Gem, Siaya County, Kenya, April 30, 2025
Photo: orthodoxafrica.org A guard at a church in Kenya was seriously wounded in an attack earlier this week, suffering the loss of an ear and a possible spinal injury.
The attack occurred at the St. Mary of Egypt Refuge Center in Gem, Kenya, where a group of thieves stole mattresses, blankets, and tools, and demanded to see the rector, Fr. Antipas Odhiambo. The church worker and guard, Otieno, “in his courage and loyalty,” stood in the way and was attacked with a machete, reports Orthodox Africa.
One of Otieno’s ears was cut off in the attack, and he suffered a deep wound to his lower back. It’s fear that his spinal cord may have been injured. Local villagers quickly rushed him to the local clinic, and with the help of emergency funds, he was later transferred to the Siaya Referral Hospital for more advanced care.
His condition remains critical.
Fr. Antipas says that, following the example of his spiritual father Hieromonk Silouan (Brown), the founder of the Orthodox Africa charitable organization and rector of the St. John the Wonderworker Orthodox Christian Mission Center in Kampala, Uganda, he won’t give in to fear but will continue his evangelizing mission.
In addition to Otieno’s health, there are also concerns about retaliatory violence. When Fr. Antipas learned that some young men intended to burn down the homes of the attackers, he intervened. “As painful as the attack has been, we must not repay violence with violence,” he says.
“Please continue to pray for Otieno’s healing, for the protection of our Mission, and for wisdom in responding to this evil with the heart and mind of Christ.”
Donations can be made to the St. Mary of Egypt Refuge Center through Orthodox Africa or GoFundMe.
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