Dear Friends and Ministry Partners,
We are looking to options on how to best help our brethren witness and share during these difficult days in Cote d'Ivoire. For the moment, the best we can do is pray. I provide you the following note with the author's permission (I was able to call him though electricity had been cut again). I received it Wednesday AM while beside Deb at the hospital following her surgery. It should inform your prayers for the moment in asking that Love and Wisdom be evident in our individual and corporate responses to our brothers' needs.
This translation became available because of help given through FaceBook by Rejane Eagleton, a missionary friend who formerly served in Cote d'Ivoire with us and now continues working with her husband Kenneth in Brazil. Additional information can be found by perusing other postings by following the links to the right of this blog page.
In Eternal service together,
Verlin
*******
Good morning,
Since Wednesday, 03/30/2011, Republican forces (Alassane’s side) returned to Abidjan to launch a final assault, forcing people to stay inside their homes. Often they are without water and power much of the time (frequent electricity cuts).
Before (as a result of desertions from the Forces of Defense & Security, Gbagbo's side), during, and after the conquest of each locality, there was looting of homes and shops by armed groups. In addition to the cars confiscated by soldiers so that they can move around, thieves come and collect everything in their way, even disassembling cars that are not in working condition. This creates a psyschosis of fear in the neighborhoods that have not yet been visited . The residents in some neighborhoods have to keep watch nearly every night. The curfew which began April 3rd continues daily from 12AM to 6AM.
Sensing the threat before the assault, several families, or brothers and sisters, moved to cities of the interior, away from the capital, hoping that this conflict would be of short duration.
In the section of town called Abobo, the fighting has endured several weeks. This has caused the population, particularly our church brothers and sisters there to move in with other families in other neighborhoods of Abidjan for refuge, or into the nation's interior. The pastor of our church there and his family left towards the Ghana border. All Monday was very difficult for all neighborhoods in Abidjan due to airplane attacks on targets held by the Forces of Defense and Security (FDS = Gbagbo’s side). Shells fell in many neighborhoods and struck targets beyond those intended.
At the moment, even those who could set aside provisions are starting to have lack, not to mention that cooking gas has been unavailable weeks in advance. We know that you are praying for us and we want to thank you for your support.
Prayer items:
- We thank the Lord for protecting his children 'til now.
- Continue praying that God will intervene in a very special and unseen way to convince all sides to surrender their weapons (even those who do not side with either side but illegally own a weapon) and unite themselves, and submit themselves to the authority that will be established by God (whoever is president), respecting each other's rights and duties.
- Ask that God supply the needs of the population, for, in addition to the already bankrupt companies and layoffs, the fighting and looting of recent days have depleted several companies and families who will struggle to recover. The cost of living will be very expensive due to the embargoes that caused a lot of products missing in the market. Also, the banks have been closed and people have stopped going to work because of fighting.
- Pray God heal the broken hearts and cure all wounded people.
- Request that God intervene and sow the seeds of love and forgiveness inside their hearts; that He cast away all feelings of vengeance and uprising in the population.
- Pray the fear of the Lord inhabit all hearts and may His children glorify His name in this nation.
May God bless you.
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