wfn.org | Newsline: Brethren group visits Muslim school destroyed by Christians

[CoBNews <CoBNews@brethren.org>]

Newsline: Church of the Brethren News Service, News Director Cheryl

Brumbaugh-Cayford, 800-323-8039 ext. 260, cobnews@brethren.org

BRETHREN GROUP VISITS MUSLIM SCHOOL DESTROYED BY

>CHRISTIANS

(Jan. 29, 2010) Elgin, IL -- The following report has been received from

Nathan and Jennifer Hosler, Church of the Brethren mission workers

serving with Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the

Brethren in Nigeria). Their visit to the Islamic school in Jos, Nigeria,

took place a few days prior to the outbreak of violence on Jan. 17:

Imagine a Muslim school destroyed by people bearing the name of Christ--

the students and faculty should reasonably be wary and distrustful of

Christians. Yet, a recent visit proved the contrary and showed that people

can overcome the fear caused by conflict and violence.

During the Nov. 2008 violent conflict in Jos (or "crisis") following electi ons,

rioting Christians destroyed Al-Bayan Islamic Secondary School (high school ),

>killing six students in the process.

Under the leadership of Markus Gamache we were able to visit Al-Bayan

Islamic Secondary School in order to extend words and gestures of peace

to the school. Gamache is an EYN staff member and liaison between the

Church of the Brethren and EYN. We were joined by Roger and Mim Eberly,

Church of the Brethren members from Milford, Ind., who are in Nigeria for

>three weeks on a learning tour with EYN.

This visit to Al-Bayan was under the context of regaining the trust of thos e

who were harmed by Christians, as trust-building is an integral part of

>peacebuilding.

For years, when American guests from the Church of the Brethren would

visit Nigeria, they would be taken to a Christian school and presented gift s

of books and school supplies. On Jan. 12, for the first time, Church of the

Brethren guests visited a solely Islamic school to bring gifts to extend

friendship, goodwill, and peace. The Eberlys brought with them books,

pencils, and other school items and these were presented in the name of

>interfaith peace advancement.

Our group met with administration and faculty of the school. We also greete d

a senior secondary school class, where greetings were given from students i n

>both Arabic and English.

The visit occurred in the name of an interfaith project in development, not

under the umbrella of the EYN church. In order to create the atmosphere for

peace, Markus Gamache has envisioned an interfaith microfinance project,

where Muslims and Christians would work together and create groups for

microloans and economic development at the grassroots level. While he is

an EYN member and staff, and while EYN may be involved, this project will

not be launched under the umbrella of EYN in order to assure people that th e

>project is not evangelism in disguise.

While evangelism is important for Christians in Nigeria, there are some

contexts where it cannot occur due to the nature of the conflict, past viol ence,

and the intense mistrust and abuse that has occurred between groups. Christ ians

who engage and build relationships with Muslims in interfaith situations (l ike

the interfaith microfinance project) help repair the damage done to the nam e of

Jesus and his followers. Only after such relationships are repaired can any

>message of the love of Jesus be shared.

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continu ing

the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith in com munity.

The denomination is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith traditions an d is

one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrated its 300th anniversa ry in

2008. It counts some 125,000 members across the United States and Puerto Ri co,

and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria, Brazil, the Dominican Repu blic,

>Haiti, and India.

># # #

>For more information contact:

>Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford

>Director of News Services

>Church of the Brethren

>1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120

>800-323-8039 ext. 260

>cobnews@brethren.org