In twenty-nine years of work overseas I have never seen so many bad events affecting so many people as I have in 2014. In West Africa we have three countries: Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, which have been threatened to their very core—lives, economies, and societies–by the Ebola epidemic. In Nigeria there are many thousands dead or homeless due to violence, both ethnic violence over land, and terrorist violence by the group Boko Haram. I also am grieved by the millions who have been driven from their homes or killed in Syria and Iraq. 

During the last three months I have been in the US and Canada traveling and speaking in churches, colleges, and schools about the need to be in solidarity with these people who are far away from us but who are under extreme stress. I have been always safe, well fed, enjoying frequent visits with my daughter Susan and son Daniel, and go to sleep in a warm comfortable bed every night. But often my mind wanders to the people who are in constant danger, mourning their loved ones who died, missing their children who have been kidnapped for months, living crowded in refugee shelters.

These people are living in the book of Habakkuk chapter one. Habakkuk wrote:

“How long O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen. And cry out to you 'Violence!' But you do not save? …Destruction and violence are before me. There is strife, and conflict abounds.”

How must the pastor feel who has been praying for his two daughters kidnapped by Boko Haram in April? Probably like Habakkuk. And like Psalm 119:53: “Indignation grips me because of the wicked.”  That’s how I have been feeling.

As I thought about my indignation, I concluded that each case of suffering has its root causes in oppression, and abuse of human rights.

As I thought about my indignation, I concluded that each case of suffering has its root causes in oppression, and abuse of human rights. For Ebola, West African countries have an underfunded health system in bad shape, because money has been diverted. Plus, the health systems are distrusted by the rural people who are mostly members of minority ethnic and language groups.

For terrorism, bad governance started with the colonial powers, and people have many grievances that make them think that rebellion is their only solution.  In all the terrorist cases, from ISIS in Iraq and Syria to Al Quaeda in Mali, charismatic leaders took over control of political resistance movements through getting access to weapons and money.  They get access to fighters by brainwashing young men and child soldiers, and they become even worse abusers of human rights than the people they are fighting.

In God’s sovereignty, there are consequences for human actions, and we are reaping what was sown. So my indignation is against—all of us. 

For me, indignation has had several consequences. One is that I spent a lot of time obsessively glued to my computer screen, tracking the news updates from Africa. I have used what I learned to make decisions for action for World Renew in Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and to share reliable information with our supporters. 

But much of what I have seen in American media and social media gave me even more indignation. I saw politicians using the media to promote fear instead of truth. Much of the coverage and statements about Ebola in October were misleading; and after the election, there was suddenly nothing. And there is very little interest in the Boko Haram situation in Nigeria.

The other effect that “indignation because of the wicked” had on me was lots of motivation to work hard!  In my role as team leader I have helped organize assistance to Liberians and Sierra Leoneans fighting Ebola, and Nigerians helping those who have suffered violence. I have also done fundraising for World Renew’s assistance to victims of the Syrian war and ISIS. We have special international disaster funds for Ebola Crisis, Iraq Conflict, Syria Conflict, Nigeria Conflict, and Ukraine Conflict.

It would take many pages to list all the things that World Renew is doing in these places. But here are a few examples: 

Christian Health Association of Liberia (CHAL) is a network serving hospitals, clinics, and health centers. When the Ebola crisis became very bad in August, many doctors and nurses were dying and most health facilities in the country closed. World Renew air freighted three and half tons of supplies to CHAL in September. This enabled them to keep 5 hospitals, 9 health centers, and 23 clinics open. They wrote: “These supplies brought hope to our member institutions when they had lost hope because of the Ministry of Health with its meager resources was only focusing on few major hospitals.”  

In November, Boko Haram greatly increased their terrorist attacks in northern Nigeria, including on some villages who then fled out of Nigeria for safety. World Renew’s partner organization identified fifty refugee families who were the most destitute and provided them with food, blankets, mosquito nets, water purification tablets, soap and buckets.

To fifty Iraqi families who fled into Erbil from ISIS, World Renew has provided kerosene lanterns, food packages, blankets and winter clothes. To 600 mothers with their babies who fled from Syria to Lebanon, World Renew is providing diapers and milk.

There are many more things that World Renew is doing in West Africa and around the world. I am glad to be part of an organization that is working with local people to meet needs. That’s the reason that I can actually work on Ebola prevention programs from my desk in the U.S.—because World Renew supports local people who do the work and just lack the resources to do more.

The needs are huge. Every day there are more bad things happening. Like Habakkuk, I do not understand why God does not change things right now. Like the Psalmist, I am indignant when I see the great evil done by terrorists. All I can do is keep working.  

Author: Mary Crickmore, World Renew West Africa Team Leader

PHOTO: Women and children, who escaped from violence after Boko Haram insurgents attacked their community weeks ago, sit together at the internally displaced persons (IDP) camp at Wurojuli, Gombe State September 2, 2014. Photo Credit: REUTERS/Samuel Ini