Steve Godbold is Released!

July 25, 2008 [TEAM]: The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM) is very pleased to announce the release of Cash Stephen Godbold, a missionary held captive in northern Chad for more than nine months.

Godbold was released by his captors in Chad on Thursday evening, July 24th. He was released near the town of Bardai in northern Chad, and is presently a guest of local officials in Bardai. Arrangements are in process to send an aircraft to Bardai to evacuate Godbold to N'Djamena. From there he will travel to the United States via Europe for reunion with family and colleagues, debriefings and medical checks.

Godbold was captured on October 10, 2007 in Zoumri in the Tibesti region of Northern Chad. He was assisting a Chadian non-governmental organization transporting water well drilling equipment into the Tibesti in order to provide clean and safe water to residents of the region. He is 49 years old and has served in Chad since 1991. He is married and has four children.

The Movement for Democracy and Justice in T'Chad (MDJT) claimed responsibility for Godbold's captivity. Mr. Choua Dazi, the President of the MDJT, made numerous statements to the international media and others during the months of captivity, reporting that Godbold would be released as early as last November. No explanation for the failure of the MDJT to honor those promises has been provided. Godbold was ultimately released following extensive negotiations between his captors and TEAM. TEAM emphasizes that Godbold's release was unconditional and that no ransom was paid and no concessions of any type were made to secure his release.

Dr. Charles Davis, International Director of TEAM, expressed gratitude and appreciation for the efforts of many organizations and individuals in Chad and the United States: "Governments, the church, other faith-based organizations and individuals worked together to make sure that Steve was kept safe and ultimately released. We are so very grateful for this assistance and praise God for every person and agency that helped bring Steve home."

Additional information will be provided as it becomes available during the repatriation and debriefing processes.

THANK YOU FOR PRAYING!

Picture and further information can be found at Reuters Africa (http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL6376781.html)

TEAM is requesting financial gifts to help pay for the contingency travel expenses to help get Steve Godbold Released.

Good News From Chad At Last!

March 2008: Neil and Pam Donoghue work in eastern Chad, providing custom made wheelchairs that are able to travel through the sand. They face many challenges in doing this. Because of daylight power limitations, all cutting and fitting is done with a hacksaw and file, with grinding done at night when they have electricity.

Last month, they received a very pleasant phone call from Mr. Mark Richard, the Director of Hope Haven International Ministries in South Dakota. He said he wanted to send them a container of 150 tricycle-type wheelchairs to Chad. What a wonderful blessing this would be for the 150 recipients who would find mobility as a result!
However, they are in Chad and often what appears on the surface to be so easy, oftentimes becomes very complex. There are still some logistical challenges, but they are convinced that if God wants those chairs to arrive, doors will open.
The Donoghues are currently working with the U.N. and an American aid organization and things are looking good. They have been impressed by their optimism and willingness to help.

They are asking us to pray for them:

"There were 6 hurdles for the gift of the 150 wheelchairs to be a reality, and there's only one more left...but it looks impossible, so, since we serve the God of impossibilities, would you pray with us, that if this is His will, it WILL happen!! The chairs will take about 20 minutes each to assemble and will work well in the rough conditions here in Chad. WHAT a huge blessing it would be for the 150! Guess what else they want to include in the container:

150........... Pairs of Crutches
30........... Walkers
40........... Seat Cushions
50........... Canes

So, pray hard with us, ok??"

Chadian rebels launch town attack

Chadian rebels launch town attack

Chadian rebels have threatened to advance on the country's capital

Anti-government rebels in Chad have launched an attack on the town of Goz Beida, near the border with Sudan.

The United Nations reported fighting in the town, which is home to 15,000 Darfur refugees.

A rebel leader said Goz Beida had fallen to his forces and they would take the capital N'Djamena by Sunday.

Chadian Communication Minister Mahamat Hissene told the BBC that government forces were being organised to defend the capital.

The rebels reportedly launched an offensive in the east of the country on Wednesday, and Mr Hissene said the rebels were being armed and organised by Sudan.

They claim to have twice as many vehicles and men as when they attacked N'Djamena in February.

The insurgents had sought to overthrow President Idriss Deby and they managed to reach his palace before being repelled.

*** Please pray for God:

• - to have mercy on the people of Chad
• - to protect the innocent as this latest attack unfolds
  
• - to bring lasting peace to Chad in which the country can move forward and develop in every way, as He chooses

Full Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7454749.stm

Update on Steve; still held hostage

Mr. Godbold is a missionary with TEAM and has lived and worked in Chad for a number of years. On October 10, 2007 he was on a humanitarian mission, delivering equipment for water wells in the Tibesti when he was detained by MDJT forces in Zoumri. Mr. Godbold has been in the custody of the MDJT ever since.

PRESS RELEASE

TEAM Sends Plane For Hostage Steve Godbold

Following MDJT Announcement

For Immediate Release

April 30, 2008

The faith-based organization TEAM, located in the United States, announces that it has arranged for an aircraft operated by a medical non-governmental organization in Chad to fly to Bardai to receive Steve Godbold, who has been detained by rebel forces since October 10, 2007. TEAM also offers to allow a representative of the international media to accompany this flight to observe the process.

On April 28, 2008 the President of the MDJT, Mr. Choua Dazi, stated in an interview published by Liberté sans frontières and posted at www.dabio.net that Mr. Godbold is “free” and that the MDJT is seeking a means to facilitate his departure from the Tibesti region of Chad.

Mr. Godbold is a missionary with TEAM and has lived and worked in Chad for a number of years. On October 10, 2007 he was on a humanitarian mission, delivering equipment for water wells in the Tibesti when he was detained by MDJT forces in Zoumri. Mr. Godbold has been in the custody of the MDJT ever since.

During this period, spokesmen for the MDJT have promised several times to release Mr. Godbold:

• On October 18, 2007 Mr. Dazi told a reporter from RFI “This is the beginning of our investigation. I think that in a week’s time it will be decided. If he is innocent, then he will be freed, no problem.”
  
• On October 24, 2007 Mr. Dazi told a reporter from Reuters “In two or three days we will conclude (our investigation) and then we’ll see what preparations we can make to free him”.
  
• On November 5, 2007 Mr. Hissein Yaya Barka, Assistant General Secretary of the MDJT, told a French website “After a two-week investigation we have made the decision to liberate (Mr. Godbold) in the coming days.”
  
• On January 8, 2008 Mr. Barka issued a press release that said “On November 5^th, 2007, we made the decision to release him (Godbold)”.
  
• During this time, leaders of the MDJT also made private promises to a large humanitarian organization to release Mr. Godbold.
  

TEAM issued this statement today: “Although we do not understand why the MDJT did not follow through on its earlier public promises to release Steve, we appreciate and respect Mr. Dazi’s announcement yesterday that Steve is ‘free’. We have arranged for an airplane from a medical NGO based at a hospital in Chad to fly to Bardai as quickly as possible so that the MDJT can complete its commitment and return Steve to freedom. The airplane will go to Bardai on Friday, May 2. We call on Mr. Dazi and the rest of the leadership of the MDJT to honor their promise and their commitment and send Steve to Bardai to meet this plane.” TEAM also confirmed that it is seeking a member of the international media to accompany the flight as a guarantee of transparency and good faith in the process.

For further information, contact: cmt.presse@googlemail.com

Update: The plane went up to Bardai, and waited for the promised release of Steve. Unfortunately, Steve was not released, and the plane had to return without him. So the captivity of Steve continues...
Each day, our prayer for Steve has been, "Father, if today he is in the hands of the MDJT, may He be a blessing to those around him, for this is what he lives for. And if it is Your will, may Steve be released very soon and reunited with his family. Amen."

Killings of Humanitarian Workers in Chad and Darfur Cause Concern

UNITED NATIONS - / MaximsNews Network by Caroline Patton / - 01 May 2008 -- Over the last several months, several aid workers have died as a result of the unrest taking place in the two countries and the UN is worried about the safety of its personnel in the area. Because of the conflicts that have roiled both Chad and Sudan , the need for humanitarian assistance is particularly acute so disruption of operations could have terrible consequences.

Yesterday, Pascal Marlinge, the Country Director of Save the Children-UK, was killed in Chad en route to Adre in eastern Chad . The group of three aid vehicles was attacked by a pair of men carrying guns and wearing uniforms. Mr. Marlinge was from France and the UN has offered its sympathy to his family in the face of their loss.

This is not the first time such a killing has occurred. Towards the end of 2007, a driver for UNHCR in Chad died after being shot in an attack.

The UN has spoken out forcefully against the attack that led to the death of Mr. Marlinge and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes told the international community that “the targeting of humanitarian workers who are in Chad to help those suffering from civil strife is an inexcusable crime.”

Mr. Holmes added that “the UN welcomes assurances by the Government of Chad that this crime will be investigated.”

Mr. Merlinge’s death comes just over a week after a humanitarian worker died in Sudan . A 58- year old driver, on his first run, was killed while distributing much needed food and supplies in Darfur . The worker, Mohammed Makki El Rasheed, left behind six children. This makes two such deaths there in as many months.

Another driver died in late March and 60 WFP vehicles have been attacked in 2008, with the fate 39 of them, and 26 of the drivers, unknown.

These deaths threaten operations in the region since aid workers face the risk of being hurt or killed in ambushes like the one that killed Mr. Merlinge. Mr. Holmes said of today’s attack that “this despicable act is likely to exacerbate already challenging conditions in which humanitarian workers continue to provide much-needed relief to those in need.”

The WFP has already expressed concern to the Government of Sudan about the need to be able to protect its personnel and that of partner organizations. Already operations are hampered by strikes on UN trucks that make it difficult to move food and other necessities. As a result of last week’s killing in Darfur , food rations were reduced due to low supplies. The stockpiles of humanitarian agencies are well below where they should be.

In order to keep going its work providing for millions of people in Darfur , “WFP is calling on all rebel groups and their commanders on the ground to ensure safety along the roads where they operate, so that humanitarian food relief can arrive to those who need it.” It has also appealed to the Government for police to be assigned to go along with humanitarian supply transports to help prevent attacks.

--Caroline Patton

Click here to go to the original article

Please pray for Chad and Sudan. More and more it becomes apparent that the only solution to the troubles is a divine intervention from God (also known as a miracle). And we believe in miracles, right?