A Prayer for Bahrain

Some things just do not make the news, yet they should. Much of what I find out about what is really going on in the world comes from friends living in those locations. Such is the case with Bahrain, which was in the news a number of months ago for the demonstrations at the Pearl Roundabout, a beautiful monument that was nonetheless torn down in a symbolic act by the government to put an end to dissent. That hope, however, was clhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifearly not realized, as ongoing disturbances prove.

I would like to share a letter I received from a friend two days ago and to ask for your prayers for Bahrain. Here is the letter:

"Bahrain is heading back toward another meltdown! Things must be getting bad again as for the first time since June the tanks have rolled back into town. Yesterday I witnessed the tanks trundling down the highway by my house, and one had parked itself right at the entrance of the village. The strategic placement of these monsters must be a sure sign that all is not well even though there has been no public news about it. (I think the country has managed to keep its’ internal news very much under wraps, especially given that anyone resembling a reporter has been stopped from entering the country.)

The weekend would have once again not looked out of place on a Hollywood war movie set. Friday the entire Budaiya area (and surrounding regions up to Seef mall- for those not familiar with Bahrain that would be a huge area coverage [from Falmouth to Truro at least]) was shut down due to a large funeral procession of someone who had died the night before in clashes. The air was thick with tear gas, chants, and anger. Riot police ran down from fly-over highways onto other mains roads, scattering the children and adults are they attempted to kidnap yet another roundabout. Shots fired into the air in an almost synchronized fashion, led by the uniformed sergeant who could have passed for an orchestra’s conductor. People young and old managed to block main highways/motorways; children put up barrier blockades and sat on roundabouts turning motorists back with aggressive waves of their arms, which were decorated with metal pipes. The unfortunates such as myself who were stuck in our cars on these roads were being frantically sent in all directions by police who were trying desperately to get us out of the areas, unfortunately often being sent in the direction of yet another blockade.

I see no hope, no change for the better. This is our Palestine.

Please do find some time to say a prayer for the conflicted (and, in some cases, frightened and other cases, angry) nation of Bahrain.