The Challenge of East Africa
East Africa is the region that has witnessed the greatest mass martyrdom of Christians in history. Over two million Christians have been killed in this region in the last forty years, mostly in Sudan. This unrest caused Africa 's largest nation to split into two.The unrest in this region continues today with thousands having been killed in Ethiopia's current civil war. In Somalia, an estimated 1.5 million have died in this nations civil-war. The ethnic cleansing of tribes in Darfur and the Nuba mountains have resulted in over 500,000 deaths and 3 million displaced persons.
What is to account for these atrocities? The source of it, as well as with many such tragedies in Africa, is rooted in tribalism and colonialism. Colonial powers often played tribes and clans against each other. It was common to place minority groups over majority groups. This practice resulted in a cycle of revenge that continues to this day. Similar patterns can be seen in other places in the world, such as the Middle East, where the divide and conquer practice was used.
As Christians we are called to be "peacemakers". It is our high calling to bridge the divide between peoples. We do this, in part, by empowering those on either side of the divide to be a blessing to one another. By encouraging love and goodwill through pratical steps of service, we invite the presence of Christ to visit the broken and bring the healing only his grace can administer.