Given the ongoing street demonstrations and violence in Egypt, North American Mennonite mission organizations are asking for prayers on behalf of the country, it's leaders and believers living there.
Mennonite Brethren Mission, formerly MBMS International, is asking MB congregations to spend five minutes in prayer Sunday, Feb. 6, for our brothers and sisters in Egypt.
“Our church family in Egypt is in need of our prayers as their country is going through an unprecedented time of upheaval,” writes MB Mission in an e-mailing calling for prayer. “As you may have seen on the news, with the chaos comes the opportunity for individuals to steal, destroy and engage in acts of violence. Many in Egypt are living in fear—using whatever they have in their means to protect their families.
“Pray for the protection of our brothers and sisters in Christ and that they will know God’s peace in the midst of the chaos. Pray that they will know how to shine the love of Christ during a very dark time.”
MB Mission is the North American Mennonite Brethren global mission agency that, according to its Web site, “is working to plant new churches and transform entire communities as God’s grace floods the hearts of new Christ-followers.” Missionary teams are currently serving in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America.
Mennonite Central Committee is also asking for prayer on behalf of Egypt. A statement on the MCC website says, "MCC is monitoring the situation in Egypt carefully … Pray that the violence will end soon and that a just peace will prevail."
MCC has temporarily relocated its 14 international workers in Egypt to Strasbourg, France, due to the ongoing violence in Egypt.
"MCC's work in Egypt is at a standstill and there were, and are, concerns for the safety of workers, partners and neighbors," said a Feb. 2 e-mail statement from MCC.
When the international workers left Egypt, they went in two groups. The first eight left Cairo Jan. 31. The remaining six left Cairo Feb. 1. Workers were then able to directly contact their friends and families.
MCC had 17 workers in Egypt. This includes 11 adult international workers based in Egypt, two children and one MCC worker who was based in another country but was visiting Egypt at the time. She is now in the process of returning back to that country. The number of national MCC workers in Egypt is three.
According to information on the site: MCC supports Egyptian churches' life and witness as they work to improve the lives of their communities. MCC works with institutions of the Coptic Orthodox church, an ancient church that has coexisted with Muslims ever since Islam arrived in Egypt more than 1,300 years ago, and with the Coptic Evangelical church, which dates to the late 19th century. MCC workers serve as educators in various diocesan adult evening programs and do teacher training in church schools. Other areas of MCC's work in Egypt include conflict management training for congregational leaders.
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