WINNIPEG – It started as a regular day at school and ended as a horrific terrorist attack that killed nearly 150 students and many others trying to help.
On April 2nd, Islamic extremists targeted Garissa University in eastern Kenya. Families and friends of the slain are still mourning.
“After Lidya was shot, these people beheaded her and that’s just beyond comprehension,” Isaac Gwendo, whose family friend lost a daughter in the attack.
Kenneth Otieno lost his niece, a solider trying to rescue the students. He is now trying to move on by helping organize events for Kenyan Canadians in Winnipeg.
“Even to those who killed our relatives, we want to tell them if they come out and ask for forgiveness, we will surely forgive them… however painful it is,” said Otieno.
On Sunday, a group of Kenyan Canadians joined together at Immanuel Fellowship Church to gather support for those experiencing attacks back home by speaking with one voice, against terrorism.
“When things like this happen, you ask yourself where is humanity going… so we pray that people don’t lose hope,” said Otieno.
Hoping that standing together and raising awareness will result in positive change, one day.
“We know we don’t live in a perfect world so people are bound to disagree, but there are better ways of sorting out disagreement,” Vincent Apiyo of the Kenya Association of Manitobans.
Comments