Story number 1 for 30 Oct 2000

We begin today in the Ivory Coast where the departure of her dictator has split the country into ethnic and political violence. SIM missionaries have reported in subsequent outbreaks of fighting, both churches and mosques have been burned down. While the situation appears to be calming, missionaries are taking their own precautions. SIM’s Ron Frazee. “SIM has missionaries by the Guinea-Liberia border with Ivory Coast, and those missionaries are going to be leaving because of the continuing disturbance there. We also understand that Ivory Coast Academy, a missionary kids’ school, will be closing in order for those children to be safe.” Frazee says they’re asking people to pray for:”…a return to peace and calm. I believe that will happen. Ivory Coast does not have a long history of this kind of trouble. They’ve had many, many years where the country was extremely stable. Let’s all pray that the government would be able to take control and restore calm.”