their past experiences and to forgive and love one another as the country moves toward a general election in 2017.
Launching the national Lenten campaign on Feb. 7, Bishop Korir said Kenyans “need to shun corruption, negative ethnicity and radicalization and embrace oneness, tolerance of one another and creation of job opportunities for the youth.”
Before the service in the city’s cathedral, church leaders joined government officials in a walk through Ngong. Later, the food and clothing were donated to households in Ngong’s Mathare slum. The bishops’ campaign asks Kenyans to pray and reflect on responsible citizenry, care for the environment, family values, insecurity and corruption. In the preface to the bishops’ Lenten guide, Bishop Korir said, “Kenya is a blessed country, but when we do not take responsibility of our affairs and when we remove God from our dealings, we lose a lot”.
