The World Alliance has been in contact with Jared Musima, National General Secretary in Kenya YMCA, Carlos Sanvee, General Secretary in Africa Alliance of YMCAs, based in Nairobi and James Ekow Rhule, President in Africa Alliance of YMCAs and with Samuel Pervez, National General Secretary in Pakistan YMCA to express our condolences and solidarity with the victims, their families and the societies hit by horrific and very violent terrorist attacks on Saturday and Sunday.
At least 70 people were brutally killed in each of the two attacks in Nairobi and in Peshawar and hundreds of people are seriously injured. In Kenya hostages are still being held and the attacks are not over.
We have shared with our YMCA friends in Kenya and in Pakistan our deeply felt condolences with the victims and their families and our solidarity with the societies and people so brutally hit by meaningless violence and death.
To all YMCA friends around the globe we appeal that you will keep the victims and the people of these countries in your thoughts and prayers for the next days.
Johan Vilhelm Eltvik
Secretary General – World Alliance of YMCAs
Updates from Kenya and Pakistan – 24 Sept. 2013
Kenya
Thank you for condolences and prayers. We hoping that our security forces will be able to deal with situation and put everything under control so that we start enjoying the peace and tranguility that we continued to enjoy in Kenya. God will answer our prayers. We await for further information on the rescue operations and we will be able to share.
All the best.
Jared Musima, General Secretary – Kenya
Pakistan
Sad news from Pakistan
In recent years Pakistan had been much in news for supporting the war on terror, and had been on frontline to face the wrath of the terrorists. in the latest, a Church in Peshawar had been attacked by the terrorists with a twin suicide bombing that took 83 precious lives of the faithful and with more then 165 injured in the Church at the conclusion of a service where hundreds of worshippers were coming out.
The blasts were so powerful that their boom echoed even in the suburbs of the Peshawar city. There was bloodstrains on the walls and floor of the Church, whose windows had been ripped apart by the blast as the injured cried and screamed amid scattered body parts of the dead, many were injured including women and children. The ambulances arrived and started shifting the injured and the dead to nearby hospitals.
Many are still in critical conditions. Among all those who lost their near and dear ones was one young boy of 14 years who lost all his 6 family members and was now left alone to face the world challenges, there are so many others like him. Arrangements for the funeral of the blast victims were held at St. John’s Cathedral Church. After the attack on the Church, Christians all over Pakistan continue to protest against the attack.
It was decided by all the Churches and Christian organizations including the YMCA, that a 3 day mourning be observed.
YMCA was asked by the City District Government to invite the all the Bishops to participate in the meeting with Government officials to review and enhance the security arrangments of the Christian Buildings in the city, in view of the Peshawar Church attack. It was attended by the Catholic, Anglican Bishops and the Dean of Lahore Cathedral, in the meeting Peshawar Church blast was strongly condemned in which many innocent lost their lives.
In the end I wish to thank all those who stood by us in this time of grief with emails, messages, phone calls and their Prayers which were a big support for us in this shock. And I wish to request to please continue to Pray for the Christians in Pakistan.
With best regards.
Samuel Pervez, General Secretary – Pakistan