Story number 1 for 15 Nov 2002

(Central African Republic)–Headlining the news today, civil unrest is forcing evangelical missionaries out of the Central African Republic. The International Ministries Director of the Evangelical Free Church Mission, Tom Cairns says, after weeks of fighting, there is now a lull in the violence. “It appears that this is just that, a lull before further fighting might occur. As a result, missionaries from almost all the evangelical groups and agencies in Bangui have made the decision that they need to leave now, at this point in time. All of them are leaving within the next two days.” Cairns says the E-V Free Church works with the nomadic Fulani peoples. Will they return? “We definitely will plan to return. We definitely will go back to the Fulani ministry. That’s very critical, but we just don’t have any distinct plans right now on when that might be because we have to wait and see what’s going to evolve in the next few weeks.” Pray for safety as the missionaries evacuate.