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By Isaac Broune*
6:00 P.M. EST December 20, 2010 | ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire (UMNS)
Ivorians turn up in huge numbers to cast their votes in the first round
of the presidential election on Oct. 31. Photo by UN Photo/Basile Zoma.
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Amid post-election violence, the United Methodist Church of Cȏte
d’Ivoire is calling for prayer and trying to reinforce its ministries
to the people.
The outcome of the West African nation’s Nov. 28 presidential
election is in dispute, leading to renewed tension in a country that
has been trying to regain stability following a civil war earlier in
this decade. Both the current president, Laurent Gbagbo, and his
opponent, Alassane Ouattara, are claiming victory.
United Methodist leaders are urging peace and calm, and the unrest has driven many people to turn to the church.
The situation has been different in the government-controlled
southern part of Cȏte d’Ivoire compared to the rebel strongholds in the
north. A member of Angré United Methodist Church in the eastern
section of Abidjan, in the south, noticed that Sunday attendance
actually increased from an average of 800 to 1,500 people after the
election.
“Many of the newcomers lived in the vicinity and they don’t want to
travel long distances to attend their ordinary service,” he said. “In
addition, many people felt the need to come and pray, particularly in
situations like these.”
United Methodist Bishop Benjamin Boni of Côte d’Ivoire offers
thanksgiving and prayer in this November 2008 file photograph by Mike
DuBose.
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About 600 kilometers north, in rebel-held Ferkessedougou, the
average church service attendance decreased drastically for two
Sundays, according
to a source. The reason: many civil servants returned to their
hometowns to vote and could not leave because of the unrest and lack of
public transportation.
Treating the injured
Methodist schools were closed Nov. 28-Dec. 8 because parents were
afraid to send their children to school in the uncertain political
situation. Paul Ohanson, general manager of the Methodist schools,
reported that the winter break would be reduced to make up time lost
and students would not be penalized.
“Our students should not suffer from this situation,” he said. “We
need to make any possible sacrifice to stick to our value of academic
excellence.”
Dabou Methodist Hospital, about 59 kilometers west of Abidjan,
treated some of those injured in clashes over the weekend of Dec. 4-5,
following the announcement of the results of the second round of
presidential elections. Six people were reported killed and several
others wounded by bullets and machetes.
Hundreds of journalists from the international and national press cover
the first round of the presidential election in Cote d’Ivoire on Oct.
31, 2010. Photo by UN Photo/Basile Zoma.
View in Photo Gallery
“We treated 23 injured people and hosted two deaths at our morgue,”
confirmed Alfred Degny, the hospital’s director. “Since the hospital
does not have an emergency service, we had to over-exploit the
capabilities of the operating room where we treated all the major cases
besides our traditional patients.”
Call to prayer
The United Methodist Church of Côte d’Ivoire is continuing to pray
for a peaceful resolution of the situation throughout the country. The
church has an estimated 700,000 members and serves a wider community of
about 1 million in Côte d’Ivoire.
Last week, the church called for three days of fasting. People
gathered between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. in local churches to pray for the
country. At Plateau United Methodist Church in downtown Abidjan, the
Rev. Michel Lobo, conference administrative assistant secretary and
senior pastor, noticed an “incredible attendance” between working hours.
Speaking to the press after a meeting of religious leaders for peace
and reconciliation, United Methodist Bishop Benjamin Boni recognized
that the “greatest battles are won on knees,” referring to the need for
Christians to kneel on the ground and ask God to help.
“We don’t have any human enemies. Our enemies are Satan and the
demons,” Boni said. “We must, therefore, reach out to each other in our
neighborhoods and show them love and peace.”
*Broune is a United Methodist communicator based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
News media contact: Linda Bloom (646) 369-3759 newsdesk@umcom.org.
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