A letter from Dan Turk in Madagascar
October 14, 2013
Call to Prayer for Madagascar:
Presidential Elections Set for October 25, 2013
Madagascar has been in crisis since a coup d’état in March 2009. A foreign diplomat recently noted that there is no rule of law in Madagascar. Crime is way up in both urban and rural areas. Recent assessments found that over 90 percent of the people are living below the poverty line. To make matters worse, locusts have been destroying crops in many parts of the country and bubonic plague is on the rise.
On October 25 Madagascar will hold presidential elections. Legislative elections and a second-round presidential election (if needed) are scheduled for December 20, 2013. These are the first elections since the coup d’état. The hope is that these elections will mark a big step toward a return to democracy, constitutionality and rule of law. Many people are concerned, however, about how free and fair these elections will be and about the possibility of pre- or post-election violence.
PC(USA)’s partner church in Madagascar, the FJKM, is involved in efforts to bring about reconciliation. The country’s Council of Churches has sought to facilitate a national dialogue at the grassroots level to develop a common vision for Madagascar’s future and the path out of the current crisis. There have been many meetings, but much work remains to be done.
We are doing well and feel safe. We are able to do our work, but it is difficult to witness the poverty of the people. It means a great deal to the FJKM church and its members to have the PC(USA) walking alongside them at this time. One of the most important things that you can do is pray.
Please join us in prayer for the following:
• That elections will be reasonably free and fair
• That there won’t be pre- or post-election violence
• That effective means of reducing poverty and re-establishing law and order can be quickly implemented
• That church leaders and members can be effective witnesses to God’s grace and love during these challenging times
We serve a mighty God and nothing is impossible!
In Christ,
Dan and Elizabeth Turk
The 2013 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 121
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