Update on Attacks in Egypt
There has been obvious concern over the situation in Egypt, particularly at the news of church burnings and other attacks against the Christian community. We are thankful to report that as of the morning of August 16, there has been minimal targeting of the Egyptian Church of God believers, pastors, or their church buildings with violence or vandalism. Pastor Zechariah was struck by a rock in the head, and has recovered quickly, when the church building in the Minya area was attacked by a group throwing rocks at the windows. Similarly, the church building in Assiut suffered broken windows and broken glass on the door. In both instances, police arrived quickly and restored order and are now protecting both sites. Both of these congregations are in Upper (southern) Egypt, where there has been a higher degree of sectarian violence for months. We are thank that these are the only accounts of trouble in all that time.
The Oldham family is in Cairo and continuing to encourage and serve believers in that area as able. Their local community is safe, and two of their three children are scheduled to begin school on Monday (the other begins in September). The Church of God continues to closely monitor the situation and their safety. Continue to pray for peace and stability, as well as for continued safety of believers there.
