Late this afternoon I was telling my staff in the UK that, whilst we have been very busy here, we have gone a full three days without any of our people being killed. Then, in rapid succession, we heard that:
§ Samah, our security chief, has just been blown up. He has had one leg amputated and may lose the other.
§ The car of Minster Wijdan Salim, Human Rights Minister and winner of our peace prize this year, has also been blown up. The minister was not in the car at the time but her driver was killed and her chief of staff was injured and is in hospital. Osama, who does all my visas, was in the car but he appears not to have been harmed.
§ Another member of our congregation has just been killed, but the details are not yet clear.
Once again the target seems to have been people who were Christians. I have just spoke to Minister Wijdan and she was so distressed that she does not even know if she wants to remain as a minister.
In grateful remembrance:
Yesterday was Remembrance Day and we had a special service in the British Embassy as well as the usual services at the US Embassy and St George's. This is a very emotional time. St George's Church is a memorial church and we have a memorial to Danish soldiers who gave their lives in Iraq. We also remembered those who died just two weeks ago in the church massacre and in the subsequent violence targeting Christians in Baghdad.
The lectionary readings this week spoke of the nature of violence in the last days. It was so appropriate and we read that eventually even our friends will turn against us.
We thought things had been better for three days now they are bad again. The pain is so real but WE WILL NOT STOP.
Blessings, Salam, Shalom, Peace,
