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 September 8, 2010 |
Prayer Request for September 25, 2002There is much concern over continued rebel activity in Cote d'Ivoire after last week's failed coup attempt. One of the cities being held by rebels is Bouake, where there is an international school for Missionary Children, including 3 PAOC MKs. This morning MSNBC gave the following report: --- THE FIRST of four U.S. military planes landed Wednesday morning in neighboring Ghana, where eventually 200 special operations troops would wait on standby, U.S. military officials told NBC News. A U.S. military assessment team was already on the ground in Ivory Coast, as well as a large contingent of French troops deployed to protect Frances interests in the former colony. CHILDREN AT RISK Two defense officials told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity that the troops were ready to help move the children in Bouake, the Ivory Coasts second-largest city, to other locations within the country. James Forlines, director of Free Will Baptist Foreign Missions, which runs the school, said the U.S. deployment was a very welcome development after anti-government soldiers breached the schools walls overnight, firing on its grounds. It really was cross-fire, not shooting at the children, but a whole lot of ammo going, scaring the kids to death, he said. Forlines, who spoke to the AP by telephone from Nashville, Tenn., where he was in hourly contact with the school, said none of the children was hurt. 200 FOREIGNERS IN THE SCHOOL Monday nights shooting around the Baptist school seems to have been just another salvo in the fighting, but it terrified the young residents of the International Christian Academy. Ranging in age from 5 to 18, the young Americans are among 200 foreigners holed up at the boarding school for children of missionaries in Bouake. Forlines said the shooting started Monday night as the children were making their way across the compound plaza after supper. Rebels, some of whom had broken into the compound, were firing across the campus, some shooting automatic weapons from the hip, Forlines said. It was difficult to tell who was shooting at whom or why a common complaint in Bouake, 220 miles north of Abidjan. Trapped residents, calling out on telephones, said heavy gunfire broke out again Tuesday. Telephone lines were cut off later, and it was not immediately possible to reach the citys people again for more details. --- I'm sure you can realize how frightening this must be for the children as well as parents, some in the same country and some in other countries, who cannot get to their children. Please pray for the safety of the children, for minimal trauma, as well as for the parents who must helplessly look on.
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