Our Link Missionary

Susan Essam, our Link Partner in Mission

Latest - 8/3/10 from Bishop Kwashi.

January 17th was a Sunday morning and as usual Christians left their homes to congregate in churches to worship.  That day has since become a remarkable day in history with sad memories for Christian and Muslim communities in Jos and its environs.  A few days after that, leaders began to gather to see how to resolve what the perceived problems, or real problems, or even imaginary problems were.  I myself became a part of a group with industrialists, businessmen and women, academics and religious leaders, both Christian and Muslim, to discuss these matters.  We even spent a day at a forum listening to elders and religious leaders in Jos and spent another day listening to the youth.  In all the conversations the Christians and Muslims spoke up frankly and aired their understanding of the grievances they have.  We are in the process of putting together ideas as to how to move forward.

          News then broke on Sunday 7th March that two other villages plus Dogo na Hauwa had been attacked by Muslim Fulani from about 3a.m. to 5a.m..  Some of these communities may never again be recognised in history because generations have been wiped out.  Hundreds of corpses of men, women, children and grandchildren littered the burnt houses, roads, bush paths, farm areas and hiding places.  Tears and endless wailings until voices croaked and words are no more.

          Is there no other way by which matters can be resolved except through this sadistic and cruel way of making peoples’ lives miserable?  For me, as a Christian, human life is so sacred that no-one, absolutely no-one, should tamper with it, no matter what religious faith you belong to. Human life is so sacred and we have to teach and train people to value it: it is a gift from God.

          What bothers my heart are a few questions:

  • It was curfew time when these attackers came in and carried out their heinous activities.  Who are responsible for these areas?  What happened to those who should enforce the curfew?  The purpose of the curfew is to stop events like this.
  • Failure of government to provide full security for its citizenry leaves a people with very little option but to provide for their own kind of security.  History has shown that these kinds of security are bred in vengeance, retaliation, bitterness, hatred and malice.  This gives birth to an almost endless cycle of senseless violence as can be seen in many nations of the world today.  Where is our government in all the levels of governance?  Where were they on this night?  Where were they on 17th January?  Shall we continue to have the ugly sight of mass burials?  Are there no leaders who fear God, who will swallow their pride and choose to be humble before God for the sake of those faces of slaughtered children?
  • The new dimension these attacks are assuming is revealing a system of well-trained terror groups who rights now have attacked these villages, and only God knows which community will be next. Their merciless precision and fearlessness should give any government serious concern. The earlier that these kinds of groups are rounded up, the better for everybody.  I know as of fact of many Christian religious, political and community leaders who are willing and prepared peacefully to arrive at workable conditions for people to live with.  I also know as of fact that there are Muslim religious, political and community leaders who are willing to find solutions.

          I am convinced that the prayers of the church world-wide are ascending like a sweet smelling sacrifice to the throne of mercy.  It is my firm determination to encourage all who trust in the Lord to keep praying and never give up.  One day God will enthrone good over evil, truth over lies, righteousness over wickedness and justice over injustice. It may be soon; it may be later, but “My faith looks up to Thee, Thou Lamb of Calvary”.  I urge believers to clean and clear their minds of any form of bitterness, resentment or even any thought of vengeance against one another from within the fellowship, and then we can see clearly how to respond in times of difficulty such as this one.

          The promises of the Lord are true and the way of the Lord is just.  The good news is: we do not have anywhere else to turn to. In the words of the apostle Peter, in John6:68:  “To whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.”  These times call for a full turning of our hearts and lives to the Lord.

The Lord be with you,

+The Most Rev. Dr. B. A. Kwashi

Archbishop of Jos

Latest news Jos - 22/01/10.
Dear Friends, Peace and greetings from Jos! Thank you so very much for your love concern and prayers. Please do continue to pray for Jos and for Plateau State. This is the press release which went out on Monday through contacts in the UK to the international press.
NEWS RELEASE RE RECENT VIOLENCE AGAINST CHRISTIANS IN JOS, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA
We have received reports over the last 24 hours of violent attacks on Christians in the city of Jos.  Reportedly Christians were going to or coming from their various church services on Sunday morning, when near St Michael’s Roman Catholic Church in Nasarawa, Jos, about 200 Muslim youths who had been working on a building site began molesting the Christians who were passing by. It was then revealed that some of these youths were wearing military uniforms and were armed with machetes and guns. They blocked the road and tension rose when the Christians tried to force their way along the main street.

Subsequently the Christians began to flee and fighting broke out. At least 20 people have reportedly been confirmed dead (including some Muslims who died when the Christians defended themselves). There are also reports that one other church has been attacked (details are awaited). Some 35 persons have so far been arrested; these are mainly Muslims with weapons and military uniforms. Fighting and burning of properties has now spread to other areas of the city.
Over the last 2 months, there has been concern over widespread rumours of plans to bomb the homes of Christian leaders and to kill senior members of Christian churches.

At 5pm yesterday, 17 January, there were unconfirmed reports that 2 other churches had been attacked and were burning: an ECWA (Evangelical Church of West Africa) and a COCIN (Church of Christ in Nigeria) Church.

(Jos was the scene of wide scale violence in November 2008 during which over one hundred people were killed and many places of worship, predominantly Christian, were destroyed.)

By Tues morning the trouble had spread and a 24 hour curfew was imposed on Jos and Bukuru (a small town which almost joins Jos). The fighting, violence and burning of properties continued and spread to very many areas. Around mid-day it came a bit close to us, but thank God it did not affect us. From here we could see smoke and hear gunshots, but of course do not know exactly what happened. The local radio station is giving a count of 4,000 displaced persons, but the true number and also the number of dead cannot yet be clear. Likewise I do not know if churches have been destroyed. The night was quiet here apart from occasional gunfire. The 24 hour curfew is still in force.

The Christian Institute is also safe, thank God. I have not been there since Friday, but the Chaplain is there with some 30 of the students (those who had gone home for the week-end must remain at home!). Our relationships with the local community there are good which is a great blessing. That whole area is now pretty solidly Christian, as is the area immediately surrounding where I live at the Diocesan HQ.

There will soon, however, be a concern about food, as peoples' supplies at their homes run low and supplies have not been able to get into Jos. Thank God that we were given a bag of rice at Christmas and someone gave us some things on Monday.

The army and police are all over the city - but there are also some imposters with fake army uniforms whose aim is to kill civilians. . . . Someone has just come in with horrendous stories - but also giving thanks to God for miraculous escapes. This is bigger in all senses than any of the other riots in Jos.

Today (Friday) we are in the second day of the lessened curfew - people are allowed out between 10am and 5pm. There are many roadblocks etc, and the rush to get out of Jos yesterday was big. I have not been into the town or across to the Christian Institute yet. The Christian Institute is fine thank God but is at the end of a "dead end" road into the hills and access to this road is difficult as it is by an area badly affected.

Please continue to pray.
God bless you all. Sue
Check out our website: www.anglicandioceseofjos.org


Deaconess Susan C Essam Susan has been working in Jos since her arrival in in December 1983. Susan has  travelled widely, teaching and preaching and leading TEE (Theological Education by Extension). When the Rt. Rev Dr Benjamin A Kwashi was consecrated and enthroned in February 1992 as Bishop of Jos, he asked Susan to work with him. Under his leadership the church has taken on a new lease of life, and God can be seen working in and through his people in amazing ways.

Susan is the Bishop’s Administrative Chaplain and also finds herself involved in many aspects of church life including teaching, preaching, writing and editing. Music has come to the fore again in recent years and she is Director of Music at St Luke’s Cathedral, and Head of the School of Music at the Diocesan Christian Institute. Since February 2000 she has also been Acting Dean of the Christian Institute.

Susan was born and brought up in Northamptonshire. She read music and gained her teaching qualifications at Southampton University . On leaving University she taught in Norfolk . From there Susan went to Lincoln Theological College , and later worked in the Diocese of Worcester, becoming an ordained deaconess in 1980.

The CMS Link Scheme connects congregations in with world-wide mission through a CMS Partner in Mission .  It brings British churches into closer partnership with churches in another culture.  It also brings the experiences of Christians of other cultures into our worship and witness there in .

Through our link with Susan, we gain a greater understanding of God’s work in the Jos Diocese of , a very different culture from the Diocese of Coventry!  We contribute to that work through prayer, letters and financial support.  We are challenged in our own mission and learn much from Susan and her colleagues through both Susan’s letters to Viv Lott which can be viewed on the Oureach Noticeboard and which are sometimes included in the Searchlight,  and her occasional visits to the parish.  Susan's most recent visit to St. Andrew's was at the end of August 2005.