Serving the Persecuted Church in Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa

Bush Telegraph Missions

© copyright 2015

KENYA

Letter from Open Doors USA regarding the attack April 3rd on University of Nairobi students in Garissa. It was done by Al-Shabaab, an extremist Muslim group based in Somalia. 

Dear Friends of the Persecuted Church,

        “Open Doors USA advocacy director Kristin Wright says, ‘… gunmen entered these areas and demanded that people express what their religion was. So they let all the Muslims go free and held the Christians’.

      “Al-Shabaab is a Somali group that USA designated as a foreign terrorist group in March 2008. Their goal: to turn Somalia into a fundamentalist Islamic state. The group has links to al-Qaeda and made a name for themselves last month by threatening shopping centers connected to the Westfield Shopping Centers like the one they attacked in Nairobi, Kenya in 2013.

       “By early afternoon Thursday, security forces had swept the university campus and killed 4 attackers. At press time, the Interior Minister reported 150 dead. It started about 4 am when gunmen stormed the Christian Students’ Union prayer meeting on campus.

         “The militants held hundreds of hostages in a standoff that lasted several hours. On the issue of their targets, it was specific, says Wright. ‘They’re very clearly targeting Christians in this instance. This Islamist terror group has an agenda: they’re working to eradicate Christians in this area, and so these Christian schools and churches are common targets.”

       “Most of the dormitory residents attacked are non-Muslims who come from outside of the area. There are usually about 800 students on campus, but many had left for Easter break.

         “Some of the escaped students sought refuge at the local airstrip and tensely waited out the stand-off. “They fled in their undergarments and night clothes. The Red Cross [has] helped them with some clothing.”

       “The attack followed a security warning of a terror attack issued by University Security on March 25. It might have been retaliation for the killing of two terror suspects last week, whose bodies have not been released to relatives. 

       “Christians in the West please pray for your brothers and sisters. Take action to encourage them. Pray for the victims of the attack, and for their families. Due to previous trauma suffered, many Christians are fearful. Pray for God’s intervention in this situation and His comfort and grace to all affected.”

Open Doors Staff

SOUTH SUDAN, LEER. Last month Pastor John (of Congo) wrote about his Trauma Ministry Outreach in Leer, South Sudan. He only now was able to send photos of his time there. We are posting them on our website at www.bushtelegraphafrica.com  We invite you to take a look!

[Note: due to unforeseen circumstances, Dr. Rob was forced to leave the hospital and requests prayer for his future and the ongoing ministry of Samaritan Hospital staff.]              

In the Living God, Rob and Nancy 

           “I can still hear my father quoting it with the family gathered around the large dining room table:  ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths’.”  Proverbs 3:5

       “Pray for … Samaritan’s Purse…. And pray for Drs. Atar and Gersam, who shoulder the surgical load along with medical, pediatric and obstetric challenges.  Also, please pray for locally-trained Sudanese hospital staff.  They are supported by 4 chaplains who move from bed-to-bed daily, praying for the sick. 

       “UNICEF reports that more than 12,000 children have been abducted by both sides to serve as child soldiers.  The dead number over 50,000; the displaced, nearly two million.  As fighting intensifies, hunger stalks 4 million people - more than 1/3rd of the population.  But even in Juba, the capital, controlled by the Dinka government, there are tragic stories like our hospital worker, Deng, who was caught and killed. He did nothing wrong. 

       “Many afflicted are women and children.  The pressure and stress of working in a war-torn country are balanced by the joy of providing loving care in Christ’s name. South Sudan remains in civil war. It’s complicated by more than 20 militia groups loyal to the ‘Dinka government or the ‘Nuer rebels’.  Recently, the 8th attempt at peace talks ended without success, and the conflict is escalating.  

 Dear Friends, 

       “… We are extremely busy at Samaritan’s Purse Hospital in Mabaan County.  The health needs of more than 1/4th million people are cared for by mission clinics across South Sudan – serious problems requiring surgery are brought to our Hospital. Along with the other two doctors and our Samaritan’s Purse team, we live together in a tented compound and spend long days and weekends caring for needy patients.                 

SOUTH SUDAN. Letter from missionary Dr. Rob Congdon with an update on the war.

Dr. Rob Congdon examines a Sudanese woman

SPECIAL INSERT PAGE – UPDATE ON SOUTH SUDAN