A Namibian Bishop's
words of consolation...

"We stand together with you in Christ as part of an extended family, and we pray for you, especially those who were victims or families of victims related to this terrible tragedy."

Bishop Petrus Diergaardt

Those words of consolation came from Bishop Petrus Diergaardt of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Republic of Namibia during a Seminary visit this week. He is touring the U.S. and visiting Lutheran seminaries as part of his tour. Bishop Petrus knows something of uncertainty and strife. Namibia, in Southwest Africa, experienced great turmoil and civil strife as a colony of South Africa. During the colonial period apartheid, a policy of racial separation, was the law of the land, and Namibia endured a 20-years war concentrated in the territory's north. The nation gained its independence some 10 years ago.

"It was a terrible shock when we saw the images on television, saw what happened to the World Trade Center," Bishop Petrus said. Namibia congregations held memorial services after the events of September 11, he said. "We prayed for all of the people involved, even for those who did these terrible things. Of course, no one supports what they did." He said Namibians and others he has spoken with have asked, "What messages is God sending to us as a result of these events? And what other bad things may happen as a result. Christ told us to love our enemies. But that is not an easy thing to do. We have been praying that something will not happen to cause more innocent people to suffer. But we stand with you as a community of Jesus Christ concerned for the suffering you are experiencing."