December 6, 2010
By Dr. Chris Braun, Alliance Regional Director for Africa
The following is an adapted excerpt from Dr. Braun’s plea to the worldwide Alliance family.
We definitely need our Alliance family to pray for the Côte d’Ivoire situation. Right now, this nation has two men proclaiming to be president; each has named his prime minister.
President Gbagbo—who apparently lost with 46 percent of the recent presidential vote—is not only proclaiming that he is still president, but he is also blaming the international community for the current impasse, since it refuses to acknowledge his election.
FATEAC Team Advised to Leave Country
One good thing about this situation is that he is trying to show that everything is normal, so he has reopened the airport and borders, at least for a time.
In light of this new development, our International Ministry team at West Africa Alliance Theological Seminary (FATEAC)—Jeter and Laura Livingston, Randy and Deanna Harrison, and Matt and Cindy Cook—has been advised by FATEAC dean Dr. Isaac Keita, in collaboration with the Africa regional office, to temporarily withdraw from the country while things get sorted out, and the airport is open.
The Livingstons and Deanna Harrison already have tickets to leave the country to participate in the Africa Regional Leadership Team/Church-Planting Conference, beginning this week in Senegal, December 9-16.
Please pray specifically that:
The key RCI political players will come to a peaceful resolution
God will protect the country from unnecessary violence unleashed by the candidates’ frustrated supporters
Our team will be able to obtain tickets to travel to Dakar and that God will care for them during their time away from their homes
God would bless Isaac and Rachel Keita, who are staying in Abidjan with their children and the FATEAC community
Participants who must fly through Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire’s capital, will arrive at the conference successfully
God Hears You!
I want to thank the greater Alliance constituency for your prayers—the neat thing is that God hears and answers them! We saw this most recently during the Guinean post-election situation. It was resolved, with the losing candidate ultimately acknowledging his loss and encouraging his followers to accept the new president.
Gratefully, Chris
What You Can Do
First, pray! Then give to Alliance Great Commission Ministries. In doing so, you partner with overseas workers, like our Africa teams, to spread the good news of Christ’s reconciling love with those who have no hope.