UCKG pastor’s wife recalls

19 April

Ivory Coast: a UCKG pastor’s wife recalls the horror

Universal Church missionaries serving in the West African country survived the attacks that killed thousands of people.
This has been the largest civilian massacre in the history of the West African country of Ivory Coast. After being 10 years in power, former President Laurent Gbagbo lost the presidential election in November of last year to business manager Alassane Ouattara but refused to relinquish power. This led to a series of protests and manifestations by pro-Ouattara groups. Laurent Gbagbo’s forces launched a fierce attack in alleged retaliation, killing thousands of civilians.
This crisis, which turned into an absolute civil war, spread terror through the streets of major cities, where people were brutally murdered, regardless of whether or not they had any political involvement. Supermarkets were looted; electricity, gas, and water were cut off or reduced in distribution. The safest thing for people to do was to remain prisoners in their own homes, which could also indiscriminately become a target at any time.
Giovana Silva, a UCKG pastor’s wife serving in Ivory Coast, sent an impressive account of how she didn’t lose her faith during the terror filled moments alongside other missionaries and church members, while at the mercy of protestors and rebels. These unfortunate events were taking place while the Universal Church, throughout the world, was in the Daniel Fast for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Read Giovana’s account:
Thursday, 31 March 2011
It’s now 13:00 and the pastor responsible and the other pastors have not been able to get out of the house. There was a lot of conflict, thousands of armed men shooting everywhere, each with his own reason, but all with one objective – to kill!
André, some other pastors and I were able to get to the headquarters of our church, in the middle of gunshots. I try concentrating on my work in the office, believing that the gunshots will stop, even though I’ve seen various dead bodies on the street...
All of a sudden there is an explosion. We all throw ourselves on the ground and stay there for half an hour, until the noise dies down. The Bishop calls and tells us to go home. We close everything and leave in a hurry…
We have to raise our arms to show that we aren’t armed, the streets are deserted and there are more dead bodies on the way, but we manage to get home...
At night no one sleeps, because the explosions are disturbing...
Friday, 01 April 2011
It’s daybreak and the gunshots continue. We are 12 couples (in the Work of God) here in the building. We are all well, but we are worried about the other pastors, auxiliary pastors, about the Bishop, the assistants and the people. What’s happening? Are they well? We try calling each other, but the telephone lines have been cut.
We start praying together, in the morning, at midday and at 17:00. Not mentioning that we are already in the purpose of praying every six hours and in Daniel’s fast.
Night falls and the gunshots don’t stop. Bombs are exploding insistently.
Saturday, 02 April 2011
Because sleeping is so hard, we get up as soon as day breaks. We have little food left at home. We decide to go to town to buy food. We can’t go by car, because whoever goes out with a car is threatened with an arm, forced to come out of the car and watch them leaving with the car.
So, we go walking. The roundtrip is 8 kilometres. Bomb explosions continue. Though distant, they continue. To our surprise, we meet a crowd when we get to the main street, all seeking what we are also seeking – food.
There is confusion. Few shops are open and thousands of people want to buy things. Queues aren’t respected. At the bakery, people are fighting over bread. At the market, the few venders who are there have only a few items to sell and are selling them at an absurd price. But, we have no choice. We buy what we can. The fear and desperation of the people are great, which makes them fight and attack others, just for a bag of rice. On top of it all, we have to get back home quickly, because our curfew is at midday.
The day is ending and pastors agree to go to the church in the morning.
Sunday, 03 April 2011
The Bishop calls us very early to tell us to stay home, because he tried going out and was forced to lie down on the floor for 20 minutes, with a gun pointed at his head. By the Hand of God, they let him return home and threatened him not to go to the church.
Revolted, we began praying, because it is unacceptable to stay home on Sunday. In some churches there are services with 10, 17, 30 courageous people who live near and who put themselves at risk...
In the afternoon we gather together and seek the Presence of God and HE is present. I can hear the sweet voice of the Holy Spirit, which is consoling us and giving us strength. I feel an inner peace, a tranquillity that only He can give. Even though we hear the explosions, we have the assurance.
Night falls and we’re going to try to sleep...
Monday, 04 April 2011
We wake up with news that one church was destroyed. They stole everything, only leaving behind the chairs. The people and assistants call, worried about us, but the power is cut and the batteries of our mobile phones are dying. Water is also scarce. We have to save gas and food, because we don’t know when we’ll be able to go out next...
It’s 16:00 and we notice many helicopters flying very low above us... The Brazilian Embassy calls us, wanting to know our exact location and tells us to gather our documents and to keep them safely, so that we would be ready, should an emergency evacuation be necessary... Of course, in our hearts we tie this up saying: no way!
It’s 16:45 and we are ready for the 17:00 prayer, but we notice that the helicopter dropped something strange a few kilometres from our house. All of a sudden it explodes, shaking everything, and other helicopters continue doing the same thing. We all go to the kitchen, lie down on the floor and pray. I am afraid, as I have never been in my life. I close my eyes and all I can do is trust in God... France was bombing 4 targets – the President’s house, the presidency and two military camps, one of which was 5 kilometres of our home. Our thoughts go out to our people, the assistants, the other pastors and auxiliary pastors who are in the churches.
What if one of these bombs falls on one of the churches? How is the Bishop?
The lights are out, the telephone line is cut. Night falls and the explosions continue. One helicopter was overthrown. Where did it fall?
We spent the night on the kitchen floor, we can’t sleep with all the noise, not knowing whether we are going to be hit or not, in this hideous darkness...
Tuesday, 05 April 2011
I fell asleep, the tiredness overcame me... I can still hear bombs!
We are all happy to be alive! We glorify God and plead tirelessly for the others!
We spend the day in prayer, which isn’t every six hours anymore, neither three times a day. We now pray every hour. The women try to spend the day cleaning the house. We read the Bible and church books... The day goes by... We always hope that the next day will be the day we can go back to our normal lives, but…
Wednesday, 06 April 2011
Tonight I slept, praise God! We decided to go out to buy coal, because the gas will finish any moment. Arriving in town, the situation is worse. There are even fewer things on sale and what’s left is even more expensive. The few supermarkets we have have been plundered and are now empty and destroyed…
We didn’t buy a lot of things, because they had nothing and because the amount we normally spend on a month’s groceries can now only get us a week’s groceries… We get back tired from walking and struggling to find things. We are revolted about the situation of the population.
After three days, the lights come back, praise God. We were afraid that the little we had would spoil. We didn’t even have cold water!
Even if we weren’t in this 21 days fast, we would not be able to follow the news, because the only TV station we have has been bombed. But, a ceasefire has been declared.
It’s midday and we are gathered to pray. Bishop calls, telling us that armed men entered his house and robbed the car and things from the house. We thank God, because a few minutes before this happened, he had gone out to try and buy something. At that point the men came in, but didn’t harm his wife and daughter at all!
Our revolt increases!
In the afternoon we receive news that two mortars were fired at our headquarters, destroying a part of the wall of the church and a car that was parked outside... Once again, God delivered more than 30 people, among which were pastors, auxiliary pastors, wives and some assistants, who were sleeping there. They did not have even a single scratch. God has been listening to our prayers!
It’s 17:00 and we are going to seek the Presence of God and participate in the Holy Communion there at home. It is a blessing, something very strong. Like in the primitive church, the Holy Spirit is here, strengthening us and giving us peace... Always remembering our people and assistants, we ask the Holy Spirit to give them the same peace and assurance wherever they are!
Thursday, 07 April 2011
The day is apparently calm and since the curfew is midday, people are running to find something to eat. Today pharmacies are open; there are hundreds of people, a lot of confusion. We can only imagine how many people are hurt, with no medical attention, no money. I think about the hospitals. I imagine what could happen to someone with heart problems when bombs explode...
Until now, the number of dead people has been estimated to be 1500 for this week, not including the number of casualties!
One week at home is revolting! We thank God to be alive, to have something to eat and to have water and lights, because we know that many do not even have that!
Always praying that our people and assistants should lack nothing, the day ends and we are going to try and sleep... Now, house invasions have become routine. Rape and violations are constant, but we are going to believe, because if the Lord does not build a house...
Friday, 08 April 2011
It’s morning and we don’t hear any gunshots, although some pastors who had gone to town and come back say that there are many armed men near our house.
We finish having lunch and when I’m about to start washing dishes, shooting begins in our street. We remain lying down on the kitchen floor, praying until 15:00. The bombing and shooting stop. Praise God we are all well!
Saturday, 09 April 2011
In the morning the pastors went to town and came back saying there were six dead bodies in our street corner, because of yesterday’s conflict. In 4 kilometres, there were more than 5 barricades, where people and cars (the few who risked going out in their cars) were searched...
We gather to listen to a message from Bishop Macedo, which strengthens us even more. We have difficulty listening to the message (because André is translating simultaneously for the pastors who don’t speak Portuguese), in the middle of gunshots and bombings which started at exactly 16:00.
We receive news that 3 couples in the Work of God who live in another neighbourhood had to leave home and run to the church, so our prayers are exclusively on their behalf...
It’s night already and the gunshots continue. We are all locked at home, praying that we will be able to sleep in peace, despite the revolt in our hearts for not being able to go to church yet another Sunday, because we have to stay at home tomorrow.
The members call us, telling us that they are not able to go to church tomorrow... In the end, the pastors decide to take a risk and all go to the church nearest to our neighbourhood, which is about 9 kilometres from home. They will go walking. Only the wives and two pastors will stay home. That’s the plan, let’s see tomorrow.
Sunday, 10 April 2011
The pastors went to church and came back in peace. They had to stop at a few barricades. The problem is, whey they see that they are missionaries, they become angry, because they say that Christians pray against them. The pastors tried explaining that they pray for peace and nothing more. They don’t like it very much... So, we made letters saying that they are volunteers of ABC [the help centre of the church] and that’s the document we’ll be showing now.
We had services in some churches. I was very happy when one assistant called me, saying that some assistants and members prayed in the church that was destroyed. I told her that’s what God expects from us, our own independent faith... Another girl from PA also called me, saying that she was okay, but unfortunately, another assistant working with us in the KidsZone has disappeared. I believe he is well, God is faithful!
The explosions continue. It’s strange, but we have become used to the them. They don’t scare us as much any more. We pray at 17:00 and seek the strength of God, which has not been lacking. I’m sure that all this will end. This assurance comes from the Holy Spirit!
It’s raining a lot. It is as if the weather were manifesting its revolt! We had no lights during the day, but the lights have already come back on.
I pray that tomorrow we will be able to go out of the house... At this moment, helicopters and planes are flying above, very near. Only God can protect us. We never know when and where they are going to bomb or fire. We only depend on God’s protection!
The Lord has been helping us up to this point!
We have food, water, lights. We don’t hear bomb explosions any more. What’s been prevailing now has been the house invasions. For that we depend on God’s protection and nothing else. Only HE can protect us...
Kisses, continue praying for us, please!