Saturday, March 04, 2006

Muslims donate land for Anglican Church

Here's a great story of interfaith hope from "the global south!"

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INDIAN OCEAN: Muslims donate land for Anglican Church
[ENS, Source: Diocese of Antsiranana - Indian Ocean]

In the midst of world stories of violence and boycott due to the publication of cartoons
caricaturing the prophet Mohammad, Muslims have donated a piece of land for the erection of a new Anglican church in Ambilobe town in the Diocese of Antsiranana.

"I could not believe my ears when I was told that the Muslims of the Matsabory Leidama suburb of Ambilobe donated a piece of land to the Anglican Church," said Bishop Roger Chung of Antsiranana. "But God's ways are not our ways, and His thoughts not our thoughts, says the Book of Isaiah."

The chairman of the parish, Diogene Mahavavy, explained that the Muslim community was aware of difficulties Anglicans were having in obtaining a plot of land for building a new suburban church. They readily offered to donate the plot.

The peoples of Ambilobe are from the Antakarana tribe, which is predominantly Muslim. However, evangelization of the Ankarana region has resulted in many families having both Muslim and Christian members. So mutual support between Muslims and Christians is very common.

Full story at: anglicancommunion.org

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