A glimpse of the work MAF supports here in Chad

Every time we fly here in Chad we have a unique and special opportunity to share in life changing work that is happening all over the country. Through the testimonies and stories of many of our partners that we fly, we can really see God at work in the lives of the local Chadians.  Here is an example of some of the work we support.

Paving the way for Peace in Chad

Chad is a country rich in culture and beauty – but it is also threatened by instability and violence, often stemming from religious tensions. As followers of the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) MAF loves supporting reconciliation and dialogue where there is conflict. That is one of the reasons why MAF provides regular flights to the pastors of the ENTENTE Eglise Mission Evangelique au Chad, which is the alliance of Christian evangelical churches in Chad. Its Department of Ethics, Peace & Justice (EPJ) has been organising workshops to bring Muslim, Catholic and Evangelical communities together to discuss differences and similarities in perspectives, strategies for nonviolent conflict management, and mediation techniques. These workshops are specifically designed to attract high level government and community authorities, religious leaders, women and youth.

On one of the recent flights, we flew Pastor Potifar, the head of the ENTENTE and Djidda Mahamat, one of the senior Imams from the Capital N’Djamena to one of these workshops held in Am Timan. Am Timan is a primarily Arabic-speaking city of an estimated 50,000 indigenous people in the east of Chad, and serves as the capital of the Salamat region which borders the Central African Republic. Since the onset of the Darfur crisis in Sudan in the mid-2000s, eastern Chad has become home to over 300,000 migrating refugees and internally displaced people. Years ago, Am Timan only had a small community of Christians, but thanks to the work of the ENTENTE, the Christian community has grown. A small but thriving church now exists in the economic centre. Am Timan has been through a tumultuous period, and religious identity has on some occasions been a source of conflict in the city.

Before the flight, Sam had a chance to catch up with Pastor Potifar and Mr Mahamat. Both were excited to join the flight together, aware of the significance of their presence as two senior religious leaders in Chad at this workshop. When asked about the workshops, Pastor Potifar explained: “We are building relationships and paving the way for the gospel.” Indeed, this seems to be the case. In discussions on the flight to Am Timan, MAF pilot Phil Henderson discovered that: “One of the highlights of the workshops is [when] the participants work through the Bible to search for Jesus’ teaching on peace and also the Quran to search for what Muhamad taught on peace.” Phil was amazed to hear of the Imams’ reaction after the session: “The Imams ask why they have never been exposed to any of the teachings of Jesus. Just a mere reference to the fact that he was a respected Prophet.”     

The ENTENTE has spent the last 18 months on interfaith conflict management, in partnership with the Mennonite Central Committee. They have been credited with promoting peace among the communities they are working with, which is a direct result of these workshops. There is now a growing demand to expand and carry out these workshops throughout the country. Mark Tymm, the ENTENTE Peace & Justice Assistant who helps run the workshops highlights the challenges for peace in Chad and explains that there are many misunderstandings and misrepresentations among the interfaith relationships. One of the aims of the workshops is to reveal some of the misconceptions both Muslims and Christians have of their fellow Chadians. He illustrates the change the workshops can bring about: “At the beginning of the week, participants will literally sit on opposite sides of the room from each other. However, by the end of the week, they are laughing, joking, eating together and sharing stories. The intensive final day of regional group work allows participants a concentrated time of strategic planning and brainstorming on how they can work together to live in more mutually beneficial and healthier communities.”

 

Mark continues to say, “The transformation of relationships after these workshops is perhaps one of the most remarkable things I have seen during my time in Chad. People who have been taught at a fundamental level to see each other as enemies are able to see past their differences and sit down to talk about peaceful living and community building.” He also highlights the role of MAF in this peace building work. Due to the rough terrain of Chad’s vast territories, travelling to the workshop can be a long, tiresome journey. Mark has experienced an exhausting 17 hour journey across the Sahel, crammed into the back of a mid-size pickup with three other adult men. He describes the support of MAF as an “incredible blessing” for their work, and feels “very fortunate” to swap a dangerous, time-consuming, tiring road trip with a quicker, safer MAF flight: “Whether we’re off to the south, the north or the far eastern regions of the country, traveling by air will always be faster, easier and by far the safest option.”

Although it might take time to change preconceptions and clear up misunderstandings between Muslims and Christians in Chad, MAF is proud to support these important workshops, which do not only help to bring about peace between the religions but also pave the way for a great understanding of the Gospel in Chad.

Please do continue to pray for peace and unity within Chad, especially at this time as we are approaching the elections.