Conservative Kenyans Could Be Missing A Point
The Ark of the Covenant is described in the Bible as a sacred container, wherein rested the Tablets of stone containing the Ten Commandments as well as other sacred Israelite pieces. According to the Biblical account, the Ark was built at the command of God, in accord with Moses' prophetic vision on Mount Sinai (Exodus 25:9-10). God communicated with Moses "from between the two cherubim" on the Ark's cover (Exodus 25:22).
It is the most significant symbol of God's direct hand to mankind. It represents God's personal presence. The claim of its presence in Kenya has the world looking at this small East African country with renewed focus. There is no dispute that the Ark is associated with holiness and its presence represented God's presence a fact felt by all as told in the Bible.
Kenya has been largely peaceful even long before its independence from the British in 1963, safe for a few isolated cases of skirmishes here and there. It has been the regional safe haven for refugees from all the neighbouring countries. People from Somali, Uganda, Rwanda and the Sudan have for many years made Kenya their home due to political instability in their respective countries.
Political differences however almost plunged the country into a civil war early this year. Claims of a stolen election result and highly charged ethnic differences divided the country into two major groups, the victims and the culprits. Whether or not the election results were rigged to favour either party, remains a complex issue that legal experts are still trying to unravel.
But all is well that ends well. The two leading rivals in Kenya politics, president Mwai Kibaki and prime minister Raila Odinga agreed to form a coalition government returning the country to sanity. People who had been displaced from their homes are returning back home. Kenya will soon return to the usual path of peace and progress.
The quick resolution of the Kenyan solution can be attributed to the fast response by the International community. From the onset, the world made it clear that they will not sit aside and watch Kenya degenerate into another Rwanda. There was massive coverage of events by the day, in the international media. The situation was not bad enough to warrant the international community to send in peace keepers, but they seemed ready for any eventuality.
It is easy to say that had the international community not taken a firm stand about Kenya, the country would have slipped to a full scale civil war. But the religious college of elders who are in charge of the shrines up Mount Kenya hold a different view. Their spokesman, who prefers to be called the Chief Seer's messenger, warned the country of the situation as early as 2006. He was in a one man's campaign to save a country through a radio programme. He however assured the people that there are certain guarantees that God gives the Kenyan people as long as the Ark of the covenant is in the country. The country can never go to a full scale war.
Another preacher from the US, Thomas Manton also gave a detailed prophesy about Kenya, the troubled elections, who the winner will be, the troubled aftermath and what the country expects to see in the next five years. He described the country as a Holy Nation in his message. So far, his prophesy has been opening page for page with what the country is witnessing.
This brings us to the question, why hasn't Kenya taken the initiative to market itself as a place of God? Why is there no designed place of worship around Mount Kenya, for people wishing to have quiet moments with God? A study of religious tourism statistics from around the world shows just what the country could be missing. Israel, is a an ideal example of where tourism based on religion can take a country.
Being home to most sites mentioned in the New Testament, Israel receives tourists throughout the year, the security situation not withstanding. The yearly visits to the Kaaba in Saudi Arabia for Muslims is also another example of highly successful tourism based on religion. It looks like it is a highly protected policy to keep everything about the Mount Kenya shrines as top secrets, but in a world that has been made a global village in this communication age, there will be wisdom in sharing some of the mysteries surrounding the shrines. At the very minimum, a place of prayer and worship should be set aside for Christians to be able to identify with the Mountain of God.
It is the most significant symbol of God's direct hand to mankind. It represents God's personal presence. The claim of its presence in Kenya has the world looking at this small East African country with renewed focus. There is no dispute that the Ark is associated with holiness and its presence represented God's presence a fact felt by all as told in the Bible.
Kenya has been largely peaceful even long before its independence from the British in 1963, safe for a few isolated cases of skirmishes here and there. It has been the regional safe haven for refugees from all the neighbouring countries. People from Somali, Uganda, Rwanda and the Sudan have for many years made Kenya their home due to political instability in their respective countries.
Political differences however almost plunged the country into a civil war early this year. Claims of a stolen election result and highly charged ethnic differences divided the country into two major groups, the victims and the culprits. Whether or not the election results were rigged to favour either party, remains a complex issue that legal experts are still trying to unravel.
But all is well that ends well. The two leading rivals in Kenya politics, president Mwai Kibaki and prime minister Raila Odinga agreed to form a coalition government returning the country to sanity. People who had been displaced from their homes are returning back home. Kenya will soon return to the usual path of peace and progress.
The quick resolution of the Kenyan solution can be attributed to the fast response by the International community. From the onset, the world made it clear that they will not sit aside and watch Kenya degenerate into another Rwanda. There was massive coverage of events by the day, in the international media. The situation was not bad enough to warrant the international community to send in peace keepers, but they seemed ready for any eventuality.
It is easy to say that had the international community not taken a firm stand about Kenya, the country would have slipped to a full scale civil war. But the religious college of elders who are in charge of the shrines up Mount Kenya hold a different view. Their spokesman, who prefers to be called the Chief Seer's messenger, warned the country of the situation as early as 2006. He was in a one man's campaign to save a country through a radio programme. He however assured the people that there are certain guarantees that God gives the Kenyan people as long as the Ark of the covenant is in the country. The country can never go to a full scale war.
Another preacher from the US, Thomas Manton also gave a detailed prophesy about Kenya, the troubled elections, who the winner will be, the troubled aftermath and what the country expects to see in the next five years. He described the country as a Holy Nation in his message. So far, his prophesy has been opening page for page with what the country is witnessing.
This brings us to the question, why hasn't Kenya taken the initiative to market itself as a place of God? Why is there no designed place of worship around Mount Kenya, for people wishing to have quiet moments with God? A study of religious tourism statistics from around the world shows just what the country could be missing. Israel, is a an ideal example of where tourism based on religion can take a country.
Being home to most sites mentioned in the New Testament, Israel receives tourists throughout the year, the security situation not withstanding. The yearly visits to the Kaaba in Saudi Arabia for Muslims is also another example of highly successful tourism based on religion. It looks like it is a highly protected policy to keep everything about the Mount Kenya shrines as top secrets, but in a world that has been made a global village in this communication age, there will be wisdom in sharing some of the mysteries surrounding the shrines. At the very minimum, a place of prayer and worship should be set aside for Christians to be able to identify with the Mountain of God.