Thursday, January 29, 2015

FROM CHURCHES IN NIGER THAT WERE AFFECTED BY THE JANUARY 16-17 ATTACKS

-Niamey Boukoki II: The church rented 2 tents and 200 chairs for the service on Sunday. The government provided two policemen for security. It was amazing--with many remembering the church's humble beginnings 30 years ago when only a mud hut existed on the property. Worship was without electronic or any other kind of music instruments--just like when the EERN started at its begining. The pastor preached and church ended in joy. 

-Niamey Harobanda: The church was not burnt but the demonstrators brought all the musical instruments and other materiels in the building to the outside and burned them. So there were some iron banches left but they are not suffisant for worship. Children had to sit on mats but the church had a very good service, although without any music. They reported that the police came for a while but they left before the end of the service, as there were no threat at all. 
-Zinder : The members swept the burnt sanctuary and borrowed 40 chairs from the EERN Primary school for the service. They had a wonderful worship without music too. The Police were at the gate to provide security. 
-Mirriah : The pastor came back to his damaged house (attacked by the mobs). The family swept it and then brought back the church benches that their muslim friend had helped them to hide before the arrival of the crowd on the 16th. The atmosphere was described as somber since people still seemed to be traumatised. One policeman was sent there to provide security. 
-Magaria : They reported having the best service they have ever had (It was quite joyful though there was no music). There weren't any security provided by officials. In a nearby village where Christians were so afraid last week that they fled when the EERN President's car approached them, we received an amazing report: even those who had previously stopped attending the church services came last sunday and many Muslims attended too. This area is known as the most extremist in the country.

No comments: