The Diocese of Kitui, Kenya, which is linked to the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis through the Archdiocesan Partnership and recently hosted a delegation of visitors from this Archdiocese, is currently under the threat of a devastating food shortage crisis. Fr. Robert Mutui, the Vicar General of the Kitui Diocese said by telephone on January 29, 2008 that “The situation here is very terrible.”

The media has recently, 2011, reported on the widespread and dangerous drought that has been devastating crops, livestock and children in Eastern Africa. Kitui, Kenya is also feeling the terrible effect of this drought,

It is estimated that more than 2 million people in Kenya alone face imminent starvation, according to a report released by Caritas, the Kenya Bishops humanitarian organization. Kitui is among the areas of Kenya which are worst affected, with virtually their entire crop having dried up due to lack of sustained rains during the planting season.

The food crisis is a result of a combination of various factors: successive crop failures due to poor rains, the post-election crisis of a year ago which interrupted planting in the eastern part of Kenya, and escalating food prices.

Archbishop Boniface Lele, Archbishop of the neighboring Mombasa Archdiocese, has urged swift action. Describing the seriousness of the situation, he reported to the Catholic Information Service in Africa that, “Many people manage to have only one unbalanced meal per day, and sometimes no food at all.”

Moreover, Archbishop Lele said that the famine is creating environmental havoc due to excessive cutting, burning and selling of firewood at cheap prices for survival. It may even force young people into prostitution, child labor, and drug abuse, he said.

For the members of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis who are engaged with the Archdiocesan Partnership with Kitui, the news has been disturbing. Keely Wojda of St. Mark’s Parish in St. Paul, who traveled to Kitui in September, has urged a Friday fast as a reminder of the daily struggle for food in Kitui. Eric Simon of Mary, Mother of the Church in Burnsville, who also traveled to Kitui with the Partnership delegation, said: “In this day and age of instant information, it is not uncommon to hear about droughts and famine, which are awful enough. But when it is with people we have met face-to-face and have come to know and love through our Partnership, it grabs at your heart. It is terribly, terribly important that we help, as we would our own community.”

You can participate in the Kitui famine relief effort. Donations will be forwarded to Catholic Relief Services in Kenya. Send your donations to:

c/o Kitui Famine Relief
Center for Mission
328 West Kellogg Blvd
St. Paul, MN 55102.

Or click here to make an online contribution and designate “Kitui Famine Relief”