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Sri Lankan voices

The words of Sri Lankan Christians themselves  are the only adequate ones at this time.

These little children during their last Easter Sunday Performance at Zion Church, Batticaloa. They now watch over us from heaven with their beloved Savior. 14 children died in this church alone, I can’t imagine the pain of the families, committed to stand by them in prayer. Please pray for families .

Pray and stand with these families

Don’t repay hate for hate but in LOVE we will overcome.

#EasterSundayAttacks #love #nohate

These following words were written by a Nun and released through Voice for Change:

I Appreciate that you made the effort to find out the timing of our  mass.
Appreciate that you learnt more about our religion to know that Sundays are the days we go to Church for the congregational prayers and Mass
But I guess there were some things you, rather unfortunately, didn’t get to learn.
Perhaps you didn’t know that what you did made them Martyrs.
And how you have single-handedly raised the statuses of our brothers and sisters in the eyes of their beloved Jesus with your actions. And how, through your actions, they will be raised as the most righteous and pious of  Christian's.
Perhaps you didn’t know that doing what you did, at the time and place you chose, it actually meant that the last words that escaped their lips were probably words of remembrance and praise of Jesus. Which is a noble end many Christians could only dream of.
And perhaps you didn’t know, but what you did would almost guarantee them paradise.
Appreciate that you showed the world how Christiand welcome, with open arms, even people like yourself into our Church, which is our second home.
Appreciate you for showing that our Church have no locks or gates, and are unguarded because everyone and anyone is welcome to be with us.
Appreciate you for allowing the world to see the powerful image of men you injured, lying on back on the stretcher looking up at  heavens, as a declaration of his faith and complete trust in Jesus.
Appreciate how you brought the Churches, Government and communities together to stand with us.
Appreciate that you made countless Srilankans come out of their homes to visit the Church nearest to them with flowers with beautiful messages of peace and love.
You have broken many many hearts and you have made the world weep. You have left a huge void.
But what you also have done have brought us closer together. And it has strengthened our faith and resolve.
In the coming weeks, more people will turn up in the Church, a place you hate so much, fortified by the strength in our faith, and inspired by our fallen brothers and sisters.
In the coming weeks, more non Christians will turn up at the gates of Churches with fresh flowers and beautifully handwritten notes. They may not have known where the Church in their area was. But now, they do. All because of you.
You may have achieved your aim of intended destruction, but I guess you failed to incite hatred, fear and despair in all of us.
And while I understand that it may have been your objective, I hate to say that after all of that elaborate planning, and the perverse and wretched efforts on your part, you still failed to divide the Catholics from non-Christians in the world.
For that, I can’t say that I’m sorry.

And finally from  friends who I have been in touch with:

-But so sad to see the devastation and the beautiful lives been lost.
Thank you for your prayers and please continue to pray for us fr.
Sri lanka was slowly building up the reconciliation  and we have to re start again.
Hope is with God.

-My grandson wanted to know where was God at this time and why He couldn't save these people
Yes, many such questions with no answers ;) 

-Our faith is built on LOVE, not hate! Even in the face of terrible tragedy we can still stand as a beacon of light... a witness to this island nation. I believe we are called to do so. 

-Thank you for your prayers. We hope that with God's grace we will be able to discern things and act in His wisdom.

 -We only get some comfort through prayer, but do wonder why our Lord let this
happen. Does He have a larger and more successful plan for Sri Lanka ? It
has done so much damage, but has brought all religions closer.

We are so troubled. Please pray for us and for SL.

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