For Immediate Release

July 7, 2011

WEA-RLC has learnt that at least six churches were attacked during the recent protests over constitutional amendments in Senegal in West Africa. These attacks in the national capital of Dakar are worrisome and puzzling, as this Muslim-majority country is seen as a model of tolerance and religious co-existence.

Protests erupted on June 23 after President Abdoulaye Wade made an attempt at what the civil society and political opposition called a “constitutional coup.” His government introduced a bill seeking constitutional amendment reducing the requirement of at least 50 percent votes to become President to 25 percent so that Wade, in power for 11 years, could remain in office.

“The protests had nothing to do with the churches that were attacked,” Executive Director Godfrey Yogarajah said. “It is also clear,” Godfrey added, “that the attacks were not spontaneous; they were planned and organized taking advantage of the protests. How else do you make sense of mobs launching attacks on six churches when there was absolutely no immediate provocation?”

Local sources have told WEA-RLC that the mobs targeted new churches including Pentecostal and Baptist, which are growing in the country. The Roman Catholic Church is seen as a traditional organization in Senegal, but some Protestant congregations are accused of having links with foreign groups and are therefore seen with suspicion.

While churches have been attacked in the country in the past, violence of this scale is a new development. Sufi Islam, to which the majority of Senegal’s Muslims belong, is widely believed to be tolerant. Over 90 percent of the 12.5 million people in the country are Muslim.

Abdoul Aziz Kebe, an Imam at a Dakar mosque and Professor of Islamology at Cheikh anta Diop University, condemned the violence, stressing that Islam calls for peaceful relations between Muslims and members of other religions, according to West Africa Democracy Radio.

“It is worrisome that no one, not even the government, has a clue who the attackers were although the attacks raise many questions. Does that mean a section of the Sufi Muslims have become extremist? If so, is a foreign group behind it or some insiders are promoting radical Islam? Who is their leader? What is the strength of this new grouping and what are their plans?” Godfrey said.

WEA-RLC urges the government to ensure religious freedom for all Christian and other groups, to investigate all aspects of the violence to nip in the bud the efforts to radicalise sections of the local Muslims, and to abstain from violently repressing the protests which will only lead to a state of anarchy in the country.

For further information please contact Godfrey Yogarajah, Executive Director, at wearlc@sltnet.lk, or visit http://www.worldevangelicals.org/commissions/rlc/.

The Religious Liberty Commission is monitoring the religious liberty situation in more than 100 nations, defending persecuted Christians, informing the global church, challenging the Church to pray (www.idop.org) and giving all possible assistance to those who are suffering. The Commission also makes fact-finding trips and meets with governments and ambassadors speaking up for the suffering brothers and sisters. At the United Nations, the Commission reports about the situation and arranges special hearings with Christians from countries under pressure.

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Note: Original article is in French and has been machine translated into English.

The leaders of the ransacked and/or set on fire churches call their faithful to remain calm and be tolerant, and ask the Sénégalaises authorities to protect the places of worship.

The religious leaders activate themselves to calm the spirits and to alleviate the tensions. L’ Association of the Churches and Ministères Pentecôtistes of Senegal (AEMPS) called the faithful Christians to calm and forgiveness.
It invited those which attack the places of worships to cease the attacks. This association whose all the 5 attacked churches are members also invited the faithful Moslems, Christians and all the population to observe the religious tolerance of which Senegal always been evident.

” We exhorted everyone, religious authorities but also our faithful to not to replicate” affirmed Pasteur Louis Louhaya, general secretary of l’ AEMPS. ”

It is necessary to forgive, that is the message of our Jesus Lord, we have that in our heart and we will live with that” he added.

The leaders Pentecotists finally asked the Sénégalaises authorities to dissuade the authors from these attacks and to take care of the protection of the places of worships. ”

I exhort them to do everything to take care of the safety of the people and property” said Bishop Abdoulaye Ba, president of l’ AEMPS. ”

With my Senegalese brothers (…), Senegal does not deserve that, we know only peace and the téranga, let us exert what our ancestors have us bequeathed” it has concludes.

Read original article published in French by WADR here…

Les leaders Chrétiens appellent au calme et invitent au pardon et à la tolérance au Sénégal by WADR. Uploaded with Newscoop

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Mission Trip to Sierra Leone and Liberia. Rev. Patrick R. Novak D/Min, P.H.D., Senior Pastor of Church of the Valley in Santa Clara, California discusses the church’s mission trip.

Pastor Patrick Novak introduces Marilyn Kibambe and Paige Takemoto, who offer testimony on the D.O.N.E. (“Discipling Our Nations Effectively”) mission trip to Africa.

From Church of the Valley in Santa Clara CA, Paige Takemoto shares the details of her church mission trip to Africa and how it has changed her life and outlook on the world, as well as her relationship with the Lord.

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On Wednesday January 21, 2009 Bishop Patrick Novak arrived in Freetown along with Marilyn,

Claudia and Paige to begin a two-day intensive seminar for leaders of the ministry using the First Principles Series. The following day the seminar got on the way with about 35 people in attendance. 25 came from the Leadership of  DONE and 10 came from the leadership of the Word of Faith Ministries. The Seminar began at 10am and ended by 4:30pm.
The Team Visit Word Of Faith Ministries

At about 5pm the team, accompany by five members of DONE Sierra Leone Leadership took off to visit Meshack, the Pastor and Overseer of the Word of Faith Ministries. Upon our arrival we were received by the Leadership of The Word of Faith Ministries Pastor Meshack and taken on a tour of the facilities. At the end of the tour an evening service was started with about 300 people in attendance.

We were welcome by the Pastor and General Overseer of the Ministry who spoke highly of looking forward to networking with DONE Ministries. Rev. Browne thanked the Pastor for the warm reception and stressed the need for churches to network in areas of common interest. Rev. Browne indicated that DONE Ministries was open and looks forward to work with the Word of Faith Ministries. Rev. Browne than introduced the member of the team including the local leadership that had accompanied him. During the Service Bishop Novak received word for a lady in the congregation who was suffering from severe pain in her abdomen. The lady showed up immediately. Bishop Novak prayed her for her and she was healed instantly.

The second day of the seminar did not hold as scheduled. Rev. Browne canceled it in consultation with Bishop Novak. There were too many activities to cover with less time. Since it was agreed that Rev. Browne would remain in Freetown for an additional month to continue the training he suggested that the team traveled to Kono and Bo waterside to see and get a first hand account of the work started by Pastor Michael Arona and Pastor George Cole. This was accepted but due to time the team could not visit Bo and Kono at the same time. Therefore it was agreed that the team visit Kono. When the team disembarked from their Monrovia flight, immediately they began their journey to Kono in a four wheel runner jeep. The journey took the team 16 hours to and fro Kono on a rocky and dusty road. In Kono the team spend the night at the Methodist Guest House. The next morning the team was led to the center where a service was held in honor of the team. Gifts produced by the center were presented to the team. Later the team was taken on a tour of the center by its Director who is  the assistant pastor to Michael Arona. The team departed Kona at 12noon, arrived at the airport at 9:30pm just on time to checked in and departed Freetown.

More tomorrow on the trip to Liberia with Bishop Dr. Novak…..

http://obispo.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/02/bishop-dr-pat-novak-visits-freetown-and-liberia.html

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Pastor A who went through the training will also start the 1st principle in Mbour, and Fissel.  The church in Dakar bought a Motorcycle for Pastor A to help accomplish this work.”

Learn more about Discipling Our Nations Effectively at doneinc.org

Learn more about Discipling Our Nations Effectively at doneinc.org

The community visited is 85 percent Muslim with a few thousand inhabitants.

I came in contact with B a former Christian whose bride price was paid by a Muslim and the Muslim village chief compelled her to convert. B informed me that her step daughter was missing for two weeks. During the period of search and comfort I observed that B was not interested in the effort made by her husband and family consulting a spiritualist to locate the girl.

As a result she was always contrary and not comfortable with suggestion given by the spiritual leaders. After consulting the oracle on one occasion, a group of spiritualist told the missing girl’s parents that a group of men had raped and killed the girl.

B refused to accept the result. On one occasion, she angrily told the rest of the family and the others who had gathered at their home, that she did not believe anything the spiritualists were saying, but rather the true God will deliver the girl in due time. She was severely slapped in the face by her husband.

After much tension I seize the opportunity like everyone else to comfort her. In the process I offered to pray with her for the first time. She accepted. I quietly and quickly prayed. We prayed quietly and with our eyes wide open to avoid being noticed by people who were standing around.

The next day while an Elder and I were in prayer meeting, B ushered in a woman and a gentleman who happen to the be uncle and mother of the missing girl. They requested for prayers concerning the missing child. We prayed. This continue for three days. On the beginning of the 4th day, B called my phone saying that God has done it. With a cry of joy she told me that the girl was found tied up in the home of a chief in a nearby town.

From that day B has been allowed to worship her God. With the assistance of her husband she has been provided a place at her parent’s home were a group of 17 people meet every Thursday to fellowship and study the Word of God. Praise the Name of God.

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All names and towns are changed or abbreviated because of security concerns in this region.

Learn more about Discipling Our Nations Effectively at doneinc.org

All names and towns are changed or abbreviated because of security concerns in this region.

Learn more about Discipling Our Nations Effectively at doneinc.org

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

The good news of the birth of God’s Son first came as a proclamation from his prophet. How wonderful it is to celebrate new life! Especially when a child is born; It brings happiness, excitement, great expectation, laughter, commitment, provision, healing, etc.

Therefore as we observe and celebrate the birth of the greatest one who ever lived on the face of this earth, Jesus Christ, the Joy to the world, Let us make it our prayer that the message of Peace and Joy will be proclaimed to the ends of the world. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Pray for the following:

PRAYER REQUEST

Pray that the Holy Spirit will work in hearts of those who listen.

Pray for the Fulanis, Wolof, and Serre tribes in Senegal, pray for the Bambara tribe in Mali and Moussi tribe in Burkina Faso, who have heard the gospel message, through believers, radio and even television broadcasts. Pray that words of Scripture, testimonies, Bible stories, and other Bible truths will return to their minds to stir their hearts to trust and obey Christ.

Pray for our Missionaries who are working in the villages in Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal where Islam is highly dominated. Pray for God’s guardians, and support for them.

Pray for Pastor Browne as he set off on a mission trip to Liberia and, Pray for traveling mercy, God’s grace and for the will of God to be accomplish during his stay, pray for funds for his up keep in Liberia and Sierra Leone

Pray for Evangelist Babacar Ba and Pastor Antoine Dior who will be going on a mission among the Fullani tribe one of the most unreached people group in Senegal.

Thank the Lord for answered Prayers:

Thank God for the successful beginning of CPM (church planting)
Thank God for proving funds for Rev. Browne’s travel to Liberia

Thank God for proving funds for Pastor Peter Paye to go Liberia.

Thank the Lord for Pastor Jean Mara, after being rejected and persecuted by his church and people of his village he has been restored and leading the church.

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