No doubt you have seen the disturbing images and stories: the worst drought to hit the Horn of Africa in 60 years is devastating areas in northeast Kenya, southeast Ethiopia, and Somalia. (Click here for a map.)

Thousands of Somali refugees are fleeing the drought-ravaged region and humanitarian organizations are struggling to meet the desperate need posed by chronic malnutrition, especially in children.

Although our projects in Kenya and Ethiopia are some distance from the hardest-hit areas in Somalia, the entire region is struggling as the price of basic food stuffs rises dramatically.

Many of the communities we serve depend on herding animals for their income and survival; as the drought worsens, it is more difficult for flocks to find proper pasture. Some communities in northern Kenya have seen an increase in dangerous and violent raids to steal livestock.

Mission of Mercy has been monitoring the the prolonged drought in several regions in Kenya. Thanks to the resources available in our Children's Crisis Fund, we have provided over
1 million protein-enriched rice meals to ensure the children in our programs could eat. We are also providing clean sources of water.

Together with several international partners, we are coordinating the delivery of more food packets. Our staff in Kenya and Ethiopia continue to check the health of the children, who are often the most vulnerable in times of great need. Our health care workers are trained to evaluate the nutrition needs of the children, utilizing Medical Mercy assessment tools and a “rapid rescue” program for those at great risk.

Please join us in prayer for the people in this region:

• That humanitarian organizations already on the ground will have the means and supplies to respond.
• That the needed materials, medicine, and food would flow unhindered from the organizations, through the governments and customs, and into the hands of the people who need it most.
• That the donation of additional food packets for Mission of Mercy projects would go quickly, and that our partner organizations would be blessed.
• That the global Church would respond to these desperate situations.
• That the communities we serve are protected in terms of the health of the families as well as safety from raiding livestock thieves.

If you are interested in helping us meet the needs in this increasingly desperate region, please consider giving to our Children’s Crisis Fund, which provides for the acute health needs of children as well as nutritional aids like the rice packs our children call Manna.