Anglican Mainstream

by Chris Sugden, Canon of St Luke’s Cathedral, Jos, Nigeria

For the second time in 18 months an attempt has been made on the life of Bishop Benjamin Kwashi, the Bishop of Jos, Plateau State in Northern Nigeria

Early on the morning of Tuesday July 24 at 2.15 a.m. a gang of men, more than five in number bound the two security guards at the gates of his compound and locked up the four domestic staff,

Armed with guns and knives, they then battered through the doors of the house, went upstairs and marched Bishop Ben Kwashi downstairs and outside.

They told Bishop Ben, they were going to kill him. Then, inexplicably the men changed their minds, gave up that plan, took him back inside and ransacked the house for valuables. They beat up his teenage son Rinji. Help came after about half an hour.

“I have seen a miracle”, Bishop Kwashi said to me this morning. “Join me in thanking God that my life has been spared again. This is the second time in 18 months that an attempt has been made on my life.” (In February 2006 a gang came in search of him to the house, but he was away. They beat up his wife Gloria and left her blinded for a while. [Read here-> http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=5852]. “This is now the second time that Gloria has seen all this. It is worse for her. Please pray for her.”

Rinji was taken for x-ray and no bones have been broken.

“We have been able to mend the broken door temporarily but new doors are being made.”

The intruders stole a lap top, mobile phones, money and jewellery. With the cost of repairs the total cost of replacements and repairs is £3000.

Anglican Mainstream will receive funds through Paypal, or by cheque to Anglican Mainstream, 21 High Street, Eynsham, OX29 4HE which will be forwarded to Bishop Kwashi. To contribute to repairs and replacement [click here->http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/?page_id=215].

Bishop Kwashi was a main speaker on Interchange in World Mission at the Wycliffe Hall / Anglican Communion Institute conference on The Anglican Communion in early July [Read his paper here-> http://www.wycliffehall.org.uk/temp/Plenarysp-spBenspKwashi.pdf] and the speaker on The Anglican Communion, an African Perspective at the Anglican Mainstream meeting at General Synod on July 9th, attended by a quarter of the members of Synod present at the sessions. [Read here-> http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/?p=1867]

At the Wycliife Conference Bishop Kwashi said:

“People will laugh at us, call us names, abuse us, but that is nothing new. The gospel is worth living for; it is also worth dying for. Persecution has never, and will never, kill the church. Conditions may be difficult or dangerous for a time; but the seed is in the ground and at the right time it will burst out.”

Bishop Ben Kwashi presiding at the Ordination Service in St Lukes Cathedral Jos in July 2006

Bishop Ben Kwashi visiting friends in the UK in September 2006

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