On Sunday, March 17, the coordinator for PRIHA, Pastor Jacky
Chery, boarded a plane intending to go with Pastor Paul Mpindi and his wife to
the Central African Republic (CAR). PRIHA
is the name for Perspectives Reformees (PR) in Haiti. Pastor Paul the director of Perspectives Reformees (the French language branch of Back to God Ministries International) who records the PR's radio shows. The
idea of the trip was that Pastor Paul would mentor Pastor Jacky in the work of PR in
the Central African Republic so that Jacky could better develop PR in
Haiti. The trip, originally planned for
February, was delayed until the end of March because of a rebel group that was
threatening the capital of CAR--Bangui.
Eventually a peace accord was signed between the rebels and the government and things returned to normal. Several days after Pastor Paul and Jacky's arrival, the rebel
group announced that the government of CAR was not honoring the accord and took up arms again. In the space of three days, the rebel army
brought the entire country (which is the size of Texas) under its control and stopped its advance at the outskirts of
the Bangui. Meanwhile, Pastors Paul and
Jacky were trying to hold ministry events in Bangui. Finally, on Palm Sunday, March 24, the rebels
entered Bangui and Pastors Paul and Jacky retired to a theological seminary on
the outskirts of the city. Although
international news agencies reported some looting and banditry, it appears that a
tense calm reigned in Bangui, permitting Jacky and Paul get to the French
Embassy on Wednesday, March 27. On Thursday morning, March 28,
Paul and Jacky made good their escape to the airport and flew out of Bangui. We give thanks
to God for protecting them on their trip.
However, we lament the loss of ministry opportunities and that PR’s
staff members in CAR will have to continue to manage in a difficult situation.
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| Jacky Chery, PRIHA Coordinator |
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