Vietnam (MNN) — Because of recent riots in the streets of
Urumqi, China, Buckner International has had to cancel a short-term mission trip to the region.
The riots started on July 5th between protesting
Uighurs and local Han Chinese. Uighurs were protesting a brawl in a Shaoguan
toy factory, which left at least two Uighurs dead and several injured.
Government forces poured into the city to stop the violence,
but 156 people were killed in the riots and over 1,000 were injured. Some
clashes continued for the next several days.
Buckner knew they could not send the scheduled trip to such
an unsettled area.
"When we realized that political unrest made it unsafe for
travel, we considered the possibility of rerouting to East China," said George
McCain, director of Buckner missions, according to Buckner's Web site. "But East
China is taking a lot of precaution with westerners out of fear that we might
carry swine flu. They wouldn't let us visit orphanages or work with children,
which is our primary ministry as Buckner short-term missionaries."
Therefore, the trip scheduled for August 30 to September 9
will travel to Vietnam instead. If a participant does not want to go to Vietnam, they
can receive a refund for their trip, or they can choose to put their money
toward another Buckner trip. McCain said the Vietnam trip might actually be
cheaper, but it has not yet been confirmed.
"We apologize for the inconvenience, but we are working to
provide a meaningful ministry in an area of need," McCain also said, according
to Buckner.
This will be the first time Bucker sends a team to Vietnam,
for their Shoes for Orphan Souls ministry or any other ministry of theirs.
"The need is definitely present. And we expect something
good to come of all this. Sometimes we never see all the good God does when He
changes our plans," McCain also said on the Web site.
Please pray for this new area Buckner will be ministering to
and for the children they will be able to present with the Gospel. Pray also
for the political unrest in Xinjiang province of China to settle down and not
prevent future trips from visiting there.
For more information about Buckner and their ministries, visit
their Web site or call 1-214-388-1442.
