wfn.org | Madagascar crisis: CWM and WARC make solidarity visit

["Franziska Surber" <Franziska.Surber@warc.ch>]

Joint News Release

World Alliance of Reformed Churches and Council for World
Mission
30 March 2009

Madagascar crisis: CWM and WARC make solidarity visit

Leaders from the Council for World Mission (CWM) and the World
Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) have shown solidarity with
their member church in Madagascar by making a special visit to
its headquarters in the capital, Antananarivo.
CWM general secretary Rev Dr Des van der Water and general
secretary of the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa
Rev Dr Jerry Pillay visited the Church of Jesus Christ in
Madagascar (FJKM) to show support and unity to those affected by
weeks of violence and a change of government.
They also took part in a 70,000-strong church-led rally and
service of worship to pray for a peaceful, more democratic
process of reform in the country.
The country's former president, Marc Ravalomnanana, was forced
from government by the capital's former mayor Andy Rajoelina on
17 March. Rev Lala Rasendrahasina, president of the FJKM, was
briefly detained by the military soon after Ravalomnanana stepped
down.
During their visit to Antananarivo the delegation called on the
new government to allow the people of Madagascar the freedom to
express their democratic and constitutional rights.
They also called on the global ecumenical community to increase
their support for the churches and people of Madagascar who are
working for unity, peace and justice in the country.
CWM head Rev Dr Des van der Water said: "We have engaged with
people of God in Madagascar and with the FJKM in particular. We
have listened to their stories of hurt and hope."
He added: "We have seen and experienced events of both great
concern and of much encouragement. We have prayed with them,
asking for the grace of God to be felt keenly and for the
guidance of the Holy Spirit to come upon the people in Madagascar
in a special way at this time of turmoil and crisis."
Rev Jerry Pillay, who is also president of the Alliance of
Reformed Churches in Africa said: "Our mission for this visit was
to journey with the church through these difficult times. We were
there to show solidarity, to offer what assistance we could and
to report back accurately on the situation there."
The general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed
Churches, Rev Dr Setri Nyomi, said the visit to Madagascar by the
joint WARC and CWM delegation sends a clear signal message of
ecumenical support.
"We see this visit as an important means of letting the people
of Madagascar know that we are with them in these challenging
times," he said. "We encourage Madagascar's churches to pursue
their commitment to the process of national reconciliation that
is so urgently needed."
Read the CWM–WARC delegation's full statement on the solidarity
visit to Madagascar (
http://www.cwmission.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1447:statement-on-madagascar&catid=17:statements&Itemid=495
)
The Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (FJKM) is the largest
Protestant church in Madagascar and is a member of WARC and CWM.
Founded in 1968 as a Reformed Protestant denomination, the FJKM
today has 2.5 million members in approximately 5,800
congregations across the country.
Former Madagascar President Marc Ravalomanana is a member and
elected lay vice-president of the FJKM.
********************
The World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) brings together
75 million Reformed Christians in 214 churches in 107 countries -
united in their commitment to making a difference in a troubled
world. The WARC general secretary is Rev. Dr. Setri Nyomi of the
Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana. WARC's secretariat is
based in Geneva, Switzerland.

>***

The Council for World Mission (CWM) is a global community of 31
member churches, some 14 million Christians in local mission. 

Contact:                                                        

>Contact:

Kristine Greenaway                                              
Steve Cox 
Executive Secretary, Communications                Director of
Communications
World Alliance of Reformed Churches                The Council
for World Mission
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London, SW1P 2DB UK

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+44 (0)7920 465555      

fax: +41.22 791 6505                                            
 web:  www.cwmission.org.uk ( http://www.cwmission.org.uk/ )    

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>e-mail : steve.cox@cwmission.org
>e-mail: kgr@warc.ch