Somali Christians struggle in Kenya

[Jacaylbaro]

BBC News, Nairobi , 1 Sept. 2008--In a secluded house just outside the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, a group of men and women meet at least once a week to worship in secret.

 

Their prayer session is simple and conducted in Somali. Elders take turns to pray or read verses from the Somali bible before a sermon is delivered. There are dozens of Somalis living in Nairobi who have converted from Islam to Christianity.

 

Some say they have been practising Christianity for more than 10 years. But they live in constant fear of persecution from members of the Somali community, which is predominantly Muslim.

 

There is a sizeable Somali community in Kenya, comprising ethnic Somali Kenyans, and a large number of refugees from Somalia. Most of the community lives in Nairobi's Eastleigh Estate, which is now referred to as Little Mogadishu, after Somalia's capital.

 

Fundamentalist threat

 

Many of the refugees fled the war in Somalia.

 

For a few, it was the threat of religious persecution that forced them to leave their homes and seek refuge in Kenya.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Sheeko dalac bilaash iyo barobagaanda kale raqiis ah.

 

It doesn't look like wax BBC qoreen, ee intee ka keentay?

[Jacaylbaro]

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