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Dear Praying friends,
 Things
in Côte d'Ivoire do not
seem to be improving, but we feel that God wants us
there. Barbara and I leave for "home" on Wednesday
the 6th and would appreciate your prayer. We
have a lot to do and need your prayer.
- Church building
construction in Gbegbessou. This is a $25,000
project that we plan to have closed in by August.
-
Property purchase in Toumodi. A $5,000 project.
- Relocate the church in Adzopé. $2000
And the list goes on, including opening
two new works in the region of Yamoussoukro, our home,
and the growth of the four others. The volume of work
alone is a challenge, but you can see that the financial
challenges are staggering. We
simply trust the Lord. In view of our return to RCI,
we wanted you to be aware of a few things.
- All of
the other missionaries have left our region. There
are still a few around Abidjan, but most have left
there as well.
- Air France has canceled flights for
this weekend because of security issues.
- There has
been an escalation of violence in the West of RCI.
- Finally, the British Embassy closed on Friday. I've
included the note that I received from them that explains.
Please keep us in mind as you pray. We simply
want to do what we believe God would have us do. "Is
there not a cause"? We appreciate so very much the
role that you play in the work of God in Côte
d'Ivoire. God Bless, Tim & Barbara Downs
COTE
D'IVOIRE FOR WHOM
THE UK HAS CONSULAR
RESPONSIBILITY.
I must inform you that operations at the British Embassy in Abidjan will
be suspended as of 1 April 2005. All British diplomatic staff will leave the
country. We strongly advise all British Nationals to leave Côte d'Ivoire
as soon as possible. We will be unable to mount an evacuation as we did
in November 2004. Other countries may not be able to mount rescue
operations as happened then.
Our decision is based on the uncertain security situation and our
inability to adequately protect our staff or UK nationals in the case of a
further outbreak of violence.
Travel advice, which you can find on the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office web-site ( www.fco.gov.uk ), is being updated to reflect our
decision. If, against our advice, you decide to remain, you should take
strong security precautions. The nearest British High Commission is in
Accra (Osu Link, off Gamel Abdul Nasser Avenue, PO Box 296, Accra,
Ghana. Tel: +233 21 221665 or +233 21 7010650).
David Coates
Ambassador
God Bless,
Tim & Barbara
________________________
Tim & Barbara Downs
B.P. 1444
Yamoussoukro
Côte d'Ivoire, Africa
www.WestAfricaNow.com
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