By now many of you would have heard about the eruption of violence that has occurred Kingston, the capital city of Jamaica. Police stations have been burned, police officers have been killed, and at least 73 civilians died in relation to a police and military operation in a small garrison (politically controlled) community called Tivoli Gardens in West Kingston.
The capital has been under a limited State of Emergency as the security forces attempt to capture gang leaders, especially a fugitive who is very influential in the criminal underworld and is wanted for conspiring to traffic illegal drugs to the United States of America. Violence has also escalated in other communities, which is related to the hunt for this drug lord.
All the disciples are safe, but a sister has been unable to leave her house as a result of the ongoing operation in Tivoli. There is a general sense of fear and distress that has gripped the nation. However, even before these recent occurrences, it was clear that action had to be taken to curb the growing crime problem. The intensity, frequency, and brutality of crime were increasing rapidly. Many disciples were becoming victims more often, and even one disciple’s business place was firebombed.
Jamaica needs your prayers, even as daily life slowly returns to normal, and remaining schools and business places reopen this week. Pray for the safety of the disciples; pray for the government to be wise and courageous; and pray for the security forces to be fair and merciful in the execution of their duties.
Gregory Baugh