Gospel for Asia Missionaries Caught Up in Sri Lanka Conflict

Despite an official ceasefire, Sri Lanka's lengthy internal conflict has intensified and Gospel for Asia missionaries are finding themselves caught up in the crossfire.

In the last two weeks, 136,000 people fled their homes to seek protection in refugee camps. Among those displaced were eight Gospel for Asia missionaries and at least 83 of their church families.

Over the last 15 months, 4,000 people have died in the conflict between Sri Lanka's government and the insurgent group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Civilians are continually caught in the middle of this conflict, as suicide bombers, mines and mortar bombs are common and indiscriminate forms of attack.

"Having been to this part of the country, my heart aches for these innocent suffering people," said GFA President KP Yohannan.

The escalating situation saw the LTTE launch its first ever aerial strike against the government airport on March 26, killing three airmen and wounding 16 others.

In the past six months, the government has cleared out several Tamil Tiger strongholds in Batticaloa in the east. The fighting has forced thousands to leave their crops, schooling and homes to find shelter in government-run areas. However, there is not enough sanitation, housing or food for the displaced, which some estimate to be as many as 160,000.

The Sri Lankan people are still recovering from the massive tsunami that wiped out huge areas of east Sri Lanka in December 2004. For many of them, the life they rebuilt was left behind again when they fled.

GFA's Sri Lanka leader, Lal Vanderwall, says the 83 families and eight pastors who were displaced see this as an opportunity to share the hope they have in Christ with their fellow refugees. They face the same dangers and discomforts as the others but trust the Lord to bring them through the nightmarish situation, he said.

"Let us pray for them and the workers serving among them at this time," Yohannan said. "We will also be praying for the Lord to protect the lives of all the refugees and that the missionaries and believers in the group would be able to bring the hope of the Gospel in the midst of this desperate situation."

Gospel for Asia is a mission organisation involved in evangelism and church planting in Asia's unreached regions. Currently Gospel for Asia supports more than 16,000 church planters in 10 countries of South Asia.