Off to Sri Lanka with Your Prayers

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Tomorrow I leave for Sri Lanka with some anxiety. Anxiety I am sure that comes from me not being in control of this trip which I am certain is right where God wants me to be.

I will be arriving in the capital city of Colombo at 4:30 AM Sunday morning. From there I will take a taxi to my hotel to join the others that are flying in from around the world to give encouragement and support to those working to better the lives of those devastated by nearly 30 years of war.

The following are my words to God that I hope you will join me in praying:
-We praise you Lord for a recent end to the war
-Please strengthen your children to give beyond themselves to help those who have so little
-We praise you for never leaving us alone and involving us in your desire to love one another
-We ask for clean water, good food, medicine, and sanitation for the 300,000 living in the camps
-We look to you for healing and reconciliation between the people of this country.
-We ask for you to open the doors this week for our group to reach into places you desire to us to be
To you be the glory. Amen

Trying to Understand

To help understand more of the situation in Sri Lanka I would recommend going to the following web page and then clicking on the links under 'Focus: Sri Lanka. http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2009/05/2009513222013221256.html

I have been amazed in the way God has brought so many people alongside me. People who I would never have met and insight into things I never could never have discovered on my own. Everyday my heart breaks more for the people of Sri Lanka and the need to make this journey is stronger than ever.

As Always I would ask that you take time each day to pray for all those who's lives have been touched by death and destruction in this country.

The following is a letter written from the Secretary General of the Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka and I believe it will help explain the general idea of why such a trip to Sri lanka is of value.

Rev. Dr. Geoff Tunnicliffe
Executive Director
World Evangelical Alliance (WEA)

Dear Dr. Tunnicliffe,

I write with deep concern for peace in our beloved country Sri Lanka which has been ravaged by war and terror for over 20 years, bringing death, destruction and displacement of thousands of men, women and children. The human tragedy is horrific.

The Church has not escaped the horrors of war. Over 10 pastors have lost their lives due to war; 5 of them within the past 3 months. Thousands of church members are displaced and living in crowded makeshift refugee camps. Yet others are trapped in the midst of fighting. Some have paid the ultimate price and lost their lives while trying to flee from bullets and bombs.

We would like to invite you and a delegation from the WEA to undertake a good will mission to our country as peacemakers to demonstrate solidarity with the suffering church and to encourage the church during this very difficult time.

It will be an opportunity for WEA to engage in a fact finding mission and mobilize awareness and much needed prayer.

A visit will also allow the wider church family all over the world to experience first‐hand and identify with the suffering church and also a great opportunity for WEA to meet with the leaders of the Sri Lankan government, advocate for peace and justice and explore possibilities of engaging in peacemaking.

Although the Protestant Christians population in Sri Lanka number less than 1 percent, we believe that we are called to a prophetic role to be peacemakers, bringing together both Sinhalese and Tamil ethnic groups and restoring relationships and healing between communities and individuals in our bruised and bleeding nation.

It will also offer an opportunity for the global church to minister to and assist with the
humanitarian efforts of the local church and partner in rebuilding lives and churches.

Looking forward to your favorable response.

In Christ,

Godfrey Yogarajah
General Secretary ‐ NCEASL

Why Sri Lanka?

The escalating Sri Lanka civil war was introduced to me through the work of World Concern only a couple months ago. The information I received as a World Concern board member seemed to tighten its grip on my heart to the point that I realized this was something that I could not look away from. Not knowing what to do my wife Cari and I began to pray and then we were led to support those who were working in the hospitals that cared for the hundreds of injured coming out of the war zone almost daily.
On Easter Sunday as I sang songs celebrating our risen Lord it struck me that few songs of thanksgiving were being sung in Sri Lanka. It was at that time I felt that I needed to pray about heading to Sri Lanka.
My first call was to World Concern and to my surprise God shut the door with a no-go for various reasons. Well I thought that was the end of me heading to Sri Lanka anytime soon, but a week later a friend, Brian O'connell (REACT Services), stopped in for a visit and preceded to share with me an opportunity to hook up with a small delegation of international leaders representing the World Evangelical Alliance that will be arriving in Sri Lanka June 1st.
After several confirmations I find myself holding tickets to leave for Sri Lanka. I am in awe of how God works, His timing, and even more so His inclusion of us in His plans.
May 30th, God willing, I will begin the longest day of travel in my life as I head to the country of Sri Lanka off the S.E. coast of India. The obvious question that has been asked is "what do you think God has planned for you"? My answer is "I have no idea, but He does and that's good enough for me".