Louise and Peter Lynch
July 2024
Curfew
We are just emerging from one of the most difficult weeks we have had in Bangladesh. On Thursday 18th July at 12:30, our BBCS colleagues made sure we were safely in our flat as violent protests erupted in the streets of Mirpur where we live. Throughout the next two days, we could hear the crowds shouting, gun shots and explosions. Plumes of black smoke curled up from buildings we recognised, and helicopters flew overhead. Mobile phone networks were turned off, internet was turned off and on the first night there was no TV news. For six days our only source of information was the Bangladesh news channels. We saw pictures of police firing into crowds and burned-out buildings. On Saturday morning we heard the news that the whole country was under curfew.
As we write this newsletter, we remain under curfew, but now with an eight-hour window during the day when we can shop and go to work. We have been outside of our flat for less than an hour in the past week, hopefully over time we will be able to return to the office, but we have been advised that caution is best whilst the curfew restrictions are in place. Our internet was restored on Tuesday evening at 40% rate. We could message our family for the first time, but still we cannot send pictures or make audio or video calls. There is still no mobile data coverage.
As the curfew restrictions have eased, fresh food has been coming into the city and we have been able to visit small local shops to buy essential goods. Our life has been simple and contained, but safe. After the horror of the two days of violence on our neighbouring streets, feeling cut off from the outside world has been the hardest part of our experience. Not knowing whether it was on the news in the UK, not really knowing what was happening in Bangladesh, not knowing how worried people were for us. Our experiments with phone calls were successful enough for the boys to know we were OK - but everything else we said got lost in crackles.
So, here we are. We know that many, many people have been praying for us and when we started getting messages again, it was lovely to see these expressions of love tumbling out. We hope this letter will help you know how to carry on praying for us.
We have been meditating on the accounts of the resurrection in our morning prayer times. The women heading off to prepare Jesus' body, aware that a huge boulder lay between them and him. They were not certain how it would be moved. We have been thinking about how the disciples ran and how one paused by the empty tomb and how others hid away. We have taken comfort and hope in these thoughts. It is not clear what life will be like here either in the short or the long term. We don't know really how we will react to the unfolding situation. The closure of government offices has put our visa renewal timescale askew, so we can see some big boulders ahead, but we pray we will keep walking forwards.
Pray for the easing of tension and violence across Bangladesh. For families who are grieving the loss of loved ones and for those injured and traumatised. For the safety and protection of churches and Christian workers. That blame will not be misapplied in communities and that Pastors will have the freedom to minister within their communities Pray for good employment solutions to be found for Bangladesh's young people and especially the high number of graduate unemployed. Wisdom for the church leaders and project leaders as they make decisions about planned programmes and events. For the healing grace and mercy of God to be at work in everyone affected by the recent troubles. Pray for us.
Apologies for the lack of pictures in this update. The limited internet makes it problematic to send any and the inside of our flat would probably not be the most inspiring image. I am sure you can use your imaginations for the rest of it. Thank you for your prayers. Louise and Pete