This is the latest report on the situation in Jos from our Managing Director in Nigeria, Craig Ewoldt. Please pray for peace and the safety of all Oasis employess in this troubled city.
This past month in Jos has been challenging. The festivities and joy of Christmas Eve were interrupted by several bombs in public areas which killed and maimed over one hundred innocent people. Jos has been unsettled since with incidents and threats of violence and retaliation.
But there are also reports of peacemakers—among others, a Muslim youth leader who has turned from violence to promoting peace, and an Assemblies of God pastor who has been working with both Christian and Muslim youth. During this most recent crisis, it is reported that his church was surrounded by youth to protect it from a mob that wanted to burn it—Muslim youth that he had befriended and mentored that told the mob they could not burn this church.
We ate lunch this Saturday with Professor Danny McCain and Mary his wife. He told of meetings he has participated in with hundreds of youth leaders, both Muslim and Christian in local theaters to train and promote for peace, ending in commitments by these youth to work for peace. And these youth were out in front a week or two ago as Christian and Muslim youth were ready to fight. Danny reported that the next day, many of them came back with thanks for the training—“Many of us would have been dead this morning if you hadn’t worked with us.” I wish that BBC, VOA and other media would begin to report these efforts.
We just unpacked a book today entitled Apocalypse Later, Why the Gospel of PEACE Must Trump the POLITICS of Prophesy in the Middle East by Abdu H. Murray, a Muslim background believer. What he describes is very close to what we are experiencing here. And he echoes what we have been considering here in Jos—the Gospel of Jesus Christ is really the answer if we are to have peace. He revived the old quote, “No Jesus, no peace; know Jesus, know peace.” Not trite, often not tried, but true.
Hillcrest School has not reopened from Christmas break, and will be closed for another week, but for a different reason. The Nigerian government is using school campuses around the country to register voters for the upcoming elections in April. Hillcrest will reopen next week, and Beth will be able to resume her teaching.
On Saturday we attended the funeral of Anne Burke, an SIM missionary in Jos and a friend of ours. She was 58, and died suddenly of an aortic aneurism. We will miss her. The funeral was a wonderful testimony to her life and also of the mission and Christian community here. Peter and Anne were planning to go home to Australia today (Monday) to visit their family. It is a reminder of our own mortality.
Throughout the crisis, the Oasis Bookshop remained open, but at reduced hours. This is possible because we are in a more secure area of Jos. We are thankful that we have been able to continue to minister though literature during the latest crisis. It seems to be calming down, but even today we received reports of more incidents over the weekend. These continued crises are polarizing Jos into Christian and Muslim areas—regrettably with “no go zones” where it is unsafe for each group to go.
So how can you pray for us?
Thanksgiving for the peace efforts that are being made in Jos.
Thanksgiving for the safety of our community, staff and facilities during the recent crisis.
Thankfulness that we were able to continue to minister during this period.
For Jos—peace, justice and reconciliation. If anyone has been brought to justice for the thousands of killings in Jos crises, we are unaware of it.
For Nigeria and the upcoming elections, that they would be fair and peaceful.
For Beth and Hillcrest, that they would be able to complete the year without further disruptions.
For Craig and Oasis—we need more low cost Bibles quickly. Please pray that there would be no further delays in shipping them.
Please pray for Peter Burke on the sudden loss of his wife Anne.
We are thankful as we remember that you regularly pray for us and support us.
Serving together,
Craig and Beth
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