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Mission Operations to Resume in Bangui
BANGUI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (August 12, 2003) - Keith and Florence Gustafson
are preparing to return to the Evangelical Covenant Church missionary
compound during the coming weeks following an extended period of stability
in the region.
Civil upheavals and military unrest in the region forced Covenant
missionaries to evacuate Congo and Bangui several few months ago. "In the
city of Bangui, the security situation is such that we believe we can
safely send missionaries back into the area," said Byron Amundsen, director
of missionary services for the Department of World Mission.
Bangui is considered by many to be the gateway into the broader region of
Congo where the Covenant historically has been active in a variety of
mission operations, including hospitals and medical clinics. "Now that the
border (between Congo and the Central African Republic-CAR) is reopened,
CEUM (Congo church) leaders can cross the border from Congo into Bangui to
purchase supplies and medicine and obtain various documents," Amundsen
noted.
A fair amount of rehabilitation work is required to restore the Covenant
compound, Amundsen said. "The guest house in Bangui is in tatters. The
house on the compound (where the Gustafsons will live), along with the
offices, also were ransacked during the period of unrest and will require
attention."
The current plan calls for the Gustafsons, who serve as Congo country
coordinators, to return to Bangui, Amundsen said. Nancy Jo Hoover is
preparing to leave in late August for Belgium where she will complete
additional language studies. She then will join the Gustafsons in Bangui
for a time. "Later, Bob and Karen Andrews (CAR country coordinators) will
move back to Bangui. At that time, the Gustafsons and Hoover will relocate
to Karawa for approximately six to nine months to assess the needs there
and evaluate the direction for ministry in that area."
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