The Christian Emergency Network sent out an announcement on Sunday that condemned the Easter morning attacks in Sri Lanka and offered prayer points for the ongoing situation in that nation.
“As Christians celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ around the globe Easter Sunday, coordinated terror attacks struck three churches and hotels in Sri Lanka which killed over 207 and injured over 450. At least eight blasts were reported,” according to a news release issued by Christian Emergency Network (CEN). “The three churches in Negombo, Batticaloa and Colombo’s Kochchikade district were targeted during Easter services. A temporary curfew was imposed along with restrictions in the use of social media immediately following the blasts. This violence ends a decade of relative peace following the Sri Lanka civil war ending in 2009. Sri Lanka is approximately 8% Christian, while the majority are Buddhist or Muslim.”
“CEN condemns these senseless attacks against Christians and tourists in Sri Lanka. An attack on any house of worship is an attack on all people of faith.”
CEN Safety Security Officers are closely monitoring the situation and consulting with federal partners to receive any information which may be a direct nexus or threat to churches in the U.S. There is no known threat against US Faith Based Organizations at this time. However, CEN urges churches and places of worship to exercise vigilance.
Mary Marr, Founder and President of CEN said: “This tragedy is another reminder for Christians worldwide to pray; to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement; and to care for those affected by this tragedy, including the Sri – Lankan citizens and families of U. S. citizens who who were killed by this attack.”
CEN is asking believers around the world to pray:
- For Christians to respond with the love and Hope of Christ as others may ask: “Where is God in this?” regardless of faith affiliation.
- For First Responders to be protected and vigilant both in Sri – Lanka and here in the U..S.
- For CEN to continue to work even more closely with first responders on behalf of the Christian community particularly in the areas of information sharing to prevent incidents, to build upon law enforcement relations, and to respond to incidents effectively.
Please click here for more information on how to respond to mass casualty attacks and how to exercise safety protocols in public places: https://www.ready.gov/public-spaces.