March 1, 2013
Shot Seven Times
A Christian businessman recently traveled with his wife to a small town near Mali’s capital, Bamako. (He says he told one individual about their planned trip.)
When the couple arrived at the turnoff to the town, several men opened fire. The businessman was shot in the head seven times, and his wife was grazed by a bullet.
Somehow, the man was able to continue driving his wife into town, where the two were treated for their wounds before being airlifted to another country for additional medical attention.
Remarkably, the injured man was back in Mali singing God’s praise three days later!
But the story doesn’t end there.
Later, the men who had attempted to kill the couple were overheard talking to several others about the incident. “We intended to kill him,” they said. “But when we were shooting him, he just disappeared and we couldn’t see him.”
Two Hours
On the day the rebels were moving south toward the town of Konna in central Mali, Pastor John, an evangelical minister in the area, recalls that his heart was heavy and his spirit disturbed.
So John made a phone call to a pastor friend in Bamako and explained that he was concerned for his wife and eight children.
He felt that he needed to get out of town, but he had only a moto (motor scooter). He knew he couldn’t transport his family of 10 to safety.
After John’s friend hung up, he immediately phoned a pastor in Sévaré who had a small van. He asked the man one question, “Do you have fuel?”
When his friend said yes, John asked him to go pick up the pastor and his family in Konna.
Two hours after the family was evacuated, the rebels arrived in Konna. Reports are that their first stop was at Pastor John’s church, which they shot up. They also fired at the pastor’s home and compound.
Walking with God
When the rebels arrived in the town of DiabaIy in central Mali, a follower of Jesus spent the day hiding in his home. His food supply was depleted, and he knew that he couldn’t remain there.
The man called a friend in another village a good distance away and told him he would meet him on the road that led to the village.
In spite of knowing the dangers that surrounded him, the man set off.
He walked throughout the night and throughout the next day—unharmed, unseen, and untouched by the rebels. His friend met him on the road and took him to live with family members in another town.
Give praise to God for His faithfulness!
What You Can Do
Pray
Continue to pray for Mali, her people, and God’s people in the land. Join the Alliance family to pray for our brothers and sisters worldwide and for our international workers, who daily minister in challenging circumstances among those with great needs. Use our Alliance Weekly Prayer Requests to assist you.
Give
- Be faithful in supporting workers financially. In addition to giving through the Great Commission Fund (GCF) or CAMA Advance Fund, the Mali Crisis Fund has been established to help with the costs of evacuation. Gifts to this latter fund may be designated to “Mali evacuation.”
- Give to the GCF
Learn More
Read an informative article about the history behind Mali’s unrest this year. Note: Clicking on this link will take you off of the Alliance Web site.