Pentecostal Missionaries Evacuated from Unstable Madagascar

By Ethan Cole, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Missionaries from the largest Pentecostal denomination were recently evacuated from the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, which last week underwent a military coup and is still in the midst of political turmoil.

At the recommendation of the U.S. State Department, Assemblies of God World Mission moved the four missionary families and one single missionary serving in Madagascar to Nairobi, Kenya, according to AG News.

"The military is divided as to who they are going to support," explained AG Africa regional director Mike McClaflin. "The American Embassy very strongly urged American citizens to evacuate the island ... and now the American Embassy has evacuated its staff."

McClaflin said AGWM leadership made the decision to move the missionaries on March 14.

Madagascar's elected president, Marc Ravalomanana, was ousted from office on March 17 and replaced by Andry Rajoelina by the military. African leaders and the international community have refused to recognize Rajoelina and his government.

On Wednesday, former president Ravalomanana vowed to reunite with his supporters in Madagascar, according to The Associated Press. The ousted president is currently in Swaziland.

"Madagascar is an example of how so many of the rises in our world today demand that we as a church must commit ourselves increasingly to intercessory prayer for our missionaries and fellow believers around the world," said AG communications director Randy Hurst.

Earlier this month, a Madagascar pastor associated with the World Alliance of Reformed Church had issued an appeal to Christian soldiers in Madagascar's military to not commit murder. In a message broadcast that was repeated on radio stations, the pastor reminded soldiers that they are baptized and are not supposed to murder or to accept orders from superiors to kill.

The Madagascar pastor told WARC that church people in the country are very tense because of the prominent role former President Ravalomanana played in the Church of Christ. The former head of state had served as its lay vice-president.

"We recognize the extraordinarily complex situation in which the church finds itself at this time in the country's history," said WARC's world president, Clifton Kirkpatrick, in a statement. "We are keeping the country and its churches in our prayers. We deeply regret the loss of life in this conflict, the destruction of property and the fear with which people are living. We pray that political and church leaders will agree to seek a peaceful resolution to their disagreements."