Open letter to Smyrna Ministries in response to their bulletin (below) for prayer:
Dear friends at Smyrna Ministries,
We appreciate your ministry for the persecuted church, and we especially appreciate that you sent out a special bulletin about the tinder box situation in Cote Ivoire. I was, however, somewhat surprised at the tone of your recent bulletin for prayer about Cote Ivoire. I think Miss Kendal whom you quote has little cultural and historical understanding of the situation. I believe we have no need to fear "Muslim political domination" in this country if Mr. Ouattara actually becomes the President.
My family and I live comfortably and safely in a 98% Muslim nation just north of Cote Ivoire as a Protestant missionaries (as members of UWM of Charlotte, NC), and we have as much if not more freedom of religion, press, and speech in this country than in the United States. Cote Ivoire is already the same, and that would not change radically under a Ouattara government. West Africa Islam is not Middle East Islam; the folk here, of many, many people groups, are not as deeply rooted in Islam, and their high value of hospitality precludes much argument about religion. We never hear arguments about a changed Bible, that we Christians have three Gods, that we eat pork, that we drink alcohol, that we are promiscuous, etc. Most are happy to discuss and listen to Bible stories and the gospel. Please do not paint a picture of Islam as solely dangerous and radical. We do realize there is horrible and much illegal persecution of believers in many Muslim lands, but know there is little in the countries of West Africa, except northern Nigeria. Paint a picture rather that rather Muslims do see a deficit religion and see the need for stability and morality in their lives, that many Muslims are coming to Jesus, and that God is at work in even the Muslim nations of West Africa to build his church and His Kingdom.
.
Personally, I am an unrestricted missionary to similar Fulanis of the ones that persecute the church in Nigeria, but they would not do so here. I’ve said many times over the years, “All my neighbors are Muslims,” and they are very friendly and would protect me and my family during political unrest. Even when our grade school and high school students were in the midst of rebellion in 2003 in Bouake city in the middle of Cote Ivoire they were never in personal danger because of being North American or Christian. They were indeed evacuated from the war zone, but not because threats against themselves.
The rebellion was over blocked elections and perceived oppression, not religious factions. Leave it at that. Don't polarize the situation into what it isn't. It includes racial distinctions of peoples in the north and south who happen to be of different religions, but religion hasn't been the issue. The northerners are traumatized too, fearing a return to oppression from the south and no change after years of struggle and much bloodshed.
Don't portray CI as a once Christian nation; it has never achieved well over 50% Christian. Many of those who are named such are very nominal such as the large independent "Harris church" and the Roman Catholic Church which owns that huge, expensive, wasteful, and presumptuous cathedral built by a megalomania President. It was not built by the hearts of evangelical believers in Jesus. Evangelical churches are in every corner of CI, not only the south, and have flourishing ministries. Muslims have flocked to CI from other poor nations around for the economic benefits and jobs, not to take over a "Christian" country. Many of the immigrant Muslims are now solid members of good churches, PTL. Many have moved to CI from Liberia and Ghana, too, but you aren't complaining about them also maybe becoming citizens, are you?
True, Mr. Gbagbo attends a church, from what I hear, a Protestant church in Abidjan, but we don't see a Christian testimony in his actions! I understand also that he has two wives! Do you know that Mr. Ouattara earned a doctorate in economics from Univ of Penn in Philadelphia in the 60s? And he had the trust of CI's famous Christian founding President, as a young government minister in the late 80s to become CI's first Prime Minister? Did CI suddenly become a majority Muslim nation then? There was no talk of it then; there's no real talk of it now. He is well qualified, he is stable; he is not a radical Muslim. Many of my friends in these nations are returning home from CI because there is no economic hope there now. Now 12 years of discord and rebellion and political shenanigans, mostly by Mr. Gbagbo, has left the country a shambles that needs unity and rebuilding. Because of years of discord the cities of other nations such as Bamako, Cotonou, Ouagadougou, Accra, Dakar, even Lomé, etc., have boomed, and Abidjan will never regain its luster and proud place as the star of West Africa.
We need to pray for peace. We need to pray that the churches will be the lighthouses in a dark world. We need to pray they will be the leaders in mediation of the political standoff. We need to desperately pray there will not be another bloodbath with who knows who will emerge to lead. Pray for God to build His church in the midst of constant political crises in the world,. The gospel is the only hope for Africa.
We appreciate your ministry for the persecuted church, and we especially appreciate that you sent out a special bulletin about the tinder box situation in Cote Ivoire. I was, however, somewhat surprised at the tone of your recent bulletin for prayer about Cote Ivoire. I think Miss Kendal whom you quote has little cultural and historical understanding of the situation. I believe we have no need to fear "Muslim political domination" in this country if Mr. Ouattara actually becomes the President.
My family and I live comfortably and safely in a 98% Muslim nation just north of Cote Ivoire as a Protestant missionaries (as members of UWM of Charlotte, NC), and we have as much if not more freedom of religion, press, and speech in this country than in the United States. Cote Ivoire is already the same, and that would not change radically under a Ouattara government. West Africa Islam is not Middle East Islam; the folk here, of many, many people groups, are not as deeply rooted in Islam, and their high value of hospitality precludes much argument about religion. We never hear arguments about a changed Bible, that we Christians have three Gods, that we eat pork, that we drink alcohol, that we are promiscuous, etc. Most are happy to discuss and listen to Bible stories and the gospel. Please do not paint a picture of Islam as solely dangerous and radical. We do realize there is horrible and much illegal persecution of believers in many Muslim lands, but know there is little in the countries of West Africa, except northern Nigeria. Paint a picture rather that rather Muslims do see a deficit religion and see the need for stability and morality in their lives, that many Muslims are coming to Jesus, and that God is at work in even the Muslim nations of West Africa to build his church and His Kingdom.
.
Personally, I am an unrestricted missionary to similar Fulanis of the ones that persecute the church in Nigeria, but they would not do so here. I’ve said many times over the years, “All my neighbors are Muslims,” and they are very friendly and would protect me and my family during political unrest. Even when our grade school and high school students were in the midst of rebellion in 2003 in Bouake city in the middle of Cote Ivoire they were never in personal danger because of being North American or Christian. They were indeed evacuated from the war zone, but not because threats against themselves.
The rebellion was over blocked elections and perceived oppression, not religious factions. Leave it at that. Don't polarize the situation into what it isn't. It includes racial distinctions of peoples in the north and south who happen to be of different religions, but religion hasn't been the issue. The northerners are traumatized too, fearing a return to oppression from the south and no change after years of struggle and much bloodshed.
Don't portray CI as a once Christian nation; it has never achieved well over 50% Christian. Many of those who are named such are very nominal such as the large independent "Harris church" and the Roman Catholic Church which owns that huge, expensive, wasteful, and presumptuous cathedral built by a megalomania President. It was not built by the hearts of evangelical believers in Jesus. Evangelical churches are in every corner of CI, not only the south, and have flourishing ministries. Muslims have flocked to CI from other poor nations around for the economic benefits and jobs, not to take over a "Christian" country. Many of the immigrant Muslims are now solid members of good churches, PTL. Many have moved to CI from Liberia and Ghana, too, but you aren't complaining about them also maybe becoming citizens, are you?
True, Mr. Gbagbo attends a church, from what I hear, a Protestant church in Abidjan, but we don't see a Christian testimony in his actions! I understand also that he has two wives! Do you know that Mr. Ouattara earned a doctorate in economics from Univ of Penn in Philadelphia in the 60s? And he had the trust of CI's famous Christian founding President, as a young government minister in the late 80s to become CI's first Prime Minister? Did CI suddenly become a majority Muslim nation then? There was no talk of it then; there's no real talk of it now. He is well qualified, he is stable; he is not a radical Muslim. Many of my friends in these nations are returning home from CI because there is no economic hope there now. Now 12 years of discord and rebellion and political shenanigans, mostly by Mr. Gbagbo, has left the country a shambles that needs unity and rebuilding. Because of years of discord the cities of other nations such as Bamako, Cotonou, Ouagadougou, Accra, Dakar, even Lomé, etc., have boomed, and Abidjan will never regain its luster and proud place as the star of West Africa.
We need to pray for peace. We need to pray that the churches will be the lighthouses in a dark world. We need to pray they will be the leaders in mediation of the political standoff. We need to desperately pray there will not be another bloodbath with who knows who will emerge to lead. Pray for God to build His church in the midst of constant political crises in the world,. The gospel is the only hope for Africa.
God bless,
Rev. Jim Bowers
Rev. Jim Bowers
PS: You have two spellings of Mr. Ouattara's name. BBC uses 'Ouattara'; you may also use 'Wattara' to help Americans say it right! Put accent on the 1st syllable, not the second.
On Wed, Dec 8, 2010 at 8:20 PM, Smyrna Ministries International <smyrna@smyrnaministries.org> wrote:
Recent elections in the Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire) have threatened to bring war to the region and could result in Islamic rule.
From 1960-1993, Muslims from neighboring regions immigrated into the country. Muslims make up 38.6% of the official population and 70% of the foreign migratory workers. Elizabeth Kendal of the Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin points out that these immigrants comprise approximately 30 to 40% of the total population and, if they are naturalized, would make the country a majority Muslim nation. In 2002 civil war broke out between the north (where most of the Muslims live) and the South (where most of the Christians live) over whether these immigrants should be naturalized.
Presidential elections have been delayed since 2005, but finally took place this October, with a second run-off election in November. The Independent Electoral Commission announced provisional results in favor of one candidate, but Ivory Coast’s Constitutional Council announced results in favor of the other candidate. Both candidates alleged fraud. Although violence during the voting process reportedly led to at least three deaths, the United Nations is declaring the elections to have been free and fair.
Elizabeth Kendal writes, “Elections were held on 28 November 2010, with both Gbagbo [a Christian from the South] and Ouattara [a Muslim from the North] claiming victory. The US, European Union and African Union have recognized Ouattara as the winner and called for Gbagbo to respect democracy and step down. Russia meanwhile is blocking a UN statement that would recognize Ouatarra, saying that this is not the UN's role. Ivory Coast's non-Muslims are traumatized, fearing that their homeland -- once the most prosperous 'Christian' nation in West Africa, home to the region's largest cathedral, home-base to most of West Africa's regional Christian ministries -- is about to come under Muslim political domination.”
Ask God to strengthen the church in the Ivory Coast and enable Christian ministries to continue to operate there. Pray also that the millions of Muslims in the country will come to know the love and forgiveness of Jesus.
Smyrna Ministries International
P.O. Box 16474, Washington, DC 20041-6474, 540-554-8188
P.O. Box 16474, Washington, DC 20041-6474, 540-554-8188
